Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: pixman63 on January 23, 2005, 09:40:21 am
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A long-forgotten Kodak of some sort, back in the early 70s. The first serious camera I had wasn't until 1997 though, and was a Sigma SA-5. That lasted a bit over a year until I got frustrated by certain limitations it had (chiefly deadly slow AF response, though the meter was very decent), then a Nikon F5 came along!
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I used a number of cameras before I actually owned one of my own: a Pentax something, a Nikon FM, some type of Minolta.
But my first camera was a Yashica FX-3. I also used a Nikon FM2 in addition to the FX-3, and finally bought a FM3a when it first came out, then an N80 to see if I'd like auto-focus, and then a D70 to see if I'd like digital. Somewhere a Lomo Compact Automatic fits in.
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dlashier, LOL! Actually, I think your hair might have been shorter than mine when we were kids, if you want to talk in mm's.
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I am slightly surprised to see Pentax mentioned more often than any other SLR brand.
Back in the "good old days", Pentax was a solid performer, though never as glamorous as a Nikon, for example.
In 1971 I carried two Pentaxes (one for color slides, one for B&W) on a two-week Sierra Club trip in Sequioa & Kings Canyons National Parks. Others on the trip had Nikons and other fancy gear. Every one of the "better" cameras jammed or froze or broke sometime during the trip, while my modest Pentaxes just kept on going, and going, and . . .
I loved all of my Pentaxes over the years, and it was with some reluctance that I deserted to Canon when I went digital. I suppose part of it was that I found it hard to take seriously a camera whose name nobody could pronounce.
Eric
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I had a Kodak Brownie box camera that my parents gave me when I went to summer camp back in 1957. I think it used 120 film.
The first camera that I bought was a Yashika J3 back in 1964.
The next camera was the one I still own and use, a Honeywell Spotmatic that I bought in 1968.
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I may have taken my first pictures with an Olympus SLR with a silvery body and manual everything, when I was a wee lad of 4 or 5 or 6.
Later, my parents sold it (my mother still regrets that) and bought a compact camera, it may have been a Konica.
And I got a Kodak camera that was Polaroid compatible.
At about the same time, I thought that multiple exposures on the same frame of film would be cool, but of course the compacts didn't support that. I was left dreaming.
We got our second compact, a pretty advanced and expensive Pentax model. It took good pictures for a compact.
And in 1987, someone broke into our home, stole silverware, weapons and the two compacts. My parents decided on the brand new EOS 650 as a replacement for both cameras, the 620 was announced but not available yet. Perceptive that I was, I noticed that the 620 sported a backlit panel and supported multiple exposures, and wasn't that cool. Too late, though.
However, I soon had my triumph, as my grandfather helpfully donated his Eastman Kodak No. 2 Folding Cartridge Hawkeye Model B! Yeah, 120 film was a bit more expensive, larger and impractical compared to 35mm, but who cares? I could do multiple exposures, with a really cool camera!
Needless to say, those multi-exposure shots didn't turn out too well. :)
Next off was a new compact 35mm camera, one of those models that companies used as gifts. It was and is incredibly simple, but it did the trick for holiday pics. Brand? No idea, it's in a drawer somewhere.
That compact hasn't been used since 1999, when I bought my first digicam, after lots of research. I really wanted a Minolta dImage, because that came out best in tests, but ended up with an Agfa ePhoto CL50, because that was available. A huge blob of a "compact", couldn't fit into any shirt pocket I've ever seen, and 1.3 megapixels. It produced adequate holiday pictures, and especially excellent for web.
An ill-advised choice lead me to sell that CL50 later the same year -- to my parents, who kept on using it instead of their EOS 650 until last year (which saw intermittent use during the nineties, by them and me both). You see, I got bitten by the digital video camcorder bug. That lasted a handful or more of tapes, and I sold that one, too.
Back to the stupid, forgotten compact in the drawer, and wait for something better to crop up.
And in 2002, I managed to buy the Canon PowerShot S40. Now that was an excellent buy, and it actually got me started with photography on a hobby basis again.
During 2003, I realized that I wasn't really happy with the quality of compacts. I lusted for better stuff. The last half of 2003 and most of 2004 was spent deliberating and debating what to do.
