Slightly confused about the Canon AE-1

[gb hill]

The only issue with the T90 is that this is an aging electronic camera. If and when the main circuit board stops functioning, the camera is irreparable. (This has happened to a friend's T90.) A CLA of a mechanical camera usually returns it to working like new.

Biggest reason I stay away from camera's made during the 80's is those LCD displays start leaking & you have that black ink looking stuff all over blotting out the display. Also internal batteries that die & you have to take the camera apart to replace it. I do have a good working Canon T70 but only paid $16 for it.

 

[Chris101]

Canon T's and F's are BIG cameras. The A series and the EF are considerably smaller. If you like the A-1, just get another. Back in the 80s I had 2, and loved 'em.

 

[dogberryjr]

Biggest reason I stay away from camera's made during the 80's is those LCD displays start leaking & you have that black ink looking stuff all over blotting out the display. Also internal batteries that die & you have to take the camera apart to replace it. I do have a good working Canon T70 but only paid $16 for it.

The internal battery in my T70 is still going strong—since 1986.

 

[Monz]

I have an A1 and a T90; both great cameras in their own way.
@Chris: you should give the T90 a go... it's wonderful:

Plenty available at "giveaway" prices from the Wolverhampton camera fair which is local to you.

 

[al1966]

I like the AE1 both varieties, I always preferred having the F stop readout over the shutter speed in the viewfinder. I learn t to know what shutter speed I was on by feel, I always left the camera on 1/60 as a matter of practice. I preferred the AE1s over the A1 when I had both. Another option is an AV1 and an AE1 the pair would probably be able to bought for less than a T90. I would personally buy an F1 over a T90, partly that is because of the look of the camera, old school slr''s look beautiful the post T series just don't have that elegance. All these posts have made me fancy another F1 and also Nikon F or F2.

 

[Al Patterson]

Thanks Antonio, yes that's very helpful. Annoyingly, the AV-1 and the AL-1 both seem to have even less features than the AE-1. I guess this means I'm stuck with getting another A-1, or learning to shoot Shutter Priority with an AE-1 Program.

Chris

I know a local photographer who uses the AT-1, which I know nothing about. I'd go for another A-1, as they can be bought these days for less than a repair job on an old one.

 

[Chris101]

I have an A1 and a T90; both great cameras in their own way.
@Chris: you should give the T90 a go... it's wonderful:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2589/3746272127_7e9ebdd504.jpg
Plenty available at "giveaway" prices from the Wolverhampton camera fair which is local to you.

Why does the T90 have a billboard on it?

 

[raid]

I'm not sure what you mean by this question.

 

[FrankS]

I think he means that the camera's name plate is pretty gaudy. A piece of black tape could fix that. 😉

 

[Mackinaw]

One of the camera magazines made fun of the T-series "billboard" many years back. With justification too. The damn thing was hideous.

Jim B.

 

[btgc]

If I'd be bothered with golden letters on T90's face, I'd wipe them off. Finest sandpaper and polishing paste would make it looking clean.
While T50 and T70 models look like plastic 80ies with letters or without, T90 looks very well. And does the job, as far as I've heard from owners.

 

[wlewisiii]

The only problem I had with mine was the one side has a weaker strap lug and can (and on mine did) give out. Other than that, the ergos were closer to perfect on the T90 than any other camera I've used before or since.

I never much noticed the lettering on the pentaprism.

Another big plus in my book - it took AA batteries.

 

[ChrisCummins]

Wow - thanks for all the inputs guys, this thread has really taken on a life of it's own!

So I've had a look into the T90 and actually I can understand why it seems to have won over the hearts of so many users - it seems spiritually closer to my Dad's D3 then to my A-1, although with the obvious lack of autofocus. I do wonder whether that would be it's downfall though - I can't help but wonder whether having an automated flashy camera like that is all a bit pointless when you can't even autofocus? I'm not a massive fan of autofocus though it does have it's uses for me - would I feel a bit disappointed with a camera that can do everything except pull focus?

By the way I had a couple of chuckles watching this video I found, it seems to be a collection of (increasingly bizarre) Japanese Canon adverts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16PjtXZfio0&translated=1

The T90 bit starts at 3:45. I like how it's referred to as 'Tank' haha. I can't imagine that it's an advertising approach that would be used today! 😀

Also, how much would you expect a decent quality T90 body to go for? And how much would a CLA/internal battery replacement set me back?

Happy new year everyone
Chris

 

[raid]

I would only buy a very clean T90.
There should be no CLA required.

 

[Ranchu]

Happy new year to you! Keep in mind, it's not usual that an autofocus camera will focus as accurately manually as a camera made for manual focus. They're not generally set up right for it, and the screens are designed for 'briteness' because of the partally transparent mirror, not fine grained focus. AV-1 is not a bad camera, imo.

 

[Brad Bireley]

I know you are in the UK but I had my A-1 worked on by....
http://garryscamera.com/

I had the same problem of it eating batteries. There are 2 boards that go wrong that eat batteries. Luckly mine was the one they could fix! I love my A-1's. The only other FD Canon I would get would either be a F-1 on Ftb.

 

[wakarimasen]

I have an AE-1, and AE-1 Program and an A1. Would like to lose one or two of them, but I like them too much!

 

[btgc]

Yeah, T90 is known as Tank, and my wild guess it's better to get one used by amateur instead of professional journalist. Those guys don't sell good bodies just because there's next model available on market. Well, today it's pointless as PJ's don't use film bodies for work anymore.

 

[ricnak]

My first camera was an AE-1 in the early 80's. In the 90's, I bought and sold Canon film gear on flea bay so I got to try lots of gear. I stopped when digital went into overdrive and the a**e dropped out of film. I could not bring myself to sell such nice cameras for next to nothing so I put them in the cabinet. I recently gave away the last 2 T-90's to some students.

The only Canon camera I kept is my original AE-1. I preferred it.

 

[ChrisCummins]

it's not usual that an autofocus camera will focus as accurately manually as a camera made for manual focus

Oh yes I understand that. Before I moved to analog I was shooting my D3000 manual focus with the standard 18-55mm lens on it, what a pain in the arse! haha

ricnak - as I understand, isn't the value of most second hand film gear pretty much leveled out now, or even going up (in the case of Leicas)?

Thanks for the link Brad, those prices don't seem too shabby at all actually.

I think the best thing for me to do would be to try and track down a good quality T90 and shoot with it for a while. If I still prefer the feel of the A1 then I'll look to get mine repaired and sell the T90 off again. I assume I'll be able to make my money back since the cost of the T90's isn't really depreciating by the day anymore haha.

So - what's the best method to track down a good quality T90? They crop up on ebay from time to time - often bundled in with some old lenses and a case - but is it best to buy from an established camera shop?

Chris