Analog street photography
The Canon Ae1
The Canon AE-1 is a 35 mm camera from the 70’s /80’s, a SLR classic camera with an impressive history. The model I got was the classic AE-1, launched in 1976 and that sold over 4 million units in less than 5 years, this makes it one of Canon’s all time best sellers, if not No. 1. In the past I used to like shooting in the streets with a Rangefinder camera ( Leica M for example). The image quality is usually higher, everything looks more crisp and the camera is usually lighter, but since I have been using DSLR cameras for many years and I am used to the focus system and shape, I stayed loyal this time to the SLR. After a long time I wanted to get this camera, I was able to find it on eBay. I saw it was in an excellent condition and got it at a bargain price, less than 50 euros. After purchasing a battery (Varta 4LR44 – The Canon AE-1 is a fully electronically controlled camera, and won’t work without battery) and cleaning the body I was ready to start taking pictures. The lens I got with the camera is the Canon 50MM 1.8 which is the standard. It is a great kit lens of the AE-1, using the Canon FD lens mount. I personally LOVE IT and it is relatively versatile and I find it an excellent lens for street photography and portraits.
The Film
What’s nice about the Kodak 200 Gold, is its availability in the days Photographic film became almost a luxury product. In terms of business competition Kodak may not have always read the market accurately, but camera films they knew and still know how to produce well. Kodak’s emulsion creates analog images in the finest sense of the word, very soft and with a clear distinguished visual stamp. I loaded the film and went out to test it and take some “Old but Gold” pictures.
Locations
Berlin is full of outstanding areas for photography. Even though I have lived here for years I am always surprised when I find a new urban area that seems to me suitable for street photography. My favorite areas are mostly concentrated in East Berlin. Unique Soviet architecture in a distinctly urban landscape with interesting population distinguishes the Eastern neighborhoods from the rest of Berlin and makes it a favorite area for street photography. Berlin is full of unique places, and I also checked out some of my film in an other area, a market on the banks of the canal which is in Kreuzberg. A beautiful market that gathers many Berliner characters . On ordinary days it is known as the Maybachufer market and the same place changes and becomes a colorful flea market named Nowkoelln Flowmarkt.
Analog Street photography
I don’t know if I mentioned the fact that for a long time I did not do a street photography session only with an analog camera. Technology has filled our lives with digital devices and it has been a long time that I took a digital camera with me everywhere and yet it was a refreshing change to photograph with the Canon in the streets, get used to the manual focus modes again, and work with its (great) light meter.
The camera is relatively heavy compared to the rangefinders and this may bother if you are looking for the effect of “fly on the wall” not to be discovered and photograph discreetly. For all other analog photography lovers who are looking for a real workhorse, an analog camera that does the job and delivers nice results after a short acquaintance with it’s technical specifications – it can definitely be considered. It gives rich images with little work. The lens made in Japan gives an amazing bokeh in open aparture modes ( 2.8/1.8) but which stays relatively sharp even at a closed aperture. I enjoyed shooting with it those days and I will definitely go out for another round at the next opportunity. In the meantime I’ll upload some of the street photography pictures of Berlin that i took with the Canon AE-1 here and I hope you enjoy.
Gallery
Here you can view some of the photos from my session:
