Canon L-1 Jammed; suggestions?

[Creagerj]

Today my L-1 jammed up completely. The shutter release button is stuck down and the film advance won't budge. Also the knob used to switch the camera between advance and rewind is jammed. Anyone had this problem or perhaps have any suggestions? Any idea how to fix this or how much it would cost to have the problem fixed by a professional?

 

[JTK]

Open the back, see if film's torn. Blow or pick out any chips...

 

[Creagerj]

I gave that a try, the film is fine and I don't see anything stuck in the shutter. The shutter is not cocked but the film advance lever is locked like it is cocked. Any other ideas?

 

[Creagerj]

I was worried about that. Hopefully there is something I can do. Its my only rangefinder.

 

[Mackinaw]

You can try taking off the bottom plate, which is relatively easy, and see if you can free whatever is stuck. Other than that, your best course of action is to send the camera off to a good repair tech.

Jim B.

 

[JTK]

All good advice...

...but don't give up easily on my film chip suggestion...the chip can be tiny, like the size of a sprocket hole, and it may not have come from the roll you were shooting, may just have been floating around harmlessly, earlier... I'd get a can of compressed air and blow the heck out of it...being careful not to poke the shutter with the red plastic extension tube...

 

[harry01562]

Best advice I can give... do no harm. Don't force anything, or lose patience and do something rash. Unless someone comes up with a good suggestion, with solid basis in facts, leave the job for a camera tech who knows the equipment. Someone like Essex, in NJ, would probably be the least expensive. If cost isn't an issue, I like DAG or Sherry Krauter. Someone here will probably know if their is a good tech closer to you.

You own a very nice camera. It's old, and probably in need of professional help. It deserves it, as it can perform for a long time after a CLA.

Harry

 

[M. Valdemar]

Give it the big heave-ho and try some other old screw mount camera.

 

[Sonnar2]

Don't force anything. The L1 has a cloth shutter which is quite fragile, when compared to the later series. You can take off the back plate and top plate if you have the proper tools and look what it's stuck. It once happened to me that my Bessa L shutter gets stuck halfway just in an exposure. No forth, nor back. Luckily I knew a small camera shop which has a lot of old cameras and his owner was repairing them before selling. I hope he' still there, wasn't there for some years. He took 30 EUR, probably it was just half an hours work for a person experieced with this kind of work. But if I had used any force probably something would have broken and the repair would have been more expensive than the camera was worth actually. Of course, a CANON L1 is a rare, luxury camera where some expenses for repair or overhauling are justified!

Good luck!

 

[M. Valdemar]

A good whack flat on the baseplate on the table might fix it right up.

 

[lewis44]

If all else fails, Mark Hama is great with Canons and is quick and reasonable
http://www.markhama.com/
Good luck. Hope you can find the problem without sending it out.

 

[Creagerj]

Well, I've gone ahead and contacted some repair shops to price out the cost. I would be tempted to just get rid of it and buy another LTM however I doubt that I could really get a decent enough camera for the value of my L-1's broken body. I'm not really willing to pull it apart to be honest. I guess I will have to wait till I have the money to repair it. Good thing I've still got an SLR to shoot with, not the same though.