Built to last. Gives the user a freedom to compose and be creative because of the selection of modes. Lens selection (if available), quality, and price comparison. cheapest! Technology of yesterday that still is competetive today.

Metering mode is Averaging which gives a pale color(overexposure) if not familiar with this metering style. Memory botton does not lock which gives the user an akward hold on the camera when using a Zoom and memory metering.

I got may SLR in 1982, as a teenager the Digital Meter seem very attractive, 5 modes were simply kewl not to mention sample pictures were truly sharp! With without considering anything else i got it! 20years later i still have it. And having fun with it. This SLR will let "you" take total control or take full control which ever you want and it can go in between. From the City to the Mountains to the Beach from dusk till dawn this baby will give you your desire. EVEN after 20 years. Ive tried other SLR and i can't say they dont take good pictures but the fun in taking them is not there. Digital EOS-D1, G1 and G2 gives a monetary thrill but nothing can inspire me like an A1.

Customer Service

I had my unit cleaned because of noisy shutter. It took more than a month. Charge is fair and job done is very good.

Similar Products Used:

Nikons and Canons

Size, easy to use, film speed settings from 6 - 12800, FD-lenses.

Fastest shutter speed only 1/1000 sec. Max flash sync. 1/60 sec.

This is a wery nice camera. I bought my A-1 to accompany my old AE-1 and I have been very happy with it. It is compact, stylish and easy to use. The viewfinder is superp.

Similar Products Used:

AE-1

- Excellent FD lenses with full AE couplings, breech lock design which doesn''t cause wears in the mount. I think they are as good as Nikon and Leitz lenses (see the lens tests on the internet) - Also accepts older FL and even ancient R lenses. - Aperture priority AE, Shutter pri, Program, Manual mode, Stopped-down mode! Sorry hardcore Nikon fanatics, but Shutter priority is better than ap. pri. in most situations. - Compact and light, looking like a normal SLR. - Speed range: 1/1000 down to 30 Sec! - Very accurate photometer (it''s digital!). It can measure light as low as EV -2.5 with my FD 55mm f1.2 lens. - Double exposure lever - Accepts power winder MA (5 fps) - Eyepiece shutter - Comfortable viewfinder and LED display - Very reliable and well built - Quiet - Some guy in this page said it works under -40 degrees... - Excellent FD lenses (again! :-)

The A-1 could be the perfect 35mm SLR if it had: - Mirror lock up - Battery-free operation (hybrid shutter) - Faster flash sync The camera which comes near is the Canon EF: Has MLU and hybrid shutter, but only shutter priority AE.

I upgraded from an AE-1 to an A-1 and, for me, this is the near-perfect camera. I think T-90 lacks the super-sensible photometer, and the F-1 is too heavy and expensive for me. I think this camera has the correct blend of quality and gizmos! Super reliable. **NOTE: The shutter squeak problem can be fixed by yourself very easily!**

Customer Service

Never needed that.

Similar Products Used:

Canon FTb, EF, AE-1, T90 Nikon F2, FE2 Olympus OM-2 Minolta SRT-101, X-570D

A superb lens system, with many available. 5 exposure modes, a good meter, intuitive operation.

Lack of mirror lock-up, propensity for mirror-squeak, lack of support from Canon. Still pricy.

The Canon A-1 is, for the professional or the beginner, a tough camera to beat.

Customer Service

Well, for a camera that''s 20 years old, what service do you expect? Canon is a great company, but they no longer service FD lens-mount Canons. Most repair shops will, though.

Similar Products Used:

Canon AE-1, Canon AE-1p, Canon Elan-7, Canon 1V, Canon EOS-3, Canon Eos 1n, Pentax K-1000, Minolta X-700, Olympus OM-10.

Easy to use, compact. Pick it up and you will understand how some modern autofocus camera had grown so much in size. It is very durable, with the brass body it handle daily punishment well.

The muliple exposure level is so close to the film winder and very so often it will accidentally double expose 2 picture and ruin them all. Need to be careful.

The camera is intuitively to use, reliable, and compact. Despite its age, it is still a great camera to use and never let me down. Though I own 2 other EOS camera now, i still use the A-1 often.

Customer Service

The shutter fail once and it was quickly repaired at a charge. It is fine since them and lately the shutter "click" pitch changed I don''t know if it is sign of failure.

Similar Products Used:

Olympus OM1, OM2, Minolta SRT, CAnon AE-1, EOS 50, EOS 3, Nikon F4

This camera used to belong to my father. It has been in the family for 20 years and has been performing perfectly all those years. I took the camera with me on vacation about 4 years ago with very little experience taking pictures. 3 weeks of pictures while motorcycling down the west coast to San Fran and I was hooked on photography. It was very easy to use for a beginner and I have found that it has not left me wanting more as I learned more about photography. I hardly ever use the automatic/program modes now.

I have missed some great spontaneous moments due to lack of auto focus. Also, I find that the exposure lock button is in an awkward location. Only other weakness was the whine that used to follow every picture I took until I had the camera serviced. It is getting harder to find lenses for this camera.

The camera had the 50mm F1.4 Canon lens on it when I acquired it from my father. Since then, I bought a second hand Canon 70-210 F4.0 zoom lens for it though it was not easy to find. It is a beautiful camera and I will never sell it. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a manual focus camera. I bet my father misses this camera.

Customer Service

Great. No problems. I had the camera serviced this year (first time in 20 years) and I think we're set for the next 20.

Similar Products Used:

AE1, EOS

most reliable camera I ever owned.Hundreds of rolls of film without a hitch, superb results with canon lenses

No spot metering,otherwise none

Much loved camera, versatile and capable, and very tough-dropped it on marble floor,smashed lens,dented top plate,but worked fine! Sold it in a weak moment to buy minolta 9000 maxuum, without doubt the worst slr I ever had,with too many design faults to mention in one review! In summary, an exceptional camera which paved the way for the EOS series with its very efficient electronics.

Customer Service

fine

Similar Products Used:

every canon A series slr,many Nikon and Olympus cameras.

Apeture priority, Shutter priority AND Full auto for maximum flexibility. Built like a rock

Heavy as a rock! Annoying shutter whine, I am waiting for it to break. Film loading is subject to random failures. I've missed some classic pics due to misloaded film.

Great pro level camera for any use. Metering is dead on, and focus is easy. Contrast could be better (personal preference) After 20 years of heavy use, still works fine.

Customer Service

None needed

Similar Products Used:

Olympus, Minolta, Canon FTB

It has it all except AF and except for action stuff you don't need it.

Getting harder to find lens for.

Great camera, I would put it up with anything today.

Customer Service

None

Similar Products Used:

Ae-1 Program, Minotla x-700

versatility
precision
reliability
longevity

?

I love this camera!

Similar Products Used:

None