Worth repairing? - Command Dial on A2

As I mentioned a few days ago, I think I have a dodgy Command Dial

on one of my A2's. Having had both of my A2's fixed for the same

problem, it's annoying that it could be reoccurring. The dial is

quite loose and turns OK, no burring like it was the first time I

had trouble. It might be fine even if it's a bit sloppy feeling.

OTOH, it could spin freely at any moment if the spring snaps and the

thing would be totally useless.

 

I like the idea of Horizon Electronics repair for $110, as they use

a permanent solution with metal pins (plus they add the exposure

scale like the EOS 5). The problem is that the shipping costs

to/from eastern Canada could make the total run up to close to $150

or more in USD funds.

 

Is it worth the cost? These cameras are quite robust, otherwise, and

I easily have another 50,000 shutter firing cycles left in each body.

 

Any thoughts?

Your other option would be to repair it yourself. There are instructions on the web in a few different places. Here's a link to one: http://eosdoc.com/manuals.asp?q=5DialFix

Fix it yourself. I have two Eos 5's, both with broken command dials (thousand curses on Canon). I figure for the low price you can get Eos 5/A2's these days, its not worth dumping the money into them. I did a rather sloppy repair job on mine and I no longer have the "click-stops" between dial settings. However, the command dial at least functions and there is enough friction to keep it from switching modes accidentally.

I've examined that fix in detail, many times, and it looks similar to what Horizon does. I think my spring is getting a bit weak and, eventually, it will snap. It must be stretched. In my other A2, Canon must have used a shorter spring as its action is very silky and much quiter, no hard detenting.

 

Why on earth didn't Canon spend another $5 and make this assembly out of metal parts?

 

Whatever, I'm a mechanical klutz and Horizon do add the EOS 5 scale calibration with the repair. I think I'll get the fix done during "off" season of shooting, maybe before the end of the year if it hasn't broken.....

Some guy on ebay (canon_doc) is selling a replacement of the A2 dial with a "metal bearing channel." Looks like he has the equipment, and is only charging $60.

I had my EOS 5 (A2E) command dial repaired by fixation in the UK early this year using Canon parts and they seem redesigned - the mechanism works very smoothly, though I do treat it with care.

The issue of waiting is really one of "will the parts be out there when I need them?", given that the A2 system is long out of production now and the Command Dial is something just about everybody gets fixed sooner or later

I would hope that Canon finally have figured out there is/was a design flaw and did something about it. From reading the info on the Web, it's not that hard to make this mechanism work the way it should and the repairs are not difficult. The nice thing about Horizon's fix is they add the exposure scale that was part of the EOS 5, but could not be implemented in North America due to patent infringement.

 

I'm sure Canon Canada can fix it, properly, but it would be just as expensive as sending it to the U.S. If the dial doesn't get any worse, I can live with it.........

Definitely fix it yourself i say.I did mine-it's fiddly in a 'tiny parts' kind of way but is otherwise straightforward

<BR>I see above that someone recommended a metal bearing rail.That's what they REALLY need to stop wearing out again.I cured mine by putting in a slightly larger bearing,new spring,metal screws,etc.

 

<P>As an interesting aside-after i had put mine back together i realized that throwing the ball and spring detent idea and designing a flat plate type of spring would permanantly cure it!

<BR>Lots of nikon Ai lenses have that idea for their aperture dial detents

Canon was trying to shave a few dollars off the final cost of the A2, but I think we all would have been *happy* to spend even another $50 on the camera for a properly-designed dial assmebly with flat springs and metal parts; then, this camera would be almost perfect.

If you will be using the camera, it is worth it to have Horizon do the fix. The A2/A2E/EOS 5 was and is a good, dependable camera other than the crappy command dial. It's a well-documented fault of the camera and, if it had been Chrysler building the camera there would have been a recall to fix it.

 

I have one A2E that Horizon repaired four years ago that continues to work great. I have one A2E that Canon repaired five years ago that is beginning to show the signs of another malfunction on the way. I love the cameras, I don't need any of the updated features on the later models. I would get it fixed if it were mine.

The A2's are the last film cameras I intend to ever buy. I totally agree it's worth getting the dials permanently fixed as this SLR should last well into the realm of DSLR's that offer full-frame sensors; by that time, digital imaging should have overcome its inherent flaws.

No Ron, you can't afford to wait that long. Go buy a DSLR now and sell me the A2. I'll be genrous and give you $100 the way it is, broken and all. I'll even pay the postage. Of course, that's only because I'm such a nice guy. :)

Hehehe......I heard that the A2's worth was quite high, due to the fact there is a loyal film user base that find this classic still very desirable. Sort of like the T90 gained a big following after its production days ceased. I'd need more like $500 for it-;)

 

I've decided that I will certainly repair the dial if it gets to the point of being unusable.

 

Thanks for everyone's input. It's obvious the A2 has quite a following even on photo.net

FWIW, I contacted the local Canon service depot in Halifax and they said the cost of fixing the dial is about $100 CDN; they no longer replace the top plate of the A2, just put new parts in the Command Dial. Seems reasonable to me, but I didn't ask if these were metal parts. I suppose I could ask for that service.

I got the top plate repaired at the same time as it came inclusive - that's after I tried fixing it myself and graunched a couple of screw threads!

 

My hands/eyes were not up to the job, simple as that. Are yours? That's all you need to ask yourself?