Have any of you owned the Canon AE-1 or Nikon F75 ?

[spystyle]

Hello from Maine, I am going to try film!

Well it was only a matter of time I guess, reading all these old photography books, hearing about all this "dynamic range", and seeing the insanely low prices of film cameras - I am going to try film

So I bought a Canonet 28 rangefinder camera :







But it had a dead shutter and the price to repair was beyond the value of the camera, unless I already had the tools to do it myself but I did not.

Still with the desire to try film I took my mother's old Kodak Disc camera off the shelf. It is a "point and shoot" from the 80's - it had with it a sealed pack of disc film!



... I loaded it up, had my daughter pose, aimed it, said "say cheese"... and it didn't work. It needs a new battery I presume. This one needs complete disassembly to swap out the battery.

So finally I said "enough is enough, I'll order an SLR that can use my current lenses" (Nikon AF-S). So I bought a Nikon F75 (from 2003) with it's nice kit lens for a mere $56 shipped right to my door. This SLR is fully automatic and compatible just like a modern Nikon dSLR. It's practically identical to the Fuji S2 dSLR which I used to own so I'll be able to operate it right away. It can use the full range of Nikon lenses excluding manual ones. It can even use "VR" lenses



So that ought to settle it, basically a modern Nikon camera that uses film and my current lenses. I will surely be able to try film now ...

But I am hip to using a manual camera with TTL metering, like the book Understanding Exposure "get close and take a meter reading off the subject's face", like Nick Nolte in Under Fire "this wasn't their war but it was their story" **

So I found a Canon AE-1 (1980) with 50/1.4 Canon lens and motor drive, I got it for a mere $62 shipped right to my door.



Between these two cameas I should be able to experience the 35mm thing ... We'll see how it goes.

Maybe I'll go all the way back through cameras, starting with dSLR and eventually trying daguerreotype

So anyway I'm curious, have any of you owned the AE-1 or F75? Do you think they are good?

Thanks,
Craig

**
Speaking of movies with photographers in them, here is a list at IMDB of movies (and video games) with the keyword "photographer" ranked in order of goodness.

I saw "Rear Window" on that list and recall seeing James Stewart spying on the neighbors, but now I don't remember if he was using a telephoto lens or binoculars... I haven't seen it in a long time.

[waggles2004]

The AE-1 was my first SLR and a real GEM! It was a hand-me-down from my mom when she upgraded to an auto-focus Canon. Mine was the AE-1 Program Chrome body, with a 50mm prime. The AE-1 went everywhere with me and I learned about exposure, bracketing and other fundamentals. Sadly, a low-life criminal stole it from my home one day while I was in class (along with quite a lot of other things...different story). Anyhow, I love that camera, and had it not been stolen, I would probably still be a Canon shooter today. I think it would still be a great camera today. My only suggestion - find a good, reputable film developer. I never had satisfactory experiences with drugstores/Walmart/etc.

Good luck!

[spystyle]

The AE-1 does look extra cool I was born in '77 so this camera may be my age!

Sorry to hear yours was stolen I wonder about stolen cameras sometimes when I buy cameras off eBay ... I hope I don't receive one with half a roll of exposed film in it and no accessories, it would be suspicious ...

And coincidentally I was planning on having my film developed at my local Wal-Mart ... It's in Auburn Maine. So far I've seen good prints come from there. Your comment to avoid them is thought provoking. Where did you get your film developed?

[waggles2004]

When I was in college, I used the local drugstores and Walmart. I was never really happy with those. I had a friend who was studying photography, and I would let him develop a lot of my film. I was always very pleased. Once out of college and my income increased, I used Wolf Camera exclusively (*BEFORE* they became Ritz). I was always very happy. Once they became Ritz, things went down the toilet, so I found a local Mom & Pop shop who came recommended from local photography friends. Most of the big stores are more concerned with turning out volume instead of really perfecting their craft. My local store was really attentive and if they had concerns, they would let me know before making the prints. I haven't used them in years though, since I moved to digital exclusively.

