After my unsuccessful attempt at replacing the light seals on my Canon AE1 (see above for one example), I have performed a re-do.
I mean how hard can it be to keep the light out? Right?

After the rather meditative process of fiddling and tinkering around inside the back of the Canon, I have loaded a roll of 24 exposure Ilford HP4 that I found in my fridge. Now I am filling it ASAP with happy snaps (as a sort of test roll) so I can send it off to be developed. Don’t get too close, or I will shoot you.

I was actually toying with the idea of taking this camera to Japan, but as I have serious doubts about my competence as a camera repairman, and I would not get the test roll back before we leave, and there is the whole shenanigans of getting rolls of film through customs (think X-rays)…I have decided that this is not such a good idea.

Instead, packing my (now) trusty Fujifilm XT5. And very much looking forward to documenting the trip to share with you.