Canon A-1
Introduced: 1978 Discontinued: 1985
Canon A-1 is the fully-featured AE Canon SLR — introduced 1978, in production through 1985. The A-1 was Canon's pro-grade AE answer to the Nikon F3: it offered all four AE modes (Program, Shutter-Priority, Aperture-Priority, Stop-Down), an LED viewfinder display, and exposure compensation — features that the AE-1/AE-1 Program siblings lacked. The A-1 was the most fully-featured Canon FD body short of the New F-1.
Key features
- Canon FD bayonet
- Electronic horizontal cloth shutter — 30s to 1/1000 + B
- All AE modes — Program, Shutter-Priority, Aperture-Priority, Stop-Down, plus Manual
- LED viewfinder display with exposure information
- ±2 EV exposure compensation
- Battery-dependent
Practical notes
- A-1 bodies on used market: $200-450 working examples
- The shutter mechanism is similar to AE-1; same "squeak" service item applies
- More fully-featured than AE-1 Program; still cheaper than New F-1
Related cameras
- Canon AE-1 Program — simpler AE sibling
- Canon AE-1 — earliest AE Canon
- Canon New F-1 — pro-grade alternative
- Canon T90 — modern-handling FD successor
Native lenses
Compatible with all Canon FD lenses