Canon AE-1, 1981. Front view, angled to right, no lens.

Canon AE-1 c.1981

This is a special SLR (Single-lens Reflex) camera because it is the first to come out with a built in microprocessor—a big step toward the digital age. Digital technology revolutionized not only cameras but the world of photography—changing the way we take, store, share and even edit or change photographs (techniques that were not accessible to the everyday amateur photographer).