So in late 2004, I called on my parents and asked to borrow the 650 again; they told me to just take it, had I called the day after, they'd have given it away already ... I wanted to use it to make a decision on whether to use that camera, buy a digital SLR or a new digital compact camera. I bought ISO 800 film for shooting indoor shots, and got the first roll scanned by professionals.
I compared those shots with what I got from the S40 (http://folk.uio.no/jani/hobbies/pool/NC4-B-2004-2005.shtml) from the same lighting conditions at the same place.
That killed film for me, and I nearly ran to the store to get my current 20D.
I'm now just worried that I've started down a path of even greater expenses than any other hobby I've had so far. I see a 1D-series camera purchase looming on the horizon. ;)
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First was a Kodak whatever 126 camera.
The first real camera for 35mm film was a Yashica Electro 35CC.
Then the Contax 139 quartz and Contax ever since.
Now I have a Canon EOS digital and some lenses to be able to shoot digital and use the Zeiss lenses with an adapter.
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My first and only, so far, 35mm is a Canon FTb upon which I spent 100% of my worldly wealth so I could have the 1.4 50mm lens.
Going to have to get it fixed or replaced since the mirror dampening foam etc is deteriorating. Part of me wants to get another one off ebay, another part wants to get a cheap film camera such as a Rebel G2 and part of me says to stick to digital.
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My first was some sort of Kodak, but thats not the real "first Camera"
My first Camera was a Konica T-3 Autoreflex with 28mm, 50mm, and 135mm lenses. A second body was added later. All were stolen in Germany when I PCS'ed back to the states.
I then got a Minolta X-700 with an assortment of lenses, still have it.
Yashica- D TLR
4x5 monorail view camera
Kodak DX4900 digital- nice little "snapshot" camera, soon to go to my 6 year old as her "first" camera.
Kodak DX7590, decent snapshot camera, but suffers problems, the DX 4900 actually has a better focus.
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Pentax Spotmatic, mid-sixties. First SLR with TTL metering. An excellent tool. I still have it.
Peter
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I started with a 6x9cm roll film camera; a hand-me-down Brownie. (My father's old prints from that were contact prints, not enlargements!)
It has been all downhill since then: shrinking to 35mm format with a Pentax K-1000 (the first that I bought with my own money), successively getting lazy and thoughtless with first auto-exposure and then auto-focus models, and then shrinking format yet again with the Olympus E-1.
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After a Kodak Instamatic (126 cartridge !) and a 110 camera, my first SLR was a Miranda, followed by a Yashica FX-3 and then a Pentax Program Plus. I had the new-gear bug from an early age (12 years old ?) The Yashica had a nice, sharp 50mm lens; the Pentax had a Sigma 28-70/2.8-4 that cost a whopping $69 and it took a while before I learned that some lenses are "better" than others
Traded the Pentax gear (for a decent price, actually) when the Minolta Maxxum 7xi came out, and have been a Maxxum guy ever since (now own the 7 & 9 and a bunch of excellent lenses). Also added a Rolleiflex TLR somewhere along the way.
I actually never learned much about exposure until after I bought the AF gear ...
- Dennis
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I am slightly surprised to see Pentax mentioned more often than any other SLR brand. (Not to mention all those Argus's, which I have hardly ever heard of before.)
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I think Pentax licensed multicoating from NASA. NASA probably captured a license from the Germans in WWII.
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My first camera was my dads well traveled Olympus OM-2, I used it non stop for a year or two and then i realized it didnt have a meter and it was stuck on bulb mode, so I read up on it and realized that i certainly could use that. Nevertheless i kept plugging away with it getting some interesting results. Finally I bought my next camera, a Nikon N80. The N80 served me well for a couple of years and when the D70 came out i upgraded to that, and that is my short camera history.
Shaan
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Brownie Hawkeye, 620 (6x6 cm) film (age 6-14)
I remember the Argus well, saw lots of those in high school but never owned one. I had a Miranda T SLR, purchased in Japan in mid-50's and used for about 15 years, kept until a few years ago.
