i have an old 1970's canon FTb camera. how can i check if it still works?

Question

it has some lenses and the whole thing looks brand new. Then again things back then were made to last. I would like to sell it as a working camera but i want to make sure it works.

Answer 1

I agree with oldguy. And if you want to be thorough about it, also:
* hold up each lens to a light and see if they're clean inside (no lubricant deposits, dust, or fungus - possible if they were stored in a humid place)
* while you're at it, click through all of the aperture settings (you should see the aperture bades close down. Do the aperture rings still turn smoothly?
* Check that the focus rings still turn smoothly.
* If you've put in a new battery, check that the light meter still works (the needle should jump all over the place when you point the camera from a dark area to light area).
* Check the foam where the mirror slaps up. This can deteriorate, leaving a sticky residue on the mirror itself.
You could go further than this and take some test shots with each lens (to check if the camera leaks light, etc) but everything looks undamaged, it's probably okay.
And I'm sorry to say that - as good as the FTb was - they don't fetch very much on eBay. In part, that's because Canon changed their lens mount system in the 80's. So none of the old lenses will work on a modern camera (and visa versa).

Answer 2

Your best bet is to take it to a camera shop (if one still exists in your area) and ask the (hopefully knowldgeable) sales associate or manager to take a look at it. They will be able to tell you what kind of condition is it in or what you would need to do to gete it into working order. Good luck. Old cameras are sometimes hard to work with, but take the best pictures, there's nothing else in the world like them.

Answer 3

You can consign it with sellmycameras.com. They will test it for you and sell it. They tend to get higher prices than individual sellers because they have a following of camera collectors and users. They are also respected, so it they say it works buyers will believe it, whereas they may have some doubts with sellers who don't specialize in cameras.

You could also put a couple of rolls of film through it and take your chances on ebay.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

if it has a battery compartment, open it and check to see if its not corroded, if it it, thats bad news. if not, try putting is a new battery. open the back of the camera (like you're putting in film but don't) use the film advance lever to cock the shutter. with the back still open, point the camera at something with light, look thru the camera and click the shutter. if you see the shutter open and close, it works. this works even if the camera dosen't use batteries