Canon AE-1/Program: opinions on lenses and accessories?

<p>I recently came into possession of a Canon AE-1 body and an AE-1 Program body. Up to this point my classic camera of choice has been a Pentax K1000 and after a little research I'm seriously considering either As (or maybe both) as my new go-to film camera. I'm curious what the must-have (and the drool-worthy/unattainable) lenses and accessories for these particular cameras are. I'm essentially interested in an all-around kit and I'm looking at one of the 28mm lenses, a 50mm, a zoom, a macro, probably a winder, and maybe a telephoto if I don't break the bank before then. Does anyone have suggestions?</p>

<p><strong>Joshua </strong>- first, welcome. I look forward to seeing your pictures with the AE1.</p>

<p>Second, your question has been asked quite often so if you do a quick search I'm sure you'll find the answers to what you want to know. A good place to start is the recent thread on FD lens line up <a href="00Xcri">here</a>.</p>

<p>Good luck and good shooting!</p>

 

<p>stranly lenses seem to go for a premium price<br>

but canon A series cameras seem to<br>

It might cost you less to but a Canon AT-1 not fully automatic<br>

of a Canon AE-1 camera. the f/1.4 lens sells for a large price because it is a great lens.<br>

I may offend the purists, but If you need a particular focal length<br>

A short zoom by Vivitar, while not the greatest of the greatest will let you use the camera<br>

be sure the lens is a FD lens.</p>

<p>28/2 if you can find a good one at a decent price, otherwise the 28/2.8 is a ridiculous bargain and an excellent lens.</p>

<p>50/1.4-- you can find a good one for < $50.</p>

<p>Zoom: 35 - 105/3.5 (the constant aperture version)-- should be able to find a good one for ~$100, maybe a little more. 80-200/4L if you have more to spend and need longer reach.</p>

<p>Short tele-- 100/2.8 or 135/2.5 SSC if you're on a budget, 100/2 or 135/2 if you're not.</p>

<p>Macro-- 50/3.5 sells for like $50 and is an absurdly good lens. 100/4 gives you more working distance, $100 - 150.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>35/2 w/concave front element, but only if you're into B&W, since it sees a decent amount of yellowing, otherwise super-sharp and generally awesome<br>

35-105/3.5 -- got mine for $70 off auction site, great and versatile<br>

55/1.2 ASPH -- hard to describe, but worth every penny (all 60000 of 'em)<br>

17/4 -- love mine, great WA</p>

<p>While the 50/3.5 macro is a great lens, if you are really into macro try to find a Kiron 105mm/f2.8 in a Canon FD mount, it will go to 1:1 without additional extension tubes and has a built in hood and is incredibly sharp.<br>

The Canon 80-200/f4L is almost unmatched by other zooms, and is virtually as good as primes.<br>

I also really like the 100 & 135 f/2.0 lenses - expensive but worth it in low light. The 50 /f1.4 and 28 /f2 are also really good lenses. I've heard a lot about the 35-105 /f3.5, but I generally want a larger aperture for most of my work. If you're into long telephotos, the 300 /f4 L is a sweet shooter.</p>

<p>You can't really go wrong with any of the FD lenses, except perhaps with a couple of the "kit" zooms such as the later 35-70's. And they're pretty much all very affordable, except for the Asphericals and L's. But there are exceptions even to the L's being expensive. For example, the FDn 80-200/4 L is optically the best FD zoom made, and is even <em>better than some primes</em> such as the FDn 200/2.8, but it can be had for only $200.</p>

<p>Many of my favourite FD lenses have already been mentioned in this thread, so I won't bother to reiterate them here. But a quick search of the forum will reveal many members' lists of favourites.</p>

<p>I was a K1000 user, too (still have it, but now unused following my conversion to FD).<br>

I would add to the above the 85mm f1.8 (or f1.2L, if you can afford it). Both lovely lenses.<br>

The 20-35mm zoom is a cracker, too, but again not cheap.</p>

 

<p>With my A-1's, I use the following lenses the most:</p>

<ul>

<li>50mm f/1.2L</li>

<li>85mm f/1.2L</li>

<li>20-35mm f/3.5L</li>

<li>17mm f/4</li>

</ul>

<p>All great performers.</p>

<p>Other accessories often used:</p>

<ul>

<li>Angle Finder "B"</li>

<li>Motor Drive "MA"</li>

</ul>

 

