This is the Canon AE-1D. No, it’s not Canon’s latest retro-styled DSLR. It is an old Canon film camera hollowed out and stuffed with an Ixus 870 IS. It’s also the best hack I have seen this week.
The Canon AE-1 was a classic. First made in 1976, it went on to sell around 5 million units. It featured manual-everything, with the addition of a shutter-priority mode and an electronically controlled shutter. I never owned one, but I have used plenty, and it was a beautiful old camera.
This mod takes on of those 5 million bodies and makes room for the tiny modern digicam. The shutter is connected to the old mechanical shutter release, the opening film-back is replaced by the LCD screen and buttons, and it appears that the lens has been trimmed somewhat, presumably to prevent vignetting. The hack even adds a hinged hatch in the bottom for replacing the battery. Sadly, the viewfinder has been lost, but the camera has gained a pop-up flash.
Many people like the idea of just dropping a digital sensor into an old film SLR, giving the fantastically intuitive controls of a shutter dial and aperture ring and light, tough body, along with access to lots of old manual lenses. This mod, by an unknown hacker, comes as close as we’re ever likely to get. Now where’s my Dremel? Video below.
Clever Canon AE-1 Program Digital Mod [PetaPixel]
Canon AE-1 D [Canon Rumors]
Gallery/Discussion [DP Review Forums]
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