Is this normal for a New F-1?

[stephen_moon1]

<p>I am not familiar with cameras, since this is my first one, and I have only had it for a couple of months. So, as I am not sure how they behave, I have a question about my New F-1 and how it operates.</p>

<p>When I mount my lens to the body, I have to press the stop-down slide for the aperture to function. To be clear, I mount with red line NOT showing, then press slide button after the lens mounted - otherwise the aperture does not operate. Just making sure this is normal because I don't remember reading in the online manual about having to press it to use my lens aperture. Thanks!</p>

[stephen_moon1]

<p>I don't think I had to do this before. When I press the slide - so the aperture can open/close - I can't see the circle that shows f-stops through the finder.</p>

[stephen_moon1]

<p>After trying other lenses, it seems some of them will let the aperture open and close no matter how the slide is engaged. When I fire a shot with those lenses, the aperture does not move when the shutter release is pressed, with the slide in either position. The lenses that require the slide to have the line showing (as described in my first post) for the aperture to open/close when I turn the ring, the aperture moves when the shutter release is pressed. I just got a new glass and this is why I am noticing the differences.</p>

<p>Are some of my lenses messed up?</p>

[jim_bielecki1]

<p>Why are you pressing in the stop-down lever? No need to do this to take a picture. FD lenses are designed to meter at full aperture, no stopped down. The red line on the lever shouldn't be showing. <br>

Do you have a manual? If not, I suggest you download one and review it. </p>

[stephen_moon1]

<p>Or... Is it a difference between the new and old FD mount styles?</p>

[stephen_moon1]

<p>Jim - I wanted to see the aperture blades for a new lens I bought and check the condition; I wanted to see it move and make sure it was good. I noticed some differences between the way the lenses behaved, and I am curious about how they work and why they act differently. Is what I am describing normal? As I said, I am very new and just trying to make sure everything is ok. I have downloaded the PDF and searched keywords, I dont see anything that describes what I am talking about. If I am missing something, please, let me know. Thanks for the reply.</p>

[stephen_moon1]

<p>Just to make sure I am explaining correctly why I pressed the lever... The new lens I bought, I couldn't see the aperture blades once I mounted it - with the slide pressed in - turning the ring didn't reveal it to me (like my other one would). So, I pressed the slide just blindly trying to do something that might let it work. Once I did that, I could now adjust the ring to now be able to inspect the blades. My other lens didn't work that way, which I explained in my previous post, and that confused me. I never saw that described in the manual. I hope that makes sense. </p>

[SCL]

<p>When dealers or knowledgible people buy FD/FDn lenses and want to check the aperture blades, they merely attach a rear cap which has been hollowed out (I made one from a spare cap and have used it for years). It moves aligns and holds everything into position and you can then manually open and close the blades of the lens while looking thru it.</p>

[stephen_moon1]

<p>Thanks for that tip, Stephen! Any insight as to why some of my lenses act one way and the others are different?</p>

[dave_s]

<p>I am a little late to your party, but I suspect the problem is in the camera body.</p>

<p>It is certainly possible to have a lens (or an attachment) with a tight aperture spring that prevents the aperture from closing. That's an uncommon occurrence. I had this problem with an aftermarket T adapter, 35 years ago. (When this happens, the camera won't fire, because the aperture has to operate before the shutter itself will release.)</p>

<p>The fact that this rare event happens with more than one of your lenses suggests to me that it's the camera. I suspect you have an anemic aperture switch (or whatever it's called) on the camera side of the lens mount. With some lenses, it's strong enough to actuate the aperture, and with others, it is not.</p>

<p>There's no way to be certain without trying out your lenses on a different Canon FD body. You might have a friend who has one, or you could try a friendly second-hand dealer. When the dust clears, either the camera or the lenses will need an overhaul, so you might as well contact a good technician.</p>

[SCL]

<p>Dave may have the answer, or there might be a slight misalignment between the body and the stop down lever of the lens. With a lens mounted on the camera body - if you press the stop down lever/button/slider you should be able to see the front face of the diaphragm blades at taking aperture, whether the lens is in manual or auto mode. When the lens is dismounted from the body (after placing the lens in the auto mode) the diaphragm blades should not be visible, same true when the lens is mounted on the camera body and the stop down lever/button/slider isn't pressed. Best method for inspection of the blades is what I mentioned previously - as it allows you to see the front and rear of the blades.</p>

[JosvanEekelen]

<p>Perhaps the name of the body should be changed to the "Not-So-New-F1" :-)</p>

[mwmcbroom]

<p>I don't think there's anything wrong with your Camera. It's an F-1 after all. If I'm following you correctly, when you stop down your lenses, some of them show the iris blades in the proper stopped down position and some don't, correct? What I think you have going on is sticky iris blades on some of your lenses.</p>

<p>Without getting all fouled up in the workings of the stop down button, another very simple way to check that your lens irises are operating properly is to just mount each lens, set it to a medium small aperture, say f/8 or smaller, set the camera on "B" then hold the camera so you're facing it, and trip the shutter, holding down the shutter button. You should see the iris stopped down to its taking value and you can at that time inspect the blades to make sure they're free from oil or corrosion. </p>

<p>The stop-down button on FD cameras is used primarily for two reasons: to manually check depth of field and to meter with the older FL-mount lenses, which do not have full-aperture metering capabilities. Incidentally, that's why that meter needle disappears when you depress the button -- because you use the other needle with an alignment mark to determine proper exposure.</p>

 

[stephen_moon1]

<p>Thanks for the info, everyone, I greatly appreciate it.</p>

[flavio_egoavil]

<p>I can't think why the camera would be at fault. The FD lenses don't need much force to close down the iris. I'm starting to suspect that the lenses could be at fault. Better try with other lenses as well. The Canon New F1 is a tank.</p>