Acquired used Nikon F, FTN and some nice manual lenses in the 1960s, plus Rolleicord, M2. Placed all but the M2 on indefinite loan to a friend a few years ago. Gave a nice darkroom to the San Francisco parks department about same time. M2, four lenses (Elmar 50, 90, Canon 35/2 and 19/3.5 with its viewer), Sekonic meter, and lotsa film all fit in a surplus gas mask bag and can go anywhere on a moment's notice.
First digital was Olympus C2020, purchased in 2000, given to brother-in-law for honeymoon trip, still in use. Then Coolpix 5000 and 5700. Sold 5700, still like 5000 for its handling and wide angle. Got E-1 in Nov 2003 and have been accumulating lenses since.
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My first camera was a Bilora Boy (http://www.vintagephoto.tv/towerjr.shtml), which was build between 1950 and 1952 in Germany. The export version for North America was called Tower Box. Film size was a 4 x 6.5 cm (127 roll film), lens f/11.
It was given to me when I was appr. 4 years old, in the late 60's. Attached is a picture of me (age 4) with this camera. Note the original Clark's shoes, still in fashion today... :cool:
(http://www.atea.de/download/1969_boy.jpg)
Later cameras include:
Kodak Instamatic (various flavours)
Praktica Super TL (around 1970)
Canon AE-1, A-1, F-1 (between 1977 and 1982)
Nikon F3HP (bought in 1982), FM2, FM3, F90
Rolleiflex
Leica M3, M6
Linhof Technikardan S, Mastertechnika
Now shooting:
Canon 1Ds-Mk2, 20D
Fun thread!
Cheers,
Andrew
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1. When I was young I had a Kodak tele-instamatic and shot one roll of film on it (never developed). It was the first time I tried to experement with images.
many years later...
2. Canon Rebel G (for photo class)
couple years more...
3. Canon G3 - got this a year and a half ago and really started to learn about exposure, photography and the art of it all
4. Canon 300D
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Ashi Pentax K-1000, bought in the Guam base exchange (Navy 1972). Still a great camera. Shot mostly Kodachrome. Looking for some one to digitize them.
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My first camera was a cheap Argus (I think the C20; not the classic C3 which my Dad had). Then I got a Kodak Retinette. It was a great camera and taught me how to guess at exposure since it didn't have a light meter and I didn't own.
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Brownie Holiday Flash - 127 film format.
Kodak Instamatic X35 - 126 film format. Even had a snap-on "telephoto" attachment.
Exakta 35mm, 50mm and 135mm lenses
Yashica 12 twin lens - 120 film format
Konica T2 35mm - for years had only the 50mm lens that came with it but in the past several years have bought several nice Hexanon lenses for it. Still works and I use it on occasion.
And then the new stuff ...
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Argus C3, mid fifties. Then a succession of SLR's that's still in progress. I haven't gotten the lenses for the D2X yet, but I'm already looking forward to the D3X with 12 stop DR in a couple of years or so.
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My first camera was a Agfa Clack , rolfilmtype box.
Didnt work properly however. The next one was a Praktica Nova PL1B with real glass lenses with screwfitting, 50mm and 135mm. I 've made my first picture with it and the magic began. I sold it(unfortunately) and bought a Yashica FX D quarts set, because of the zeisslensen it could handle.
At this time, after using every type of camera that could produce an image,I'm very happy with my Canon 1 D MII I bought a few weeks ago.
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First SLR was a Pentax KM. A great camera to learn about photography with. I used it for many years with only the 50mm lens that came with it. Now my 12 year old son is using it. I have moved on to bigger and better (read more expensive) cameras, but the lessons I learned with the Pentax are the fundamentals that I use today.
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Honeywell Pentax Spotmatic circa 1964. I worked all summer as a carpenter's helper to buy it. It was wonderful.
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Maybe someone can identify this camera from the late 50s, which was my first camera.
(http://home.comcast.net/~oregon.reflection/images/1st_camera.jpg)
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Hmmm.
Well, first there was a Baby Ikonta folding camera bought by my brother in a pawn shop. It took 16 pictures on a roll of 127 film (How many of you remember 127 film? How many of you even remember film??)
