Canon EOS 50E / Elan II / EOS 55: Repairing the door latch – Step-by-step guide

The Canon EOS 50E (known as Canon Elan II in the USA and Canon EOS 55 in Japan) is a brilliant semi-professional film camera. But let's be honest: it has a real weak spot. The plastic latch of the back door eventually gives out and the flap just won’t stay closed. The cause is almost always this small, brittle plastic hook that breaks off. In this post, I’ll show you how to easily replace this part yourself – with minimal tools and a suitable spare part.

Quick overview: What you need

• 3D-printed replacement hook (set)
• Small Phillips screwdriver
• Optional: Fine tweezers
• Optional: Superglue (in case the contacts don’t hold by themselves)
• A clean, well-lit workspace and a small dish for the screws (so nothing rolls away!)

By the way, we have the matching replacement hook in the shop if you want to skip printing: Order spare part for EOS 50E here.

Safety notes beforehand

• Work carefully – the small screws and springs like to disappear forever.
• Do not disconnect any electrical connections except the parts I describe here.
• If you’re unsure: just take photos with your phone along the way; it really helps when putting it back together.

Step-by-step: Replacing the broken hook

1. Remove screws on the bottom. Turn the camera upside down and unscrew the five screws on the base.

1. Loosen the lens mount cover. Now it’s time for the Lens Mount Cover Plate. It is held by five silver screws. Put the screws aside carefully so you don’t mix them up.

1. Unscrew the side hinge cover. Remove the two screws holding the side cover. Warning: Under the cover, the old hook is under spring tension – be careful nothing flies out at you.

1. Remove the broken part. Carefully pull out the broken plastic hook. Important: You must save the metal contacts or copper clips! We need them for the new part.

1. Insert the new component. Place the copper contacts onto your new 3D-printed hook. Usually, it clicks in well; if it’s loose, a tiny drop of superglue helps to fix it.

1. Hook in the spring and insert the hinge. Now it gets a bit fiddly: Hook one end of the spring onto the small pin on the hinge and carefully guide the whole thing into the slot. The part should slide freely and the spring should pull it back to the starting position by itself.

1. Contact test and reassembly. Quickly check if the copper contact below touches the circuit board. All good? Then put the cover back on, screw it tight, reattach the lens mount cover, and tighten all screws. Done!

How should it fit?

The hinge should glide smoothly. When you open the flap, the spring must pull the hook back. The copper contact is essential – only then does the camera check that the back door is really closed (otherwise it won’t release the shutter).

Tips & Troubleshooting

• Contacts don’t snap in? Sometimes a little finishing on the 3D print (file or fine sandpaper) helps.
• Glue: Use sparingly! One drop of superglue is enough. Nothing must stick to the mechanism.
• Problems after assembly? Usually, the copper contact isn’t properly touching the circuit board. Just unscrew and check again.
• Order is half the battle: Put the screws in a dish; those things disappear faster than you can look.

Conclusion

Repairing the EOS 50E latch is no witchcraft. With a screwdriver and the right spare part, you can do it in a few minutes. If you pay attention to the spring and the contact, your camera will be fully ready for use again afterwards.

If you need the spare part, check out our shop directly: EOS 50E latch spare part

Good luck with tinkering – and as always: good light!

Your Vladi