Canon AE-1

Canon AE-1 with FD 50mm f/1.8 lens image by blind puppet on Flickr (Image rights)

The Canon AE-1 is a 35mm SLR with shutter-priority automatic exposure and manual override, produced by Canon in Japan.

By using a microprocessor, Canon was able to simplify the design, and by using a highly automated production process, they were able to keep costs low. The AE-1 offered a modest reduction in body size compared to earlier models like the FTb, and the use of a metalized plastic top panel saved a few ounces. The result was one of the first affordable TTL autoexposure cameras to hit the market. After its introduction in 1976, the Canon AE-1 quickly became a very popular camera worldwide, eventually selling millions of units.

The AE-1 used Canon's FD mount, and a typical setup would include the extremely popular Canon FD 50mm f/1.8 lens. The electronic shutter travelled horizontally on the focal plane, and offered speeds of: 2, 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, and B. Flash sync was auto-switching, available through both PC connector and hot shoe.

The AE-1 was replaced a few years later by the AE-1 Program.

Links

photo by 4PIZON on Flickr (Image rights)

• The AE-1 Manual (PDF)
• A 1981 AE-1 Sales Brochure in English
• Modern Classics Review of the AE-1
• Manual Camera User's Opinion
• The Canon FD Documentation Project
• Repair notes for the "Canon Squeak"
• AE-1 and User manual in French at www.collection-appareils.fr
• Canon AE-1 Camera Manual : Photo-Manuals.com by Ben Squire
• The A Team an article about the SLR A models, AE-1, AT-1, A-1, AV-1 and AE-1 Program at Classic Cameras by RaúlM.
• Repair notes for "Canon Squeak", Canon "Keuchhusten" [1] (german)

Canon Cameras