Camera Repair

Robin wants a camera that uses film to take portraits of people at Botten Vilage. With access to a darkroom she wants to do some B & W work the old fashioned way. The camera she was using was not working correctly. Could I fix it and send it?

I fixed cameras for a living for 25 years working out of a small room in the basement, going to town twice a week to pick up and deliver the work. It was good work that paid a decent hourly wage with the flexibility to allow for raising children and building our house.

But I haven't fixed a camera in several years and skills fade. I'd never worked on Robin's camera so decided to give her my old Canon AE-1 Program. This camera, introduced in 1981, was the follow up to the AE-1, which was possibly the most popular camera ever. And it was one of my favorite cameras to fix.

I check out my camera, which hadn't been used in years, and what do you know, "The Canon Squeal". This little problem was a boon to my industry. A little train of gears(see pic) which slowed the rising of the mirror would make this annoying squealing sound. I never saw it get so bad as to cause the camera to be inoperative but customers didn't like it and the fix was to take the camera apart and put a drop of oil on the gears. Nice job.

So I did this once again after a long hiatus and it was fun. Had to use a little drawing for which wires go where but the fingers still remember how to do the tools.

Now does anyone know where I can get a Canon FD 28-80mm Macro Zoom for cheap?