PLEASE READ..Parents gave me old camera..need to know if these lenses will do!

OK...first off after going digital ill never use another film camera again! My parents gave me their Canon AE-1 Program camera today. Its in good condition and has 3 lenses with it. My parents said it was at least 20 years old, so i looked it up and it came out in 1981 from what i read. since ive never had a good camera (not getting one til february) I honestly dont know a lot about lenses yet. but...im showing you guys some pics of what came in this camera case they gave me. I have a couple of questions.

1. Is this camera worth anything?
2. Can these flashes be used on a digital rebel xt/xti? they are ..Vivitar zoom thyristor 2500 and the other just says ...Focal M-200
3. Can these lenses be used on a digital rebel xt/xti?

IF anyone can answer these questions i would appreciate it. Im sorry, im sure this is posted in the wrong section but this is the section i mostly post in plus i pretty much only take people/portraits. There was a few more things in the case but i didnt take pics of it.

here are the pics (not very good, i just snapped them with my p&s real quick)

I'm pretty sure that you could end up frying the camera if you tried using the flashes on the hot shoe. But, you could try using them on an external bracket. Call your local camera shop to make sure.

thank you...but can i use these lenses on a rebel?

No ... because you need compatible auto-focus lenses as well as having them mount properly. It's also a question that your local camera shop can answer.

If you got any filters, an the size was right, you could use those.

No. They appear to be FD mount, not EF mount used on Canon EOS cameras these days.

you can but it requires a costly FD to EF adapter. its not worth it, keep the camera, stick a roll of b&w in it and have some fun with it one day

That used to be a great camera.

gcobb wrote in post #2348593
That used to be a great camera.

It still is.

Ok,

What you have here is A Canon AE-1 Program 35mm Camera. It has two main exposure modes> also I see a 50mm 1.8 lens, which is one of the sharpest MF lenses Canon ever made

Tv (shutter preffered) in other words you pick the shutter speed and it will choose a corresponding aperture.

Program mode, where it will choose the overall best exposure for the scene it's meter sees.

None of the parts, lenses or flash will work with your Canon EOS based gear. It is all FD mount, don't bother any silly conversions it is a waste of time and cash to get what will end up being mediocre images.

The 200mm Zoom looks like it might be a Tamron
I can't see what the wide angle is either.

The Focal flash is a store brand from K mart, and not very powerful, cannot be used with modern cameras on the hot shoe.

The Vivatar flash is a US company that designed and sold made in Japan photo gear popular in the 70's and 80's. DO NOT PUT THIS ON YOUR NEW DIGITAL CAMERA BODIES!!!! IT WILL FRY IT!!

Total value on everything here IF you could find someone that wanted it, may 100-150 USD

liza wrote in post #2348601
It still is.

Yep!

I love mine and I actually enjoy it more than my 350D

I bought my AE-1, I think, in 1979, then shortly afterwards bought an A1 and an F1, I still have them all and they work great. The AE-1 with a Canon 50mm 1.4 or 28mm 2.0 S.C. will take quality photos as well as any 35mm film camera.

I never had an AE-1. I had to settle for the Minolta X-700. I still have it and everything else in the original camera bag!

Although none of the components from the AE-1 Program will work with modern EOS cameras, the knowledge and experience you gain from using it will stay with you.

I still use my AE-1 with a decent collection of FD glass (it's really cheap nowadays)... it has got the most satisfying shutter sound of any camera

If you don't want to keep it, post it in the sell forum here, or put a notice up at your local college campus. Lots of students looking for a 35mm for their first photo class.
It's a great camera. loved mine

Croesus wrote in post #2350583
Although none of the components from the AE-1 Program will work with modern EOS cameras, the knowledge and experience you gain from using it will stay with you.

I still use my AE-1 with a decent collection of FD glass (it's really cheap nowadays)... it has got the most satisfying shutter sound of any camera

Agreed, not only were they some of the best camera systems even built they are very rugged./ But the metering system is not the best in the world compared to today's gear. My fave in this area is not the A series but the T-90.

That was the last to take the FD series lenses (except the F series) and it was Killer. It had a great metering system, full motor drive that would do nearly 8 FPS. Now you will see a spec that says 4.5 which is true. BUT when you used a lens wide open the camera would transfer that power to the motor drive and up the FPS. I shot a boatload of baseball with the T-90 and NEVER had an issue. If you are going to use FD gear get a 200 2.8 L. It was razor sharp I loved both versions but the internal focus was the better of the two.

I still have a A2e for film usage, but like all my other LF and MF gear it gathers dust like Woody from Toy Story...

None of the after market lenses seen here are worth the trouble, but there is a lot of Canon L FD stuff cheap.

Les