I’m going to follow my usual practice of linking a more detailed review rather than trying to do my own. After all why repeat what’s already been done by others. So for a detailed review see: CANON EOS 5/A2(E) QD (Quartz Date). Mine does not have the eye auto focus, and I don’t miss it. I’ve tried it on my Canon EOS Elan IIe and didn’t like it at all. After a brief trial I turned it off. It seemed to me that it was more of a gimmick then anything else. Nor does it have the data back. I don’t miss that either. Otherwise the camera in the review and the camera I have are the same.

I came across this camera for a very reasonable price. I didn’t really want another camera body, but I was interested in the two lenses that came with it, thinking that I could use them on my other camera bodies.

I came across another review that said:

And when the EOS A2 came out, there was no doubt that this was the modern version of the prosumer or advanced amateur Canon A-1. And while the A2 is a solid camera, an excellent way to get into 35mm film photography for a Canon Digital Shooter (Providing you have a line of EF Mount Lenses), the A2 is another ‘k-car’ camera. It does the job, but it’s just boring. It takes great photos, but it does nothing else of note.

It’s now several months since I used the camera and have to say that I can’t remember anything outstanding about it. It’s a small, relatively light camera that was a pleasure to use. I was keen to try it out and shot an entire 36 exposure roll in a short period of time at Sleepy Hollow cemetery. Everything just worked without me having to think about it a lot. Isn’t that about the best thing you can say about a camera.

The second review I mentioned went on to say:

Just because a camera is boring, doesn’t mean it’s a bad camera. The Maxxum 5000 is both boring and bad, but the EOS A2 is boring, but a solid machine that produces decent [photographs]. Despite looking like a Minolta, the A2 is solid in hand, excellent ergonomics in landscape orientation… with all the controls well laid out and easy to operate even for a Nikon shooter…The camera operates how you would expect it to and produces fantastic images, with a great meter, and a solid line of EF lenses to back it up. And as an accessible camera the A2 shines, if you shoot a Canon digital EOS camera and have EF lenses you can grab an A2 and run with it, and it won’t let you down. It also makes for a great second fiddle to your pro body.

I’m very pleased with my purchase.

Taken with a Sony A6000 and Canon 50mm f1.4 LTM (I think).