C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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slr-35mm
The Canon AE-1 Program (1981) is the direct successor to the AE-1, adding a fully programmed autoexposure mode on top of the existing shutter-priority and manual modes. It uses the same A-series body shell and FD mount but introduced the "DEP" (depth-of-field) and "AE" program mode levers. It also introduced full compatibility with the dedicated Speedlite 277T flash for automatic through-the-lens flash control. Marketed heavily through the same mass-consumer channels as the AE-1, the Program continued Canon's dominance in the amateur SLR segment into the mid-1980s.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The AE-1 with a full program mode added - and the last hurrah of the A-series.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Canon FD (FL backwards-compatible without metering) |
| Years | 1981–1987 |
| Shutter | 2s – 1/1000s, electronic horizontal cloth |
| Flash sync | 1/60s |
| Meter | Center-weighted, silicon |
| Exposure modes | Manual, shutter-priority, program |
| Weight | ~570 g |
| Battery | 1x 4LR44 / PX28 (required) |
Canon introduced the AE-1 Program in 1981, five years after the original AE-1. Program AE mode — where the camera selects both shutter speed and aperture — had been popularized by competing bodies in the interim, and the AE-1 Program was Canon's response. A dedicated program mode lever on the camera back engaged the new mode; the lens aperture ring required setting to the "A" position. The camera sold briskly alongside the original AE-1, which remained in production until 1984. Canon discontinued the AE-1 Program in 1987 as the EOS autofocus system (introduced 1987) cannibalized the A-series market.
The AE-1 Program is one of the most commonly found 35mm SLRs on the used market, sharing the AE-1's vast production numbers and distribution footprint. For working with the FD lens ecosystem, it offers the most shooting modes of any A-series Canon - useful for beginners who want the option to hand over the camera to a less experienced shooter in program mode. The body is largely identical to the AE-1 in feel, failure modes, and repair profile.
Canon FD mount. Any FD-mount lens functions with full metering; FL-mount lenses work in stop-down metering mode. Kit pairings: 50/1.8, 50/1.4, 28/2.8, 35-70/3.5-4.5. The "A" aperture detent is required for program and shutter-priority modes. Power Winder A or A2 (2 fps). Speedlite 277T for dedicated TTL flash in program mode. Speedlite 199A for non-TTL use.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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