Canon AE1 – Foxes Den

Canon Speedlite 199A flashgun

Can I bring a dead Canon 199a flashgun back to life? You betcha!

I love working with flashguns, but believe me they are highly dangerous and potentially deadly pieces of kit, once you get under the skin otherwise known as its protective casing. I inherited this one from a good friend of mine who is a professional photographer, the post regarding what he passed on to me can be found here: Cameras…i need more!

Now please do not go delving into the back of these things unless you know what you are doing. Yes they might only be powered by 6-9v of power from your batteries, however in the process of getting to the point where they unleash a lightning flash for your photographic opportunity, they have passed through a component called a flash capacitor, this component greatly amplifies the voltage from that measly 6-9v from your batteries up to what is now between 3-400v for the flash. Yes, you read right right, 400 VOLTS.

That can kill, and if it doesn’t, you have been very fortunate, but you will probably bear an entry and exit burn where you made contact with that very component. If it goes across both hands it’s probably going to go right through that pump in your chest that keeps you alive – your heart, and that can be fatal. You have been warned – take heed!

I must admit I’ve done something here I don’t usually do, and that is clean before searching for the problem. This unit had two or three old company stickers on it that I have now removed. I then gave it a quick clean and a buff and I must admit it has come up very well. I will give it another clean when i have finished, as well as a final polish with some cockpit cleaner.

Production of this flash unit commenced in 1978 for use with the Canon “A” range of cameras that were being produced around this time. It can also be used with some other camera ranges. Before we get into exactly what is wrong with this specific unit, let’s look at some information regarding the spec of this flashgun:

The Canon Speedlite 199A is a dedicated, thyristorized flash unit designed for operation with Canon “A” series cameras. The Speedlite 199A features a high Guide Number of 98 with ISO 100 film, three automatic flash ranges plus Manual and automatic bounce flash capability. The most powerful shoe-mount Speedlite in the Canon line, the 199A is recommended for use with the Canon A-1 or any “A” series camera with motor drive or Power Winder A due to its high power and very rapid recycling time.

Technical Specification: –

Type: High-powered shoe-mount flash; automatic, thyristor type
Guide Number: 98 (ISO 100, feet), 60 w/wide adaptor
Recycling Time: 10 seconds with Alkaline-Manganese batteries 6 seconds w/Ni-Cd batteries
Number of Flashes: 100- 1000 w/Alkaline-Manganese batteries 50-500 w/Ni-Cd batteries
Auto Flash Ranges: 3
Auto Apertures: (ISO 100) Red-f/2.8 Green-f/5.6 Yellow-f/11
Bounce:Yes
Flash Coverage: For 35 mm format, covers angle of view of 35 mm lens; covers 24 mm w/adaptor
Color Temperature: Daylight
Power Source: 4 “AV size Alkaline or Ni-Cd batteries
Dimensions: 3-1/8 x 3-1/4 x 4-1/2 in.
Weight: 1 lb., 1-5/16 oz.

Mir.com

Asssesment:

As you can see in the photos above, and as I stated at the beginning, I’ve gone arse about face on this one and cleaned it prior to diagnosing what the actual issue is. Please forgive me as I was in a cleaning mood at the time, and if I’m in that mood everything gets cleaned.

It runs off of four AA type batteries that fit in to a cassette that sits in the side of the unit. All contacts are clean and there is no sign of any battery leakage. You can see the cartridge in the photos above. The flash unit comes in a Canon branded leatherette pouch that is in absolutely perfect condition. Inside the pouch is a diffuser / wide angle lens that slides over the actual flash head. The whole unit looks fantastically clean and tidy, with no signs at all of any damage or wear.

Put the batteries in though, and turn on the switch. And nothing. It’s dead. Kaput.

With these old flash units you were always used to hearing that family high pitched whistle when you turned it on. That was the system telling you that the capacitor inside was taking a charge and getting ready for business. Over time, the capacitor can loose its effectiveness, it semi retires if you like, and on occasions it retires fully, it dies a death. I very much suspect this is what could possibly have happened here, I just hope ours is in a deep sleep and can be woken up.

So as we move on to what we are going to do, the only issue here is that it’s simply not accepting a charge, and we will then discuss the two options on how we may now breathe life into this geriatric flash gun.

One thing that always annoys me when I search for possible ways of approaching the repair, is the attitude of people who have grown use to us all being consumer driven, the attitude stinks. These units can be purchased for very small amounts now and they loudly advise,”Just buy a cheap replacement and throw that one away!” This annoys me as you well know, because that’s not what this site is about, if I can repair something, no matter how inexpensive it is, I will. There is no need for this continuous throw away attitude. It’s a good way to learn just how things work.

Rant over, let’s move on….

