Warning: Don't trust that 'tested' sticker on used film cameras

Picked up a Canon AE-1 from a local shop in Portland last month with a clean 'tested and working' tag. Shot two rolls and every frame came back half blank because the shutter curtains were dragging at high speeds. I've seen three other repair folks bring in similar cameras this week with the same issue. How are you all verifying shutter speeds on bench units, because the battery check and light meter clearly aren't enough?

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the_elliot26d ago

Funny enough, I used to trust those stickers without a second thought until the same exact thing happened with a Minolta X-700 last fall. The light meter and battery check can pass fine while the mechanical parts are slowly dying, so now I always run a quick test with a shutter speed app on my phone before handing over cash. That little extra step has saved me from buying three duds this year alone.