<p>Most of the lenses I like have already been mentioned but the 35-70mm lens at f/4 can be had for $35 and is a worthy performer.<br>

I would also recommend the 85mm f/1.8 and 28-85mm zoom.<br>

And the very sharp 50mm f/1.8 which is almost a giveaway product.<br>

I would love to have some L lenses but their prices remain stratospheric.<br>

Don't be afraid to sample some of the earlier FD breech lock lenses. They are often superior to the newer FDn lenses.</p>

<p>I'm a little surprised that Kiron, Tokina ATX or Vivitar Series 1 FD lenses haven't been mentioned.<br /><br /> <a href="http://cssa.dartmouth.edu/%7Efangq/blog/index.cgi?note/photo/3PartyLens">http://cssa.dartmouth.edu/~fangq/blog/index.cgi?note/photo/3PartyLens</a><br /><br /> The Tokina and Vivitar lenses I've seen on eBay are a bit pricey. Last month I found a near mint Kiron 28-85mm f/2.8-3.8 Varifocal lens on eBay. I got it for $39.95 plus shipping.<br /><br /> NYC's Competitive Camera Corp. wanted $234.50 for the lens in 1982. That would be $520.59 in '09 "dollarettes".<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.measuringworth.com/ppowerus/">http://www.measuringworth.com/ppowerus/</a></p>

<p>Fro the AE-1P, you need to make sure that the FD lenses are the "new" FD lenses that allow automatic function on the camera. Older FD lenses will work, but not give full function.<br /> The new FD lenses will have a <strong><em>green A</em></strong> on the aperture settings ring in addition to the 2,8, etc. Bayonet mount, not the twist ring, too, of course.</p>

<p>The nomenclature is a little bit misleading - if you look closely you will notice the AE1 Program is actually more closely related to the A1 than the AE1. I would say its more of a de-featured A1 than a up-featured AE1. I have AE1, and its a fine camera when it works, but my example started having shutter issues (apparently common due to fouling of the magnets controlling release of the shutter curtains). I am not saying that this is something that completely discounts the AE1, but given the rock bottom prices of film equipment, I would prefer any of a number of FD cameras - my favourite being the EF. Its a beautiful, black SLR that just looks and feels like a proper camera (ok, that's ALL subjective) but it also has many features not found on amateur cameras (like mirror lock up for example). I also find that the 30 second exposure was useful to me - maybe not so much to you - an excellent meter, and what I really like is the fact that it displays all the exposure information in the viewfinder. It is also capable of auto exposure, although frankly I never used it.<br>

If you want something a little newer and more common (and on the used market often less expensive) the A1 is loved by many, and certainly won't leave you wanting for features - I just happen not to like mine...again, for purely subjective reasons.<br>

Of course, there are the pro bodies, the F1, F1n and New F1 - again, given the prices, you can't go wrong - and if this will be your "go to film body", you may be advised to consider something a little more fully featured and durable than an consumer body like the AE1, AE1P or even a pro-sumer like the A1. Down the road, you may actually find the system built around those cameras (winders, finders, focusing screens, etc.) to be useful.<br>

As far as lenses go, you can have a nicely fleshed out kit for less than $200 - a 28mm f2.8, a 50 f1.4 and a 70-210 f4 zoom (either canon or the highly regarded Vivitar Series 1). It really depends on your budget - fact is, if you take a consumer dSLR with a kit lens as your measuring stick, you can have just about the best of everything in an FD system, excluding perhaps a few of the really sought after (and for reasons most of us will never actually exploit) L lenses like the 85 and 50 f1.2, 24 f1.4, etc.<br>

Good news is, I have used a variety of the lenses and find that all of the actual Canon products far outperform my meagre abilities:)<br>

A word to the wise - KEH has awesome prices often better than eBay - do your research but its definitely worth a look - they are famous for their super-conservative rating system (in terms of what constitutes excellent, good, bargain, or even "ugly" items).<br>

Good luck - you really can't go wrong, this is really more just musing aloud about my personal preferences, you may or may not find them useful, agree or disagree. Right now a New F1 is my own "go to body".</p>