Canon AE-1 Manual page 36

Although looks complicating, but the AE-1 has a very modular construction.
There are five main modules in 1) Viewfinder Unit, 2) Shutter Unit, 3) Mirror Unit, 4) AE
Aperture Unit, 5) Automatic Diaphragm Unit
The key advantages of a modular construction are: streamline processing and assembly,
improved durability, better precision and most important of all, decreased cost of production.
But as earlier days of electronic cameras, most users regarded these as 'unrepairable'
components and differ from mechanical bodies which can look for replacement of individual
parts. Well, all modern electronic cameras are made this way now, even the most hardcore
users have accepted the fact...
The AE-1was designed from the ground up with five major units and twenty-five minor units.
They were centrally controlled by a microcomputer. The major advantage of automation in
the camera design and thus followed by manufacturing process is: by incorporating
electronics, the parts count in a camera will be greatly reduced as compared with an
mechanical camera, the AE-1, in this case, could be reduced by 300. The manufacturing of the
camera was also highly automated. This made it possible to produce a low-cost camera having
high-end features. The record sales of 5 million units attributed by a combination of variable
factors set by the AE-1 will be long remembered and chances of breaking by another model is
very slim.
Some technical info:
•
You can lock the stop-down lever at the stopped-down position when you're set to a
manual f/stop setting (Note: It can only be used at manual f stop settings). You can
then use the FL lenses with stopped-down metering. Suppose that your diaphragm-
setting ring is at "A" and you decide to use the depth-of-field preview. You turn the
diaphragm-setting ring to a manual setting and push in the stop-down lever. But before
you return the diaphragm-setting ring to the "A" position, set the largest aperture.
Otherwise, the camera won't program the aperture automatically.
•
The backlight control button automatically opens up 1.5 f stop overexposure as
compensation for backlighted subject.
•
The self-timer function delays the shutter release for 10 seconds. During the selftimer
operation, the self-timer LED flashes on and off twice a second (2 Hz).
•
There are two warning LED's visible through the finder. If you're set to a manual
f/stop, the LED at the top of the aperture scale flashes on and off as you start
depressing the release button. The LED then illuminates the letter "M" for "manual. "