Using The Canon A1 Film Camera In The Real World

[@kinnery1]

Thanks a lot! You just saved me from ruining an entire film, im beginer with film cameras and this helped me A LOT

[@PhilUKNet]

Thanks for your comment. I started photography when everything was film and everything seemed so obvious I assumed everyone knew it. I then realised that when people started taking an interest in film again a few years ago, many people had little knowledge. I'll have to do some more videos!

[@stevencottam7570]

Good tip on setting the compensation dial, I will give it a go.

[@PhilUKNet]

It's certainly worth some experimentation. I was puzzled when I first got a T90 as to why photos looked better when using the same lenses and film compared to the A1 (I actually have two A1's). I then did some side-by-side tests with both cameras and the A1 was massively overexposing. This results in slow shutter speeds and poorly exposed images. Definitely give it a try!

[@cjsansoo7]

Thank you so much for this video. I pulled out my old A1 and needed a refresher course. I've got four breech mount lenses that I'd completely forgotten about. A 28mm 2.0 ssc. A 50 mm 1.4 ssc. A 85 mm 1.8 ssc. And a 135 mm 2.5 sc. I plan to get back into film photography, however film here in California is now $20 as opposed to $4 when I last bought it. Crazy!!!

[@PhilUKNet]

You're welcome, thanks for the comment. I've just come back from the UK where I managed to retrieve a few more of my FD lenses, including my favourite FD 135mm f/2. As you say, it's expensive nowadays. Not just the film, but also developing and printing or burning to CD. I just get film developed and do the scanning myself with an Epson V600. In many ways, it makes no sense at all doing film photography now, but it's quite good fun and it brings back some nice feelings of nostalgia!

[@erikpeters331]

@@PhilUKNet I've been considering buying some tech to do my own scanning but have heard mixed things about different products and methods. How would you describe and rate the V600? Are you getting good quality scans?

[@PhilUKNet]

@@erikpeters331 That's the problem with the Internet. There are so many wildly differing opinions out there that it just gets confusing and doesn't help you make a decision. We're all different, we all have different opinions, and what we all think about this kind of thing is very subjective. I've had the V600 for six years and I've been very pleased with the results. A few years ago I scanned in thousands of my own 35mm negatives. My father died a few months ago and I've just been through the exercise of scanning in my parents' photos - mainly prints (color and b/w), but also slides, 35mm and medium format negatives. The V600 wasn't wildly expensive, but I have been very pleased with the results. After six years, I can also attest to its reliability. I also like the Epson Scan software. I've read lots of negative views and some people swear by other scanning software, but I've tried some others, and Epson Scan is as good as any as far as I'm concerned. The interface might not be very easy at first, but you get used to it. But just because I have been pleased, it doesn't mean that you will be. I didn't want a cheap, low quality scanner, but neither did I want to spend a fortune. I narrowed it down to the V600 and Canon Canoscan 9000F Mk 2. I 'm sure the Canon scanner is excellent, but my decision was for the Epson and it's a decision that I'm still happy with. At the end of last year, someone left a very negative comment about the V600, so I made a video to respond with some of my thoughts. If you're looking at the V600, you may want to watch it - kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpbGaoKOmpumZ6s

[@andrewcroft2570]

Great video, I've just bought a mint condition A1 with a motor drive, so extremely useful especially regarding the overexposure.

[@PhilUKNet]

Congratulations on your new acquisition! Considering their age, you did well to find one in mint condition. As with all things, you should do some tests with settings such as exposure compensation. I've done my own tests, and comparing my A1 to my T90 with the same lenses under exactly the same conditions, the A1 was overexposing by a lot. When I first got my T90, I noticed that the image quality was better despite using the same film and lenses. Image quality should have been identical. I can only think this was because the T90 light metering and exposure settings were more accurate. Overexposure with the A1 is something that I have also seen mentioned on-line. Just be aware of the issue and do some testing to get the best results. Have fun with your new toy!

[@iphoneskidad]

very helpful. thank you

[@PhilUKNet]

Thank you!

[@mariohirotoshi]

this is a very nice video, thank you!

[@PhilUKNet]

Thank you 🙂

[@Outlawes]

Nice video! I have the Canon AE1 on my travels 🙌 love shooting film.

[@PhilUKNet]

Thank you! The AE1 and AE1 Program were good cameras, just lacking the aperture priority mode of the A1. I haven't shot a roll of film for quite a while now, but need to get out there again!

[@Imagezone61]

Very well explained. Athough I own an A1 and don't need to learn to use it, I still like to watch videos concerning the operations of different cameras. Thanks

[@PhilUKNet]

Thank you!

[@Haikal-fn5wb]

thanks for the video. helps me so alot.

[@PhilUKNet]

I'm so pleased to hear that! Thanks for letting me know.

[@Haikal-fn5wb]

@@PhilUKNet btw im already decrease that dial exposure composition, so it can helps to get the sharp photos right? and do i need to always fasten the shutter speed since i already decrease that dial?