Then there was a wonderful Kodak Retina 3C rangefinder camera. Then my first SLR: a Pentax Spotmatic. I used a varety of Pentaxes for many years (generally kept the lenses and got new bodies when the old ones died). These included MX and ME, up to a couple of SuperPrograms (one for color, one for B&W).
Along the way I also played with Speed Graphic, Graflex (look those up in an archeology textbook), Rollei, and a few other miscellaneous beasts.
My first view camera was a Calumet monorail 4x5, which they could sell cheap because they had bought the dies from Kodak. I think it cost about $139 or so new, lenses much more. Eventually I added a (well-) used anonymous 8x10 view camera, and a nice Zone VI 4x5; but after a while I found that most of my best pictures were still taken with the Pentax, while the view cameras stayed in the trunk of the car.
A couple of years ago I suddenly realized that not a single camera, of the five or so that I then owned, had been in manufacture for over twenty years!
With old age creeping up on me, I finally sold the last of the view cameras and decided to go MF in a serious way: Pentax 67II, with several excellent prime lenses (45, 55, 135 macro, 200), as well as a Mamiya 6 (RF) with 2 lenses.
When friends persuaded me to stick my toe in the waters of the Digital Revolution, I finally got a Canon 10D, with zoom lenses (my first ever): 17-40/4L and 70-200/4L, plus a Sigma fisheye and a 100 macro. I have added a Canon Elan 7NE to shoot slides (I prefer Provia to Velveeta), but I have almost completely, but reluctantly, kicked the film and darkroom habit. ???
Of course, I develop all my digital images in a tray, in Pyro.
Eric
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This will show just how young i am. My first camera was a EOS500 with 50mm f1.8. Now i have EOS 5 and looking to buy a medium format soon.
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My first 35mm camera was a GAF-LCM. My first "real" camera was a Fujica ST801, which I thought was cool because it used red lighted diodes, rather than match-needle, to determine exposure.
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> I am slightly surprised to see Pentax mentioned more often than any other SLR brand. (Not to mention all those Argus's, which I have hardly ever heard of before.)
These were two landmark cameras that helped popularize 35mm along with the later Canon AE-1.
The Argus C1, C2, and C3 dominated the "popular" 35mm market prewar and probably thru the 50's also.
The Pentax spotmatic was probably the first widely popular SLR and one of the first cameras to include built-in TTL metering. It was and still is a nice little camera.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asahi_Pentax (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asahi_Pentax)
Pentax history (http://www.photoxels.com/history_pentax.html)
- first instant return mirror
- first pentaprism viewfinder
- first TTL metering
- first auto exposure
Another camera that imo falls in the "landmark" class of "popular" 35mm is the Canon AE-1 which was the first camera with an embedded microprocessor.
Most everyone (over 40 anyway ) either owned one of these cameras or knew someone who did.
- DL
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Let's see... aside from Kodak 'Instamatic' and 110 film cameras, the first 'real' camera I used was my Dad's Argus C5 and an old Sekonic (?) light meter if I remember correctly. First purchase was an Asahi Pentax Spotmatic F with screw mount (another one) then chose the Minolta XD-11 over the Canon A-1. I've had a lot of Minoltas, including a couple of SRT-101's and 201's, the XD-11 and 2 X-700's. Oh, and I still have a Yashica Mat124G and an old rangefinder.
Making the leap to Canon 1Ds Mark II digital now...
Mike.
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An AE-1 with 50mm lens bought second-hand for US$150. It was already 15 years old, but what a trooper! I used that camera for 10 years and on visits to 10 countries. I had it completely refurbished in 2002 and now my girlfriend is happily using it!
I have since jumped to Nikon (F-100) & am reving up for digital and a D2X very soon!
Cheers!
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Analogue times: 1. Konica T4
The digital experiences: 2. Canon G3
Now the DSLR: 3. Sigma SD10
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It was for sure an East German Praktika, but I don't remeber the exact type.
Cheers,
Bernard
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My first camera I purchased (I used the high schools Speed Graphic 4x5) was the Yashica D. I was about 16 saved and made lay a way payments on the $49 camera. Dreamed about this camera and couldn't wait to possess it.
Boy I would love to get this level of excitment back about photography. Brings back some really great memories.
