The squeak

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YES Gene. the squeak actually has a number if slightly different sounds that is one of them. And that after shutter sounds a little sick as well to me. Do you know if that was a service done by a real repairperson or a home brew?

I had my A-1 serviced (basic Clean, Lube and Adjust) after 10 years because it developed the Squeak.

 

It's came back perfect and should be fine for a few more years, although it's not seeing much film these days.

I did it myself.

I have a nice squeaky AE-1 Program, but the pictures seem to be OK.

 

1)do I need to fix it?

 

2) HOW did you fix it Gene? any pointers to sites, etc?

google "canon squeak."

There's a kit available on eBay that supposedly repairs the squeak. Look for eBay item # 220216280774, Canon A1 AE1 A-1 AE-1 Squeak Squeal Repair Kit

There's a kit available on eBay that supposedly repairs the squeak. Look for eBay item # 220216280774, Canon A1 AE1 A-1 AE-1 Squeak Squeal Repair Kit

I strongly advise against any DIY squeak repair and Photo.net does not endorse any untrained person working on their camera.

 

Understand the A series Canons are very very easy to damage if doing this service improperly. If oil gets on the shutter curtains the camera is junk. If on the AE-1 you do not get the meter and shutter preset properly when you take the top off you can very easily ruin the meter adjustment.

 

SO should you go down this path do not come back here and bitch about the results.

The kit offered on e-bay has served me well. Six bodies I got for a song were all squeaky,

now all fine, and really FINE. It works. It is NOT difficult if you're at all adept with camera

repairs. It doesn't require a top-off strip, just the front standard cowling and one lug bolt.

Once I got the hang of it I timed myself and accomplished the last, an AE-1 Program, in

under 4 minutes open to close. Follow the instructions and don't get oil anywhere but

where it needs to go and you'll be fine.

This right here is the problem Alexander

 

"It is NOT difficult if you're at all adept with camera repairs."

 

And if the average guy who has NEVER even seen the inside of a camera screws this up then what. And since the squeak is a great little indicator of an A series body needing a Service what do you do about all the rest of the points in the body that require lubrication and adjustment? Do you just ignore those to wear away quietly?

 

I have said for years that home brew camera repair is more damaging then it is helpful. As is recommending to the unskilled they do it themselves with NO CLUE of their skill level.

 

And rather then just NUKE this whole thread like I should have at the start I have let it go. My mistake.

 

BUT having been friends with a couple of full time camera repair guys with over 40 years experience apiece. I can tell you both have a nice big boxes of parts cameras that were the result of people who are not experienced or trained thinking they can fix their own A series camera squeaks. the result ranges from oily shutter curtains to jammed shutters from little screws getting wedged in places they don't belong to tiny wires broken off places the would be repairman can't find or doesn't have the skill required to resolder. To the no longer available tungsten cable snapping off on one end to a simple meter adjustment that will never be found after being screwed up.

 

And by the way to properly repair the squeak you do not use oil. Oil only quiets the squeak but does not repair the condition.

As an owner of several A-series Canons, dating back to the introduction of the A-1, I've seen the squeal issue debated for many years. Professionally I'm a home improvement/repair contractor. My philosophy about pricing for repair to a household fixture (say a faucet) is $X for me to fix it...$3X for me to step in after the homeowner screwed it up, trying for a DIY repair. That's why I leave the camera repairs to the professionals. I recently had 2 Canon A-1's done for the squeal and new mirror dampers/light seals for $30 + $13 shipping each; a bargain considering what I would lose trying the DIY approach.

I bought the e-bay DYI kit to fix the squeak on my A1, got out the screwdriver, filled up the little hypodermic needle with watch oil, couldn't get the screw off the camera, packed it all up, and sent it to a pro shop to have it repaired properly. I have NO regrets with that decision. The DYI kit from ebay is garbage.

A squeek repair here in Amsterdam costs about euro 150,- ( about $ 220,- ) On e-bay here you get A-1's - including the ordinary set of lenses - for about ﾀ 50,- to ﾀ 150,- - but usuallly they haven't been used for years, and they practically all have the squeek. I like the A-1 & have a couple & sofar did not mess them up - but yes, you need to be aware of your capabilities.