They don’t make them like they used to
I stumbled upon my dad’s old camera the other day. My step-mom said to take it and find out what I could get for it (my dad died almost 3 years ago).
I knew he had an SLR but knew nothing else beyond that. After doing some research, it turns out the camera is a Canon AE-1 Program. Not impressed? Ken Rockwell would be:
The AE-1 Program is so highly regarded because it represents a high point of camera development. The AE-1 has every feature needed for great photos, and none of the junk features that have been added in the past couple of decades that makes most modern cameras unusable unless you carry — and read — a 300-page manual.
Interesting…
It was a very popular camera in the ‘80’s so its value today is relatively low since so many people are also finding them hidden away after years of collecting dust. That doesn’t matter though. Between reading what Mr. Rockwell said and considering the fact that most of the pictures I remember taken of me in my tighty whiteys and cowboy boots were taken with this camera, there’s no way in hell I’m selling it. Bonus, it not only has the 50mm lens that came with the body, it also has a 28mm wide and a 70-200mm tele lens!
After deciding to keep it I took Ken’s advice and ordered some Fuju Velvia 50, Fuji 400 and a fresh battery. I also plan to get the photos digitally scanned when I get them developed so I can share and archive them more easily.
I’m pretty excited about this camera. I couldn’t have found it at a better time. We’ve had our Nikon D3100 for almost 2 years and recently my photography interest has really piqued. The Canon will be a hobby camera for me because for a novice photographer like myself, the modern advantages of my D3100 far outweigh the nostalgia and intrigue of this Canon.
For instance, my D3100 has autofocus, continuous shooting mode, can instantly show me the shot I just took on its built in screen to make sure I got the shot, etc. All of that basically ensures I won’t miss shots of my kids which is extremely important to me. The AE-1P has none of those features therefore I simply wouldn’t trust myself to get the shot in a make or break situation. It’s also surprisingly heavy compared to my D3100. But, that heft is clearly due to the build quality. It feels like a tank compared to my D3100. As the title says, they don’t make them like they used to…
As soon as I get the film in the mail, take some shots and get them developed (another bonus of modern day digital, no development necessary!) I’ll gladly, good or bad, share the results on my Flickr page.
For now, here’s a picture of my new toy:
