Canon A1 questions.

[hpulley]

He saved the boxes too! That's worth something just for collectors.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

At my local Costco I get 24 expoures for $4.19 per roll for 1 hour.

Jeff

 

[waynecrider]

Maayyybbbeee Not.

Ok; So I picked up one about a year and a half ago and this is my honest impression. The camera is of course capable; Just as capable as anything else but with it's own quirks. My suggestion is to definitely get the manual for it if you buy. I read mine often and that's only because this is not a straight forward camera in some respects and you will at times forget what not to if you shoot infrequently. The camera can lockup, as well as shoot at an unintended aperture if you don't catch it. You'll need to know the procedure that produces these problems (related to DOF preview and the order of things) and what to do; And btw, the manual is over thought and over written at what, 160 some pages.

The 50mm and 28mm are praised by some and can be fine shooters for the average Joe, but I got to tell you, if you compare them in a test withthe faster lenses in FD or in other systems, they usually fall short in resolution. They are not your pro caliper FD lenses. Your better off getting the 50mm F1.4. To replace the 28 I'd shoot for the 24 or a 35. Long lenses in third party can be cheap and good.

Canon lens prices for the good ones have gone up within the last almost 2 years now and that's because of the M 4/3rd's bodies. The good lenses are just as pricey as any used equipment out there and sometimes more so. Depends of course on condition and who you buy it from. There was alot of stock sold so there's more, but it's sort of like Nikon manual stuff in some way. I've seen top Nikon AI stuff cheaper at times thru ads, but it's again what un-knowledgeable person sells it. Same as in everything else.

I bought the A1 because I had an existing body and lenses.. I just expanded my system and got 2 lenses with the A1 body I didn't have. But I would in no way start a kit in FD at this point if I didn't have existing equipment. The A1 cannot do anything more then your Nikon can except take up room and become another camera to take choice. My A1 usually sits as I have too many choices, (most easier to shoot), and therein lies the problem.

So my recommendation is to pass. Fun to play with the new girl, but alot of the times they become boring; and expensive. I don't know how many times now I've passed on something I've always wanted only to be thankful afterwards. There's enough equipment in the market, and will continue to be, to buy an A1, or better yet an F1, any time you want. Best to invest in a body in your primary system or upgrade your lenses. If you need novelty maybe do some cheap pinhole stuff with paper. Or you can just ignore this and buy the body but pass on the lenses and get good glass. Luck

 

[parkpy]

W.A. Crider,

I don't think the A1 is difficult to use at all. I whole heartedly recommend it to people coming from a digital camera, or modern SLR. Set the A-1 to P, Set Aperture ring to A, focus and fire away. It's about as point and shoot as you can get in a manual focus camera. It meters accurately, although usually needs some exposure compensation indoors under tungsten lighting. When shooting Delta 3200 at 3200 indoors, I usually have to dial about +2EV to get something reasonably good. Other than that, the A1 doesn't really have any faults, IMHO. I've only encountered the EEEE error and lock up maybe 2 or 3 times. I don't even need to look at my manual anymore. It's a very easy camera to use in all of its modes. I also like its AE-Lock.

that said, there are cameras out there that affords you a greater sense of control. But the A-1 is very nice to have as a back-up

 

[hpulley]

I originally had the 50 1.8 as it came with my AE-1. I eventually sold it and got the 50mm f/1.4 which has better color saturation and contrast but honestly the colder 50 1.8 is sharper than the 50 1.4 and that is still true today (the EF mount 50 1.4 is the same optically as the FD and FL versions).

I originally had the 28 2.8 but sold it as well. I got the 28 2.0 to replace it and never looked back though that lens how has an aperture that doesn't stop down that well so it isn't as useful for landscapes at f/16 or f/22 unless you use the DOF preview a bit before the shot to 'exercise' the aperture blades. Haven't priced out a fix for it yet. My 24 2.0 is still going strong however, as is my 35 2.0 SSC breech lock mount, one of the sharpest lenses I've ever used (the thorium element is yellow now however).

I have a 300mm f/4L lens that I got as a retailer must not have realized it was the L model, it was priced like a regular 300mm f/4. It is a bit long to hand hold however the tripod mount collar works well.

 

[DWThomas]

An A-1 has been my primary 35mm camera since circa 1981. I got it with the 50 mm f1.4 and a year or two later added the 35-105 f3.5 macro zoom. I found that kit to be all I needed, and can't remember a lock-up -- maybe it's related to DOF preview which I seldom use? Anyway, in 1996, I dumped it out of a fanny pack onto pavement, and while it still shot, there were some dents and it made some strange noises. So I figured I'd go EOS until I saw what it was going to cost. I picked up a mint condition used A-1 body for about $150 and still use it. Along the way I added a 35-70 f3.5-4.5 which is a cheapo, but compact and light weight lens for walking around.

Just two or three years back I picked up a 70-210mm f4 zoom for $80 just to have one. I have since accumulated an AE-1 (inherited) and an F-1 body plus a 50mm 1.8 for the collection. Other than auto-focus, I can't think of anything the FD stuff doesn't do that I might want.

As parkpy says, lens on A, shutter on P, focus and push button, can't get much easier. I have used an alkaline battery in mine without any apparent problems (they fit my Bronica SQ-A too!)

 

[snegron]

An interesting side note to all of this; I showed my wife the two sets of prints (from the A1 and the F100) without letting her know which set was shot with which camera. She liked the shots taken with the A1 more than she did the ones taken with the F100! Funny thing is that I thought they looked identical in all aspects.

Maybe it's because I have never used a Canon before, but I found that the layout of the controls were very different from anything I have used before (Nikon, Pentax and Minolta). It feels like Canon added way too many minute features to the A1; it seems like there is a button or lever for just about everything. My impression is that it is comparable to the Nikon FA despite being released at a much earlier date.



