Herald of the EOS generation: the mighty Canon T90.
The Canon T90 from 1986 is described as the most advanced SLR that is focused purely manually.
It is largely fully equipped and part of the Canon FD system with a large number of excellent lenses.
Due to the many functions - including a sophisticated spot metering, several exposure modes and advanced flash exposure - it still takes some time today to get to know all the possibilities.
If you want to, because with the T90 you can also take photos almost fully automatically.
„The tank“: Solid construction on a die-cast housing, built for serious work.
The plastic housing should not disguise the fact that the T90 is based on a metal chassis and was designed to withstand use and load. Its nickname „the tank“ is not undeserved.
Affordable prices
There is a large selection available on the used market, the prices moderate. With a little luck you can buy a very well-preserved specimen for around USD/EUR 150,- on the well-known online auction platforms.
The prices are also moderate because some typical problems can arise with the T90 over the decades, but almost all of them can be fixed.
Don’t be afraid of problems!
I would like to summarize in the following my findings from my repair work on the T90 and do so from the perspective of a long-time collector of this camera.
You can do everything yourself or hire a repair shop, who you can then tell straight away what needs to be done.
This article is intended to help with this. Because repair shops often do not accept the T90 because it is „too electronic“.
The T90, as a milestone in Japanese camera construction, is also a fun collector's item.
As the owner of around 20 T90s, I have never come across complicated repairs to the electronics, such as troubleshooting and replacing an IC.
External condition often irrelevant
Even heavily used T90s with paint chipping on the battery compartment under the housing and/or dirt can function for many years to come.
Part of the mechanics in the mirror box of the T90: Built for high performance over years.
The camera's mechanics are designed to withstand, and most electronic components are generally not subject to wear and tear.
This means that you can usually buy a well-used but otherwise intact T90 cheaply, as the external condition of used cameras always plays a major role in the pricing.
Common problems
Leaking batteries
The four AA batteries were forgotten by the preowner and have leaked over the years.
This almost always affects the contacts in the battery compartment and the contacts on the battery holder.
Forgotten batteries, but even in this case something can be done.
The battery holder can be removed and cleaned, and the contacts in the battery compartment can possibly be cleaned from the outside.
However, if possible, you should dismantle the battery compartment and check how far the electrolyte has spread, including over cables. This is easily doable with a few tools and a little skill.
If the damage is too great, the battery compartment can be replaced from an abandoned T90.
Canon T90 and T70: Rescuing victims of leaked battery electrolyte
From a collection of cameras, I chose these two T90s and one T70. They all have one thing in common: their battery compartments cannot be opened because the batteries have leaked. The battery acid has cemented the battery holders and the battery compartment cover of the T70. When I tried...
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Dirty mirror magnet
After switching on, the arrow in the LCD marking the motor modes flashes when you press the shutter button. A quiet click can be heard, and the camera does not trigger.
The mirror magnet on the T90 is relatively easy to reach and clean.
The cause is dirty contact surfaces on the magnet, which is easy to reach for cleaning.
One common fix is to activate the magnet with a magnetized screwdriver.
Canon T90: Cleaning the mirror magnet
I have a T90 here whose mirror magnet no longer works. The usual symptom of a quiet clicking sound and a flashing arrow in the display occurs. The recommended cure of removing the front cover and activating the - easily accessible - magnet with a magnetized screwdriver tip works with patience...
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Sticky damper in the shutter unit
The T90's shutter unit contains a soft plastic damper that decomposes over the decades, regardless of whether the camera has been used or not.
The residue sticks to the shutter blades, causing black, greasy marks on the rear and front shutter curtains.
A damper on the T90 shutter that turns into a sticky mass over the decades.
The remains of the damper can be removed from the outside.
One fix is to clean the blades regularly.
Canon T90: Advanced cleaning of stuck shutter blades
Sticky shutter at EOS Nano Burger gives in „Manage Your EOS Camera’s Sticky Shutter“ https://www.instructables.com/Manage-Your-EOS-Cameras-Sticky-Shutter/ a guide on how to clean stuck shutter blades in a Canon EOS. The reason for the sticking is a small damper under the vertically running...
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Adjustment wheel with dropouts
As the forerunner of the later Canon EOS generation, the T90 introduced a rotary dial for the first time, which can be used to set values, usually in conjunction with pressing a button.
Canon's innovative control dial above the shutter button on the T90.
The contacts on this dial are poorly protected against external influences and can become dirty. This then results in interruptions when making settings.
To clean the contacts, the dial can be removed relatively easily and its contacts cleaned.
After cleaning its contacts, the adjustment wheel works perfectly again.
A fix is to turn the dial intensively to improve the contact.
Canon T90: Fixing dropouts on the control wheel
A more annoying than serious problem with the Canon T90 is the control wheel on the handle, which turns in notches that sometimes no longer make contact. You then have to turn the wheel one or two positions further in order to be able to set a shutter speed or an aperture value, for example. I...
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Backup battery for ASA setting
Position of the backup battery in the Canon T90.
