Canon A-1

The Canon A-1 is an advanced level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, single-lens reflex (SLR) camera. It was manufactured by Canon Camera K. K. (today Canon Incorporated) in Japan from April 1978 to 1985. It used a horizontal cloth-curtain focal plane shutter with a speed range of 30 to 1/1000th second plus bulb and flash X-sync of 1/60th second. It had dimensions of 92 mm height, 141 mm width, 48 mm depth and 620 g weight. Unlike most SLRs of the time, it was available in only one color; all black. The introductory US list price for the body plus Canon FD 50 mm f/1.4 SSC lens was $625. Note that while the list price was $625, this camera generally sold for 30 to 40% which is roughly $375 to $435.

The A-1 is a historically significant camera. It was the first SLR to offer an electronically controlled programmed autoexposure mode. Instead of the photographer picking a shutter speed to freeze or blur motion and choosing a lens aperture f-stop to control depth of field (focus), the A-1 had a microprocessor computer programmed to automatically select a compromise exposure from light meter input. Virtually all cameras today have some sort of program mode or modes.

Features

The A-1 accepts any lens with the Canon FD breech lock mount (introduced in 1971) or Canon New FD pseudo-bayonet mount (sometimes called the FDn mount, introduced 1979). This excludes all of Canon's EF bayonet mount autofocus lenses (introduced 1987). During the late 1970s and 1980s, there were approximately 55 Canon FD lenses available for purchase. They ranged from a Fisheye 7.5mm f/5.6 to an FD 800mm f/5.6 telephoto, and included lenses with maximum apertures to f/1.2 and a line of L-series lenses of exceptional quality. Accessories for the A-1 included the Canon Motor Drive MA (automatic film advance up to 5 frames per second), the Canon Databack A (sequential numbering or date stamping on the film), and the Canon Speedlight 155A (guide number 56/17 (feet/meters) at ASA/ISO 100) and Canon Speedlight 199A (guide number 98/30 (feet/meters) at ASA/ISO 100) electronic flashes.

The A-1 was a battery powered (one 4LR44 or PX-28) microprocessor controlled manual focus SLR with manual exposure control or shutter priority, aperture priority or programmed autoexposure. A fifth mode is "stopped down AE," in which the aperture is closed and alterable by the photographer and the camera selects the shutter speed based on the actual light reading. This differs from aperture priority in which the aperture is not closed until a photograph is taken and the shutter speed is calculated based on the light measured through the fully open aperture. Stopped down AE is therefore useful if you are concerned about depth of field & focus or if you are concerned about the accuracy of exposure. It was the first SLR to have all four of the now standard PASM exposure modes. It had a viewfinder exposure information system using a six digit, seven segment per digit, red alphanumeric LED display on the bottom of the viewfinder to indicate the readings of the built-in centerweighted, silicon photocell light meter. The focusing screen also had Canon's standard split image rangefinder and microprism collar focusing aids.

Design History

Beginning with the amateur level Canon AE-1 of 1976, there was a complete overhaul of the entire Canon SLR line. The 1970s and 1980s were an era of intense competition between the major SLR brands: Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Pentax and Olympus. Between circa 1975 to 1985, there was a dramatic shift away from heavy all-metal manual mechanical camera bodies to much more compact bodies with integrated circuit (IC) electronic automation. In addition, because of rapid advances in electronics, the brands continually leap frogged each other with models having new or more automatic features, and less expensive components and assembly. The industry was trying to expand out from the saturated high-end professional market and appeal to the large mass of low-end amateur photographers itching to move up from compact automatic leaf shutter rangefinder cameras to the more "glamorous" SLR but were intimidated by the need to learn all the gritty details of operating a traditional SLR.

Although Canon Camera K. K. had been making fine quality 35 mm cameras for decades, it had always been overshadowed by archrival Nippon Kokagu K. K. and their Nikon cameras. While Canonets easily led in the amateur compact fixed-lens rangefinder market (where Nikons did not compete), Canon SLRs had far less cachet than Nikon SLRs. Because of its unrivaled reputation for worksmanship, assembly quality, tight tolerances and material build, Nikon held a stranglehold on the prestigious professional SLR market that competitors could not break and amateur Nikon SLRs basked in their glow.

The A-1 was the high technology standard bearer of the landmark Canon amateur level A-series SLRs. The other members of the A-series were the Canon AE-1 (released 1976), AT-1 (1977), AV-1 (1979), AE-1 Program (1981) and AL-1 (1982). They all used the same compact aluminum alloy chassis, but with differing feature levels and outer cosmetic acrylonitrile-butadiene-stryrene (ABS) plastic panels. By sharing most major components, and an inexpensive horizontal cloth-curtain shutter, costs could be amortized over a larger production run. The A-1 represented Canon's bid to defeat Nikon through the more features and cheapest price.

The A-1 caused a sensation when it was released. Most photographers were amazed at its advanced features, years ahead of the competition, but in the face of changing technology, not all comments were positive. Professional photographers worried about the long term reliability of its consumer-level mechanical and electronic components under heavy daily use, the relatively slow flash sync and top shutter speeds. Traditionalist photographers complained about an "excess" of automation ruining the art of photography, a criticism that was leveled at all of the newly-automated cameras released in the 1980s. However, automation turned out to be the right way to entice many new amateur photographers on a budget, and paid off very well for Canon.

The Canon A-1 was a runaway best seller, as it offered new SLR buyers considerable features and value for the price. It was reliable for its day in amateur usage. But as competitors brought out their own programmed SLRs (such as the Nikon FA (released 1983), the Minolta X-700 (1982), Pentax Super Program (in the USA/Canada; Super A, rest of the world; 1983), the Olympus OM-2S Program (1984) and even the Ricoh XR-P (1984)), the A-1 began to show its age. This is especially true for its horizontal cloth-curtain shutter, viewfinder information display and autoflash control. The A-1 was due for replacement when the Canon T90 came out in 1985. Canon's abandonment of the FD lens mount for the EOS design also had a significant effect on demand for the A-1 on the used market. But it is still regarded as one of the most fascinating SLRs of its generation and many are still in regular use.

References

* Anonymous. Canon A-1 Brochure. "Canon A-1." Lake Success, NY: Canon USA, Inc., 1978.
* Anonymous. "Canon A-1: New Era in SLR Automation" pp 6-11. Modern Photography's Photo Buying Guide '86. reprint from Modern Photography, July 1978.
* Anonymous. Canon A-1 Advertisement. "See beyond the ordinary." p 29. Modern Photography, Volume 47, Number 7; July 1983.
* Anonymous. "Modern Photography's Annual Guide '84: 48 Top Cameras: Canon A-1" p 71. Modern Photography, Volume 47, Number 12; December 1983.
* Matanle, Ivor. Collecting and Using Classic SLRs. First Paperback Edition. New York, NY: Thames and Hudson, 1997. ISBN 0-500-27901-2
* Shell, Bob translator and Harold Franke. Magic Lantern Guides: Canon Classic Cameras; A-1, AT-1, AE-1, AE-1 Program, T50, T70, T90. Sixth Printing 2001. Magic Lantern Guides. Rochester, NY: Silver Pixel Press, 1995. ISBN 1-883403-26-X

External links

* [http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/film/data/1976-1985/1978_a1.html?lang=us&categ=crn&page=1976-1985 The A-1 at the Canon Camera Museum]
* [http://www.canon.com canon.com]
* [http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/SLRs/a1/index.htm The Canon A1 - Preface] at [http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/ Photography in Malaysia]