Repair:

One of the easiest and least invasive, and therefore safest ways to start investigations, to look for a remedy, is to first get a nice fresh batch of alkaline batteries. With these in place within the unit, turn the flash power switch on and just leave it like that for anywhere between 2-8 hours. It has been known in the past, to act like a trickle charge as that flash capacitor has not been active for god knows how many years, it kind of revives it. It sometimes works, more often than not it doesn’t. But it’s worth giving it a try. So here goes. If this doesn’t work then our only other option is to get the unit opened up and to replace that beast of a flash capacitor.

I’m just coming off of a night shift and will shortly be heading off to bed, what better time to try this method out. So I’ll see you in a few hours 👋

And so the wait begins. Fresh batteries in place and turned on at 06:20….

I’ve arisen from my pit about five hours later, and what do you know….

Well, it’s only gone and bloody well worked hasn’t it?

Sometimes it’s the simplest of procedures that can bring old equipment back to life, and when the fix is non invasive, going no where near those dangerous internal components, it can only be a good thing can’t it? And to think this was just placed in a box for disposal. Well it’s got a new lease of life now.

It really is working

I’m really pleased with this so let’s move on to the final stages and get this little beauty polished and presented.

Result:

And yes it is a result, a result of patience and perseverance and thinking outside of the box as they say, in office inspired corporate management speak.

In a number of these “repairs” it’s best to exhaust all other options prior to getting the screwdrivers out, just like a surgeon explores all options prior to getting the knives out. I’m in no way comparing myself to a surgeon, you wouldn’t want me anywhere near you with a scalpel! I’m just using it as a pretty poor comparison, so I guess it’s best I shut up now and just get on with whatever I’m supposed to be doing.

So that’s another little repair put to bed, and another piece of electrical detritus pulled from the arms of the scrap man. I always feel a great sense of accomplishment when I mange to get these old bits of kit working again. It frightens me to think just how much salvageable tech equipment gets discarded when it could quite easily have its life extended with the minimal amount of intervention.

My plan is to add this flash to my Canon “A” series collection as that is what it was originally designed for. And I may well add a link here, when I get to use it whilst testing any new “A” series cameras that just happen to come my way, as they invariably do, that require my attention.

As always, thanks for passing by. It’s always most appreciated.

The Canon “A” series of cameras

A small piece regarding the Canon “A” series camera range. Development and technological advancement.

As i seem to be purchasing a number of the old “A” type camera bodies for repair, I have now decided to add the full range of “A” type cameras to my collection. I’m a tad biased as I have used Canon cameras right from the very start of my photographic education, in fact the first one i used was an A1 variant. I’ve put together the following piece to explain why these cameras were so popular, and to highlight their technological advancement along the way, the technology that influenced other manufacturers to up their game and give the consumer just what they wanted out of a camera, options and greater control.

The Canon A-series of 35mm SLR cameras, produced from the mid-1970s through to the early 1980s, represents one of the most influential periods in Canon’s film-camera history. It began with the groundbreaking Canon AE-1 in 1976, a camera that reshaped the industry by integrating a microprocessor – the first mass-market SLR to do so. This innovation allowed Canon to simplify mechanical complexity and reduce manufacturing costs whilst offering features previously found only in higher-end professional bodies. The AE-1’s shutter-priority auto-exposure, bright viewfinder, and strong reliability made it both approachable for beginners and capable enough for enthusiasts, turning it into one of the best-selling SLRs of all time.

Canon quickly expanded the lineup to address different types of photographers and to test new electronics-driven features. The AT-1 provided a more affordable, all-manual alternative, whilst the AV-1 (1979) offered aperture-priority automation, catering to photographers who preferred creative control over depth of field. The flagship A-1 (1978) pushed the boundaries even further – it became the world’s first SLR to offer full programmed auto-exposure, alongside shutter priority, aperture priority, and manual modes. This versatility foreshadowed the automation and electronic sophistication that would dominate future camera generations.

In the early 1980s, Canon introduced the AE-1 Program, refining the original AE-1 with a more advanced program mode and improved ergonomics. The final notable entry, the AL-1, included an innovative Focus Assist system that used contrast-detection indicators to help users achieve sharp focus – an early technological step toward the autofocus systems that would soon reshape the industry.

Collectively, the Canon A-series brought electronic control, affordability, and ease of use into the mainstream, playing a key role in shifting photography toward the automated, electronically driven era. Decades later, these cameras remain admired for their durability, classic design, and the satisfying, hands-on shooting experience they continue to provide.

At the time of writing, i have in my possession three of the six variants that were produced, and presently I am scouring the sales platforms to acquire suitable candidates for the remaining parts of this collection, to work on. I will update via this site as and when i have another one of this series to feature in a post. My current collection consists of the cameras below marked with an asterisk:

My current cameras in the “A” range marked with an asterisk

I would like to obtain a special mount for this series of cameras so i can display them as a collective sample of this wonderful range. They will all of course, all be fully usable, not museum pieces.

