324:. Between 1975 and 1985, there was a dramatic shift away from heavy all-metal manual mechanical camera bodies to much more compact bodies with integrated circuit (IC) electronic automation. In addition, because of rapid advances in electronics, the brands continually leapfrogged each other with models having new or more automatic features, and less expensive components and assembly. The industry was trying to expand out from the saturated high-end professional market and appeal to the large mass of low-end amateur photographers keen to move up from compact automatic
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354:(1982). They all use the same compact aluminum alloy chassis, but with differing feature levels and outer cosmetic acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plastic panels. By sharing most major components, and an inexpensive horizontal cloth-curtain shutter, costs could be spread out over a larger production volumes. The A-1 represented Canon's bid to defeat Nikon through more features and cheaper pricing.
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and top shutter speeds. Traditionalist photographers complained about an "excess" of automation ruining the art of photography, a criticism that was leveled at all of the newly automated cameras released in the 1980s. However, the automated features appealed to many new amateur photographers on a budget, and the camera saw strong sales.
268:
autofocus lenses (introduced in 1987). During the late 1970s and the 1980s, there were approximately 55 Canon FD lenses available for purchase. They ranged from a 7.5mm f/5.6 fisheye to an FD 800mm f/5.6 telephoto, and included lenses with maximum apertures to f/1.2 and a line of L-series lenses of
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speed of 1/60 second. It has dimensions of 92 millimetres (3.6 in) height, 141 millimetres (5.6 in) width, 48 millimetres (1.9 in) depth and 620 grams (22 oz) weight. Unlike most SLRs of the time, it was available in only one color; all black. The introductory US list price for
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or programmed autoexposure. A fifth mode is "stopped down AE", in which the aperture is closed and alterable by the photographer and the camera selects the shutter speed based on the actual light reading. This differs from aperture priority in which the aperture is not closed until a photograph is
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The A-1 attracted much press attention when it was released in early 1978, though not all comments were positive. Some professional photographers worried about the long term reliability of its consumer-level mechanical and electronic components under heavy daily use, the relatively slow flash sync
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exposure modes. It has a viewfinder exposure information system using a six-digit, seven-segment per digit, red alphanumeric LED display on the bottom of the viewfinder to indicate the readings of the built-in silicon photocell light meter. It supports one metering mode, centerweighted average
273:
MA (automatic film advance up to 5 frames per second), the Canon
Databack A (sequential numbering or date stamping on the film), and the Canon Speedlight 155A (guide number 56/17 (feet/meters) at ASA/ISO 100) and Canon Speedlight 199A (guide number 98/30 (feet/meters) at ASA/ISO 100) electronic
211:
came out in 1977 with electronic control exposure modes, specifically
Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Full Manual modes, as well as an "off the mode dial" full program exposure mode, the Canon A-1 offered "Program" mode. Instead of the photographer picking a shutter speed to freeze or blur
264:(introduced in 1971) or Canon New FD pseudo-bayonet mount (sometimes called the FDn mount, introduced 1979). It can also use most earlier FL lenses and some even older R (or Canomatic) series lenses, albeit with reduced functionality. This excludes all of Canon's
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Later, as competitors brought out their own programmed SLRs, the A-1 began to show its age. This is especially true for its horizontal cloth-curtain shutter, viewfinder information display and autoflash control. The A-1 was due for replacement when the
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Shell, Bob translator and Harold Franke. Magic
Lantern Guides: Canon Classic Cameras; A-1, AT-1, AE-1, AE-1 Program, T50, T70, T90. Sixth Printing 2001. Magic Lantern Guides. Rochester, NY: Silver Pixel Press, 1995.
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taken and the shutter speed is calculated based on the light measured through the fully open aperture. Stopped down AE existed so that old FL lenses could be used with at least some kind of AE, and was also useful for
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Beginning with the amateur level Canon AE-1 of 1976, there was a complete overhaul of the entire Canon SLR line. The 1970s and 1980s were an era of intense competition among the major SLR brands: Canon,
248:(1.8), meaning that the aperture is fairly wide open. The left number (45) indicates the approximate shutter speed of 45s (the camera can select odd shutter speeds, but does not display them)
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Anonymous. "Canon A-1: New Era in SLR Automation" pp 6–11. Modern
Photography's Photo Buying Guide '86. reprint from Modern Photography, July 1978.
