I am looking into buying an old manual Canon and I need help

[josh51699]

I spoke with a guy today who would sell me a perfect condition
Canon AE-1 Program w/the 50mm Canon lense, a 2x converter, and a 135mm solagar (or something like that) telephoto plus a case for the camera.

He would give me this for $130 all in perfect working condition with no scratches, dents, dings or messups.

What I want is a camera that has completely manual dial options for aperature and shutter, of course make it easy for me to change dof on the fly. Is this a good camera for me?

Or better yet what would you guys reccommend?

[Belmondo]

The AE-1 was (is) an excellent camera. Canon sold billions of them (maybe a slight exaggeration). The only thing I would be careful of is to make sure the built-in meter works. The camera might look and sound like it's working perfectly, but you won't know for sure until you run a roll of film through it. The price sounds okay.

[josh51699]

but is there any huge difference in the ae-1 and the ae-1 program as far as less manual functions?

i just want to make sure there are no pesky overrides to turn off auto functions, meaning when i want it to go completely manual i want to press one button and then the rest is all up to me

[Belmondo]

You'd better wait for a definitive answer; I don't remember. I owned both. I bought the AE-1 Program because it was black (so help me :oops: ) I no longer remember the operating subleties of either of them, but I'm quite sure there was no problem shooting in full manual mode.

[robertwgross]

The AE-1 was (is) an excellent camera. Canon sold billions of them (maybe a slight exaggeration).

Billions of them = (translation) a big bunch

Tom, I've told you forty million times not to exaggerate!

---Bob Gross---

[Belmondo]

Tom, I've told you forty million times not to exaggerate!

---Bob Gross---

:oops: :oops: Sorry.

Anyway, they did make a lot of them, and they're pretty plentiful in the used market. Really good FD lenses are a bargain, too.

[josh51699]

See thats another thing I can get some really great lenses for pretty cheap with something like this. I also think it would be good for learning too and not letting the camera make all my decisions for me.

[PacAce]

On the camera body, the AE-1 has a dial for selecting the shutter speed along with a setting for "program" so that the camera can select the shutter speed for you. If you want to manually select the shutter speed, you just rotate the dial to the shutter speed you want.

The FD lens has a ring selector for selecting the aperture. In addition to the stops for the aperture there's also a stop for selecting "auto". When set in "auto" the camera selects the aperture for you.

So, if you want to operate the AE-1 in full manual mode, all you need to do is set the shutter speed on the body and the aperture on the lens.

[stopbath]

You should have no problem shooting full manual with the camera.
The AE-1 P can shoot fully manual, Shutter speed priority and program.

The Soligar brand is a low end brand. Don't expect anything fancy from the lens. The price seems good anyway.

Verify the meter in low light and in bright light (compare to another meter). Verify the back focus of the body (shoot a flat pattern with the 50mm using a wide f stop, then check all edges are sharp as well as the middle - if the back focus is off, one or more corners may be slightly fuzzy.) Verify the slow shutter speeds and the high shutter speeds. (Run a film through, have it processed, then if the results are good, buy the camera.)

Have fun with the new camera!

[Andy_T]

You might also consider to buy a newer Canon camera that has the EOS lensmount.

Granted, you can get some good FD lenses cheap, but if get a DSLR, it will surely suck to have to get every lens twice.

As to the 50 lens ... is it the 1.8/50 or 1.4/50? That would make some difference, as the 1.8/50 can be had for some 70$ new for the DRebel. Soligor isn't exactly a reputable brand, either.

Best regards,
Andy

[josh51699]

there is another lady i just found that has a cannon ae-1 for 100 with some five star lense 75-200mm zoom macro lense f 4.5

he mentioned abouve picking something with an eos mount.....is there any camera body with full manual support that works like an old camera with an eos mount?

[PacAce]

there is another lady i just found that has a cannon ae-1 for 100 with some five star lense 75-200mm zoom macro lense f 4.5

he mentioned abouve picking something with an eos mount.....is there any camera body with full manual support that works like an old camera with an eos mount?

The old EOS Elans and Elan IIs will work fully manual. EOS Rebels might, too, but I'm not 100% certain since I've never had one of those myself.

[josh51699]

Well I guess I can finish off this post, the coolest thing just happened.

My girfriends mom was talking about their old camera for some odd reason today and I said I was looking for one and she said hers was the AE-1 which is what I was looking for and she goes sure you can have it !

Perfect condition ... looks brand new.

Great day for me!