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Some really cheap Kodak Instamatic that took 126 film cartridges (which could be made into pinhole cameras with a bit of cardboard and duct tape), followed by an Argus C-four, a Pentax K-1000, Kodak DC4800 digital, then the 1Ds and 1D-MkII.
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The first camera I can remember was a Kodak Brownie. I won it in a Cub Scout contest.
First real camera was an Argus C-3. Then a Nikon F. Thjrow in a Minolta rangefinder too.
When I moved to California and started hiking around the Sierra, I pick up a Canon AE-1, then an A-1, and my favorite, a Nikonos.
Traded all that in on a Hasselblad, an Omega 4x5, and a trip to photography school. Still have and use those, and have added a Sony 707.
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I had a Kodak Brownie box camera that my parents gave me when I went to summer camp back in 1957. I think it used 120 film.
While we are on history: according to a Brownie history web site, the first camera to use 120 film was a Brownie, the Brownie 2 from 1901, which used it in roughly 6x9cm format. However, the numerical specification 120 was only coined many years later; it was originally just called something like "Brownie 2 film".
It fascinates me to note how the 120 "sensor format" has progressed from its role in the genesis of "point and shoot" photography in over a century of existence. Now Howard Smith loads his Hasselblad with "Brownie 2 film".
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The first I used was my father's Pentax Spotmatic - a great camera. My aunt gave me an identical Spotmatic recently, it turned out to be my father's backup body he had loaned to my aunt decades ago. I love to use it.
The first camera I actually owned was my grandfather's Canon FTb-N. He had just bought a compact Olympus, and gladly gave me the Canon which he hardly used. It was in superb condition.
A few years later my FTb-N was involved in a fluke accident when a shelf in our bar collapsed - a chip of glass flying from a breaking bottle took a little chunk out of the pentaprism viewfinder. I bought an old wreck of an FTb and sent them both off to have the pentaprism's swapped. When I stopped in to check out the FTb-N's repair status, which had taken a lot longer than expected, the nice man offered me, by way of apology, the lovely original Canon EOS Elan (EOS 100) for $200AU. Cheap, freshly serviced and in excellent condition to boot.
I marvelled at the auto-focus, and suddenly photography was more fun. With two basic EF lenses, I could leave a few kilograms of FD glass at home, joy!
I was happily plodding along with the FTb-N and the EOS 100 when I saw the Canon 20D last year. Several thousands of dollars later (I *had* to have new lenses), it was mine.
Today the four cameras sit in a cabinet with the rest of my gear. All three film SLR's are almost always loaded with film, and the DSLR is at the ready with a 2GB card. They are all different, but all get used regularly!
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until I married and had money
Doggone it, I must have done something dumb with my two marriages, as they didn't improve my finances all that much (rather the opposite).
I wonder why mostly everyone jumped into the Canon boat...
Heh, heh, with the advent of D2X there's a few of us now jumping off that boat, though probably still not that many jumping on the Zenit (whatever that is) boat. :laugh:
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P.S. Got rid of entire Nikon system when I switched to Canon ... but not the Nikormat EL and a few selected lenses like the 45GN .. what a unique piece of glass that is. Bill
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Minolta SRT-101
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The Praktika 35mm, totally manual. Great to learn with and helped with all those High School photo classes. Several years later, I upgraded and bought the original Olympus OM-1 with a Zuiko 50mm 1.4 lens. I still have that combo, along with the Oly motordrive and a "Soligar" push-pull telephoto, 70-160mm...all nestled in a Haliburton case.
Everything still works like a charm. I think I've only changed the metering battery like twice in the last 27 years. I still marvel at the design and build quality of that camera.
I also get a kick out of going through the plastic crates of transparencies, negative sleeves and prints from that combo that occupy a corner in the garage. I still have all my photo class projects out there somewhere...
Take care all,
Bill
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An old Ansco 120 format camera, which I used until the bellows wore out. I loved that camera. It could do anything. And learning wet darkroom techniques with 120 film was lovely.
Bought a Nikon F next (which I still have and still use).
