Canon A-1 setting help with 400 film

[missoliviabee]

d

 

[dxqcanada]

Can you describe the type of problems you have encountered ?

... also is the light meter in the camera working ?
... what exposure mode are you using ?
... type of lenses ... etc.
the more info the better we can assist.

 

[missoliviabee]

sorry! 50mm f/1.8 lens. i don't think my camera has a light meter (someone suggested i try to use it and upon looking through the manual didn't find anything on it) i have 400 iso film, and i have been shooting in A f stop with 1/65 or 1/125 iso. someone suggested that these are the best, but from what i can see they haven't been working out too well for me!

 

[dxqcanada]

The Canon A-1 does have an internal light meter.

Battery could be dead ...

I suggest going over the User Guide:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/SLRs/a1/manual/htm/content.htm

 

[Canon AE-1]

The A-1 does have a integral metering system. Look through the viewfinder
at the bottom, you should see a digital readout of Aperture and Shutter settings. If the battery is strong enough to relese the shutter it should have enough power
to operate the readout. Check the switch lever on the top left of the cam, just next to and the top right of the film ISO setting knob, what position is it in? That is the display shut off switch.

 

[Canon AE-1]

 

[djacobox372]

Living room lighting = 1/30th at f1.8.

Bright kitchen lighting = 1/60th at f2

If you have a digital camera handy, you can always check the exposure with it.

 

[Fender5388]

i have 400 iso film,
and i have been shooting in A f stop with 1/65 or 1/125 iso.

are those your shutter speed or your iso?

if your shooting ISO 400 rated film be sure to have the camera set at 400 iso as well. this tells your light meter what exposure to tell you to use.

say your using ISO 200 film and your light meter is telling you to use f 8 for 1/125 of a second

then in the same setting with ISO 400 rated film the camera would tell you f8 at 1/250th