Canon AE-1 User manual

INSTRUCTIONS
English Edition

Nomenclature
Shutter Speed Selector UI<II ---____,
"A" Mark --------------.,
Frame Counter -------~
Finger Rest ---- -.,.,&
Main Switch -- -- -j
Shutter Button (with
Cable Release Socket)
AE Lock Pin -----I !!od'
Action Grip --- - -j
Battery
Cover
Index ------ --
Focusing Ring -- - -----<
Aperture Ring -- -- ---
Bayonet for Hood - - ------
.------------ -Shutter Speed Selector
Dial Guard
,----------- Accessory Shoe
r------ B"ttp.rv Check/Self-timer
Cancelation Button
/, ---- -Film Plane Indicator
r--- ---- Lock Release Button
- ' ~ h- -- Film Rewind Knob with
Crank
Film Speed Setting
Lever
PC Socket
AE Lock Switch
Exposure Preview
Switch
Stop-down Lever
-. ..... =::!::==:¥- -- Mount Positioning
Point
'---------- Lens Release Button
'- ____ ____ ____ ___ Filter Thread
3

Thank you for purchasing the AE-1 PROGRAM.
Designed with the most advanced ele ctroni cs
technology available, this high performance SLR
camera offers you creative freedom through its
many innovative features. Your AE-1 PROGRAM
can be used in three automatic exposure ( AE )
modes: programmed
AE, shutter-speed priority
AE, or AE flash; manual override is possible, too.
We know that you are anxious to begin using this
camera. Thus, these instructions have been wri
t-
ten so you can begin taking pictures alm os t
immediately. For initial picture-taking, " Basic
Steps" will provide the necessary information.
Once you have a good understanding of these
operations, move
on to "Making the Most of
your AE-1 PROGRAM." It contains information
to assist you now and in the future, as your inter-
est and skill
in photography grow .
Unfold the front and back flaps of this
booklet for easy reference to camera
parts while you read the instructions.
4

Contents
Basic Steps
1. Attaching the Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2. Setting the Lens
for AE Photography . . . 10 '
3. Loading the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4. Checking the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5. Learning to Operate Basic Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6. Setting the Film Speed . . . 15
7. Loading the Film . . . . . . . . . .
.. . . . . . . . . . . 16
8. Learning to Hold the Camera Correctly. . ........... . ... 19
9. AE Photography . . . 20
1. Programmed AE Photography. . . . . . . . . . . . . •. . .. 20
2. Shutter -s peed Priority AE Photography . . . 22
10. One Shot at a Time . . . 23
11 . Rewinding the Film. . ...... 24
Self-Timer . . . 25
Dedicated Flash Photography with the Speedlite 188A . . .. 27
Carrying the Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
29
Pre-shooting Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 30
Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 31
Making the Most of Your AE-1 PROGRAM
12 . Battery. ....................... ........ ...... . . . .. 32
13 . Viewfinder. .... .. .. ... . . . . ... 34
Viewfinder Information . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . 34
Focusing. . 36
Expo s ure Warning s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ... . •. ... 39
14 . Exposure. . . . .. .. .. . ... 41
15 . How to Choose a Shutter Speed. . . ... 43
16 . Shooting at Shutter Speeds Slower than 1/ 60 sec. . .... . ... .. . 45
17. Aperture, Exposure's Other Half . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
How the Aperture Affects the P ic ture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 49
5

Contents
18 .
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26 .
27.
28.
Checking the Depth
of Field .. .. ... .. ... .. . ., . . . . . . .
51
Shooting with Light Behind Your Subject
(and Other Unusual Lighting Situations) ... . . • , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Shooting with a Non-FD Lens. . . . .... 57
Shooting with Close-up Accessories . . .. . 59
Film Plane Indicator. . . . . . ... 61
Manual Diaphragm Control . . . . . . • .. . . 62
Flash Photography . . . 63
Display Information in AE Flash Photography. . . ... 63
Auto-exposure Flash Confirmation Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Automatic Flash (with Ordinary Electronic Computer Flash Un its) . . . . 65
Manual Flash. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . 66
Shooting with Infrared Film . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . . . 67
Shooting in Very Low Temperatures. .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . ... .... ... 68
Shooting at Night. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . •.. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . 69
Interchangeable Focusing Screens. . . . .. . 70
Caring for Your Camera . . . 72
Optional Accessories. .
.. 74
Canon Power Winder A2 . .. 74
Canon Motor Drive MA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .••. . . . . ... ... '. .. 75
Canon Wireless Controller LC-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . • . . . . .. 75
Data Back A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . . . . . . 76
Angle Finders A2 and B . . . . . . . 76
Lens Hoods. ....... . .. . .. ... ...... . . .. . . , . . . . .. 77
Dioptric Adjustment Lenses S . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Magnifier S ' ' .. 78
Filters , . 78
Speedlites . , . . , ., . . . 79
Specifications . : . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 82
6

Basic Steps

1. Attaching the Lens
Turn the rear lens cap in the
direction
of the arrow until it
stops and pull it off the lens.
Rernove the body cap.
The instructions in this section
concerning the lens
are for an
FD lens without a chrome mount
ring.
If your lens looks like this
one
with a chrome mount ring,
read its instructions
for handling
the rear cap and mounting it on
the camera.
8
To reattach the rear lens cap,
align
it with the lens as illus-
trated. Then lightly push it in
and turn it clockwise until it
stops.

To mount the lens, first align
the red positioning point on
the lens
with the red dot above
the camera
mount as illus-
trated.
If your camera looks like this, with
a red
dot showing inside the
camera mount, do not mount the
lens yet; correct exposure cannot
be ensured
if you do. To release
the
stop-down lever, unfold and
lightly press it down so
it pops
out. Then mount the lens. Leave
the
stop-down lever as it is .
Then turn the lens in the di-
rection of the arrow until it
stops and the lens release
but-
ton pops out with a click.
9
Make sure the lens release
button has popped out. Other-
wise, the lens will not work
properly. DO NOT press the
lens release button while
mounting or it may not pop
out.
When film is loaded, make sure
it is completely advanced to the
ne xt frame before mounting the
lens.

2. Setting the Lens for AE ( ~~~~~u~~c) Photography
------~~----~ ~~ ~~-----------------
o '" Ql tll 'ft1f1l 1
11 r'lT' I "I.'
" .'''.I f
With the exception of the Canon
Fish-eye 7. 5mm f/5.6 lens,
be sure to place the lens with
its front end down (as illus-
trated) to avoid damaging the
protruding pins.
Remove the front lens cap.
To remove the lens, turn it in the
direction of the arrow , while
pressing the lens release button,
until it stops.
10
While pressing in the AE lock
pin, turn the aperture ring in
the direction of the arrow until
"A" click-stops at the dis-
tance index. "
A" will be in line
with the red dot on the
camera. If you
forget to do
this, automatic exposure will
be impossible. Note that both
shutter-speed priority
AE and
programmed
AE require this
setting.