[@Haikal-fn5wb]

*compesation

[@PhilUKNet]

@@Haikal-fn5wb It's good that you have done that already. Some negative exposure compensation will give you smaller apertures and/or faster shutter speeds depending which exposure mode you are using. Before each shot press the shutter button half way and check the shutter speed. Use the reciprocal rule and make sure that the shutter speed isn't too slow. If it is, change the exposure settings to make it faster or use a tripod, monopod or other support. Hopefully, you will start to get fewer blurry photos..

[@Haikal-fn5wb]

@@PhilUKNet oright try and error 👌🏻 tq

[@sorinlazarescu3039]

Hi Phil, I bought an A-1 a while ago, mostly to use it as a secondsry camera, but never got to using it (yet), as I am still using my beloved Leica M7. However, yesterday I bought a Canon FD 50mm f/1.4 and some new film stock and decided to finally use the A-1. You can imagine my surprise when I watched your video….Thank you so very much for it, you saved me from ruining my rolls of film. One question please; do you happen to know if the F-1 has the same problem, as I may want to trade the A-1 foe a F-1? Or perhaps it is not worth it? Would aporeciate your answer/s, for which I thank you in advance. Kind regards.

[@PhilUKNet]

Thanks for your comment! I'm afraid I know nothing about the F1, which was Canon's professional grade camera. It was the same era as the A1, but I don't know if it uses the same metering system as the A1. If you're looking to get another Canon manual focus film camera, the T90 is a fantastic model. It's light years ahead of the A1/F1 style of cameras, and the metering is spot on with multiple metering modes. The only problem now is that it has a few weak points and finding spares and people who can work on these cameras is very difficult. Tha A1 seems to last forever and provided you compensate for the metering overexposure, it's still a pretty good camera.

[@OonkaBoonka69]

I already had the A-1 with quite a lot of lenses and the motordrive MA, but I wanted to try the T90. Unfortunately, it is rather difficult to get hold of the T90. Two months ago I found one and bought it together with the 300TL flash. I haven’t used the A-1 since, because the T90 handles much better. I don’t know why, but a lot of people are avoiding the T90 because of its shutter problems. Mine is working fine and I think if I use it regularly it will just keep shooting. I have a question, was the T90 considered ‘professional’ when it was released?

[@PhilUKNet]

Good question! Apparently, it was. The T90 had great functionality and it was so rugged that it earned the nickname 'the tank'. It was therefore perfect for photojournalists who needed a high performance, tough camera. Prior to that the F1 was Canon's 'professional' camera. Since making videos about the A1 and T90 I have been completely mystified as to why there is so little interest in the T90 and so much interest in the A1 because the T90 is a far superior camera in every way. They're probably hard to find because there were a lot fewer made than A1's and I know that some people are concerned about the top display panel failing. With no spares available, this would make the camera useless. It feels so great in the hand. Using it back in the film days was a revelation after the A1 and even today it still feels good.

[@roiloubia4483]

@@PhilUKNet Hi Phil. I commend you for the excellent videos. Regarding the Canon T90, I own two bodies I bought on eBay more than 10 years ago from eBay, in excellent condition. Despite the fact that they looked like new, I still sent sent for a complete CLA. I used them very extensively, and never had the EEE message error in my LCD that people talk about online, in various forums. I remember that the technician who performed the CLA, told me to fire blank the camera times to times when used for a long period of time. I was doing so. I guess he was right as I never had such issue. The Spotmeter metering in both bodies are dead on with my Pentax V Spotmeter (calibrated 12 years ago by Quality Light shop in California), with my Minolta M Spotmeter, and with my Sekonic. L-398, after so many years. I think, the T90 is one of the better SLR camera ever built. I don't know for how long the first owners of these camera has them, but for sure, they took care of them very well. The person who named it "The TANK" was absolutely right. The A1, FTb, and F1 old and F1New, that I own are also fantastic cameras, and use them all. I use the A1 with only one lens (50 f1.4), when want to be very light and don't use a tripod, which I used almost systematically with the other cameras for my landscape or micro photography. I use them the same way as I would a 4x5 or 8x10 camera, means slow down, use mirror lock up, cable release, on the F1's, and T90 (electronic one), close the eye piece before the shot, etc...even a dark cloth when I focus using the waist level finder on my F1 bodies. Let's keep film alive.

[@PhilUKNet]

@@roiloubia4483 Thank you! You sound like a real film aficionado! Thank you also for the tip. I keep my cameras in a dry box, but I haven't used the T90 for a while and I will fire off a few shots as a preventive measure. Touch wood (and I may regret saying this) I've never had an issue with my A1 or T90 in all these years. The T90 is an incredible camera and it was a huge upgrade from the A1. Not only is it better ergonomically, faster, more responsive, etc, but it has amazing metering. Metering was the Achilles heel of the A1 - just one mode and it tends to overexpose by a lot. The T90 has the flexibility of three modes and it is very accurate. I'm surprised you could find a technician to do the CLA. The skills to work on film cameras seem to be very rare these days. It's also a problem getting parts. Many thanks for your comment!

