Canon AE1
The biggest hole in my camera collection (besides a hasselblad or some other really nice camera) is a fully manual 35mm SLR. I have wanted a Pentax k1000 ever since I used one in high school, but one has never presented itself to me. My Pentax ZX5n is a great camera, but it is too easy to rely on the automatic settings and let the camera do all the work. Sometimes you just want a wonderful old machine. The cranking to advance the film. The needle light meter. The manual focus. The physical motion to set the aperture and shutter speed. And don’t forget the glorious sound when the shutter releases. If there is a more wonderful sound in the universe, I would like to hear it.
Well, you can imagine my delight when a friend of my Betsy’s learned of my camera collection and donated a Canon AE1 to my cause. What a great little machine! It was well cared for, and once I replaced the battery this thing was ready to go. I won’t bore you with the technical specs but rather close with a recommendation that you pick up an old manual SLR. As digital continues to make these old beasts “obsolete” the price is a steal. If you are like me and you learned to take pictures with these cameras, reconnecting with the past might just reinvigorate your love for photography.
Here are some of the auctions on Ebay for Canon AE1 cameras that you might be interested in:
 | US $59.95 End Date: Wednesday May-16-2012 20:43:09 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $59.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $79.95 End Date: Wednesday May-16-2012 20:43:09 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $79.95 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $140.69 End Date: Wednesday May-16-2012 20:45:25 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $140.69 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $27.45 (3 Bids) End Date: Wednesday May-16-2012 21:16:44 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
 | US $299.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday May-16-2012 22:26:21 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $329.95 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $350.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday May-16-2012 22:56:42 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list |
 | US $99.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday May-16-2012 23:15:05 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $119.95 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $299.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday May-17-2012 0:32:30 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $329.95 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $399.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday May-17-2012 1:14:11 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $439.95 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list |
 | US $169.99 End Date: Thursday May-17-2012 4:58:39 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $169.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
May 4th, 2007 at 7:32 am
i have a canon AE-1 and it could very well be my favorite camera to use.
June 10th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
I’m glad you found an AE1. I got my grandmothers’ and a mess of lenses for it, and it’s been marvelous, it’s nearly my favorite camera to use, more than my Rebel XT. Great site too, btw. I want to be you when I grow up.
October 13th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
I have a Zenit TTL, quite possibly the most amazing fully manual SLR in existance, only downside is a small choice of shutter speeds. And mine has a gammy shutter that locks open sometimes on long exposures. This website is amazing :p