Canon AV-1
An Av enabled AE-1
AV-1 with the Power Winder “A” attached.
The AV-1 in black or white makes no difference. They are the same camera. Just different paint. But I like the black. I think it more elegant.
Date: | 1979 |
Type: | 35mm SLR |
Lens Mount: | FD |
Focus: | Manual |
Exposure: | Internal CdS meter – auto Av operation |
Flash: | Hot shoe and PC connection |
Shutter: | Horizontal rubberized cloth focal plane Speeds from 1 sec. to 1/1000th X-synch at 1/60th sec. |
ASA: | 25 to 1600 |
Frame Rate: | Manual lever winding |
Battery: | PX 28L, A544, 4LR44, 544, PX28 6volt |
Notes:
Up to this point Canon auto exposure cameras were all working in Tv (Time Value) mode. We now call that shutter priority mode but the old abbreviation has stayed with us. Competing camera companies were offering SLR’s with Aperture Priority (Av which is short for Aperture Value) mode and Canon’s distributors were pushing for such a camera. The AV-1 was Canon’s answer to this demand.
With this camera Canon also introduced and New FD lens mount which allowed for much faster and more convenient lens mounting and dismounting. The change was in the mounting rings on the lenses while the mount on the camera remained the same.
The AV-1 was very much an AE-1 with Av metering. All AE-1 accessories will fit and work on the AV-1.
This camera was not capable of operating with manual exposure. There are no shutter speeds on the speed dial. The operator can only set the aperture.
As an entry level camera, this was a very capable machine. It has the charcteristic solid feel of its siblings and it functions smoothly as you would expect from a Canon camera.
In the Collection I have the following example:
Collection No.: C-27
Serial No.: 684723
Condition: Excellent
Accessories: Power Winder A
Acquisition: Acquired on Craig’s List 2 January 2016
And I have an AV-1 in Black as well:
Collection No.: C-144
Serial No.: 891502
Condition: Excellent
Acquisition: On E-bay from Japan – Oct 2016
AV-1 Ad from Popular Photography June 1979
Canon AV-1 Instruction Manual
Publication: C-IE-069S