I had to refer to the manual several times today.

 

[benjiboy]

He saved the boxes too! That's worth something just for collectors.

You should always save the boxes and packaging if you are supplied with them, because if you have to send the equipment anywhere to be serviced or sell it's the best protection for it, if you ever sell or part exchange it even to a camera store it gives the impression that you have looked after it, and generally adds to the perceived value of the equipment.

 

[benjiboy]

An A-1 has been my primary 35mm camera since circa 1981. I got it with the 50 mm f1.4 and a year or two later added the 35-105 f3.5 macro zoom. I found that kit to be all I needed, and can't remember a lock-up -- maybe it's related to DOF preview which I seldom use? Anyway, in 1996, I dumped it out of a fanny pack onto pavement, and while it still shot, there were some dents and it made some strange noises. So I figured I'd go EOS until I saw what it was going to cost. I picked up a mint condition used A-1 body for about $150 and still use it. Along the way I added a 35-70 f3.5-4.5 which is a cheapo, but compact and light weight lens for walking around.

Just two or three years back I picked up a 70-210mm f4 zoom for $80 just to have one. I have since accumulated an AE-1 (inherited) and an F-1 body plus a 50mm 1.8 for the collection. Other than auto-focus, I can't think of anything the FD stuff doesn't do that I might want.

As parkpy says, lens on A, shutter on P, focus and push button, can't get much easier. I have used an alkaline battery in mine without any apparent problems (they fit my Bronica SQ-A too!)

Dave, I recommend using the Lithium PX28L for the A1 although it's more expensive than the Silver oxide PX28 or the Alkaline one it last for many times longer than the other ones, I've had the current PX 28L in my A1 for more over ten years and it's still going strong.

 

[hpulley]

You should always save the boxes and packaging if you are supplied with them, because if you have to send the equipment anywhere to be serviced or sell it's the best protection for it, if you ever sell or part exchange it even to a camera store it gives the impression that you have looked after it, and generally adds to the perceived value of the equipment.

Canon recommends that you don't send anything more than you need to, such as just the body with body cap(s) in a ziplock bag. They try to send everything back but I think they'd rather that their technicians had as little as possible to keep together. Independent shops I'm not so sure.

 

[benjiboy]

Canon recommends that you don't send anything more than you need to, such as just the body with body cap(s) in a ziplock bag. They try to send everything back but I think they'd rather that their technicians had as little as possible to keep together. Independent shops I'm not so sure.

Canon haven't supported the repair of FD equipment for about fifteen years. I shudder to think what sending sending a camera or lens through the mail in Zip lock bag would do to it as far as shock damage is concerned if the postal service in your country is the same as in mine.

 

[hpulley]

Canon haven't supported the repair of FD equipment for about fifteen years.

Yes, I'm aware of that I was just saying that not every shop wants your collectable boxes lying around for you to complain about when they don't come back with your camera.

 

[DWThomas]

Dave, I recommend using the Lithium PX28L for the A1 although it's more expensive than the Silver oxide PX28 or the Alkaline one it last for many times longer than the other ones, I've had the current PX 28L in my A1 for more over ten years and it's still going strong.

I'll keep that in mind, but with my limited use, any of them last years! As I recall, Bronica recommends against the lithium version in their gear. I admit I'm surprised at that, but so they say -- something to do with transient high current characteristics, I believe. So since I share the batteries ...

 

[Les Sarile]

BTW, because the Canon A series bodies, lenses and accessories were very popular and sold a lot, you can still find these at relatively great condition and good prices.

 

[Luc More]

You can get lucky but outside of eBay then. I got a similar A-1 kit with 3 lenses (including 35mm f/3.5 and 50mm f/1.4, a 199A strobe and I'm not sure about the 3rd lens). For the sum of EUR 35.00 I think, sometime last year. This was in a generic second-hand shop where they sell anything from sofas to old TV sets but don't know much about the value of collector items.

In addition to the Canon squeak already mentioned, the A-1 is known to die (sometimes) from the dreaded EEEE flashing error code in the viewfinder. Like all A-series Canon cameras, if the electronics are bad (or if the battery is empty) then the camera is basically dead.

Otherwise it's the top of the "prosumer" A-series, with all its exposure modes. However it won't necessarily take better pictures than the less regarded AV-1 or AT-1. It's just more fancy. And can actually be more difficult to use because of all these auto modes.

 

[benjiboy]

You can get lucky but outside of eBay then. I got a similar A-1 kit with 3 lenses (including 35mm f/3.5 and 50mm f/1.4, a 199A strobe and I'm not sure about the 3rd lens). For the sum of EUR 35.00 I think, sometime last year. This was in a generic second-hand shop where they sell anything from sofas to old TV sets but don't know much about the value of collector items.

In addition to the Canon squeak already mentioned, the A-1 is known to die (sometimes) from the dreaded EEEE flashing error code in the viewfinder. Like all A-series Canon cameras, if the electronics are bad (or if the battery is empty) then the camera is basically dead.


Otherwise it's the top of the "prosumer" A-series, with all its exposure modes. However it won't necessarily take better pictures than the less regarded AV-1 or AT-1. It's just more fancy. And can actually be more difficult to use because of all these auto modes.

All you have to do is carry a spare battery, my last battery lasted more than ten years.

 

[snegron]

Update:

I decided to pass on the A1. I advised my co-worker to have it serviced to get rid of the squeak and to keep it as a family heirloom. I'm sure her grand-kids will (hopefully) someday enjoy using the camera that belonged to the grandfather they never had a chance to meet.

Thanks everyone for the feedback on the A1!