Dead EF

<p>I won an auction last week on fleabay for a Canon EF, aka the Black Beauty. I've always liked these cameras -- had one years ago and enjoyed using it. This example is in almost mint condition -- one of the nicest EFs I've ever seen. But its electronics are completely dead. And there's no obvious reason why. The battery compartments are spotless. No signs of corrosion anywhere (like from being dipped in salt water, for example). The shutter works perfectly. So anyway, I don't really want to return the camera. I'm hoping the problem its having is minor or can at least be corrected without costing too much.</p>

<p>Just wondering if any of you folks have had similar experiences with an EF and if you or your repair guy were able to determine what the problem was?</p>

 

<p>I had a similar situation with an EF. I took the bottom cover off and found a wire had broken off the battery compartment. Soldered it back on and the camera worked fine.</p>

<p>If you have a local repair shop you could always run it past them. But before warned taking to long to ask for a refund can mess with your chances of getting one. I would sure look into the broken wire idea Lex suggests.</p>

<p>The electronics are ca 1973 ancient. I had one, batteries drained within days. I suggest you return it if not as described. Otherwise use it mechanical speeds only(loss of slow non hand holdable) with handheld meter. By the way these cameras are not fussy about batteries as to the type as long as installed in like pair a voltage regulator is in place to account for different types and chemistry.</p>

<p>Michael, was this inoperability specifically disclosed up front? If not, and you otherwise really like the camera, ask the seller for a partial refund which you'll apply towards repair. I have been in that position a few times and usually received some good will gesture. Original selling price does influence this negotiation, of course!<br>

Chances are it's repairable for a reasonable sum, in which case you've got a beautiful AND freshly serviced EF. </p>

<p>Ya know, if I were in your shoes I would have it repaired regardless of the expense... Well, within reason, anyway. Think of it like restoring an old sports car. It's more than just a tool, it's an object of devotion. Besides, EFs in nice condition are pretty rare. Now if you'd said an A-1, I'd say don't bother, there's plenty out there.</p>

<p>Thanks everybody for your perspectives. I've already notified the seller of the problem. I plan to spend some time on it later today to see if I can get it to behave properly.</p>

<p>If you go the repair route I'd like to know who's doing the work, just for future reference.</p>

<p>There are a couple of repair places local to me that have been around for years and who have extensive experience with Canon FD. (I live in Houston, TX) So if I can't figure it out, I'll probably take it to one of them and get an estimate before I proceed further.</p>

<p>Certainly one of the most beautiful cameras ever made. My repair guy fixed my last one. It was also draining. They are such a joy to use. I used Advanced Camera in Portland. They can fix just about anything, and do it right (Leica's, Hasselblad's, LF lenses, and even 70's era RFs). They are very reasonable. I hate to talk about them because I don't want their repair times to get too long, but I want them to have enough business to stick around too. Such a quandary. </p>

<p>If buying a camera as old as an EF IMO the price of a CLA should be factored into the price if you need a reliable working camera before buying it.</p>

<p>Ben, I can see the logic in that. Or, as I did -- paid as little as possible because I didn't really know what I was getting. It cost me $60, and for that price, I'll shoot it with a hand-held meter if I can never get the eletronics to work.</p>

 

<p>Send it to Ken Oikawa for repair. Search......Ken Oikawa on photo.net.<br>

Many of us here have used him.</p>

<p>Black Beauty for ever ...<br>

Clean the battery compartment with denaturated alcool, and make sure the polarity is correct.<br>

Use Silver oxide 1.5V battery, safe to use as the beauty has electronic circuit to control the voltage.<br>

Make sure that both battery caps are screwed in all the way.<br>

Enjoy her as much as you can :)<br>

Theo</p><div></div>

<p>Michel- I spent almost twice as much as my EF cost to have it given a complete service by a professional although it had no apparent faults because to replace it with another almost forty year old camera that had most probably never been serviced since it was manufactured would just be storing up more trouble for the future. I really like the EF it's a true classic that I felt was an investment in my future pleasure to have it serviced and I have never regretted it, and since I'm never going to sell it the resale value is immaterial.</p>

<p>Guys, I thought I should check back in here, just for closure's sake if nothing else. Well, I finally got around to getting serious about my EF's apparently dead electronics. Turns out that it took my looking at a repair manual to realize what the first problem was. I was using 675 hearing aid batteries, which are about the same height as the old 625 mercury cells, but not as big around. With my FTb's and F-1, using smaller sized batteries isn't a problem because the + value is picked up from the battery compartment cover. With the EF, the + side is picked up from the side of the battery compartment -- same as the early Nikon F's do. Once I realized this, I went down and bought a couple of 1.5v 625s and installed them.</p>

<p>Well, the electronics were no longer dead. Woot! But the meter was non responsive. I fretted about this for a day or so until I suddenly realized that the switch on the back of the left top cover was set to the flash symbol and not to "Normal." Doh! Once I corrected this, the meter woke up. Yippee! A couple of days ago, I ran a couple of rolls of film through it, and the exposures were spot on. Okay, I'm officially stoked now.</p>

<p>The EF works correctly with the PX625 1.5 V batteries and gives correct exposures with them although it was designed to use PX 625 1.35V Mercury cells because it has an automatic voltage regulator circuit that compensates for the voltage difference.</p>