Canon AE-1 Review

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Canon AE-1
4.5 stars
Average rating for this product is: 4.5 out of 5

From 8 ratings and 27 reviews

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MrMichky.'s Review of Canon AE-1 35mm SLR camera

28th Nov 2001

Overall Rating

5 stars
  • Value for money
    5 stars
  • Features
    4 stars
Good Points

Easy and takes great pictures. Simple and steardy it's one of a kind. Wouldn't use another.


Bad Points

I don't have all the extras.....yet.


General Comments

I love my canon AE-1 SLR. it's the best thing next to thanksgiving. I wouldn't use another camera if my photo career depended on it. It's God's gift to photographers.

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Members' Comments onMrMichky.'s Review

  • canon fanatic. on 26th Dec 2001

    I think he is right for the most part, except I believe the AE-1 program is slightly better for the design and not much more to show specification. Me myself think that the A-1 is not quite as nice as the AE-1. Well, that's all I have to say.

  • Moderntech. on 29th Sep 2002

    As posted: My first Canon A series had an awful squeak when triggered. Canon would NOT repair these under warranty! Although camera shops have adapted a shutter fix for some serious change, (out of your pocket!) The battery door is horribly designed and executed! The cost of this repair alone will generally set you back $90.00 or so. For just the price of that repair you can purchase a good used camera that won't set you that far back on repairs and you can pocket some change as well! Note: the repaired battery door will fail also. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE metal, manual, precision 35MM cameras. But these cookies are like a black hole that you keep sinking money into, (Unless you don’t mind taping up the front of your little prize.) The used Canon lenses and accessories although excellent are on the expensive side and offer little over other quality manufacturers. All in all, I'd pass on these and purchase something more reliable with more reasonably priced lenses/accessories. I do note that a lot of posters here are first and only Canon A series users. I also understand first loves can blind one to flaws and other, better choices...

  • Duncan. on 6th Apr 2003

    I agree with 'Moderntech' about the battery door - mine got chipped somehow a few years ago but I managed to repair it with 'Superglue'. Otherwise, my AE-1 is very robust and has worked reliably and well during the 21 years I've used it (in the UK, Spain, USA and Finland) and is still on only its 2nd battery. Picture quality is consistent and extremely good (mostly I use the 50mm Canon prime lens). Yes, it's heavy, but has that 'real' camera presence. And I'm in no position to criticise its weight anyway, being owner of an old Land Rover - and a Zenit-E. In fact, a most delightful aesthetic factor is the overall feel of camera as a photographic instrument and that lovely chunky click [those of you out there with a Canon G2 digital, do you realise that Canon appear to have imported the very same sound as a user option?] For the first time since buying the AE-1 s/h all those years ago, I recently had it serviced (!), prompted by a need to repair the timer and (while they were at it) to replace the battery door. Now, the timer's OK again, but (guess what?) they couldn't find a spare battery door. So they've improved on my repair job instead. But all that said, the camera is basically sound and reliable. And when it does need attention, it seems to degrade gradually (rather like the Land Rover) with fair warning, meanwhile trundling along in stalwart fashion. As with any 'no battery - no click' camera, though, make sure you have a spare battery handy.

    As an old-timer (>60 yrs) my verdict after 21 years with this camera? Robust, reliable, nice heavy-metal feel (if you like that sort of thing) and by no means least, it has character.