Bricks and Beams

The Canon AE-1 Program is a favorite from the 80's.  It sold very well because it was a great camera.

This camera is a follow up to the original AE-1 (1976) and A-1 (1978).

The AE-1 Program sold so well because it represented a high-point of camera development.  The AE-1 Program has all the features you really need in a film camera without adding a bunch of extra features that you just aren't going to use.

The AE-1 Program features an advanced manual focus, through the lens (TTL) full aperture metering, and shutter priority metering.

The AE-1 Program uses several kinds of lenses.  It can use the Canon FD series of bayonet mount lenses and most FL and non-FD Canon lenses.  Older Canon FL and non-FD lenses mount but metering is stop-down only.

Automatic exposure control makes the AE-1 Program a joy to use.  Set A on the lens and PROGRAM on the body and just shoot.

The AE-1 Program uses a 6V PX28A Alkaline Battery that you can get at any camera store and many other kinds of stores like Walmart or Walgreens.

This is an excellent camera for a photography student or as a second body of a hobbyist/pro who likes the FD system of lenses.  It was the lightest of the metal based Canon FD body series.

Introduced a year after the Pellix, the FT QL had a normal quick-return reflex mirror and stop-down TTL metering. The finder's condenser lens was cut at a 45-degree angle. Twelve percent of the image area surface was semi-silvered with vapor deposition. The incident light reflected by this semi-transparent mirror was directed to the metering element. The viewfinder had match-needle exposure metering. The distance to the metering element was the same as the distance to the focal plane. Therefore the camera had the same focal plane metering characteristics as the Pellix.

The QL stands for Quick Load.

The Canon Booster for low-light metering down to EV 3.5 (23 sec. at f/1.4) was available as an optional accessory attachable to the accessory shoe.