Today’s Post by Joe Farace
Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions. —Pablo Picasso
The AL-1 was Canon’s first attempt into implementing autofocus with one of their cameras and while far from being true AF, the camera featured a system that Canon called QF (Quick Focus) or focus confirmation. The system used phase detection linear CCD arrays and in the viewfinder red LED arrows indicated the direction you are supposed to turn the lens to achieve sharp focus. Optimum focus was indicated when a green LED dot lit up between this two directional arrows.
The camera features aperture-priority auto exposure and has a few shutter speeds for Manual exposure. There’s a self-timer too. (Selfies are not a new invention.) The AL-1 has a hot shoe, winder connections and was the last SLR to carry Canon’s 1960s-era logo on its pentaprism. For reasons I can only guess at, the film reminder holder on the back of most A-series cameras was left on both the AL-1 and the AV-1. Canon may have saved a few pennies by eliminating it but I missed this feature on both cameras.
Like the other A-series’ bodies, the AL-1 was made from polycarbonate and Canon tried to conceal its use of plastic by giving the top cover a satin chrome or black metallic feel and finish. Yet like all of the other A-series cameras, the AL-1 seem better made and finished than many (most?) new entry-level DSLR or mirrorless cameras that I’ve used. Back in the eighties the camera cost 58,000 yen or about $1,689.80 today, so it was never cheap. (See my video on The Pros & Cons of Film Photography. At 5:56, I talk about “photography has never been cheap.”) The A-series SLRs were also never intended as professional cameras but were aimed “at the newcomer market” and were the first SLR’s that the public purchased in the millions. According to Canon’s numbering system, my camera was built in April 1982.
I loaded my AL-1 with a roll of Kodak Gold 200, the company’s consumer grade color negative film and headed out to run some errands. Since I was going to the library I stopped by Discovery Park and photographed the Jacks and Ball sculpture (again? I can hear some of you saying) where recently the ball was replaced with, as The Cyrkle one sang, a new “Red Rubber Ball.” And as you can see (above) the new “ball” is brightly colored. The AL-1’s handling is superb and it’s ergonomics, except for the placement of the on-off switch, are the best of the A-series camera, thanks in large part to a larger grip that holds two AAA batteries.
I mounted the FD 50mm f/3.5 macro lens on the AL-1 mainly because it was handy but that proved not to be the best choice because of it’s long focus throw and the smooth, highly reflective surfaces of the silver jacks and shiny red ball, challenged the camera’s focus confirmation. When I moved the focus area located at the center of the viewfinder to an object’s edge, it gave the QF something to focus on and the camera did its little focus confirmation job pretty well. The results showed me that If you take the time to use it as designed the the system works great producing sharp images. If using focus confirmation gets annoying and I can see how that could happen under some conditions, you could always just ignore the LEDs in the viewfinder and focus using the smooth and bright ground glass-style focusing screen. This doesn’t affect my feeling that this is my second favorite A-series camera next to the A-1, which has a film reminder.
Later in the day I met up with Mary at a local Starbucks and since she brought her Nikon Z fc along we decided to take an impromptu photo walk down a path next to the coffee shop. It turned out to be a long, meandering one going navigating icy patches and going through tunnels and we ended up walking under a couple of roads that I filed for the future as a great place to shoot some black & white film. Colorado is not a colorful place in the winter, mostly its just shades of brown but I made a few photographs that you will be able to see in my take on the Kodak Gold film in the next Film Friday post on March 11, which will include a look at the not-so-colorful Winter Colorado landscape.
If you would like to send me a roll of film to review or any other stuff that could be used for these posts and my videos you can mail it to:Joe Farace, PO BOX 2081, PARKER, CO 80134