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Back in High School in the late 60's, I worked in a photo store and the manager would let me take a camera out and shoot it. I would always take the Kowa as it looked cool! Worked well, also. My first camera of my own was the Pentax Spotmatic. Then the Nikkormat El. I bought this camera in NYC at Willowby Peerless where they would have special sales. Everyone would wait outside the store for them to open and make a mad rush to get to the counter as fast as you could, pushing and shoving people out of the way. Great fun when you are young and stronger than the old lady next to you!! I used the Nikkormat El until I couldn't find parts bodies anymore and bought a Nikon F3.
My foray into Digital was a Camedia 2000. A little fixed lens camera. Worked good until I dropped it and the lens popped off. Never could find all the pieces.
Finally made the decision to switch to Canon due to Nikons unrealistically high prices for their digital cameras.
D60, and then the 1Ds.
I also have 2 old Kodak 8x10 view cameras circa 1900 I was piecing together to make one good one. Sort of lost interest in that, tho. Any takers??
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Canon A-1. Was actually my parents', but I used it a lot.
Elan II (1998)
Powershot S30 (2002)
20D (December 2004)
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I forgot, my dad gave me a Petri RF that I never did learn how to use. I wish I had that camera back.... Oh well maybe a Voitlander at some time.
Will they use Leica lenses? M Mount?
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My first camera was a Zenit EM + Helios 58mm lens + National Flash + tripod. It was my father's gear, and as he got progressively too busy for photography as got progressively more the owner of all this kit.
I still have it (my father gave it to me, he got one of the first compact digital Fujis and now has an S5500) and still use it! I love this camera.
Then, a couple of years ago I got a Nytech digital compact to get me through in digital until I married and had money to buy a REAL camera. Photography was never the same again...
Now I purchased a Pentax *ist DS. I don't care if I can't prononce the camera's name, it still is great and it seems Pentax made it specially for me! When I was a kid, Pentax cameras were my dream; today I have a Pentax at home, waiting for me!
Oh, and with a nice adapter, my old Zenit lenses will still be given some play!
I wonder why mostly everyone jumped into the Canon boat... ???
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My first camera I remember was a Minolta Dynax 7000i
Neing a tech addict however I have had the following in my time. I'll try and keep them in the right order;
Canon T90
Olympus UZ2100 ~(currently for sale)
Kodak DCS520 (canon d2000)
Panasonic FZ20
Panasonic LC1
Olympus mju mini ~(currently for sale)
Canon 300D
I also still own some "classic" cameras that mean a little too much to me to sell;
Kershaw Curlew III
Yashicamat 124G
Paillard Bolex H16 Cine
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Canon FT, not counting the box cameras
Bob
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> Brownie (didn't use Dad's Argus),
Me too. Here's a photo (http://test.lashier.com/homex.cfm?dir_cat=24209) of me an my brother with our Brownies, taken with my Dad's Argus
My first "real" camera was a Leica IIIa in 1960, and shortly thereafter added a Speed Graphic 4x5 and a Rolleiflex TLR. I finally got around to scanning some of my old stuff from the 60's (http://test.lashier.com/homex.cfm?dir_cat=35173), mostly Leica but a few Rollei shots also. My last film camera was a Leica R4 which I still have.
- DL
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> taught me how to guess at exposure since it didn't have a light meter and I didn't own.
I didn't get my first camera with a meter (Canon FT) until the early 70's and I did not own a meter before that, so I shot for 15 years or more with no meter and this was unforgiving Kodachrome. None of those pictures in my old film gallery (http://www.lashier.com/home.cfm?dir_cat=35173) were metered except the later stuff in "assorted". After I got the Canon I think my exposures actually got worse ???. I'd be lost today without my built-in spot meter but it's amazing how good you can get at eyeballing it.
- DL
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Seems that I followed a similar route to many with a 126 film camera when 8, but migrated to Praktika MTL-2 with a home made fisheye lense (door security peep hole mounted on a cokin filter holder in front of a 50mm lens).
The digital route started with the Kodak DC210 - 1 Megapixel and ate batteries for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Possibly the worst camera I owned after the Canon Powershot G2 with the always 'just missed' feature in terms of responsiveness. After frustration with that, migrated to an EOS-10D with the 'please wait 2 minutes whilst I flush the buffer feature'. Now own a monster lugging wallet chewing Canon EOS 1DII. I guess one day some manufacturer will make a camera that doesn't involve compromise for a reasonable weight and price .
