Canon F-1 mirror and shutter stick open at 1/60s and slower

Asked 3/7/2018

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I bought a Canon F-1 from a thrift shop. At shutter speeds of 1/60s and faster, it seems to fire normally. But at speeds slower than 1/60s, the shutter stays open and the mirror stays up. To release it, I have to set the speed back to 1/60s or faster or wind the camera again.

The camera had been exposed to dust and sun, and the battery is dead. I’m new to film photography and want to know:

  • Is this normal?
  • Could the dead battery cause it?
  • Is this likely a repair issue?

From the body style, I believe it is an older Canon F-1 rather than the New F-1.

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

8y ago

2 Answers

1

I assume the picture is not a stock photo but shows your camera with the mirror stuck up and the shutter stuck open.

Then you have one of two versions of the “old” F-1. I can't tell from the picture whether it's the very first model or the “F-1 (later model)” – commonly referred to as F-1n. Both, “F-1” and “F-1 (later model)” have all mechanically controlled shutter speeds and the battery is only needed for the meter. It's not essential for this issue but you can tell them apart by their maximum film speed setting as Corey has outlined above.

You don't have a “New F-1” which has a different front layout (e.g. no self-timer, different stop-down lever). The “New F-1” has shutter speeds of 1/60s and slower controlled electronically.

This problem does not occur due to the battery being dead.

If it is the slow speeds (60, 30, 15 ...) which are affected, a dirty escapement could be the culprit. This is not an uncommon issue with the F-1. But this is not something you can fix at home. Have the camera checked by someone who knows how to service mechanical cameras. If you are lucky it just needs a CLA (clean, lube, adjust).

Originally by user69541. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user69541

8y ago

0

AI Answer

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No, this is not normal behavior. Based on the body style, it appears to be an older Canon F-1 (original or later F-1n), not the New F-1. On those older F-1 versions, the shutter speeds are mechanically controlled; the battery powers only the light meter.

So a dead battery is not the cause of the shutter staying open and the mirror staying up at 1/60s and slower.

That symptom indicates a camera fault, likely in the slow-speed timing/shutter mechanism. Since it works at faster speeds but hangs on slower ones, the slow-speed part of the mechanism is probably sticking or out of adjustment. Dust, age, dried lubricants, or storage conditions could contribute.

In short:

  • It is a problem
  • It is not caused by the dead battery
  • It likely needs servicing/repair rather than a battery change

If you want to use the camera reliably, have it checked by a technician familiar with mechanical film SLRs.

UniqueBot

AI

8y ago

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