<s>
The	O
Canon	B-Algorithm
A-1	I-Algorithm
is	O
an	O
advanced-level	O
single-lens	B-Algorithm
reflex	I-Algorithm
(	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
)	O
35	O
mm	O
film	O
camera	O
for	O
use	O
with	O
interchangeable	O
lenses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
most	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
of	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
available	O
in	O
only	O
one	O
color	O
;	O
all	O
black	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
introductory	O
US	O
list	O
price	O
for	O
the	O
body	O
plus	O
Canon	B-Algorithm
FD	I-Algorithm
50mm	O
f/1.4	O
SSC	O
lens	O
was	O
$625	O
;	O
the	O
camera	O
body	O
was	O
generally	O
sold	O
with	O
a	O
30	O
–	O
40%	O
discount	O
(	O
roughly	O
$375	O
to	O
$435	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
to	O
offer	O
an	O
electronically	O
controlled	O
programmed	O
autoexposure	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
Minolta	B-Algorithm
XD	I-Algorithm
came	O
out	O
in	O
1977	O
with	O
electronic	O
control	O
exposure	O
modes	O
,	O
specifically	O
Aperture	B-Algorithm
Priority	I-Algorithm
,	O
Shutter	B-Algorithm
Priority	I-Algorithm
,	O
Full	O
Manual	O
modes	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
an	O
"	O
off	O
the	O
modev	O
dial	O
"	O
full	O
program	O
exposure	O
mode	O
,	O
the	O
Canon	B-Algorithm
A-1	I-Algorithm
offered	O
"	O
Program	O
"	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
A-1	O
accepts	O
any	O
lens	O
with	O
the	O
Canon	B-Algorithm
FD	I-Algorithm
breech	O
lock	O
mount	B-Algorithm
(	O
introduced	O
in	O
1971	O
)	O
or	O
Canon	O
New	O
FD	O
pseudo-bayonet	O
mount	B-Algorithm
(	O
sometimes	O
called	O
the	O
FDn	O
mount	B-Algorithm
,	O
introduced	O
1979	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
excludes	O
all	O
of	O
Canon	O
's	O
EF	B-Application
bayonet	I-Application
mount	I-Application
autofocus	O
lenses	O
(	O
introduced	O
in	O
1987	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
late	O
1970s	O
and	O
the	O
1980s	O
,	O
there	O
were	O
approximately	O
55	O
Canon	B-Algorithm
FD	I-Algorithm
lenses	O
available	O
for	O
purchase	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Accessories	O
for	O
the	O
A-1	O
included	O
the	O
Canon	O
motor	B-Algorithm
drive	I-Algorithm
MA	O
(	O
automatic	O
film	O
advance	O
up	O
to	O
5	O
frames	O
per	O
second	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
Canon	O
Databack	O
A	O
(	O
sequential	O
numbering	O
or	O
date	O
stamping	O
on	O
the	O
film	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Canon	O
Speedlight	O
155A	O
(	O
guide	O
number	O
56/17	O
(	O
feet/meters	O
)	O
at	O
ASA/ISO	O
100	O
)	O
and	O
Canon	O
Speedlight	O
199A	O
(	O
guide	O
number	O
98/30	O
(	O
feet/meters	O
)	O
at	O
ASA/ISO	O
100	O
)	O
electronic	O
flashes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
A-1	O
is	O
a	O
battery-powered	O
(	O
one	O
4LR44	O
or	O
PX-28	O
)	O
microprocessor-controlled	O
manual-focus	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
with	O
manual	O
exposure	O
control	O
or	O
shutter	B-Algorithm
priority	I-Algorithm
,	O
aperture	B-Algorithm
priority	I-Algorithm
or	O
programmed	O
autoexposure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
differs	O
from	O
aperture	B-Algorithm
priority	I-Algorithm
in	O
which	O
the	O
aperture	O
is	O
not	O
closed	O
until	O
a	O
photograph	O
is	O
taken	O
and	O
the	O
shutter	O
speed	O
is	O
calculated	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
light	O
measured	O
through	O
the	O
fully	O
open	O
aperture	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
A-1	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
to	O
have	O
all	O
four	O
of	O
the	O
now	O
standard	O
PASM	B-Algorithm
exposure	O
modes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
focusing	O
screen	O
also	O
has	O
Canon	O
's	O
standard	O
split	O
image	O
rangefinder	B-Algorithm
and	O
microprism	O
collar	O
focusing	O
help	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Beginning	O
with	O
the	O
amateur	O
level	O
Canon	B-Algorithm
AE-1	I-Algorithm
of	O
1976	O
,	O
there	O
was	O
a	O
complete	O
overhaul	O
of	O
the	O
entire	O
Canon	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
line	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
1970s	O
and	O
1980s	O
were	O
an	O
era	O
of	O
intense	O
competition	O
among	O
the	O
major	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
brands	O
:	O
Canon	O
,	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
,	O
Minolta	O
,	O
Pentax	B-Application
and	O
Olympus	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
industry	O
was	O
trying	O
to	O
expand	O
out	O
from	O
the	O
saturated	O
high-end	O
professional	O
market	O
and	O
appeal	O
to	O
the	O
large	O
mass	O
of	O
low-end	O
amateur	O
photographers	O
keen	O
to	O
move	O
up	O
from	O
compact	O
automatic	O
leaf	O
shutter	O
rangefinder	B-Algorithm
cameras	I-Algorithm
to	O
the	O
more	O
"	O
glamorous	O
"	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
but	O
were	O
intimidated	O
by	O
the	O
need	O
to	O
learn	O
all	O
the	O
details	O
of	O
operating	O
a	O
traditional	O
SLR	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
A-1	O
is	O
the	O
high	O
technology	O
standard	O
bearer	O
of	O
the	O
landmark	O
Canon	O
amateur	O
level	O
A-series	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
other	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
A-series	O
are	O
the	O
Canon	B-Algorithm
AE-1	I-Algorithm
(	O
released	O
1976	O
)	O
,	O
AT-1	B-Algorithm
(	O
1977	O
)	O
,	O
AV-1	B-Algorithm
(	O
1979	O
)	O
,	O
AE-1	B-Algorithm
Program	I-Algorithm
(	O
1981	O
)	O
and	O
AL-1	B-Algorithm
(	O
1982	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
A-1	O
represented	O
Canon	O
's	O
bid	O
to	O
defeat	O
Nikon	B-Algorithm
through	O
more	O
features	O
and	O
cheaper	O
pricing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
,	O
as	O
competitors	O
brought	O
out	O
their	O
own	O
programmed	O
SLRs	B-Algorithm
,	O
the	O
A-1	O
began	O
to	O
show	O
its	O
age	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Canon	O
's	O
abandonment	O
of	O
the	O
FD	O
lens	B-Algorithm
mount	I-Algorithm
for	O
the	O
EOS	O
design	O
also	O
had	O
a	O
significant	O
effect	O
on	O
demand	O
for	O
the	O
A-1	O
on	O
the	O
used	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
