Canon AE-1 Battery

Replace the Canon AE-1 battery when the battery test function shows low charge level in the viewfinder. When the charge is insufficient, this camera will not work, and appear as if it has a jammed shutter. The shutter and winder will appear stuck; however, all it requires is a new battery. This is due to the low voltage lockout circuit, which prevents the shutter from releasing if the battery voltage is less than five volts.

On the battery compartment door, there is a sticker, which states, "Use only silver oxide battery." This camera uses a special 6 V cell, which I managed to buy from eBay. Unfortunately, the only thing I could afford was a modern alkaline cell going by the name 4LR44, so I decided to get that.

More information is available in the owner’s manual Canon AE-1 Loading the Battery, which shows how to open the compartment door without breaking it. There are also a number of useful pages, which show the compatible battery types.

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