Canon, PLEASE just make a digital AE-1

Look, Canon, you know it makes sense. Retro cameras are unbelievably in vogue right now.  From classically styled compacts like the Panasonic Lumix L10 to wholesale retro pastiches like the Fujifilm X half with its wind-on lever, manufacturers and photographers alike are rediscovering the joys of an old-school approach to photography. 

However, one manufacturer that hasn’t yet hopped on the train is Canon. As Ian Howorth recently argued on this very blog, both Canon and Nikon owe a lot to their film roots – with the EF and F-mount DSLR lines having their beginnings in the film era. You could take a Canon EF-mount lens made in 1987, and with a simple adapter, use it on an EOS R camera that rolled off the production line last week. That’s a hell of a rich legacy.

I’m telling you, Canon, the time is right. The people demand it. It’s time to make a digital Canon AE-1 for the 2020s. The AE-1, for those who don’t know, is one of the greatest analogue SLRs ever made, pairing a timeless, high-quality design with easy-to-use controls and an affordable price. You can find them used from second-hand sellers today, however, since it pre-dates the EF mount, the AE-1 doesn’t quite have the easy utility of later EOS film SLRs like the EOS 500.

So, I think it’s time for a refresh. A new Canon AE-1 for a new age. And while I’m wishing for things, here are the features that I want to see…

Film-style looks

Fujifilm is hugely popular for its amazing Film Simulations – analogue-style looks applied to images in-camera, imitating classic film stocks like Provia, Velvia and Acros. Other manufacturers have gotten in on this act too: OM System has its Art Filters, and newer Panasonic Lumix cameras, more focused on video, have their in-camera LUTs.

Canon hasn’t really followed suit – yes, its digital cameras offer “Picture Styles”, but these aren’t quite the same thing, and they’re nowhere near as involved (or, frankly, as good-looking) as Fuji’s Film Simulations. 

You know what would be the perfect way to debut a new set of Canon-made film-style looks? On a new digital AE-1, that’s where!

Sure, raw-shooting purists will likely never touch them. But it’s a fact that a lot of photographers prefer to shoot in JPEG for the speed and convenience, and also sometimes because they just aren’t interested in spending hours in Lightroom. Film-style looks make shooting in JPEG fun, varied, and dare I say it, cool – and I would LOVE to see them on a retro-styled, Canon-made digital camera.

Ditch the screen!

Okay, this takes a bit of bravery, but hear me out. Screen-free cameras are getting more and more popular! As well as the aforementioned X Half, we’ve seen breakout hits like the Camp Snap and the RewindPix, the latter of which raised more than $1.1 million on Kickstarter. Clearly, there is an appetite for a purer photographic experience.

Canon, let me be clear. The new digital AE-1 – that you’re definitely now scribbling down ideas for because we’re not even finished with the blog and I’ve already convinced you to – it doesn’t need a screen! You can save some money and space, and just get rid. Embrace that analogue-style sense of the unknown, force users to be present in the moment by relying on the viewfinder. 

Lose the screen. Don’t need it. If we’re going retro, we’re going in two-footed.

One for the photographers

Canon’s offering for video shooters is extremely comprehensive – I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the best in the business. Just recently we’ve seen the arrival of the Canon EOS R6 V, a comprehensive solution for content creators, videographers and filmmakers alike. Respectfully, those guys are covered.

What I’m saying is… this digital AE-1 that you’ve already done some mockups of due to how convincing these arguments have been, it can be one for the photographers. That’s really going to be the main audience for this camera. I’m not saying the camera can’t shoot video, as it’s a useful feature to have in one’s back pocket. But let’s make it more like a Fujifilm X-T5, which shoots video and does it well, but we all know who it’s really for. 

Come on, Canon. Let’s make it happen. Let’s make 2027 the year of the digital AE-1. 

About the Author

Jon Stapley is a London-based freelance writer and journalist who covers photography, art and technology. When not writing about cameras, Jon is a keen photographer who captures the world using his Olympus XA2. His creativity extends to works of fiction and other creative writing, all of which can be found on his website www.jonstapley.com