Canon AE-1

by Kristian Pletten

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 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.

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. It was one of the first cameras to offer full-aperture TTL metering.

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

Links

• 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
• Repair notes for "Canon Squeak", Canon "Keuchhusten" [1] (german)

Canon Cameras