Canon AV-1: Your Introduction to the Basics of Photography

I'm a perfectionist. I always have been, and probably always will be. As much fun as it is taking pictures using toy cameras, with their unpredictable lenses and even less predictable viewfinders, I needed more control in my photographic life. Enter the Canon AV-1.

This film SLR was made by Canon in 1979, and yet it still produces images that rival its modern-day counterparts. The age of the camera is also the reason why you are able to pick them up second-hand for ridiculously low prices. I paid 20 British pounds for mine on a certain internet auction site, which included a 50 mm /1.8 lens and a hard case. i also recently bought a 28 mm wide-angle lens for a mere 8 GBP. Only a monkey would sell such a beauty of a camera for peanuts.

The reason why I prefer the AV-1 over Canon's sister camera, the AE-1, is that this one allows for aperture priority instead of shutter speed priority. This allows you to control the depth of field, which everyone knows is a very useful tool in photography. The camera also boasts such features like a self-timer, bulb mode, and automatic flash photography (when used in conjunction with the specific flash). It's also compatible with a wide range of film speeds, from ISO 25 to 1600 and everything in between.

If you have ever been tempted by the world of SLR cameras but have been scared off by all of the knobs and dials, this is the perfect camera to start with.

This is a review submitted by Community Member minty

written by minty on 2010-06-02 #gear #people #35mm #review #slr #canon #gig #punk-rock #live-music #av-1 #lomo-review