Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

4

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes

Sections

1

  • Canon AE-1p Shutter Squeak/Slowness Repair
  • 4 steps

Flags

3

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Canon AE-1p Shutter Squeak/Slowness Repair
  • Remove the front beauty piece from the camera. The screws are in front below the word “Canon”, on the left, on the right and….

Remove the front beauty piece from the camera. The screws are in front below the word “Canon”, on the left, on the right and….

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Step 2

  • on the bottom of the camera. Pull the front piece off the camera and you will be looking at the piece that holds the lens to the camera. While looking at the camera, remove the top left screw on the lens holder. The photos have the lens holder removed. Don’t let that mess you up. Take a lubricant of your choice. I used vegetable oil.

on the bottom of the camera. Pull the front piece off the camera and you will be looking at the piece that holds the lens to the camera. While looking at the camera, remove the top left screw on the lens holder. The photos have the lens holder removed. Don’t let that mess you up. Take a lubricant of your choice. I used vegetable oil.

Step 3

  • Draw a tiny bit of lubricant in the syringe. Insert needle in the hole where the lens holder screw was. Put the needle in the hole a short way and put a tiny bit of lubricant in the hole. The last photo shows the gear you are lubricating with the camera taken apart, you do not have to take your camera that far apart to lubricate the shutter.

Draw a tiny bit of lubricant in the syringe. Insert needle in the hole where the lens holder screw was. Put the needle in the hole a short way and put a tiny bit of lubricant in the hole. The last photo shows the gear you are lubricating with the camera taken apart, you do not have to take your camera that far apart to lubricate the shutter.

Step 4

  • Before you put the camera back together, check the shutter. if you have it repaired, it will make a positive “CLICK, CLICK” noise. Because the AE-1 has an electronic shutter, you must ensure the batteries are in your camera before you test it. If it test good, put the screw back in the lens holder and put the beauty piece and 4 screws back. FIXED

Before you put the camera back together, check the shutter. if you have it repaired, it will make a positive “CLICK, CLICK” noise. Because the AE-1 has an electronic shutter, you must ensure the batteries are in your camera before you test it. If it test good, put the screw back in the lens holder and put the beauty piece and 4 screws back. FIXED

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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Author

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                    Johnny Massengill

Member since: 03/23/2013

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Tazman - Nov 12, 2015

Reply

As the author stated you do not have to completely disassemble the unit to make this repair.

I make a slight bend in the needle so it has a little bit of a hook to it. the gear that gets dry is slightly below the upper wind side lens mount screw hole. With the curved needle you can push the needle in the hole and feel around a bit till you feel the gear move. put just a very tiny drop of oil on that gear. might take a couple tries. better to do very little as to much oil will leak into the mirror box and shutter causing a oil to get on the shutter and focusing screen. Then it will have to be taken to a camera repairman for service.

dannyo - Jul 14, 2020

Reply

Great tutorial! (And thanks for taking the time to photograph and post this.) I would like to add to use caution when applying the lubricant. If you use too much it will get on the electronics or even worse, the shutter curtains. Just shoot in a tiny bit, test by firing the shutter at least 3 times, and then add a tiny bit more until the squeal goes away. Again, don’t overdo it especially with aerosol lubricants. BTW, I use CRC White Lithium Grease because it lasts long and doesn’t move around. It stays where it lands.

Dan - Jul 14, 2020

Lithium grease is to thick for the shutter gears and bearings. It will slow the shutter and gets stiff when the camera gets cold. Use the proper oil lubricants.

Mark Cousins - Dec 24, 2022

Reply

I posted this above but will repost here: I would strongly discourage use of any vegetable or other food oil. These spoil over time and may jam the mechanism. A very light mineral oil is more suitable. I will investigate whether graphite or silicone as a lubricant makes sense. But vegetable oil certainly does not.