Canon AE-1 Program

Canon AE-1 Programe

I have recently bid and bought a Canon AE-1 Program. The camera is delivered today.

It is in good condition and the shutter fires. The exterior is better than expected for a camera that is easily 30 years old.

When I was a secondary school boy, I had a Yashica FX-3, it was fully mechanical and could function without batteries even though batteries could be added for light metering purpose. My classmate had a Canon AE-1 Program, it was one of technologically advanced camera given its program feature which allowed automatic selection of aperture and possibly speed of shutter. It was then the envy of the photograhic society. Somehow it had affected my subsequent purchase of Canon EOS camera.

On first feel, it is heaviler than my Yashica. It has a silver aluminium top as compared to black finishes of my Yashica. The sound of the shutter is very different from my Yashica. I feel that the Yashica has a more mechanical sound which gives confidence to the photographer. The aluminium finishes has the classic look which current retro looking digital camera such as the olympus OMD EM10 tries to emulate. AE-1 Program has a electronically controlled self timer for delay firing of shutter. Yashica FX-3 uses a dial pointer which to me has more classic look.  In my opinion, the Nikon FM series 35mm camera has a more classic external finishes than the Canon AE-1 Program. Canon AE-1 Program has a winder provision which the Yashica FX-3 doesn't.

For a price of 16 pound body only(from UK, excluding shipping cost), it has certainly well depreciated considering the cost of digital camera nowadays. Hopefully, the shutter speed is accurate. I will know when I test it with a 35mm film.