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came out in 1985. Canon's abandonment of the FD lens mount for the EOS design also had a significant effect on demand for the A-1 on the used market.
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The A-1 is a historically significant camera. It was the first SLR to offer an electronically controlled programmed autoexposure mode. While the
415:(1977) has hidden program mode because its unique "final check" metering system shift shutter speed in shutter speed priority mode when needed,
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the body plus Canon FD 50 mm f/1.4 SSC lens was $ 625; the camera body was generally sold with a 30–40% discount (roughly $ 375 to $ 435).
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Anonymous. "Modern
Photography's Annual Guide '84: 48 Top Cameras: Canon A-1" p 71. Modern Photography, Volume 47, Number 12; December 1983.
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The A-1 is the high technology standard bearer of the landmark Canon amateur level A-series SLRs. The other members of the A-series are the
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The A-1 is a battery-powered (one 4LR44 or PX-28) microprocessor-controlled manual-focus SLR with manual exposure control or
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Anonymous. Canon A-1 Advertisement. "See beyond the ordinary." p 29. Modern
Photography, Volume 47, Number 7; July 1983.
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Matanle, Ivor. Collecting and Using
Classic SLRs. First Paperback Edition. New York, NY: Thames and Hudson, 1997.
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to the more "glamorous" SLR but were intimidated by the need to learn all the details of operating a traditional SLR.
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Anonymous. Canon A-1 Brochure. "Canon A-1." Lake
Success, NY: Canon USA, Inc., 1978.
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exceptional quality. Accessories for the A-1 included the Canon
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Viewfinder of a Canon A-1. The right number is the current
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212:motion and choosing a lens aperture
16:35mm single-lens reflex camera model
483:The A-1 at the Canon Camera Museum
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854:F-1 High Speed Motor Drive Camera
125:Manual lever winding, unmodified.
109:Centerweighted average metering
1202:cameras and lens mounts (film)
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460:
459:0-500-27901-2
456:
452:
449:
446:
443:
440:
439:
434:
426:
422:
418:
414:
410:
409:Minolta X-700
406:
400:
397:
393:
392:3-87467-183-6
389:
385:
379:
376:
369:
367:
365:
359:
355:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
332:
330:
327:
323:
319:
315:
311:
302:
300:
298:
293:
289:
284:
280:
275:
272:
267:
263:
259:
255:
247:
242:
234:
227:
225:
223:
219:
215:
210:
205:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
183:
179:
175:
166:
158:
149:
147:
143:
139:
137:
133:
128:
124:
122:
118:
113:
110:
107:
105:
102:
98:
93:
89:
85:
80:
77:
74:
72:
68:
63:
60:
57:
54:
50:
47:
44:
40:
35:
28:
23:
1435:AE-1 Program
1422:
1369:Professional
1144:
1143:
1106:
980:AE-1 Program
900:
882:
810:Professional
809:
399:
383:
378:
360:
356:
348:AE-1 Program
333:
326:leaf shutter
306:
276:
260:breech lock
251:
206:
173:
171:
1718:EOS IX Lite
350:(1981) and
271:motor drive
222:light meter
216:to control
1734:See also:
1672:EOS 3000N
1618:EOS 1000FN
435:References
425:Ricoh XR-P
413:Minolta XD
336:Canon AE-1
209:Minolta XD
182:35 mm film
136:Dimensions
121:Frame rate
71:Lens mount
1684:EOS 3000V
1594:EOS 1000F
1588:EOS 10sQD
1582:EOS 700QD
1570:EOS 630QD
1564:EOS 850QD
1558:EOS 750QD
1526:EOS-1N RS
1294:Pellix QL
1217:Canonflex
1145:See also:
364:Canon T90
274:flashes.