The backup battery saves the ASA setting when the main batteries are removed.
I have not seen any failures on my T90s yet, even when the camera has been stored without batteries for many years.
A replacement is feasible, as shown in this video:
Replacing a defective LCD unit
The LCD shows nonsense, but that doesn't mean you have to lose your T90!
It shouldn't be a common problem, but the display unit on the Canon T90 can also be replaced.
You can get a replacement from an abandoned T90.
LCD unit disassembled.
There is an IC under the LCD unit that is probably responsible for the control. In this case, it was supposedly the cause of the problem and will be replaced as part of the LCD unit.
Soldering skills are required.
Canon T90: Defective display replaced
Checking my little T90 family, I saw that one family member was having problems with her display on the top of the case. When the camera was switched on, but also every time any button was pushed or the selector wheel was turned the display showed signs and symbols that did not match the...
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Camera blocked, HELP displayed in the viewfinder and EEE on the LCD
A T90 with this display in the viewfinder …
I don't know of a solution for this problem.
From what I've observed, it's a problem in the shutter unit, which can sometimes be fixed from the outside (repeated triggering, cleaning stuck shutter curtains).
Otherwise, the shutter would have to be removed for inspection, which is a difficult task with the T90 because of the dense construction with flexible conductor tracks.
... and this display should only be purchased for spare parts.
The tricky thing is that you don't recognize this error straight away if the mirror magnet isn't working either, see above. You can get the mirror magnet working again, but you may then be confronted with HELP/EEE.
Canon T90 shows the error messages HELP and EEE: Tracking down the last major problem
One of the most common problems with the T90 is still unsolved: the shutter blocking, accompanied by the messages „HELP“ in the viewfinder and „EEE“ on the display. Until now, I assumed that the cause of this problem was dirty magnets for controlling the shutter. The T90 has two of these...
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Recommendations
- If you are afraid of repairs, look for a working T90 and ask the seller specific questions. It is a good idea to keep the T90 moving, as this can keep the shutter mechanism in good shape (HELP/EEE).
- If you would like to repair the T90 yourself, you can resolve most of the problems mentioned above. Or tell your repair shop what to do, even if they hesitate to accept the job. However, the problem that cannot be resolved with HELP/EEE may not be immediately apparent, see above.
- Of course, there are SLRs with fewer of problems that often arise. But the T90 is worth the effort, it is still a fantastic tool for dedicated film photographers today.
Further information
Canon T90: recommendations and notes
Based on my previous (repair) experiences with the Canon T90 with regard to preservation/problems/repair options, I would like to give a summary of the following recommendations/hints: Sticky shutter - gummed-up shutter blades: Can be permanently repaired, damper in the shutter area that has...
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Canon T90: How we get through time
After extensive study of hybrid magnets, sticky shutters, EEE and HELP, eleven T90s, all of which are fit for work, go into their maintenance program. Once a month there is a battery pack and a test film in turn to check film transport, automatic rewind and displays. In HIGH mode, a film...
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Canon T90: Replacing the mirror magnet
The mirror of one of my T90s didn't want to move. The symptom is well known: When you press the shutter button, an arrow flashes in the display and you hear a quiet ticking sound. Otherwise the camera remains still. I opened the camera and tapped the mirror magnet with a magnetized...
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Canon T90: Power supply restored
Today was check of my T90 family. Some with no findings, some with the shutter blades stuck together, one with a crazy display and this one that shows nothing on the display after switching it on. That struck me as odd, since it had worked the last time. So something must have changed in...
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Canon T90: Shutter removal procedure
One problem for which I at least do not know of a solution is inactive shutter magnets in the Canon T90, which has two of them. The problem manifests itself in the camera releasing the mirror but the shutter remains closed. "EEE" is displayed on the camera display and "HELP" in the viewfinder...
www.photrio.com
I would like to recommend this Italian site about the Canon FD System including the T90. The most detailed information about the system and camera to date as far as I know, including from a technical point of view.
Already translated into English here via Google Translate:
La Canon T90
La canon T90, l'ultima ammiraglia FD. Febbraio 1986, Canon lancia sul mercato la T90: era estremamente innovativa e nel cont...
sistemacanonfd-blogspot-com.translate.goog
Il sistema Canon FD
Con questo lavoro ho riportato alla luce lo splendido sistema fotografico che Canon condannò brutalmente all'estinzione nel 1987: Il...
sistemacanonfd-blogspot-com.translate.goog
Original versions in Italian language:
La Canon T90
La canon T90, l'ultima ammiraglia FD. Febbraio 1986, Canon lancia sul mercato la T90: era estremamente innovativa e nel cont...
sistemacanonfd.blogspot.com
Il sistema Canon FD
Con questo lavoro ho riportato alla luce lo splendido sistema fotografico che Canon condannò brutalmente all'estinzione nel 1987: Il...
sistemacanonfd.blogspot.com
This concludes my work on the Canon T90 for now.
Some candidates are waiting to be repaired and the HELP/EEE problem is still bothering me
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All information provided without guarantee and use at your own risk.
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