Canon AE1 Reviews

Rating
Reviewed by:

sfpeter
( Intermediate)

Review Date
July 18, 2009

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Review 1 of 114

Price Paid: $0.00 from From my father

Summary:

The Canon AE-1 was a top amateur 35mm film SLR circa 1980, and was the first SLR controlled by a CPU. Exposure (F stop) is automatic and TTL, but the rest is good old manual.

As with most cameras of the time it came with a 50mm "normal" lens with a maximum aperture of F1.8. It can take excellent pictures although some of it's features seem pedestrian today, such as a maximum shutter speed of 1/1000 second. It was calibrated up to ASA 3200 film, although finding that film was another matter.

Strengths:

29 years on and it still works great. The faux leather case has rotted but the rest is fine.

Split prism focusing screen, which is a blessing for manual focus.

Old school metal and faux leather, good for durability and could make a self defense weapon in a pinch.

Batteries can last for years.

Simple enough I was able to figure it out and use it as a 12 year old.

Pretty good "kit" lens.

Weaknesses:

After using a Pentax MXE Super with auto shutter I find I prefer that over auto exposure. Call me strange.

Slow max shutter speed of 1/1000 second.

After using newer digital SLR's or even late film cameras you realize how many shots you'll end up missing with a manual focus/manual film advance.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax MXE Super

Customer Service:

Not used

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Rating
Reviewed by:

Dick Spence
( Intermediate)

Review Date
June 14, 2008

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

Review 2 of 114

Price Paid: $350.00

Summary:

Originally purchased the camera in 1979 so my daughter and I could spend some quality time together. We would take the photographs and develop/enlarge them in our darkroom. The camera is indestructable. I used a 1.2 basic lens (rather than the standard 1.4) which allowed a little more opportunity for dawn and dusk shots. I then added a fixed 135 mm that went to F64, which REALLY provided unbelievable depth of field. Then a 28 mm wide angle, Speedlite flash, and finally a 200 mm telephoto (now that was heavy!). I then added the full set of Cokin filters for some splendid shots of the Grand Canyon. I learned that kids, when given the chance, can be very creative. It was great fun and I hope to do some more with my grandkids.

Strengths:

sturdy
easy to use and master
bright TTL images and meters
easy to mount on tripods
fast (especially with 1.2 lens)

Weaknesses:

may be difficult to have repaired or find parts

Similar Products Used:

Canon AE-1 Program
Agfa 35 mm (don't recall model #)

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Rating
Reviewed by:

coa75
( Intermediate)

Review Date
May 14, 2008

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
1 votes

Review 3 of 114

Price Paid: $0.00

Summary:

Classiic 35mm SLR.

Strengths:

Bright viewfinder, fast respond from lightmeter, automatic works fine, good lenses with sharp and contrast image.

Weaknesses:

No mechanical speed. Too heavy.

Similar Products Used:

Olzmpus OM-1/OM-2
Praktica MTL 5B

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Rating
Reviewed by:

Braxus
( Intermediate)

Review Date
December 29, 2005

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

Review 4 of 114

Price Paid: $0.00

Summary:

I inherited this camera from my mom. I've used this camera for many years, even borrowed it when it was my moms camera. Its a solid camera and takes decent pics. The exposure can be under at times, but this can be a learning curve for this body. This would make a great beginners camera. I've dropped this one onto pavement and had it repaired. It still works. Also the FD lenses for this thing are very cheap these days. I like the big bright viewfinder in this camera, something the newer EOS models leave to be desired. The functions are basic and easy to use. I use this camera as a backup to my EOS setup now.

Strengths:

Decent build quality Cheap price used

Weaknesses:

Older model may be hard to get parts for repair depending where you live

Similar Products Used:

Canon T-70 Canon T-90

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Rating
Reviewed by:

Bidi
( Intermediate)

Review Date
August 10, 2005

Overall Rating
3 of 5

Value Rating
3 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Review 5 of 114

Price Paid: $150.00 from Store at 'Den Haag,

Summary:

This camera was my first Canon FD one. At the beginning it was amazing, because of it's shutterspeed priority and handeling and ofcourse being a decent SLR. But when I started to take more effort in making pictures al sorts of shortcomings came into daylight. The lightmeter isn't really good enough for making slides, the AE-lock button is not handy either. No interchangable vieuwfinder or mattescreen.

Strengths:

Easy to use, the ideal beginner SLR. Quite sturdy. Easy to change shutterspeeds.

Weaknesses:

Poor lightmeter. The metering range also is just too small, at some shutterspeeds it doesn't do a thing. Poor vieuwfinder info. No interchangable mattescreen or vieuwfinder. AE lock button clumsy, lack of functions. Not really a match for the A1, EF or F1

Similar Products Used:

Canon F1, A1, EF. Praktica TL, Ricoh 35ZF, Olympus C3000.

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