[blumesan]

Originally Posted by spystyle

It can use the full range of Nikon lenses exlcuing manual ones. It can even use "VR" lenses

Why do you think you cannot use manual (Nikon) lenses on the D75?

Two quick tips: When using color slide film be very careful of getting the correct exposure and particularly avoid overexposure. With color negative film you have a lot more latitude. As for development: I doubt if Walmart will process slide film. You may have to mail it to a lab. I think Adorama provides this service, but I have not used them. For color negative film Walmart may be just fine. You want to avoid very small mom & pop operations where the volume is so small that they don't change to fresh chemicals often enough. But these days there are very few such operations still in business.

[spystyle]

Well I don't think the N75 will meter a manual lens, much like attaching the same manual lens to a D40 - it's metering is diabolically disabled in firmware.

I only shoot with lenses that the cameras will meter ... however one of these days I'll try a camera so old that it requires a hand-held meter - since I'm going back in time

Also, regarding film - I was planning on using whatever color print film they had at the department store at first, maybe later moving onto the high quality stuff. So yeah, print film, I'll probably be OK getting it developed at Wal-Mart ... we'll see how it goes

[Songman45]

I didn't have an AE-1 but I did have the bigger brother A1. Heckuva camera brass body and built like a tank and completely black as opposed to the metalic of the AE-1. The major diff in the two was the meter display and the number of priority settings. Your AE-1 if its working now should be nearly bullet proof. If I'm not mistaken even if the battery goes dead it will shoot at a 60th with a manual aperture setting. Have fun with it. It was one popular camera in the 70's

[ohenry]

I had an AE-1. It was a very nice camera for its time and I would guess it still is.

[verdesardog]

I've had AE-1's AE-1 program and a couple of A-1's. All very nice cameras, but not bullet proof. One of the AE-1 let me down as I was going on deplayment the the far east with the US Navy, it just quit working. I bought a cheap TLR to get me throught that deployment, I think I got the AE-1 back from canon just as I was getting back stateside. I destroyed an A-1 in a motorcycle wreck but liked it so much I got another one. I had canon 50mm f1.4, Tamron 500mm f8 reflex lens and a vivitar 30-70 (I think) f2.8 variable focus.

[Captain K]

had a few.


while not an AE-1 it the bigger brother




But there is something about those little rangefinders. My personal fav

[spystyle]

Hey those are purdy

I have not yet warmed up to rangefinders. The one I ordered (Canonet) was larger than I expected rangefinders to be, I thought they were little like pocket cameras. They lack TTL which I think is important, and the film cocking lever would stick into my forehead if I used my left eye to look through the viewfinder.

But I did get a kick out of the "split image focusing" - when looking through the viewfinder there is a ghostly yellow duplicate of your subject, turn the focus ring until the ghostly duplicate is aligned with your subject.

But for now, I am hooked on TTL

-----------------

You know ... Vivitar markets a manual SLR through Wal-Mart :

Click

It uses K-mount lenses so it's basically a Pentax K1000

So that's cool, but it sells for more than a real Pentax K1000 or a Canon AE-1 can be had for

Vivitar doesn't have it's own factory, it's actually a relabeled "Phenix" Chinese camera. The same company also makes an "Nikon F-mount" manual camera.

See their catalog by scrolling down here

It's good news for film's longevity, interesting that they are manufacturing new film cameras

[southpaw]

The A-1 was the top Canon in its time. Very good camera. I would like to have that little Konica too.

[Songman45]

Originally Posted by southpaw

The A-1 was the top Canon in its time. Very good camera. I would like to have that little Konica too.

I agree with you about the A1 being the top camera in features in its day. It was not the top Canon made camera in its day. The F1 was the professional body and was condiderably more expensive, even with 1 less priority setting and a more squared off boxey looking body. I didn't think it was more camera, but Canon sure did.

Steve

[spystyle]

I think the Canon AE-1 is cool on account of it's 50mm f/1.4 lens. Free with the $50 camera

Modern 50mm f/1.4 lenses cost over $300

That could come in handy for shooting "sans flash" at events.

