Canon AE 1 Program in too much detail, with photos!

The Canon AE-1 Program was a very popular 35mm SLR back in the day but may be a bit daunting to those used to touchscreen controls. This is a How to use video looking at all the main controls plus and good and sometimes less good points of this legend.
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Canon AE 1 Program in too much detail, with photos
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[@johnmatchett3548]

Wow, that's a blast from the past and lovely to see.
People get so obsessed with camera bodies but these old Canons did everything you need. I started with AE1, AE1-P and the very beautiful A1.
I'm a technical and scientific photographer and loved the interchangeable screens on the AE1-P.
Still doing the job 40 years on and have always used Canon for 35mm. Now they are primary studio cameras - lovely hi-res. 5DS bodies, which I'm grateful are now regarded as 'old' and 'crap', which makes them wonderfully cheap for people who actually care!
40 years ago, 35mm camera were regarded as 'miniature cameras', as we mostly used 10x8, 5x4 and 6x7/6x6/645 cameras.
Frankly, I am amazed these old Canons are still firing. Bless them. Lovely Japanese engineering.
Nice, thanks.
John M.

[@mostlyvintagecameras4323]

Hello John M,
Thank you for your comments and sharing your experiance of photogrpahy over the years. I just got an A-1 so at some point I expect there to be video!
Kind regards
MVC

[@chadwaldron3594]

The best demonstration video for this camera. Very in depth 👌
I've got the black version and have been loving using it over the last 5 years.
Im still learning to use all the functions so videos like these help!

[@joeybela4581]

Got an AE1 program as my first film camera and absolutely fell in love. I've now expanded my collection to a point and shoot and a few more modern canon SLRs, but there's still something so satisfying about this camera and the way it capture. Will save this video for reference!

[@mostlyvintagecameras4323]

Hello Joeybela,
Thank you for your comments. I hope you continue to expand and enjoy your collection.
Kind regards
MVC

[@Shaken_not_stirred]

I have a nice AE-1 Program unit. There is something undeniably satisfying about the tactile experience of shooting with it.

[@danielgillies8801]

Thanks for the detailed overview. It was definitely of use to me!

[@shinymetalvids]

Great video! I was trying to figure out the depth of field preview myself.
The manual says to always open the aperture to its widest, then smallest (which would naturally happen) before returning the lens to “A”. It also mentions pressing the “AE-Lock pin” too before and after. I couldn’t follow the manual there and didn’t understand the reasoning if these two steps

[@KennethJohnsenDK]

Excellent Video! I just ordered one of these. I normally use a Yashica FX-3, but I am very much looking forward to using the Canon.

[@apistosig4173]

Awesome cameras - I have four. Base plates on mine are brass.

[@unchartedthickets]

extremely useful. thank you.

[@Elisha_the_bald_headed_prophet]

Does the depth-of-field preview a fair estimate of the depth of field on film? Usually SLRs' viewfinders show much more in focus than the final image.

[@mostlyvintagecameras4323]

I'm not sure I can answear that question givern your experiance with displayed DoF is at odds with the reality. I can only sugest you spend time with the camera without a film in and look very carfullly at the focusing screen with and without the preview leaver open. try and set a number of objects at differing distances (railings are the classic example to use).

[@Elisha_the_bald_headed_prophet]

@mostlyvintagecameras4323 Many people experience the phenomenon. There are several threads about it on stackexchange and other sites. I'd test it using a small circle of known size in focus and a point light source out of focus: look at the photo taken when the bokeh circle corresponds in size to the known circle.