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The Pentax spotmatic was probably the first widely popular SLR and one of the first cameras to include built-in TTL metering. It was and still is a nice little camera.
. . .
- first instant return mirror
- first pentaprism viewfinder
- first TTL metering
- first auto exposure
Another first for Pentax, if I remember correctly, was multi-coated lenses.
Eric
Pentax was the first to overtly declare multicoating by giving it the moniker SMC Takumar (Super Multi Coated).
Around the same time frame (roughly 1970), my Minolta 55m f/1.7 Rokkor had multicoating, but nothing was stated from a branding or marketing standpoint. It was mentioned in the specs though.
That was a great lens. Too bad I was clueless and kept a dirt-cheap Soligor Skylight filter on the front. I always wondered why I got so much flare from a supposedly multicoated lens.
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Canon AE-1 with a broken meter
Canon A-1 (the only body I ever fell in love with, what a magnificent camera)
2 Canon Elan II's (I've kept one as a backup for digital and for long night exposures)
Mamiya 645 super
D60
10D
My next upgrade will be the 1D mkII when the prices go down as the next model comes out, for the superior flash metering, 8meg and 1.3X crop. (I don't like the look or feel of the 20D), Having already amalgamated my med format and 35mm into the 10D (less resolution, but no grain, superb 18X12" prints), I don't think I will need to go further than that for a long while, am I boring? :p
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My first camera was a second hand Olympus Pen, 18 x 24 mm format. (double capacity = cheaper, I was 12.
In my twenties I bought a Praktika MTL5 with 50mm and 135 mm lens, teleconverter, filters. I used it for 20 years and still have it.
Then came digital: Two years ago Olympus D560, one year ago Canon a75, now Konica Minolta A200. I plan to use the last one for a couple of years, because of a. wide to zoom lens, b. RAW, c. very good neutral photographs, d. lots of unexplored possibilities, :cool:
Gert
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My first was some kind of disc camera. But the first real one was a Minolta 7000i. I then upgraded to a 7xi and then my current 2 Maxxum 7 bodies. Along the way I also picked up a Mamiya 645 1000s.
Lately though I've stepped back into time and have been picking up and using a lot of manual focus gear. To date I've picked up the following Minoltas: Sr-7, SRT-101, SRT-101b, XE-7, XD-7, X-700 (son's camera), and two Himatic 7SII rangefinders. I also rescued a Olympus 35RC Rangefinder from a shelf of plastic P&S at a local antique market the other day. I'll either give that to my 9 year old or pass it on to a Olympus fan. I find here lately that unless I'm shooting action I grab the old MF gear over the AF gear
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My first SLR was a Canon EOS 100 which I bought as a university student back in 1993, with the kit 35-80mm lens.
Since then I have worked my way through:
Nikon FM3A x 2 (I still have one of them)
Canon EOS 3 (sold this year)
Canon EOS 10D (sold this year)
Canon EOS 1Ds (current main camera)
Julian
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Almost forgot, The first pro-type camera I "used" was a Pentax Spotmatic that was owned by the school for those on the College newspaper.
Bob
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Brownie (didn't use Dad's Argus), first 35mm SLR was a Ricoh with Pentax screw-in mount.
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Canon T70 for about a month, then went out and bought a used Omega 45D. Have loved the big film ever since
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First camera I used (and owned - given to me by my grandmother) was an old Brownie back in the late seventies. Being a kid, I couldn't afford much of anything, even buying the cheapest black & white film was only a once-in-a-while event. But I sure had fun with it, and was what started my interest in photography. Playing around with the large flashbulbs it took was great fun too!
After that, I was given a Kodak 110 point-and-pray...I mean point-and-shoot. Remember using it on a vacation out to the Western states in the eighties, then wanting some of the photos enlarged to 8x10. Oh, the ignorance!