I look forward to trying it. Also the Nikon F75 with all it's technology, it's completely modern. The pair should really make for an interesting film experience.

I also ordered a medium format film camera to try after (click)

I get a kick out of all the fuss about "FX" and "full frame" digicams costing thousands of bucks, that could buy a lot of film for a $50 camera

Happy shooting!
Craig

[spystyle]

Well the AE-1 came in the mail today!

It is so retro-spectacular !!!!!!

It's much louder than a digicam, it sounds pretty serious. Like this "KA-SNAP"

And I love the power winder, when I shoot it it sounds like this :

KA-SNAP-GRRRRRN

The viewfinder is so cool with it's split image in the middle. It's bright and easy to manually focus. The 50/1.4 lens is a marvel of mechanical engineering past, and it focuses smoothly but not loosely. Manual lens perfection

It's so cool I will have to pick up some film and try it out ... after I read the manual and figure out the funky meter ...

So, I officially dig this retro camera, I give the AE-1 an A+

Cheers,
Craig

[Stercus Vultus]

Originally Posted by Songman45

I didn't have an AE-1 but I did have the bigger brother A1. Heckuva camera brass body and built like a tank and completely black as opposed to the metalic of the AE-1. The major diff in the two was the meter display and the number of priority settings. Your AE-1 if its working now should be nearly bullet proof. If I'm not mistaken even if the battery goes dead it will shoot at a 60th with a manual aperture setting. Have fun with it. It was one popular camera in the 70's

Yep, I had a Canon A-1 too. My very first brandnew top-of-the-line fully ellectronic SLR. Great cam. With so many possible settings that I often forgot to set one... That camera ate film! :-( It was stolen in '81. I switched to Minolta for the next 20 years, though.

[MauiGuy]

Still have my AE-1, that's the only thing that didn't go her way in the divorce.. Use it
in conjunction with my Sony a350 and glad that I've never had to send it in for major
repairs...

[geezrx]

Another ex AE-1 Program user. 50 1.4 and a couple of vivitar zooms. The camera and zooms are collecting dust but I've used the 50 1.4 reversed on my Nikon 55-200. Added a couple of pieces of plastic to the 50 1.4 so as to manually control it's aperture off camera.

[spystyle]

Yikes, I see there is oil on the blades of my lovely 50/1.4 FD lens !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like I'll be replacing it with a 50/1.8 FD ... I'm in talks with the seller, he might hook me up with a few bucks towards my 50/1.8 purchase as a partial refund for the oversight.

Update : The seller has sent me $15 towards the 50/1.8, which I got for $21. The 50/1.8 comes with a cap that reads "Official 35mm camera of the 1984 Olympic games"

I never really could see the difference between a 50/1.8 and a 50/1.4, I've owned both (Nikon AF) but not at the same time... I might be a goof.

In other news, I was using Google to discover the smallest SLR, and I found it and ordered it - a Pentax 110 Auto with 24mm lens for a mere $35 shipped.

It fits in the palm of your hand yet is a real SLR with a full range of detachable lenses, TTL metering, and even an optional motor winder.

It looks like fun but I think 110 film is extinct ... We'll see.

Cheers,
Craig

(attached pics are not mine, from here and here)

[JimmyH]

Originally Posted by spystyle

Well I don't think the N75 will meter a manual lens, much like attaching the same manual lens to a D40 - it's metering is diabolically disabled in firmware.

True, dat!

I only shoot with lenses that the cameras will meter ... however one of these days I'll try a camera so old that it requires a hand-held meter...

...I was planning on using whatever color print film they had ...getting it developed at Wal-Mart ... we'll see how it goes

That's the spirit! Go all the way, be bold and decisive, and try the "Sunny 16" method of setting shutter and aperture. When you shoot film, you may find yourself saying "Meter? I don't need no steenking meter!"

Have fun playing, and you will be amazed at how good film can look if you just get the exposure close...