Thanks for passing by. Always appreciated.

20yr old Kodak Gold

How did the old film trial go? Come in and take a peek.

I posted earlier today Well, that was most enjoyable! Regarding popping out for a morning stroll and taking a 48 year old camera with me to shoot a roll of film that had expired 20 years since.

At 20 years old, the roll was an experiment where i exposed at normal settings, +1 stop overexposed and +2 stops overexposed. I obtained 39 exposures, always possible from a 36 exposure roll, I won’t bother you with them all, just 2 from each exposure range with a brief description. Don’t expect fine art here, it was a snap session to test a number of factors and to see how the film has deteriorated over time.

These pictures have not been retouched apart from having a frame put around them. They are as scanned, for authentic representation.

200ASA

The advertised, original roll ASA rating. Very low expectations and it didn’t disappoint.

At 200ASA the shots were certainly under exposed. The pictures have a cast over them and after development there is a lot of curl on the emulsion (Age) and the base of the film also has a darker tone, creating that yellow brown cast.

100ASA (+1 stop overexposed)

The best two exposures represent the first overexposure of one stop from 200ASA to 100ASA.

Again nice exposure and highlights very prominent

At 100ASA everything seems quite acceptable. There is that hue over the film still, and highlights seem quite prominent. Grain is present but not too distracting.

50ASA (+2 stops overexposed)

If you work by the suggested standard of one stop of exposure for every 10 years then this should be the standard. However I’m not so sure.

Nice colour, highlight prominent and quite a bit of a yellow hue, would need adjustment post processing

Could have been taken in the late 70s or early 80s

So with the exposure at 50ASA we have now introduced quite a bit of grain, a yellow hue and quite prominent highlights. I’m sure all of these pictures would post process fine if run through photo shop or light room. But to be quite honest I love that retro look that they have.

For me i’d probably aim at the 100ASA +1 stop of overexposure on the remaining rolls I have, I believe that would be quite enough, however even the 50ASA option is not too bad though you would require a lot of post working and you’d have quite a noticeable size grain.

Horses for courses as they say, but I’m going down the +1 stop overexposure route for the next film.

I found a little local photo store here in Leicestershire called Classic photo supplies, who specialise in all film processing, supply, printing and Sundry items. The owner Brett invited me in and we just chatted classic photography whilst my film was developing. He’s a super guy, and I’m all for supporting small businesses, so this is my new go to lab. The scans were done and over to me by email within an hour, super quick service. I’ll pick the negatives up in the week when I drop off another film to be developed and scanned.

Thanks for passing by. As always I am honoured by your presence.

Thanks. For your time.

Canon AE1 35mm SLR

A sympathetic restoration of a 70s classic camera.

This is a Canon AE1 that was produced around May 1977. I know this because of the date code within the spool area where the film sits. Seeing these units were produced between 1976 – 1984 this particular unit is quite an early one. It is currently 48 years old and looking very good.

This camera is part of a batch of cameras recently received from a good friend of mine Jon, who has been in the photography business for more years than he cares to remember… it’s a big number and that’s all I’m saying. I did discuss his very kind donation here: Cameras…i need more!

How did you date this camera?

Surprisingly quite easy. There is a number on most Canon cameras externally, and contrary to belief this is not the ID number, the id number we require is inside the camera, printed in the film spool bay in a very dark ink. You have to position it in the light to view it properly.

The number can consist of 4 or more digits. In my case the number is R519. If you go to this site by a guy called Bob Atkinson he has a chart here that explains how to source the date of your Canon Camera or lens: Bob Atkins Photography- Date codes

So using Bobs code the letter “R” refers to the year of manufacture and in this case represents 1977 or 2003 (the dates were recycled when they reached the end of the alphabet) seeing this camera’s production run was between 1976 – 1984, “R” in this case represents 1977. The next two digits represent the month of manufacture, and occasionally in months 1-9 the preceding zero was omitted. In my case considering the number 51 does not represent a Month, the zero was omitted in my case therefore making the month of manufacture “05” hence month 5 – May. So this unit was more than likely produced in May 1977. Occasionally there would be a final letter such as an “F” that would represent the factory it was made in. “F “ would have been the factory in Fukushima. See, that’s how I dated this unit. Check Bob’s site out and date your Canon equipment.

Anyway, here’s a little history about this superb little camera:

The Canon AE-1 is a 35 mm single-lens reflex (SLR) film camera for use with interchangeable lenses, manufactured by Canon Camera K. K. (today Canon Incorporated) in Japan from April 1976 to 1984. It uses an electromagnetically controlled, horizontal cloth focal plane shutter, with a speed range of 2 to 1/1000 second plus Bulb and flashX-sync of 1/60 second. The camera body is 87 mm tall, 141 mm wide, and 48 mm deep; it weighs 590 g. Most are silver, with black grip and chrome trim, but some are black with chrome trim.

