The Canon AE - 1

When I first moved to Denmark my in laws seem to think that I like cameras and to them this meant I could be a dumping ground for all their old junk. In my first week I inherited 4 cameras A canon AE 1, Nikon F5, Minolta SRT 3o3 and a canon canonette- I like my In laws. SO I decided I will review them all in a four way battle royale for the coverted award of “Best Camera From An In Law” I will be judging the cameras on 4 elements (each with a maximum available score of 10 Woops). The elements are: 1 Aesthetics, 2 Functionality and practicality, 3 image quality, 4 Mattness ( I am not really sure what this is yet) and to help me out I have called in some top quality A list celeb judges. So: LETS GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!!!

Our first competitor this evening is the 1970’s Classic, an SLR with automatic (if you have a battery in it which I don’t) exposuuuuuuure – give it up for the CANON AE1 (Europe’s the final countdown blares through the tannoy in my mind)

And here to tell us about the Aesthetics is top Model Heidi Klum

Aesthetics
Gutentag! It’s a classic looking SLR, classic black body with silver trim. The only thing I would say is that it looks a little thinner than the average SLR, and I quite like that about it, it looks more defined and ready for the catwalk. The edges are tapered not rounded giving it a comfortable feel which flatters the shooters hands. All in all it’s a good looking if slightly average looking camera. Aufwiedersehn. 6/10 woops

Thank you Heidi. Out next catagorys judge – Woody Allen

Functionality and Practicality.
Yeah, yeah, This Camera is small, it’s not petite, its not tiny, but its also not big, yeah yeah but is not very light, but this weight is strangely comforting, reassuring, affirming, as you feel secure on your adventure that if you drop it, it will be the earth that breaks and not the camera, not that you will drop it because of the neck strap (although I can’t shoot with a camera around my neck it’s too restricting, asphyxiating, it reminds me or my birth, it was a very difficult birth) The camera back has no window BUT there is slot to put a tag from the film box in so you can know what film is in your camera. The camera has interchangeable lenses which is always a bonus. The only problem I have with the operation of the camera is the shutter speeds, its very easy to knock the dial with out realising it and then you get the wrong speed. The other thing I will say is it may be better to shoot this on manual rather than auto as I find with most canons you get a nicer image if the exposure is stopped down by maybe 1 stop, not a bust stop. But it has a great click when the shutter goes. 8/10woops

Thank you for that Woody though you did seem to be doing an impression of Rainman. To talk image quality please give a big hand to HRH Queen Elizabeth II

Image quality
To describe the image quality, one will only require 2 words. F******g awesome. 10/10woops

Thank you your majesty. And finally to talk about how this camera reflects him – its Matt

Mattness
This camera is saweeeeeeeeeet. I like this camera, people look at it, it has a David Bailey quality to it. It is very much a me camera. 8/10 woops

Thank you to our judges, the Canon AE 1 Scores 32 Woops out of a possible 40 – but will it be enough to be crowned Best camera from an in-law? Only time will tell, join us after the break when we discuss the Nikon F5

written by mattcharnock on 2011-04-23 #gear #review #slr #funny #canon #manual #auto-expose #user-review