Canon AE-1 help please

Hello, I just received a Canon AE-1 and wanted to know if the light meter on the side of the viewfinder only works when the lens aperture ring is set to "A". I want to be able to control both aperture and shutter speed. I do know when I take the lens off of "A" the led "M" flashes letting me know that I am in manual control. When this happens does this mean the light meter is disabled?

With my Pentax K1000 I would set the aperture and adjust the shutter speed until the needle was in the center and then write that combo down and adjust my DOF from there. Does the Canon AE-1 work the same way; you know the needle in the center?

I just want to completely understand this camera before loading a roll.

Thanks for your help,
Dan

I think the light meter should act the same, whether you have the lens set to A or not. I have an AE-1 at home and the AE-1 was also the first 35mm camera that I ever bought. With the lens set to A, the camera selects the aperture that was suggested by the meter, but with it set to one of the f/stops, the meter should still suggest which aperture to use - you can disregard that advice and select whatever f/stop you want, however. At least, that's how I remember it working. I could be wrong. Do a simple test. Set the lens on A and see what the meter says. Then take it off A and set it to any f/stop and point the camera at the same scene. I think the meter should still show you the same reading. If not, perhaps the meter is malfunctioning.

Hi Nikonfan,

Mike is correct. The meter selects the f stop for the shutter speed you set in auto mode. In manual mode it "suggests" the f stop but you don't have to take it's advice. If you meter in stopped down mode,
you select the speed and then adjust the aperature so that the needle is on the square dot in the finder.

Do yourself a favor and get a manual at http://butkus.org/chinon/index.html. He only asks a small donation and you can download the manual.

The AE is a pleasure to use. Hope you enjoy it.

Good lucl,

Larry

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it. I have wanted this camera since I was in high school yearbook back in 83-84 and I finally was able to get one that my cousin was going to give away. Of course I grabbed it. It came with a 50mm F1.8 and I just picked up a 28mm F2.8 from a local camera store. Looking to get an 85mm next and something longer later. Anyway I normally shoot Nikon but couldn't pass up this camera. I am going to put together a nice kit and just have some fun shooting black and white.

Now if I could just get a darkroom...

Talk to me, I can help you on the dark room, and more Canon gear for cheap.