# Canon AE-1 light meter



## rookieshot (Jan 5, 2013)

I'm new to the forum, so I am not sure if this is the correct thread or is such a question can be asked since its in regards to such an old camera. I started to shoot with the AE-1, and dont think I have the light metering system down. I noticed that when i change the aperture the metering system is not affected, but when i turn on the depth of view button then the aperture affects the light meter. This causes me to over and under expose some pictures. In a nutshell, could someone be kind enough to explain how the metering works with and without the depth of view. THANKS!


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## rpt (Jan 5, 2013)

Frankly I never used that button. I always read off the DOF scale on the lens. However, may be you need to read these responses. Probably has to do with the advancing of the film...

http://photo.net/filters-bags-tripods-accessories-forum/00EfuK
http://www.flickr.com/groups/canonae1/discuss/72157617835058517/

Here is another link that is like a manual...
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/SLRs/ae1/basic5.htm


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## rookieshot (Jan 6, 2013)

Thanks for the links/responses, i appreciate it.


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## rpt (Jan 6, 2013)

privatebydesign said:


> The AE-1 is shutter speed priority auto exposure only. You set the shutter speed and it will set the aperture. If you have taken the lens off the A setting, by pushing the little button next to it, then you are in manual and you have to set both shutter speed and aperture.
> 
> To use the camera auto mode correctly just put the lens on A and adjust the shutter speed until the meter needle on the right hand side in the viewfinder lines up with the aperture you want.
> 
> The meter does not work effectively when you press the DOF preview button, it is just for assessing dof.


That is correct. One more thing, to shoot in *A* mode, change the aperture to the widest and then to *A*. I do it twice to ensure it set, but then that is me and my faith in Murphy...


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## Danielle (Jan 6, 2013)

It's a straight centre weighted meter. The meter or needle in the viewfinder reads your aperture stops. Matching the needle to your f stop on your lens will give you what it suggested as your best exposure at the point you metered from. If you change your shutter speed the needle will point to a different point on its scale. The aperture stop you put your lens has no bearing on the meter, shutter speed does.

Once you've set your camera at the spot you want to meter from, you may re frame but do so ignoring a possible change in that needle. It's not fancy how it works, but it does work. You'll have to use plus and minus compensation to your own knowledge with that system.

Hope that helps a little. I'm talking about manual mode here.


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## paul13walnut5 (Jan 6, 2013)

Very quick history lesson: Old cameras used to stop down as you changed the aperture, fine for taking, not fine for focus and composition checks, as the viewfinder would become darker, the more you stopped down.

In the mid sixties cameras started to appear with full aperture metering through the lens. Through couplings on the cameras aperture ring you could stop the lens down, and the meter would compensate, but the aperture would stay open, so that the viewfinder was nice and bright to assist focus / composition. The aperture diaphragm would close with the exposure.

If you are metering during depth of field preview and using this as the exposure guide, you are reducing exposure drastically.

Trust the camera. Use dof_preview for checking depth of field, nothing else.

On some FD type cameras the stop down button has two positions.

One for stop down preview, and one for stop down lock.

This was required for the FD series because some cameras and lenses pre-dated full aperture TTL.


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