Canon AE-1
Introduced: 1976 Discontinued: 1984
Canon AE-1 is the first popular electronic-AE SLR — introduced 1976, in production through 1984. The AE-1 was a major commercial success: it was the first SLR with a microprocessor-controlled metering and AE system, and its mass-market pricing made AE photography accessible to amateur users. The AE-1 effectively created the "consumer SLR with AE" category that subsequent Pentax ME, Nikon FE, and Olympus OM-2 designs refined.
Key features
- Canon FD bayonet
- Electronic horizontal cloth shutter — 2s to 1/1000 + B
- Shutter-priority AE + manual modes
- CPU-controlled metering — first SLR to use a microprocessor
- Battery-dependent for shutter and AE
- Compact body — significantly smaller than F-1
Practical notes
- AE-1 bodies are abundant on used market: $100-250 working examples
- The "Canon AE-1 squeak" — many AE-1 bodies develop a mirror-mechanism squeak that requires lubrication
- Excellent first SLR for new film photographers; cheap and reliable
Related cameras
- Canon AE-1 Program — improved successor with program AE
- Canon A-1 — fully-AE pro-grade sibling
- Canon F-1 — pro mechanical alternative
- Nikon FE — competitor
Native lenses
Compatible with all Canon FD lenses