Favorite Film Cameras: The Canon AE-1 (1976-1984)

The Cologne Cathedral is usually adorned by scaffolding, indicating ongoing preservation work (Kodak Gold 200)

This is the first instalment of a series on extraordinary cameras. The Canon AE-1 is not only a classic milestone in the history of film cameras, it also occupies a special place since it was the first modern SLR in our home. Beforehand, photography was rather challenging – you had to calculate distance and focus. Family photos were time-consuming, and the subjects quickly got tired of posing awkwardly, unless you had a landscape or flowers in front of you. In those days, finishing a 36-frame film took months. It was expensive to develop the prints. On the other hand, you would sit down and share the photos, trying to remember together where this frame was shot. Purchasing the Canon AE-1 was a game-changer. It was faster, it offered a system of interchangeable lenses, and it turned photography from a documentary practice to fun. Mind you, it was not cheap: the cost was between 600 and 700 DM, which amounts to approximately 800-900 Euro in today’s age.


This demonstrator in front of the cathedral reminds us that “weniger” – “less” is more (Kodak Gold 200)

We took pictures when family gathered for birthdays and holidays, or when we traveled on vacation once a year. Subsequently, the stack of negatives and prints of a family archive neatly fits into a couple of shoeboxes and a few albums. By comparison, shooting digitally means amassing tens of thousands of images, storing them on hard drives and computers, and possibly forgetting them.

Nighttime under a railway bridge (Kodak Ektar 100). Photo meetup event.

Picking up the Canon AE-1 is a joy. The ergonomics are brilliant, the weight is perfect with 750g, the shutter noise and the film advance are smooth and crisp after all these years. Great Japanese engineering. It is not complicated to handle, since it was designed for the enthusiast. As in the 1980s, the camera fulfills the mission: to improve the photographic quality of your images, to allow people to learn the craft, and to make lasting memories.

Open pit mining in Garzweiler (Kodak Gold200, 28mm)

The Canon AE-1 can be the workhorse for analog images, or it can be the Sunday treat. In my kit, the standard 50mm and a 28mm get the most traction. I am not a big fan of the old zoom lenses, so I try to stick to the primes. It is ideal for your photo walk around town, picking up some details or the occasional wider angle, here at use in the local industrial mining area.

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The Zeppelin on its way to the city center. (Kodak Ektar 100)

You cannot go wrong if you stash the Canon AE-1 in the bag for a stroll around. The camera does what the best sports referees attempt to do: It stays out of the way, allowing you to focus on the composition. There is a reason Canon sold millions of copies. It put a sophisticated electronic device into the hands of the consumer.

Maybe the most popular SLR: The Canon AE-1.

Links:

https://casualphotophile.com/2015/09/17/canon-ae-1-program-vs-ae-1-camera-review/

Manual: https://www.butkus.org/chinon/canon/canon_ae-1/canon_ae-1.htm

Playfulness

The Kolumba art museum is one of the oldest museums in Cologne and mostly features religious art since it is operated by the Catholic Church. In 2007, it re-opened in a new building designed by Peter Zumthor. During the Covid-lockdown, the museum was closed, but its exterior allowed for some creative joy. Hope you enjoy it as well!

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Praying in a Cave: A 1960s “raw architecture” Church

The Catholic church of the Cologne students was built in 1968-69. It is supposed to resemble a cave to commemorate the meeting rooms of early Christians. Many art historians and architects point to the parallels with “brutalism” or “raw architecture” since concrete and glass dominate the exterior. There are no romantic or gothic adornments anywhere. Religious artifacts inside are sparse. In the middle of the church rises a massive “tree” out of stone, with its arms at sharp angles. It is a unique experience to visit the church in the Cologne university quarter. Some people pass the building without noticing that it is indeed a religious meeting place. When I visited at noon, the light fell straight through the stained glass windows. It is named after Pope John XXXIII.

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Photo-Essay Cologne