5 Frames with a Canon A-1 and Ilford FP4 – Alessia Becheri

As you can see, these shots are quite simple and don’t have much in common. To me, though, they have a precious value; in fact they represent the first time I ever shot using a Canon A-1 and a black & white film. That’s why I’d like to tell you about my experience.

I got interested in analog photography last summer, but the Canon A-1 entered my life only in November. The camera seemed practically new, but the man who sold it wasn’t even sure it was functional. I bought it anyway, encouraged by the amazing bargain. Luckily, the camera worked. I’ve loved it since the second I lay eyes on it (or “her”, if we want to make it even more romantic).

If I had to describe Canon A-1 in a few words, I’d say it’s complete, fairly professional and totally cool. It has everything an analog-lover like me needs. It has shutter priority with speeds from 1/1000 to 30 and Bulb, aperture priority, and an ASA selection from 6 to 12800. It also that cool square slot on the back that allows you to put a bit of the film box in to remind you what film you loaded, and that makes me feel like a real devoted-to-photography hipster… It’s quite heavy though, and not very comfortable to carry around, but it’s definitely worth the pain!

I was so curious to try it that as soon as I got home I put my newest Ilford FP4 film in it. I was sparkling with joy. I really wanted to see how the fine grain and the tones of this film would come out. I read a lot about Ilford films’ great quality and I’ve always noticed that this particular Ilford is considered the most flexible and easy to handle; I thought it would have been perfect for a beginner.

Unfortunately, as we learn from good old Spider-man: “with great power comes great responsibility”. What came out wasn’t totally perfect. As you can see from the pictures, some light leaked into the camera due to the failure of that little spongy coating on the inside. Of course, it’s easily reparable. I brought it to a specialized shop for a repair, and now it’s completely fixed and roaring. Anyway, besides the little inconvenience, I loved the sharpness of the lens and the shooting performance. I now consider it my precious jewel. I’m so glad the lovely Canon A-1 is part of my collection!

If you want to know more about my photography and my life, go take a look on my instagram profile @alessiaabecheri. Sometimes, I also post on my WordPress blog which you can find it here: angolidimemoria.wordpress.com

Thank you so much for the interest on my post, sending you my biggest hug!
Alessia

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