canon ae-1 aperture?

I am usually doing digital photography but I'm learning about manual. Looked at Canon AE-1 manuals online with no luck. I have two Canon AE-1 cameras passed down from my uncles.

My aperture hasn't been working. The ring moves but the actually aperture doesn't move at all. It did a while ago for short time...I bought new batteries but the aperture doesn't move? .. on both cameras! :confused:

It is broken or did I accidentally pressed/switched a button that disabled it and the answer is in my face. Help is appreciated. :idea:

Is this when taking photo's, that is the aperture doesn't stop down? What lens(s) are causing this problem.

With the AE-1 you won't see the aperture stop down when turning the ring unless you press the button on the body on the left next to the lens. Then as you look through the viewfinder you'll see what the lens sees.

Another thing is that when in full manual to get back into auto you need to turn the ring all the way to the lowest F# and then back to auto. It can cause the lens to sometimes stick at the F# it was set to in manual - according to the book - never happened in real life for me.

Does that answer your question?

Roger

I found a couple of sites for a manual on the AE-1

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/canon/c...canon_ae-1.htm

and

http://www.canonfd.com/pdf/ae1.pdf

Hope these will be helpful.