stephen_morris3

<p>Thanks for you response, Michael McBroom. I've tried breech-lock FD lenses also. The lenses fit properly but they don't have the same click feeling when they're locked into place. It seems to be an electronics problem.</p>

<p>I bought the Canon AE-1 and A-1 when they first came out in the 1970s, and in recent months I've tried a Canon New F-1 and Canon EF. In my revival of interest in vintage SLRs, I've also tried Konica Autoreflex T3, Minolta XD-5, Nikon FA, Nikon FM2, Nikon FE and Nikon FE2 recently. I have decided that the Canon EF is definitely my favorite. It is smoother than the New F-1, solid, precise, ergonomic, easy-to-use and has almost all of the functions I want: automatic aperture/shutter-preferred automatic exposure, silicon meter cells, mirror lock-up, DOF preview, exposure lock, battery-independent shutter and--most importantly--it's an FD camera. If it had 1/4000 second shutter speed and a VF warning for lens set manually, it would be perfect. EF rules!</p><div></div>

<p>With all respect, John Tran, you seem to be describing a different camera--a Konica Autoreflex, for example: "3. When you have the aperture you want, press the shutter release halfway (just like you do with new camera). This will hold the aperture setting (AEL). Then re frame, manually focus, and press the shutter release all the way down." This is incorrect and contradicts the instructions. I own two Canon EFs and the one I use now is my fourth. If you try to press the shutter release button half way, you will release the shutter. The dedicated exposure lock button is on the left (from the back) of the pentaprism, NOT in the shutter release. I actually prefer the Konica method although the EF is my favorite SLR.<br /><br />Also, there is no "S" mode. The camera--as we know--has automatic aperture control based on the shutter speed set. There is no "S" setting. The closest thing to that is the "A" setting on the lens.<br /><br />After trying Canon AE-1, AE-1 Program, A-1 and New F-1 in 2016, I've decided on the EF as my main 35mm film camera. I haven't found anything that comes close in smoothness, precision feel and simple functionality (the nearest maybe Minolta XD). The speed and latitude of aperture automation is important to me and my exposures have been perfect so far. On a sunny day with ISO 100, I just set the shutter speed to 1/125 and the camera automatically adjusts up to seven stops brighter than sunny 16--down to f:1.4. Comparatively, with an automatic shutter (aperture preferred), I can set the aperture to f:5.6 (1/1000 @ ISO 100 and sunshine) and only get three-stop latitude down to 1/125. Shutter-preferred automated exposure is clearly the most convenient and most flexible, in my opinion.<br /><br />If the EF had speeds up to 1/4000 second, an exposure lock like Nikon FE or Konica Autoreflex, on/off integrated into the film advance lever like Nikon, spot metering capability, TTL flash and showed any aperture manually set--it would be the perfect MF 35mm SLR. In my opinion. Multi-mode exposure automation would be the cherry on top.</p>

<p>I just joined and I have the exact same question/situation. And I've tried many FD lenses and mine is also harder to twist on that my other FD cameras/lenses. And I've also tried all the other "tricks" suggested elsewhere. The A-1 will work--with the meter--if I manually set the lens to a certain f-stop and then tell the camera which aperture I'm using while in Av (aperture priority) mode. There is obviously something interfering with communication between the lens and body.</p>