My Canon AE-1 shutter jammed mid-roll at a wedding last Sunday

I was shooting my buddy's backyard wedding with my Canon AE-1, the one I've used for years without issues. Everything was going fine until I went to advance the film after the cake cutting and the lever just STOPPED. Wouldn't budge at all. I tried winding it back and forth gently but nothing. Had to pack up my gear and tell the couple I'd scan the shots from the first half. Got home and opened it up in my bathroom dark closet. Turns out a little piece of the shutter mechanism called the magnet catch had broken off. I ordered a used replacement part online for $12 and spent two evenings fixing it with a tiny screwdriver. Has anyone else had a shutter fail on them at a bad time? How did you handle it?

2 comments

2 Comments

price.jake19d ago

I had a shutter fail on a Pentax K1000 right as I was shooting a friend's surprise proposal. Honestly though, I don't think it's that big of a deal if you have a backup plan. You said you had to pack up and tell them you'd scan the first half. That sounds like you let the camera dictate the situation instead of just switching to a phone or a cheap backup body. I always carry a cheap point-and-shoot or even just my phone for moments like that. Relying on a 40 year old camera for a once in a lifetime event feels like asking for trouble. You got lucky with that $12 fix, but a lot of people would be stuck waiting weeks for parts.

joseph44819d ago

Nah, different strokes. I like the process of shooting film, even if it means taking risks.