The black AE-1 has the same important AE-1 shooting experience but with a more understated, collector-friendly finish. It feels a little more serious than the common chrome version.

No. The difference is finish and feel, not the exposure system. You still get Canon FD mount, shutter-priority automation and manual-focus operation.

Choose it if you want the iconic AE-1 but care about aesthetics and collectability. It is especially nice if you like a low-key all-black camera on a strap.

It helped bring electronically controlled SLRs into the mainstream and became one of the best-known film cameras ever made.

Protect the black finish from rough bags and check battery contacts regularly. A clean, tested black AE-1 is both a shooter and a good-looking object.