[@roiloubia4483]

@@PhilUKNet You are very welcome Phil. Very good thing you're keeping your gears in a dry place. Put in some silica packets in the box you are storing them in. Yes, fire blank, time to time your T90, may be every 3 to 4 weeks. Fire it in single, continuous, and low mode, you will be fine for many years to come. Yes, I was lucky to find a good technician here on the US, who did a CLA just after I got my bodies from eBay, 10 or 12 years ago. The A1 is also used, but I meter with my Pentax Spotmeter or an Incident meter (Sekonic L-398), that I carry always with me when I shoot in overcast conditions and when I want to be very light, with just one lens (usually my FD 50mm f1.4), or with just a small tele or zoom lens. It is an excellent camera. Good luck and enjoy your photography moments.

[@zhangwilliam4090]

Recently, I acquired a Canon A1. I shoot one roll with it. I used 50mm f1.8 and a 70-210mm lens (the one you have.). Great camera! I used Av mode most time.

[@PhilUKNet]

Digital cameras are a lot more convenient, but it's still fun to shoot some film sometimes! Av mode is useful, which is something the AE1 never had, but the other modes also have their use. Thanks for commenting!

[@marklittrell3202]

The viewfinder shutters are more for long duration exposures. You won't get light in that way hitting the film for any speed you normally use. Same for turning the LED display off - that's more for special photos, IR films or red sensitive ones, and shouldn't ever be a real problem.

[@PhilUKNet]

Right.

[@Photovintageguy]

Well normally you have your eye up to the finder. I could see a time shot being possibly effected.

[@abdelkadernazef6999]

I don't know why your Canon A1 and your Brother's are overexposing.. 1 1/3 is a lot indeed. I ran a test with my Canon A1 in different light conditions, indoor and outdoor, using the same exact lens (Canon FD 50mm F1.4 S.S.C, I get the same exposure values as my Canon T90 (set to Center Weighted), Canon AE1, and my Canon F1-New (with appropriate focusing screen). My T90 set on Spotmetering is exactly (100%) spot on with my Pentax Spotmeter V (Calibrated by Quality Light-Metric in Hollywood California 12 years ago), as well as with my Minolta Spotmeter M. I ran my different tests in Aperture Priority as well as Shutter priority, that didn't make a difference in mater of EV, as expected. My Exposure compensation is set to Zero on all my cameras. My pictures (B&W, Color and Transparency come most of the time great, the bad ones were always user error (ME).. In addition I tested my meters for the Transparency film I use (Fuji Velvia and Ektachrome E100). I didn't has to change anything, just the Fuji Velvia that I rate to ISO 40, and often push 1 stop, but this as nothing to do with your camera over-exposing. May be your Shutter speeds are not accurate, battery not outputting the correct voltage, or both, or something else in the circuit. I think your camera need a CLA by a good Technician if needed, since you have determined the amount of over-exposing and compensate for it, and you're happy with your pictures, then I think you're just fine, you can also compensate just with the ISO. In addition, I recommend to anyone the following: 1. Upon purchase of a camera with built in meter, or a handheld meter, used or brand new, get it CAL'ed by a good professional. 2. Run a calibration test with the film you use the most (mainly transparency film), so you examine the results on a light box with a professional loupe. as the ISO set by the different manufacturers are not set in stone. Note: some brand new cameras from different manufacturer can differ by 1 stop or more. Thank you for posting those great videos..Excellent job Phil.

[@PhilUKNet]

Thanks for your comment and suggestions! I don't know, but I've run tests and I consistently see the A1's overexposing. This results in the cameras trying to set very slow shutter speeds. 1 1/3 is the worst example I have seen. I have the EC on my A1's permanently set to -2/3 and this seems to work pretty well for me. I'm not sure if it's the light meter or the metering program that is at fault. What I haven't done is to try various exposure modes to see if that makes a difference. I've seen other mentions on the Internet of A1's overexposing, but this is the second comment I've received this week disputing this observation. Strange. I wonder if there is a difference between batches? The two A1's I have were manufactured in 1981/2 or thereabouts, I believe. Serial numbers 1647896 and 1743114. I live in provincial Thailand and getting a technician that understands film cameras to do a CLA would be nigh impossible. I doubt that even in the official Canon service center in Bangkok there are any technicians still left that really understand these cameras. It's not really a big problem for me. As you said, I am aware of the issue and set the EC to compensate for this. Furthermore, I do very little film photography these days. 99% of my photography is digital and these days my film cameras get very little use.

[@timjames6190]

To be honest I must be really lucky my A1 has always given me the correct exposure every time it has always had a service every5 years I’ve own this camera for over 30 years it was my fathers camera when he died in 1986 he passed it on to myself so it’s be loved and looked after I’ve shot film for forty years and I really find digital not for me

[@PhilUKNet]

Have you compared it against anything? I thought my A1 photos were OK, but the lab probably compensated for the overexposure during processing. When I got a T90, my photos looked better despite using the same lenses and film. Also, when doing exposure comparisons, I got much faster speeds with the T90. Shooting the occasional roll of film is fun, but digital is so much more convenient, and the image quality is so much better. You're lucky to be able to get your A1 serviced! I wouldn't know where to go to get my old film cameras serviced. Thanks for your feedback!