It's an excellent camera. It was my first true SLR and I took it all over the world. I just sold it off to a very good friend a couple of months ago. I replaced it with a Nikon FM2n as I have a Nikon F5 and almost all my lenses will work with both cameras now. It was a pain having two different systems. I went with Nikon because almost all the lenses will work on all the bodies, even digital. The Canon system's FD lenses won't work on the newer Canon cameras.
I have the Canon AE-1 Program... it's a real workhorse. Ruggedly built, good and weighty without being a brick, ain't bulky, and has a number of quite useful features. It's fun to use, stands up to the weather pretty well, and generally keeps on clicking. I haven't used the program mode in mine much, since I prefer manual, but it works pretty well and in manual, it works great. The TTL meter is still spot-on, and the internal split-center focusing and meter display are a cinch to use. Lenses are still easy to find, and not too expensive. I love this camera, though not as much as my (beloved!) Argoflex E, a vintage 1940s TLR... but that's another story. I still use this camera quite a bit, especially when I use Infrared film, since the newer EOS cameras can fog IR film. If you have the chance to get one, get it. If you have one, keep it. If you want one, too bad, I'm not giving mine up. :mrgreen:
A good link with info on the AE-1 http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/SLRs/ae1/index.htm As already stated, its a work horse and feature rich camera. Unfortunately, mine hasn't seen much use...
The AE1 is a great little SLR, it hasn't attained the "collectible" status, it's much more of a "user" camera. If you have one keep it, the FD lenses are pretty cheap nowadays and they have excellent optics.:thumbup:
A big portion of the reason it has not reached collectable status is the fact it's one of the first truly mass produced and sold cameras with some five million units sold during it's production run. It's a very common camera, and easy to aquire. It is in this that the AE-1 is one of the best entry level film based SLRs today. The Canon AE-1 is remarkably easy to adjust and built like a tank. With shutter speed dial at the tip of the index finger right beneith the shutter release, A viewfinder display that gives you numbers information (appropriate aperture for shutter speed and stopdown metering mark) and available shutter speed priority the camera can be lifted, focused, fired and advanced without taking the camera away from the eye even to some one who has not mastered this body. The AE-1 falls a little short in night photography and considerable macro photography with no mirror lock and shutter speed ranging from 2s to 1/1000, but it can be done. This cameras construction is classic seventies construction, It's a heavy duty camera capable of surviving a drop despite it's plastic exterior. The AE-1 does however have it's draw backs. Being the first microprocessor equipped SLR, along with several cost cutting measures it's susceptable to a variety of malfunctions including shutter drag, meter failure mirror linkage wear (the infamous "Canon squeal") to name a couple. They are seriously inexpencive and easily replaceable if something unfortunate should happen to it. This applies not only to the bodies but also the lenses, Wile most Canon shooters around here are paying three and four hundred bucks for a 50mm 1.4 I'm paying twenty to thirty for the 50mm 1.4 on the FD mount. Do not let the price tag fool you, Optical quality of the Canon FD glass is comperable to the current lens series in quality. Sample photos taken with Canon FD lenses on the Canon EF body Sample#1 Sample#2 Sample#3 Sample#4 Sample#5 Sample#6 I have a couple AE-1 bodies and bought one for my GF. I definately reccomend that camera to any one looking to get into Photography before any of the modern cameras, largely due to the price tag and it's ease of use. My GF's AE-1 And mine
