Canon T90 Reminder

Don't forget to fire your T90 regularly. Although I stored mine with the shutter open, when I tried it the other day, it wouldn't shoot. A couple of bangs on the floor and away it went. But I'm keeping it out now and dry firing it every couple of days.

Hi John, I bought my T90 / 300TL set new in 1987 in NZ. It got a lot of use for about 10 years before it was serviced by Canon Australia, ( I wish I had got them to bridge the two contacts that prevented the film leader from being rewound into the cassette).

 

It doesn't get enough use these days - too many other film cameras and I don't look at it more than 2 - 3 times a year. Touch wood it's always been good. Threw a set of Eneloops in it about 15 mins ago and everything was fine. I'm probably more worried about the 300TL flash as this doesn't get used very often. Threw the same set of batteries in and initially it took about 30 seconds to charge up. After a few flashes the recharge time came down to about 10 secs. I guess the batteries could do with a recharge.

 

I do hear about T90 owners having various problems including shutters that get some sort of rubber gasket / seal disintegrating into them and occasionally the LCD top screen dies. Because this camera cost me an arm and a leg back then, around $NZ2,500, I've always treated it carefully. I do this with all of my gear.

 

I guess I may have just been lucky in my experience with this camera. Thanks for the reminder to check it periodically.

 

P.S. I store this camera without batteries and after firing the shutter. I think that the shutter is always fired. I suppose that you set a long exposure time and turn the camera off before the shutter closes.

I operate the shutter on 30 seconds and remove the batteries. This leaves the shutter open, I read somewhere this might prevent it from locking up and giving the EEE message.

 

Thanks for not berating me for banging it on the floor. That's how I got it working when I first bought it.

Good reminder.

 

After downsizing seriously on FD stuff, my T90 is one of the few I couldn't bring myself to get rid of(along with an F-1, New F-1, and A-1). I need to get all of them out and fire them a few times, although I know the T90 is most sensitive to sitting.

I operate the shutter on 30 seconds and remove the batteries. This leaves the shutter open, I read somewhere this might prevent it from locking up and giving the EEE message.

 

I think that will help only to a degree. Which still is better than nothing, of course.

 

This is a picture of a T90 shutter with the rear shell and the closing curtain removed:

 

 

The opening curtain rests on this little damper when closed. The damper deteriorates (you can see that it already left some residue on the edge of the shutter blade) and finally the curtain will stick.

 

Same shutter with the closing curtain and the separator plate in place:

 

 

It's not easy to see but some residue also gets onto the bottom edges of the closing curtain blades.

 

Can this be cured? Well, unless you know where to get a spare (or how to make one, you 3D printing geeks) the damper can only be removed. But I don't know if the potential overtravel will damage the curtain over time. I haven't tried that. Disassembly down to the shutter requires unsoldering more than 30 connections. And I haven't found the time to do the reassembly yet.

That's interesting. Unfortunately the camera has much more chance of surviving being banged on the floor, than of being dismantled by me. I think the problem with mine is sticking electromagnets, which with luck can be dislodged by the treatment described.

That's interesting. Unfortunately the camera has much more chance of surviving being banged on the floor, than of being dismantled by me.

 

ROTFLMAO :D

 

So true for many of us: some cameras we'll fearlessly dive into, even against advice and better judgment, but then there's the ones we just know would be our Waterloo (like the T90).

 

Thanks for the reminder to keep 'em active, and the chuckle!

A worthwhile reminder. I have just done both of mine.

 

May I also recommend running the command dial up and down the scales a couple of times the you dry fire - to avoid oxidation affecting the contacts.

Mine T90 is currently "in a coma" - some day I may get it working again. It's such a marvelous camera (LINK). I did try beating it until its morale improved, but no go.

 

I Know this tread has been dead for a long time but I thought i might ask here before starting a new thread.

I have been reading a lot and i am having an issue with my t90.

Its the eee error.   when i press the shutter button the camera sound like its going through the motions but the shutter in the camera just moves slightly then reports the eee error.  I can reset it with the battery check and repeat but no change.

 

I have gently banged it on a mat with no luck

I have also removed the front and tried to re-magnetize but I have the same results.  

Is there a direction i should go in next?

 

At any rate this is a reminder to fire those T90s

 

Cheers

10 hours ago, MartinTenbones said:

when i press the shutter button the camera sound like its going through the motions but the shutter in the camera just moves slightly then reports the eee error

This doesn't sound like the typical "eee" behaviour. I've sold my T90 now but I don't recall it trying to operate, with the shutter failing to open. It just didn't work at all - until I applied the "percussive maintenance".

I'm starting to think that's the case.   This error and shutter curtain issue are not the same as the more common one it seems.   

I don't want to give up on it yet it's it great condition otherwise.

 

Thanks for your response regardless. 

I sent my T90s to Steve @ Camera Clinic.  He fixed them up.  IIRC, once fixed correctly, you don't need to worry about EEE errors from the shutter magnets again (and mine was fixed almost 10 years ago and it still fires the shutter -- just did it a couple days ago).  Of course, if the EEE error wasn't related to the shutter magnets, your outcome may be different but I'd still consult Steve.

 

His contact info:  Steve Sweringen, Camera Clinic, 100 2nd Avenue NW Mandan, ND 58554, 775-829-2244 .

Edited December 19, 2022 by Farkle-Mpls

@Farkle-MplsThanks

 

On 12/14/2022 at 2:58 AM, John Seaman said:

This doesn't sound like the typical "eee" behaviour. I've sold my T90 now but I don't recall it trying to operate, with the shutter failing to open. It just didn't work at all - until I applied the "percussive maintenance".

Just send it to service. 

Many cameras with vertical shutters suffer from any kind of debris (often rotten foam) getting inside the mechanism making it stuck.

Instead of hitting your camera, send it to a technician for a full stripdown including a thorough cleaning of the shutter.

The T90 deserves it.

27 minutes ago, flavio_egoavil said:

The T90 deserves it.

I absolutely agree, Flavio. But professional repairers are scarce and expensive. With the exception of yourself, of course.

Does Steve have an e-mail? I'd love to ask him about this Camera.   Thanks for the contact

Having used and collected manual Canon and Nikon cameras since 1975 (when I was 11 years old), I have come to some conclusions about long term storage, including the T90 which I love.

My biggest tip is this. Store your kit in aluminum kit storage trunks for sure, or camera bags BUT be careful with the cheap plastic foam that is used for spacing. The type that you cut to make bespoke spaces in a camera storage briefcase, etc. The foam decomposes (even if not visibly) and release breakdown chemicals. This is particularly a problem when the case is closed for a long period of time. The chemical is acidic and corrodes at the microscopic level circuit boards, relays and contacts. I had a EOS 3 that I hardly used that had a corroded circuit bard due to this. And I have had other problems too. I store all my cameras with 'air space' around them in aluminum trunks but with rigid spacers (and packs of silica gel). Gary