Canon AE-1 – the revolutionary camera bought by 4 million photographers

During the 1960s considerable advances were made in micro-electronics – notably integrated circuits or ‘microchips’ – which would eventually have far-reaching effects on the design and manufacture of many consumer products. By the start of the 1970s, the race was on to incorporate these new technologies into cameras that, up until then, had been mechanical instruments. 

The most significant advance came in 1976 when Canon unveiled the AE-1, now generally accepted as the first camera to employ a microprocessor to control its exposure operations. Following the Canon AE-1, the initials ‘CPU’ were burned into the consciousness of 35mm SLR buyers although, as with all technological advances in photography, this increased automation was initially viewed with mistrust by many who believed mechanical cameras were more reliable. 

However, it wasn’t just using a central processing unit that made the AE-1 different. Canon noted the market’s response to the Olympus OM-1 and came up with a very compact and neatly styled design. This was made possible as the introduction of microprocessor control eliminated around 300 parts, also reducing manufacturing costs. 

As would characterize later Canon designs, the ergonomics were also considerably improved as the company began to understand that, if the 35mm SLR market was to grow, then the cameras had to start appealing to a wider audience than just dedicated enthusiasts. 

While the Canon AE-1 was an important milestone in the development of the 35mm reflex camera, it was more the complete cohesiveness of its design and capabilities that resulted in its phenomenal success. It’s also worth noting that, prior to the AE-1, Canon had not been a really significant player in this market, but this camera laid the foundations for the company’s subsequent dominance of the 35mm SLR – and, later, the DSLR – market.

The AE-1 was also unusual in that it offered shutter-priority automatic exposure control instead of the more common aperture-priority auto which had been adopted by Canon’s rivals because it was an easier route to take in terms of the lens mount. 

Canon introduced its FD lens mount in 1971 and this allowed full-aperture metering so adding auto aperture control was a fairly straightforward modification and on-going compatibility wasn’t a problem either. Even when Canon dropped its breech-lock ring mounting arrangement in mid-1979 and introduced the New FD series lenses, both types could still be fitted to any Canon SLR body. However, the plethora of pins and levers on the back of an FD lens suggested Canon was already aware it could only go so far with mechanical couplings, and at some stage it would be necessary to adopt an electronic ‘interface’. 

The AE-1 had center-weighted average metering using a silicon photocell and the electronically-controlled shutter (which used cloth curtains) had timed settings from two seconds to 1/1000 second. The film transport was still manual, but an accessory winder could be fitted which gave 2.0 fps continuous advance. 

Another advantage of microprocessor control was dedicated flash operation which, with all Canon’s A-series SLRs, could provide auto aperture and shutter speed setting (although TTL flash metering was still a little way off). The AE-1 also retained all the features traditionally demanded by the enthusiast including depth-of-field preview, PC flash terminal and interchangeable focusing screens.

 By the time the updated AE-1 Program appeared in 1981, Canon had sold four million AE-1s and both models eventually exceeded six million units which is an achievement unlikely to ever be matched again.

In between these two models, Canon introduced the A-1 (1978) which was the first camera with microprocessor-controlled programmed exposure setting (although the Minolta XD-7/XD-11 from a year earlier was actually the first multi-mode 35mm SLR). Dubbed the “Sci-fi A-1” by Canon, the A-1 offered six exposure modes and incorporated around 20 microprocessor-derived technologies. 

To obtain the extra functions even more electronic integration was employed and the main CPU was about three times more powerful than the one installed in the AE-1. The camera actually employed five large-scale integrated (LSI) circuits and was the first to employ bus lines in which a variety of data could be transmitted along the same connection via a ‘time-sharing’ arrangement. 

The A-1 also pioneered the use of multi-layered two-sided flexible substrates which rationalised wiring and enabled high-density component mounting to maintain compact camera dimensions. It also had a dynamic-type digital LED viewfinder display (previously all LED read-outs had been static) which again reduced the number of components needed and well as reducing power consumption. When the optional Motor Drive MA was attached, film advance could be a zippy as four frames per second.

The AE-1 Program built on the successes of both the AE-1 and the A-1. In addition to programmed exposure control, the new model also got an LED viewfinder display (replacing a needle-and-scale arrangement), an AE lock, an audible battery power checker and provisions for fitting the 4.0 fps MA motordrive. 

The pursuit of greater automation soon turned to focusing and Canon’s first foray into this technology was the AL-1 QF which arrived in 1982. The initials ‘QF’ stood for ‘quick focus’ and this model represented one of the first attempts at an autofocus 35mm SLR. The AL-1 used three CCD line sensors to perform passive distance rangefinding using contrast difference detection, but this information was merely used to generate focus assistance indicators in the viewfinder. Nevertheless, it was a step in the right direction and, in 1985, Canon took it further with the unloved (and unlove-ly) T80 in which had motorized lenses driven by the CCD distance-detection module in the camera body. 

Two years later, the EOS system was launched and its long-term success was very much rooted in the design philosophies and pursuit of technological advancement established with Canon’s A-series 35mm SLRs. 

Check out the best film cameras you can buy today, and the best Canon cameras currently on the market