Canon A-1, Program Mode, 199A flash

I've never used my A-1 in Program mode with the Canon 199A flash, always in aperture priority. The dedicated flash sets the shutter speed to 1/60, and the Auto switch on the flash gives three colour coded apertures of varying power for the user to set on the camera. In program mode those apertures are unavailable to set. Google shows nothing to help, the A-1 instruction manual fails to mention it, as does the Canon 199A manual.

Question: does this camera-flash combination set shutter speed and aperture in Program mode on the A-1 with 199A flash? If not should the camera not be set to Program mode with flash?

blockend said:

I've never used my A-1 in Program mode with the Canon 199A flash, always in aperture priority. The dedicated flash sets the shutter speed to 1/60, and the Auto switch on the flash gives three colour coded apertures of varying power for the user to set on the camera. In program mode those apertures are unavailable to set. Google shows nothing to help, the A-1 instruction manual fails to mention it, as does the Canon 199A manual.

Question: does this camera-flash combination set shutter speed and aperture in Program mode on the A-1 with 199A flash? If not should the camera not be set to Program mode with flash?

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It would work fine in program mode but the aperture choice on the flash is the aperture set on the lens. The shutter speed is always 1/60.

It just sets the shutter speed to 1/60th.

Chan Tran said:

It would work fine in program mode but the aperture choice on the flash is the aperture set on the lens. The shutter speed is always 1/60.

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The Program mode setting is at one end of the Tv dial (shutter speed), and the instructions say the lens aperture ring has to be locked in the Auto position. So neither shutter speed nor aperture can be set. As the A-1 was the first camera with a Program mode and the 199A flash was dedicated to it, it's strange that flash and Program aren't mentioned anywhere.

I can of course use aperture priority or manual as I've always done, but I assumed the Program mode and the dedicated flash must "talk" to one another. I've almost finished a film with flash in Program so it will be interesting to see the results. The closest thing to an answer in the instruction manual states the flash will work automatically at any setting on the aperture or shutter priority dials. As Program is at one end of the shutter dial, maybe it's okay, but if I can't set the aperture, who knows?

blockend said:

The Program mode setting is at one end of the Tv dial (shutter speed), and the instructions say the lens aperture ring has to be locked in the Auto position. So neither shutter speed nor aperture can be set. As the A-1 was the first camera with a Program mode and the 199A flash was dedicated to it, it's strange that flash and Program aren't mentioned anywhere.

I can of course use aperture priority or manual as I've always done, but I assumed the Program mode and the dedicated flash must "talk" to one another. I've almost finished a film with flash in Program so it will be interesting to see the results. The closest thing to an answer in the instruction manual states the flash will work automatically at any setting on the aperture or shutter priority dials. As Program is at one end of the shutter dial, maybe it's okay, but if I can't set the aperture, who knows?

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You don't have to set the aperture on the camera. You set it on the flash by setting the range selector and ISO (ASA). The flash will automatically set the aperture to the matching aperture.

Chan Tran said:

You don't have to set the aperture on the camera. You set it on the flash by setting the range selector and ISO (ASA). The flash will automatically set the aperture to the matching aperture.

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Okay, but once I've set the ISO there are three power settings that tell me which aperture to set (e.g f4, f8, f16). If you're familiar with the A-1 you switch between aperture and shutter priority auto exposure dials. The Program mode is on the shutter dial, so aperture can't be set. In aperture priority it isn't an issue, I set the f-stop indicated. In Program, I don't know what the camera is doing. I think you're saying if I set the flash to, say, red on the auto switch, it will automatically set the lens at f4 or whatever, as well as setting the shutter to 1/60. What's more confusing is with the 199A flash fitted to the camera, the viewfinder LEDs register the normal ambient exposure, not just 1/60 at f4.

Edit: Problem solved, I think! The flash does indeed set the aperture and shutter speed when the flash is fully powered up! An F for flash LED lights up in the viewfinder showing the stop indicated on the flash unit and 1/60! Otherwise it shows normal exposure preferences. Thanks for the help.

Apologies if I missed your point.

That's right! The camera only goes into flash mode if the flash is ready to fire. One thing I just noticed that when the flash is ready the aperture is set according to the ISO set on the flash and regardless of what ISO is set on the camera.

I have a 'strange Problem' with my CANON 199a Speedlite that I was given with my A-1 outfit -- for many years since it would not charge up at all but I kept trying. cleaning the contacts etc then I had one 'Last Try' with some old VERY CHEAP Zinc Carbon batteries which seemed to be a bit thinner than Duracells or Eveready types and suddenly it 'struggled into LIFE' and would flash !! Happy Days !! Then I tried NEWER batteries BUT it will not charge up !! Only with the now almost fully dead Zinc Carbon ones with a more 'pointed + terminal'does it charge up -- how strange ---

May be you clean it too well and depress the spring in the battery holder. May be you can fix the springs (they could be just a piece of metal leaf.)