Discovered a $12 fix for a sticky shutter on a Canon A-1

I been wrestling with a Canon A-1 that had a shutter hanging up at 1/1000 for weeks. Tried all the usual stuff like cleaning the blades with lighter fluid but nothing worked. Then I read on an old forum to check the magnet under the mirror box for residue. Used a q-tip with a tiny bit of isopropyl alcohol on that magnet and the shutter snapped right back to normal. Anybody else run into this specific problem on the A-1?

3 comments

3 Comments

michael8031d ago

Glad you got that fixed, that sticky shutter is such a pain.

davidshah2h ago

Wyatt, yours was a TWO day soak? I had to let mine sit in penetrating oil for a full FOUR days before it budged. @michael803 I know you said you're glad it got fixed, but I've actually heard that WD-40 isn't really the best thing for cameras. It leaves a residue that can mess with the timing mechanisms later on. A lot of repair guys say to use a specific brand called Ronsonol lighter fluid instead, it evaporates clean. Just something to keep in mind if you ever have to deal with it again.

wyattramirez1d ago

Right, because nothing says "fun Friday" like trying to unstick a shutter that's been welded shut by old grease. I had to soak mine in enough WD-40 to start a small fire before it finally gave up. At least it's not making that grinding noise anymore, so I'll call it a win.