256:with the
174:Canon A-1
168:Canon A-1
20:Canon A-1
1751:Category
1696:EOS 300X
1678:EOS 300V
1642:EOS 500N
1118:F series
539:timeline
537:film SLR
534:Canon FD
405:Nikon FA
394:, p. 110
346:(1979),
342:(1977),
258:Canon FD
246:F-number
228:Features
104:metering
101:Exposure
82:Focusing
76:Canon FD
37:Overview
1690:EOS 30V
1660:EOS 300
1630:EOS 888
1624:EOS 500
1600:EOS 100
1552:EOS 620
1546:EOS 650
1388:New F-1
1328:Amateur
1251:EX AUTO
883:Amateur
876:New F-1
427:(1984).
322:Olympus
314:Minolta
130:General
115:Shutter
31:A-1 top
1713:EOS IX
1698:(2004)
1692:(2004)
1686:(2003)
1680:(2002)
1674:(2002)
1668:(2000)
1666:EOS 30
1662:(1999)
1656:(1999)
1654:EOS 88
1650:(1998)
1644:(1996)
1638:(1995)
1636:EOS 50
1632:(1993)
1626:(1993)
1620:(1992)
1614:(1992)
1608:(1991)
1602:(1991)
1596:(1990)
1590:(1990)
1584:(1989)
1578:(1989)
1576:EOS RT
1572:(1989)
1566:(1988)
1560:(1988)
1554:(1987)
1548:(1987)
1534:(2000)
1532:EOS-1V
1528:(1995)
1522:(1994)
1520:EOS-1N
1516:(1989)
1486:(1990)
1480:(1986)
1474:(1985)
1468:(1984)
1462:(1983)
1443:(1982)
1437:(1981)
1431:(1979)
1425:(1978)
1419:(1977)
1413:(1976)
1390:(1981)
1384:(1976)
1378:(1971)
1361:(1975)
1355:(1974)
1349:(1973)
1343:(1973)
1337:(1971)
1302:(1968)
1296:(1966)
1290:(1966)
1284:(1965)
1282:Pellix
1278:(1964)
1272:(1964)
1253:(1972)
1247:(1969)
1219:(1959)
1140:
1136:
1132:
1128:
1124:
1116:
1112:
1108:
468:
457:
390:
318:Pentax
214:f-stop
185:camera
180:(SLR)
146:Weight
90:Manual
1648:EOS-3
1514:EOS-1
1288:FT QL
1245:EX EE
1197:Canon
1120:with
970:FTb-N
618:1993
615:1992
612:1991
609:1990
606:1989
603:1988
600:1987
597:1986
594:1985
591:1984
588:1983
585:1982
582:1981
579:1980
576:1979
573:1978
570:1977
567:1976
564:1975
561:1974
558:1973
555:1972
552:1971
370:Notes
310:Nikon
262:mount
150:620 g
87:Focus
56:35 mm
42:Maker
1606:EF-M
1441:AL-1
1429:AV-1
1417:AT-1
1411:AE-1
1382:F-1n
1341:FTbn
1074:AT-1
1031:AL-1
1022:AV-1
975:AE-1
466:ISBN
455:ISBN
388:ISBN
352:AL-1
344:AV-1
340:AT-1
320:and
292:PASM
254:lens
199:and
197:bulb
172:The
65:Lens
52:Type
1484:T60
1478:T90
1472:T80
1466:T70
1460:T50
1423:A-1
1376:F-1
1353:TLb
1335:FTb
1200:SLR
1096:T60
1091:T50
1036:T80
1009:TLb
965:FTb
950:T70
901:A-1
866:F-1
845:T90
496:at
59:SLR
1753::
1706:IX
1499:EF
1359:TX
1347:EF
1311:FD
1300:TL
1276:FP
1270:FX
1262:FL
1237:EX
1154:|
1150:|
1134:|
1126:|
1114:|
1067:TX
894:EF
316:,
312:,
281:,
1507:1
1452:T
1403:A
1320:F
1209:R
1189:e
1182:t
1175:v
526:e
519:t
512:v
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