AE-1 P Newbie operation question

I am a totally new beginner in photography...so I prefer the automatic everything. I could buy a point and shoot, but the AE-1P with the 199A flash was given to me as a gift, then again why not learn how to use the canon since it is a very popular camera. Well, only problem is, the manuals did not come along with the gift. However, I've managed to learn how to take decent pictures since then. My biggest grips is using the 199A flash. It seems that I cannot really count on the flash to automately calculate exposure by setting the f/stop to A and the shutter speed to P. My pictures would be under/over exposed in all lighting situations. I have the camera and flash checked out by my local camera repair man and everything is in working order. Therefore I would like to know how do I manually set the right exposure with my camera. I am using a Sigma 28-80mm lens.

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thanx for your time

deco

deco,

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I will have to check, but I am not sure that all the features of the

199A are supported on the AE-1P. On the A-1 you set the 199A to the

approximate distance (set the switch to Red, Yellow or Green). That

sets the aperture properly. You set the dial on the back to the

proper ISO or ASA for the film and the three color bars tells you what

color to set the given distance. Best way to check the distance is

to focus, the read the distance off the lens.

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The flash then fires and senses the light coming back and cuts off the

flash when enough light has reflected back for the given aperature.

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If the 199A is set to AUTO (switch on the front) it should set the

shutter speed to 1/60 no matter where the dial is set. If it is set

to manual, it will set 1/60th for any speed 1/60th or faster, if you

set slower speeds, it will use those speeds. This is called slow

speed sync for various special effects.