derek_simpson

<p>Hans - thank you for info posted long ago on old Bowens heads. I was about to dump my old bo-lite but thought to look for spare parts and/or info before burial. Nothing to lose I went through a version of the 1/2 second - 1 second - 5 second power up routine and amazingly after 15 mins charge I got a pop on test button. It's not very powerful but the barn doors and grid have made it very useful to me - it has been a key light in many a set-up so deep gratitude to yourself - made my day. Derek Simpson</p>

<p>Down n dirty getyouhome repair for the original question. I'm not recommending this just saying it worked for me. Remove on/off switch gently. Cut one regular paper clip in half. bend and shape paper clip pieces to bridge circuit board. Solder in place and clip ends off neatly. Add insulating material if paranoid. The bridges run across the circuit board rather than along but if that's not apparent to you then you're probably best avoiding this sort of lash-up. As far as I'm concerned there's an on/off switch on the wall and circuit breakers back down the line. Don't forget to water seal the hole in the casing where a switch no longer protrudes. Now does anyone know more about the heater pilot lamp which in my case is corroded beyond redemption and whether a common or garden LED might do that job ? Thanks for all the info on here by the way - back in the day we had to order library books and wait and wait and wait</p>

<p>Is BLACK a given ? Yesterday I purchased 1x1.5m of ivory blackout material for less than £2. Following my habit of starting from scratch with materials in hand I improvised with crocodile clips on the rear stand - nothing else (KISS) - tests indoors are excellent . There may well be too much leakage from below on bright days (Ireland hah) in which case a velcro strip should prove effective. At present I don't see the need for a black inner as the material is 100% lightproof. Ivory because white just looked too severe and double duty as a backcloth was always in mind. Great to be back using hands and brain after many years of sports snapping and computer.</p>

<p>Thanks for the back-up WT. America is a bit far away for me but if there were a KEH in Europe it might shake Canon up a bit. I fully appreciate the "it's just a tool - needs replaced" attitude but I saw nothing in the Mk3s or 4s that was progress for me. Canon ought to be pleased so many of us have stuck with the Mk2s - I'd buy another if they re-issued them. Two shutters are on the way from China and I'll either have go myself or find a workshop willing to take on the replacement. Cheers DS</p>

<p>Blessings upon Marcus - this is what I have sought fruitlessly - possibly because I by default search ebay UK . I'll certainly look at this further - may buy three . As a side issue I tried a few things in action tonight with the only-just-usable MkIIN - it has operated almost 100% of its time in AP mode so on a hunch I tried it on TP - much improved reaction time and burst firing - I pass it on FWIW - no real idea why that should be the case other than shocking the ghost in the machine out of its lethargy. Thanks again.</p>

<p>I would certainly like to do that. When I've retired a new shutter ought to see out my days. If only I could find the part. If an earlier reply is correct and a whole range of cameras share one part then it ought not to be too expensive for Canon to provide support - of course if I were Canon inc I'd much prefer everyone to "upgrade" every two years. Had they produced a camera I actually considered an improvement for my purposes I might have been tempted. I still have an EOS3 though and some film in the freezer. </p>

<p>Discussed this with a top sport photographer (he's won every category in Brit press awards - kind of guy any company would like to be associated with) who swapped entire system to Nikon for the pro service. Point I'm making is these weren't sold as 'disposable cameras'. I'm still hopeful there's somewhere out there a skilled man with access to saved/scrapped parts but the modern world doesn't work like that i fear. iphone users seem positively to want the opportunity to throw their old stuff away and have the latest. I suppose that's the generation making decisions at Canon. </p>

<p>I have offers of used bodies from pros who have reinvested in newer models: trouble as ever is not knowing if they've been thrashed. I'll probably downgrade when I cease to do professional sport in a month or so. My main camera is now a 1DMkII (no N) and it turns out beautiful pictures - my point remains - why can't I keep that old buddy running for another few years with a bit of TLC and PARTS Canon: I have no need of video no need of more pixels</p>

<p>I don't think Canon bothered to diagnose at all - the turnround time was almost by return. My hope had been that a bit of a clean and a shake might do the job but I think it went back in the box on sight. I'll search that part number as I have an old 1DsII getting on in years and in my experience the shutter goes first. Thanks for ideas to date. I don't really think the farrier analogy has legs because these were high-end cameras not very long ago at all. Cheers Derek Simpson</p>

<p>Yep - sent a similar 1DMkIIN to canon UK a few months ago - it worked but unreliably on a burst of exposures - Canon returned with "no parts for this camera available " note. Don't know if it needed parts - it still bumps along and will have to for a few more months with one body down. I just find it a bit high handed of manufacturers not to stand behind very expensive equipment when I'd be happy to pay for the work and the parts. OK for shooters working for top dollar but has anyone noticed there are a lot of us scraping by out here who still need good equipment to do the job. </p>

<p>Shutter blew duing a match yesterday. Anywhere in the world that can supply a spare ? Or a workshop that can make the best of two variously handicapped/malfunstioning bodies. I can get spares for my old discontinued car - why not my much loved pro cameras ?</p>

<p>Thanks - haven't heard of these devices so will investigate them.. Recce'd the venue this morning - in an academic campus - there are 14 power racks supplying close to 100 lamp outlets - no-one has a diagram or knows which is what and in a refurbishment the 24 way control was ditched in favour of six dimmers with presets such that no=one knows or understands. No-one today could locate the DMX decoder or indeed seemed to know what exactly they were seeking. Managed to raise a dozen lights after half an hour - none with colour frames - not a happy boy. Didn't want to use flash but may need to. Thanks again for input.</p>

<p>Thanks gents. Am going to recce the venue on Wednesday hoping for a reliable supply on the bar. I do theatre lighting and have history with the probable LX operator. Suffice to say I ain't trusting him not to sabotage a switch channel. I'm testing batteries and know there ought not to be a problem over a couple of hours but for many reasons this is for me a massive gig - I'd be less wired up if it were an Olympic final !. </p>

<p> I have an unusual (for me) function imminent. Celebrity (real celebrity) guest. For the finale moment I want to have a remote camera on lighting bar above stage. Ideally I'd like that camera to "power off" so as not to be draing battery use;lessly for two hours. In tests once I attach a pocket wizard remote I lose this (and all) functionality. Does anyone know a way y to achieve sleep and wake up on command ? Selection of 1DMkII s by the way</p>