2020 Update
Hello all, just dropping in to provide some updates to this article, as it has been one of the most popular pages on my website since I first published this guide in 2012.
I routinely receive messages from fellow EOS film camera owners either thanking me for this guide, or searching for the OEM replacement parts, which were still available when I wrote this, but have long dried up in availability.
Sometimes 3rd party replacement parts pop up on sites like eBay, but these listing frequently disapear or sell out, making the parts hard to come by. Here is a listing for a 3rd party repair kit currently available as of this writing (I have no experience with this 3rd party part, kit, or seller, so cannot comment on its quality) - note it does not have the metal contact “fingers” which would need to be transplanted to restore proper full function:
2x Hook Back Lock Door Inside Buckle+Tools for Canon EOS 30 33 ELAN 7 7E ZVMB101 sold by ewwt-cnd
Several years ago I suggested that the part could easily be fabricated and built stronger with the rise of 3D printing, and simply transplant the metal contact “fingers” from the broken OEM part to a replacement. That’s exactly what several people have since done; CAD models of the part are now available for download from several sources (I’m linking two that were posted to my site’s comment section here - if there are others, please feel free to comment them below). This is not my work, nor do I have experience with these parts, but the comments with others’ experiences seem very good:
CANON Eos 50e Door Latch by iscand
Canon EOS 30 / 50 / Elan II / Elan 7 film door latch by OndrejP_SK
CANON Eos Elan II, Elan IIe Door Latch by bitterbot
This is great if you have access to a 3D printer, but what if you don’t? In the old days you could just tape your film door shut and be done with it. With the ELAN, you still can, however depending on how / which part of your latch broke, this may require extra steps.
I’ve now created a video that demonstrates correct function of a fully-operational (non-broken) ELAN 7 latch, but also shown how film may be loaded if the latch mechanism isn’t allowing the camera to recognize that the door is closed - this case scenario applies to some, but not all door latch failures. You can then simply tape the door shut and continue using your camera - it’s imperfect, but it’s better than nothing if you’re in a pinch.