Buy Cameras Cheap, Fix Them with Lighter Fluid

I love older Canon EOS film cameras.

My EOS 650 feels substantial and solid. It puts up with a lot, while providing what Ken Rockwell calls “everything you need and nothing you don’t.” 

But these 1980s and early 90s Canons have one serious design flaw: Sticky Shutters.

Sometimes the shutter won’t open, thanks to goo smeared from a deteriorating foam bumper inside. While costs to repair aren’t exorbitant, it is sometimes tough to justify spending $70 to $150 to fix something that only cost a few dollars (my 650 body was $30 at Goodwill). But the sticky shutter is the main reason these early EOS cameras are cheap, and cheap repairs are worth the effort. The rewards for doing the work are great.

Here’s a video on how one man solved his sticky shutter issue. Cost of camera: less the one dollar. I can get on board with that!

Step by step on cleaning the shutters:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Manage-Your-EOS-Cameras-Sticky-Shutter/?ALLSTEPS