Canon A-1 Repair Manual

Canon A-l Repair Guide

1. Introduction In April, 1976, Canon introduced a landmark camera, the Canon AE-l. It incorporated a very reliable computerized AE mechanism into a compact body that can be marketed at a very competitive price due to revolutionary production techniques. The AE-l has been a huge success and completely changed the face of photo hardware marketing. With the AE-1 firmly established as the best selling SLR in the World, . design work progressed on a more versitile ver- sion. This work is now complete and the result is the CANON A-I, the Apex of the AE camera world: the highest quality, most durable, most feature laden automatic exposure SLR in the world. The major goals which guided the design of the A-l were: - Incorporation of advanced digital technology - Compact, easy-to-handle body - Compatabllity with AE-l system components - Interchangeability of parts with AE-l - Improved durability 2. Features 2.1 Five difference automatic exposure modes o Full Aperture TTL Metering Shutter speed priority AE Aperture priority AE Programmed AE Electronic flash AE o TTL Stopped-Down Metering Stopped-down AE at (regardless of the types of lens attached or whether a lens 1s attached at all). 2.2 The employment of total digital system to process with speed and accuracy all incoming information After converting the brightness information from analog form into digital form, digital computation takes care of information input, calculation, information storage, 1 ..

information display and exposure control. 2.3 Full Information Character Display Viewfinder All information is displayed alphametricly is the dark area below the focusing screen by segmented LED's similar to those used in digital calculators. Information includes exposure information, mode information, and various ings. Although it is probably the least intrusive full information viewfinder ever built, it can be turned off to completely elim inate any distract io n to focusing and com- position. Even when it is turned off, the camera continues to function normally in whichever mode it is in. Details are given later. 2.4 Expanded Range and Versitility Expanded metering, film speed and shutter speed and exposure compensation ranges, EV memory and multiple exposure increase the A-l's versitility. 2.5 Essential Controls and Displays Grouped for Easy Reach and Rapid Operations (1) AE mode (2) AT dial (3) Shutter button lock self-timer lever (4) Viewfinder information displ ay switch (5) Multiple exposure lever 2.6 Automatic System Components Motor Drive MA, Power Winder A, Data Back A, Speedlites 155A, and 199A. 2.7 Human Engineering, Miscellaneous 2 o Safety Features: Lock Mechanis m s, Flashing Warnings, Energy Conserv ing Design o Easy Operation: Action Grip, H uman Engineering Design, Electro-magnetic release o Interchangeable Viewfinder Screens

o Easy to <ead viewfinder o True-load b attery checker giv es visual indication of remai ning battery power o Eyepiece Shutter to block extraneous light o Two delay self timer 3. Specifications 3.1 Type: 35mm focal plane shutter single lens reflex with five automatic exposures modes: 3.2 Picture Size: 24 x 36 mm 3.3 Interchangeable Lenses : 3.4 Whole FD series for five methods in automatic exposures; with FL series, automatic exposures with stopped-down metering at working apertures. Viewfinder (1) (2 ) (3) (4 ) (5 ) Type: Field-of-view: Magnification: Viewfinder Power: Focusing Screens: Fixed eye-level pentaprism 93.4% vertical and 95.3% horizontal 0.S3X at infinity with 50 mm lens -1.0 dpt (same as the AE-l) Standard screen is center split-image (2.5 mm di- ameter with So prism angle) rangefinder surrounded by microprism (with So prism) and ground glass/fresnel field for the remaining portion •. The six focusing screens for replacement are split-image, microprlsm, microp:&" 'lsm for small aperture lenses, all matte, double cross hair reticule a nd matte / scale. (6) Viewfinder Information Seven segment LED's provide six variable digits plus an "Mil and a decimal pOint. Information includes Shutter Speed, Aperture, Flash ready information, 3

Manual indication and flashing signals, in digital form. The display can be turned off when not needed without affecting the camera operation. (7) Mirror Cut-off : No mirror cut-off with telephoto lens as long as FD 400 mm lens. (This is the same with AE-l.) (8) Eyepiece Shutter: Built-in (9) Accessories. Angle Finder, Magnifier, Eyecup, and eyesight correc- tion lenses. (The same as for the AE-l.) 3.5 AE Function 4 (1) Method Electronicly controled automatic exposure by setting the FD lens at the 'A' mark, and selecting the AE mode with the AT dial to relay the input of exposure control information. (Three LSI with I2L, one linear LSI,and o ne Bi-Mos IC, the latter for metering the light, are used.) (2) Automatic exposure modes AE 1I0de Metering Shutter speed Full aperture priority Aperture stop Full aperture priority Progr8lllDed Full aperture AE flash Full aperture Stopped-down Stopped-down Aperture Ri ng AE Hode AT Dial Selector Setting of Leos Switch Reading 'A' mark Tv Shutter speed 'A' .... rk Av Aperture stop ' A' IIUlrk Tv P ' A' IIUlrk *Either Tv or Av Any apert u re Either Tv or Av except 'A' *: Por a shutter speed of 1/60 or slower with the 199A. let the switch to Tv.

