Just spent an hour fixing a shutter that was "totally dead" and it was just a corroded battery terminal

Some guy brought in a Canon AE-1 last week at the diner where I pick up my takeout, said the shutter was completely locked up and he wanted to sell it for parts. I took a look for $20 just out of curiosity, and sure enough the shutter wouldn't fire at all. Popped the bottom plate off and saw the battery contact was green with corrosion. Hit it with some vinegar and a q-tip, cleaned it up, put in a fresh battery, and the thing works perfectly now. He looked kinda dumb when I handed it back working. People write off old cameras way too fast without checking the simple stuff first. Anyone else run into a camera that just needed a basic cleaning before it worked fine?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wren27d agoMost Upvoted

People act like they saved a life or something.

the_eric12d ago

Right? @sageadams that's exactly what i'm talking about.

sageadams27d ago

Count how many of those so called dead cameras you have brought back to life with just a dollar battery and some vinegar? It makes me wonder how many perfectly good cameras end up in the trash or sold for scrap because nobody takes two minutes to look at the battery compartment.