New Week Different Camera – Canon A-1

This week’s “New Week Different Camera” is a Canon A-1. I’ve used this camera about a year ago after I got it but thought I should give it a go again. 

What is the camera: The Canon A-1 was an advanced amateur / prosumer manual focus FD-mount 35mm SLR. The camera was introduced in 1978 and manufactured until 1985. It was preceded by the Canon EF and replaced by the Canon T90. It was considered the 1st SLR that had all 4 exposure modes (P, A, S, M or P, Av, Tv, M in Canon speak). Competitive equivalents of the time were the Nikon FE, Minolta XD-11, Pentax ME Super and the Olympus OM-2N to name a few

Where did I get the camera: I purchased the Canon A-1 (body only) at Roberts Camera “as-is” during their August 2025 Tent Sale. Roberts has a bi-annual Tent Sale (also called a Garage Sale) to sell excess inventory / unloved / “parts only” cameras and accessories. They either sell items on a set price or by “box”. They offer different sizes of boxes and you pay a fixed price for the box. Anything that fits into the box only costs the price of the box.  

I got the A-1 along with 31 other camera bodies I was able to fit into 4 boxes.

One note, about ½ of the cameras of the 32-camera lot ended up being unusable (which was expected).

How much did it cost: Each box was $25 so I spent $100 for the 32 cameras so the A-1 worked out to be just over $3.

Key features:

• Canon FD lens mount (there are many affordable FD lenses available)
• All 4 exposure modes (P, A, S & M) – I used P mode
• Shutter speeds from 30s – 1/1000 including B
• Flash sync speed of 1/60 
• Shutter button lock
• Convenient battery check light
• TTL center weighted metering
• LED red exposure display at bottom of viewfinder (speed & aperture)
• ISO range from 6 – 12,800
• Uses LR44 batteries (6v total)
• All metal body
• Exposure compensation dial

Plus / Negatives based on my experience: 

Pros = good looking all black camera, easy to use in all exposure modes, excellent ISO range, easy to find and affordable lens selections  

Negatives = LED speed and aperture readout in viewfinder is sometimes hard to see in bright settings, won’t work without batteries, flash sync speed is too slow to be used with studio lights at typical light settings, top speed is reasonable but not as fast as later SLR’s & develops the typical Canon SLR shutter “squeal” (mine has it).

Thoughts / Will I use it again: Overall, a great-looking capable camera! It has all the features I use for street and casual photography. The viewfinder is bright and the light meter on my version is true. I have all the lenses I normally use for SLR’s (28, 35 & 50mm) so I can use the A-1 in most settings I prefer. The main downside on my version is the shutter squeal is very noticeable so limits its use as a street photography camera. I will definitely use the A-1 again.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Images:

Kentmere 400

Kentmere 400

Kentmere 400

Kentmere 400

Kentmere 400

Kentmere 400

Kentmere 400

Kentmere 400

Kodak 5302

Kodak 5302

Fomapan 200

Fomapan 200

Fomapan 200

Fomapan 200

Fomapan 200

Fomapan 200

Fomapan 200

Ricoh KR-5 Super II SLR

I purchased a Ricoh KR-5 Super II SLR from Roberts Camera's annual Tent Sale this year. At the tent sale all equipment is purchased "as-is" which means there is no guarantee the equipment works. However, the prices are so low (purchased by volume) it's work the risk. 

I mounted a Pentax f/1.2 50mm lens and added a battery. The camera worked including the light meter. 

Here are a few specs and what I like / dislike about the camera. The Ricoh KR-5 Super II is a fully manual, manual focus SLR using a Pentax K mount lenses. Based on information I read it was considered an "affordable, student camera".

Features:

• Shutter speed from bulb to 1/2000,
• Flash sync speed of 1/125
• Manual ISO between 25-1600
• Manual "split screen" focusing
• Shutter operates without a battery, but the meter uses a standard LR44 / SR44 styled battery
• + o - style light meter
• Shutter release lock 

I tested the KR-5 with a couple of rolls of film. I found the camera is on the small side so somewhat awkward to hold. It's also very light weight and plasticky. However, if you like all manual, light weight cameras with all needed features then this is a camera for you. I consider this camera the plastic cousin to the more robust Pentax K1000.

Here are images from the test rolls of Kentmere 400.

I found with my Ricoh KR-5 Super II that many images are VERY soft. Not sure if this is the lens or the camera (focus slightly off?). However,  it's a nice looking camera that covers all the bases.

Nikon N90s 35mm SLR Film Camera

 

I recently purchased a Nikon N90s from Used Photo Pro in Indianapolis, sold in “as-is” condition. UPP has a section in their store dedicated to working film cameras and lenses, but these items come with no warranty. That’s because many of them have one or more issues—something might not work properly, or the gear may show significant cosmetic wear. In exchange for these caveats, prices are fixed and budget-friendly. A camera body typically runs around $25.

The N90s I purchased was fully functional except for one flaw: the top LCD screen was burned out. Fortunately, settings were still visible through the viewfinder, but the lack of a working top LCD display was a definite compromise. However, this body came with the MB-10 vertical battery grip, which made it worth purchasing.

I ran 2–3 rolls through the camera without issue, but I found the missing LCD confirmation annoying—especially when trying to verify or setting up metering modes, non-DX ISO settings, and exposure programs. Because of this, I didn’t put the N90s into my regular shooting rotation.

Then, a few days ago, I spotted another “as-is” N90s body at UPP. Mechanically it looked sound, though it had heavy cosmetic wear. The big plus? The LCD screen worked! I bought it and swapped over the MB-10 grip from the earlier body.

I took the newer N90s out for a street photography and really enjoyed the experience and using the N90s. It’s fast, comfortable in the hand, and loaded with features making it a really nice camera to use. Some key specs include:

·       Lens mount: Nikon F-mount

·       Autofocus: Fast and accurate with single, continuous, and manual modes

·       Shutter speeds: Bulb, 30 seconds up to 1/8000

·       Flash sync: Up to 1/250 sec—ideal for studio strobes and consistent with many digital studio setups

·       Motor drive: Built-in, with film advance up to 4 FPS

·       Exposure modes: Program (P), Shutter priority (S), Aperture priority (A), Manual (M)

·       Metering: Matrix, center-weighted, and spot

·       Viewfinder: Bright and easy to work with

·       Custom settings: 17 user-configurable functions

·       Power: 4 AA batteries

The Nikon N90s was produced in Japan from 1994 to 2001. At the time, it was considered Nikon’s top-tier enthusiast camera—sitting just below the professional-level Nikon F4. It was eventually succeeded by the more advanced Nikon F100.

Here are photos taken with my Nikon N90s using Ilford HP5+ and Kentmere 400:

Ilford Kentmere 400 developed with Kodak D-76 1+1

Ilford HP5+ developed with Kodak D-76 1+1