(3) Light Sensing Element Center-weighted average meter reading (the same as the AE-l) by a silicon photocell placed above the eyepiece and fresnel lens to concentrate the incoming light. (4) Meter Coupling Range EV -2 (f/l.4 lens) to EV 18 with ASA 100 film. The programmed AE program is shown by the dotted line. 6

30 15 8 4 2 AE coupling Range for ASA Film Speeds with f/1.4 Lens F NO. I. II • 5.6 4 2.8 2 1.4 112 114 1/8 III' V30 1160 VI25 11250 II!:IOO 1/1000 G

(5) Film Speed Range ASA 6 to 12,800 in 1/3 step increments (6) Exposure Compensation Two full f/stop plus/minus control with figures from 1/4X to 4X and calibrations in 1/3 step increments. The following shows the range of exposure variations possible with the respective film speed setting: ASA 6 1/4 • • 1/2 • • 1 ASA 12 1/4 • • 1/2 • • 1 • • 2 ASA 25 - 3200 ASA 6400 1/4 • • 1/2 • • 1 • • 2 • • 4 1/2 • • 1 • • 2 • . 4 ASA 12800 1 .. .. 2 .. .. 4 (7) Exposure Memory There is a memory lock button (located where the exposure compensatio n bu tton is ON the AE-l). While this button is pres sed, the exposure reading is locked and you are at your liberty to vary the com- bination of shutter speed and f/stop. (8) Stopped-Down Metering Lever The lever is of folding type and by lifting the end and pushing against the tension of the spring, it is locked in place. (9) Other Operations The AT dial has the following indications > < > '" AV, PI .. .. .,. 0 0 0 - .. - 0 0 on Black Black - - • <II 0 on 0 0 .. .. .. ... .. - on - .. oft <II .. .. .. - figures in the yellow in the green base <II • .. .. .. .. <II ground .. - TV: 2" to 30": Yellow figures in a black .. - 0 III ... ground Other figures: White figures in a black ground 7

3.6 Power Source 8 (1) Battery One 6V silver oxide battery (Eveready No. 544, UCAR No. 544, JIS 4G13, or Mallory PX28) or alkaline man- ganese battery (Eveready NO. 537, UCAR No. 537) (This is the same with the AE-l.) (2) Battery Chamber Under the finger grip on the front of the camera body. (This is the same with the AE-l.) (3) Main Switch. By . setting the shutter button lock lever to "L", all the electronic circuits will be · turned off. (4) Battery Check True-load Type The flashing frequency changes depending on the con- dition of the battery, roughly telling you how good it is. . The slower the flashing frequency, the weaker the battery. (5) Cancellation of the circuit 1) Set the shutter button lock lever to "L", or 2) Press the battery check button and take your finger off the button. The AE-l's circuit is ca ncelled the moment the battery check button is pressed, while the A-l's circuit is cancelled the moment the finger is taken off the button. (To be more precise, the A-l's circuit is cancelled when the battery check button is pressed, but the battery checker current thru the second shutter magnets give the impression that the circuit is not cancelled.) (6) Battery Life The battery lasts for approximately 15,000 exposures or one year under normal use. Normal use means that the camera is used with shutter speed at 1/125 sec and that the digital indications are lit for one second at every exposure.)

3. J Mechanism (1) Type Dual roller type cloth focal plane shutter (2) Speed 1) Scale on the AT dial B,30,15,8,4,2,1 , 2,4,8,15,30,60,125,250,500,1000 I I I I Yellow White (3) Shutter release button o .Electromagnetic shutter release Large-sized shutter button is concentric with the AE mode selector. (4) Synchronization contact o X synchronization is at 1/ 60 sec. o The accessory shoe on the top of the pentaprism has a direct flash contact. On the front of the camera body is a PC flash terminal, (JIS-B type). With built-in electric shock preventive rim. o The accessory shoe has an automatic flash control contacts for automatically switching shutter speed and aperture. o When using ordinary flash units (other than Speedlite 155A and 199A) , set the AE mode selecto r to Tv and set the shutter speed to 1/ 60 sec or slower. 3. 8 Self-Timer (1) Type Electronically controlled self-timer (2) Operation o Set the self-timer lever either to 112" or to " 10". o Activated by the shutter release button. •

Canon A-1 Repair Manual

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