Its name refers to the fact that it is an electronic camera using aperture control for automatic exposure. The AE-1 is the first SLR containing a digital integrated circuit, which allowed Canon to integrate more functionality while making the camera smaller.Both the digitally-controlled automatic exposure and the small size helped to make the camera a success: backed by a major advertising campaign, the AE-1 sold over 5.7 million units, which made it an unprecedented success in the SLR market.

Wikipedia

So there is a lot of them about, but it’s rarer now to find one in a good condition. I think I have one that is in a good condition, has very slight signs of ageing (Patina) and shouldn’t take too much effort to get it working again.

Let’s have a closer look at my inherited camera.

Assessment:

It’s been in storage within a foam lined metal box for a few years and this appears to have assisted in maintaining its overall good quality. There are a few slight signs of wear that are present as you would expect with a camera that has been well used but cared for, but there are no major dinks or signs of bits being broken. It has been loved.

Looking at the shell all the buttons are doing what they should, it’s a bit dusty and grubby and looking through the viewfinder you can see a lot of dust in the view, but I believe this is just dust on the mirror, or at least I hope so.

The camera has attached to it a Canon power winder “A” and this does not work, it has serious corrosion that I suspect that has gone behind the contacts and will need dismantling, cleaning and rebuilding. I will cover this activity in a separate post, whilst this one covers the camera and is a separate activity.

Anyway back to the camera. The wind lever seems to be locked, it can’t be cocked. The shutter doesn’t fire but there does seem to be movement in the exposure meter in the viewfinder but it seems erratic, not quite as it should be. I have a feeling and in fact I’m quite confident it is an electrical issue, as with the Canon A1, a bad power source would render the entire camera useless.

Repair:

With my suspicions about the electrical element on this camera the first thing I did was to do a battery check in the camera. This camera has one cell in it, mounted on the front face just to the right hand side of the lens in a small chamber. It is a 6v lithium battery. I suspect this one has been in place many years.

To check the battery power you look through the viewfinder at the light meter to the right of your field of view and depress the little black button on the top left of the viewfinder on top of the camera.

As you can see above, when you push the little battery check button the needle on the exposure meter moves. It may settle, it may move about, but the battery should be indicating below the 5.6 level to prove it has life, this battery is indicating dead. Let’s confirm that on an external battery checker for confirmation.

And I think that confirms things for us that this old battery is dead. Fortunately I have plenty of replacements available so I just put a new one in to see what happens.

The new battery is in place and now you can see the indication has dipped well below 5.6 indicating a healthy battery supply. I push the shutter button and it fires perfectly. Power has been restored.

The lens on this camera is pretty much the stock issue FD 50mm. I have removed it and exposed it to high lighting levels to see if there are any imperfections and I’m pleased to say there are none. No Mould or fungus build up, I must admit my friend who passed this on to me has stored it perfectly. Apart from a little dust build up, I was able to use a lens cloth on both the lens and mirror and the issue was sorted in minutes, not that it was ever an issue really.

I’ve used a dummy film and the carriage works fine, the lens apertures all react smoothly, and the shutter speed’s respond as they should. There is no shutter scream or lag, and everything seems just right. After spending a good few hours going through the instruction manual and checking all its functions I am happy it is doing just what it should. It is very rare to find such a good condition of camera that requires very little maintenance. It’s a credit to the previous owner.

This is a sympathetic restoration. I’m leaving it looking as it is. I’m not fixing something that isn’t broken, and I will attend to it with lubrication and maintenance as and when it is needed. I will very soon run a roll of film through and see just what comes back as a result. I have a number of films here that are now 20 years out of date so there could be some interesting results.

Result:

The camera has cleaned up beautifully after a good deep clean and polish. I have a superb little example of a well loved and well used retro superstar of the late 70s. In perfect working order and ready once again to be used for what it was designed for. Taking great photographs.

As stated I’m going to run a film through and I will post the results on here whenever I get the time to do so. See the test results here: 20yr old Kodak Gold

My plan is to have this displayed in a case in my workroom alongside my Canon A1 when I have completed its repair. I took up photography in the period of time that these cameras were produced, and they hold great memories and sentimentality for me. They come from a time when cameras had style and innovation, before they all started to look the same, quality and style, it’s what’s missing today.

For someone like me that loves old cameras, I think these are superb and will always hold a place in my heart.

Thank you for passing by, it’s always very much appreciated.

Asssesment:

Repair:

Result:

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200ASA

100ASA (+1 stop overexposed)

50ASA (+2 stops overexposed)

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How did you date this camera?

Assessment:

Repair:

Result:

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