Canon AE-1 and AE-1 Program detailed review and demonstration

This is an honest review and a detailed demonstration of Canon AE-1, one of the most popular film cameras in the second hand market.
According to Canon, AE-1 stands for Automated Electronic Photographic System Number 1, because it was the First micro-processor equipped SLR.
Canon AE-1 was launched in 1976. This was the era of intense competition between Camera manufacturers. Who? You know who. The Germans were still asleep after a decade. probably dreaming of the glory days of Mechanical Rangefinder cameras. The half-hearted attempts at producing SLR’s were very slow and each model produced was at least 5 years behind the competition. Meanwhile the Japanese were rapidly innovating and leap-frogging one another.
Canon AE-1 was the first, in a serious overhaul of the Canon SLR line-up.
Since 1950’s Canon was overshadowed by Nikon. Canon SLR’s did not have the professional features of top Nikon cameras. However, Canon easily led in the amateur fixed lens market where Nikon didn’t compete.
When AE-1 was launched, it became the champion of the Amateur level Canon A series of SLR’s.
Others in the A series were:
• AT-1 1977
• A-1 1978, the first PASM camera
• AV-1 1979
• AE-1 Program 1981
• AL-1 1982
They all had the same chassis with different features and cosmetic top panel differences. They all used inexpensive horizontal cloth curtain shutters.
AE-1, for the first time used a significant amount of structural plastic to make it lighter and cheaper. The use of injection moulded ABS plastic was well disguised, for example for the top panel, which was finished with satin chrome or black enamel, over iron oxide to make it look like metal. It fools even experienced reviewers. This was soon adopted by most other camera manufacturers.
Although AE-1 was not meant to be a professional camera, it had some limited manual controls and accessories that appealed to users who wanted to grow with the camera.
At first, there was an outcry regarding excessive automation, ruining the art of photography. However, automation proved to be the way to attract the amateurs to photography, leading to big sales numbers. AE-1 was the first SLR camera to be sold in Millions, not thousands.
For more serious photographers, AE-1 has a few annoying limitations. For example it doesn’t have a full-information viewfinder. It doesn’t show either the manually selected shutter speed or aperture in the viewfinder. I will go into detail in the video.
The plastic battery door design was subject to frequent breakage. Some users also reported shutter and mechanical issues such as mirror linkage wear (referred to as the Canon Squeal).
Canon AE-1 used the older FD lens mount. When Canon eventually abandoned the FD lens line-up to move to the EF lenses, it did not provide backward compatibility so that was the end of the AE-1 and the other A series cameras.
AE-1 Program
In 1981, 5 years after AE-1, Canon released its successor, AE-1 Program. The Program mode was brought from Canon A-1 to Canon AE-1. And yet, AE-1 Program was a little lighter at 575 grams vs 590 grams.
AE-1 Program supports a total of 8 interchangeable focusing screens, which the original AE-1 didn’t have. It has the same shutter limit of 1/1000th of a second. It is a little more maintenance intensive than the cameras with vertical metal shutters like some other cameras and the flash synch is still the slow 1/60th of a second.
The use of more electronics for the Program mode brought greater potential for electronic failures and therefore it is regarded as more difficult to repair than the original AE-1.
We are very keen on accuracy. So, if you find even the smallest inaccuracy, please mention in the comments. In addition to factual accuracy, if you have any personal opinions, please share in the comments.
You can call me Tech or Mr Heritage or whatever you want.

[@Leptospirosi]

I still have my AE1 Program, bought by my parents in Hong Kong in 1984, when they gifted it to me, with a Rare Breech lock 28mm F2.0 ad the classic Tamron 80/210 Zoom I still own it and it works perfectly. I must say it is a better camera in all respect to the original. The only function it really lacked was Aperture Priority but, back then, even professional lenses were so bad, wide open, that I was always trying to shoot at F/5.6. Focussing screens were interchangeable ad I got a grid reference one in the nineties for some Architectural work. Nowadays I own several film cameras, including Nikon F2, F4, F90, OM1n, and even Topcon, but it is always the Canon that falls in my hand, being extremely comfortable and straightforward to use.

[@TechHeritage]

Thanks for sharing your great experience with AE-1 Program. Please consider watching our videos on Nikon F2, F4 and OM1. It would be good to hear your experience of those cameras too.

[@oldfilmguy9413]

The AE-1 was my entry into the world or photography when I was 17. I eventually got an A-1 and loved it - almost always a perfect exposure. I have a lot of great memories, but shoot Nikon today. A for the vote.

[@TechHeritage]

We also have a video on the A-1. Perhaps you can compare that review with the AE-1.

[@beckerse]

Great review. I have an AE-1 that I got from my late uncle. It still works great.

[@TechHeritage]

Good to hear! Hopefully this video will prompt you to use it even more.

[@musicenjoyer4203]

These videos are excellent.

[@TechHeritage]

Glad you like them!

[@captwins1]

Sir, your work in researching, providing context and explaining not just the camera/device but also the world/time conditions in which it was developed are exemplary! I really enjoy your videos and the work you put into them is obviously a labor of love. My inheritance from my father was an AE-1 and a pocket watch. I still have that camera in a special spot of my collection. It began my love for photography and even more for collecting cameras. Thank you for a proper review of this important part of our heritage.

[@TechHeritage]

Thank you for your positive comments. Yes, indeed it is a labor of love, to properly document the technology heritage.

[@sputumtube]

Considering it only operates (properly) at 'auto', you may as well just buy the much cheaper Nikon EM. Great review as always, thanks for posting.

[@TechHeritage]

Very true!

[@Stephen.C.]

And how do I fit my Canon lenses, to a Nikon, EM?

[@sputumtube]

@@Stephen.C. Obviously you don't, you use Nikon lenses.

[@Stephen.C.]

@@sputumtube So saying I may as well get a Nikon is untrue. You would have been better saying, may as well get a Canon AV1

[@sputumtube]

@@Stephen.C. Alright Stephen - whatever you say.