Require an advice for using Canon AE-1 camera.

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Hi, I am very fresh in photography world. I have purchased Canon AE-1 camera with Canon FD 70x210mm/f4 zoom lens and Makinon FD 28x135mm/f zoom lens. I need help in knowing following things: 1) I will like to know how I shall take care of my camera in order to keep it in good condition for longer time. What are the good maintenance and cleaning procedures needed to be followed? 2) My both lenses are having a Macro setting on it. I do not know how to use this settings properly. I reviewed numbers of articles on internet, specifically article on Macro photography in photo.net. According to this article it says that "Macro zoom lenses are not macro lenses". I will really like to know true function of my lenses . I have tried to get instruction manuals for these two lens, yet not successful in getting that.

Can I get good help me in understanding above points?

Thanks in advance.

Minal

-- Minal Samel (minalsamel@hotmail.com), January 13, 2000

Answers

Minal,

To take care of your camera, do not leave it in places with temperature extremes, either hot or cold. Inside a trunk or closed car in the sun can be VERY hot. Do not get it wet, a light sprinkle or dampness will not kill it, but no heavy rains. Keep it clean. A wipe with a damp cloth and use of a blower brush is enough. No cleaning solvents.

WRT macro lenses, true macro is a reporduction ratio of 1 to 1 or greater. That is, the image on the film is the same size or larger than the actual object. Not the picture, but the film image.

Macro zooms, do not do that. What they do, is to allow you to focus closer than a non-macro zoom. So you can get closer and get a larger image on the film. Not 1 to 1, but maybe 1 to 4 (image is 1/4 the size of the object). For many people this is fine.

Also true macro lenses tend to be better corrected for flat field images. This is because they are used to copy printed material as well as slides and negatives, all of which are flat.

-- Terry Carraway (TCarraway@compuserve.com), January 13, 2000.


get rid of the mackinon zoom and get yourself a nice Canon FD 50mm lens.

-gb

-- GB (lesabre3800@yahoo.com), March 21, 2002.


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