Canon AE-1 Program
[circa 1981]

The AE-1 Program was introduced 5 years after the AE-1. The difference being that the Program model offered fully automatic exposure control by selecting both the optimum aperture and shutter speed depending on the lens mounted and the available lighting conditions. Complete manual control of exposure settings are also available (but not with the battery removed). The AE-1was the first camera produced with a microprocessor . Software controlled cameras are now the norm and produce more accurate results. The bonus for camera manufacturers is that fewer mechanical parts are required in this type of camera. The computing power of the AE-1 exceeded that of the lunar lander.

Nikon FA
[1983 - 1989]

The Nikon FA was the most advanced manual Nikon ever made. The first camera ever to have matrix metering (the exposure meter reads several areas of the scene and computer software selects the correct aperture and shutter speed). This was also the first Nikon with programmed exposure control. Nikon also incorporated a small notch in the lens mounting flange to send a signal to the system indicating the speed of the lens. The metering system could also be switched to center weighted as well as AE priority, shutter priority auto exposure and manual. The camera is shown here mounted with Nikon PB-5 Bellows and a 55 mm Micro lens. This combination allows for extreme close-up photography, ideal for scientific and nature photos.