The first camera I actually bought for myself was a cheap Olympus point-and-shoot, but at least it was my first introduction to 35mm and was in my price range while in college. After some frustration at having only one focal length, I "upgraded" to a much more expensive Olympus point-and-shoot a couple years later, this one with built-in-zoom! :D Still, I lusted after an SLR, and not until I was done with college for a few years and had a decent job did I finally get one: the Canon Rebel G.
Unfortunately, that just wetted the appetite for a better SLR. Now about eight years after that first SLR, I own a Canon 1D & D30 (having gone digital in the last year), a 1V and about 10 other film SLRs including a couple of Nikon Fs and many Canon FD bodies, with an armory of lens for all. Guess I'm making up for my youth when I couldn't afford any of those jewels. :laugh:
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The Pentax spotmatic was probably the first widely popular SLR and one of the first cameras to include built-in TTL metering. It was and still is a nice little camera.
. . .
- first instant return mirror
- first pentaprism viewfinder
- first TTL metering
- first auto exposure
Another first for Pentax, if I remember correctly, was multi-coated lenses.
Eric
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Kodak Instamatic - various flavours
First serious Camera - Zenit TTL. took screw thread lenses.
Canon AV-1 (very short time)
Contax 139 (stolen in 1982 at a party)
Contax 137MA (used for many years, sits battered in the bottom of a box with an old Yashica macro lens attached)
Contax RX (great build quality)
Contax AX (whacky body autofocus, but it worked!) I miss those Zeiss lenses. the Zeiss 35-135mm was the most awesome piece of over-engineering since the dawn of time
Nikon F100 (fabulous handling)
Mamiya 7II. Super camera. Used with 65mm lens mainly.
Bronica GS. underated. Problem with film flatness if not used for a day or two.
Rollei 6008i. Wonderful camera but I never took to the square format.
Wista VX LF and various lenses, which is still used occasionally. Originally purchased for use with a Dicomed Field Pro scan back, but since also used with Fuji quickloads.
Fuji S1 Pro (still own)
Fuji S2 pro (still used for low light)
Kodak 14n, now nx with new sensor.
Sounfs like a lot of kit, but it covers around 30 years, and I was experimanting in recent years with medium format solutions.
Quentin
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1. Age 8 or 9: Zeiss Ikon Contina (or was that a Contina lens?) Little 35mm non-rangefinder camera about the size of a cigarette pack, broken meter. didn't survive fall onto concrete. Sharpest lens I've ever used.
2. Hanimex Praktika. Cheap East German 35mm SLR. Meter photocell just to the left of the screw-mount lens. Crappy camera, I wore it out taking crappy photos. Loved it because I myself earned the money to buy it, ca age 10.
3. Nikon Photomic F2. Stolen during apartment burglary in grad school. Just as well, as I was unsuccessful in its primary mission: convincing young women to disrobe before it. I now know better and repent of my iniquities.
4. Nikon F3. Fabulous camera, still have it. Dropped 6 ft onto cobblestones in Copenhagen (user agog over Danish women), 8 wks at Nikon svc center, back in action. I'll never part with it unless they stop making 35mm film entirely.
5. Sinar F. Bought during Ansel Adams phase from local photographer exiting the business. Spent months doing Zone System calibrations and trying to figure out how to load sheet film into those hangers to process in a makeshift darkroom in Kodak hard rubber tanks. Took about two dozen actual images. Mind blowing sharpness with Schneider and Rodenstock lenses. Too lazy to drag it out much, I regret to say. Sold my 4x5 enlarger last fall.
6. Pearl River TLR. Yikes.
7. Kowa Super 66. Bought on eBay, sold on eBay. Inherited one from wife's grandfather. Useful for photographing charging grizzly bear, and for crushing its skull should persuasion fail. Vastly underrated camera. Sorry to part with it but I really like cameras with meters built in.
8. D70. Bought brand new; took it to France for 60th anniversary of D-Day. Didn't find out what "RAW" was until after I returned. Got a lot of low-res JPEG's from that trip. Pays to read the manual, I have learned.
9. Contax 645. I'm speechless with passion about this camera. Now if only I could afford that phase one P25...whose price, invested conservatively today, would see at least one of my kids through the Ivy League school of his/her choice.
Lord, why do I choose such expensive hobbies? Photography is a jealous mistress, who can only be appeased by frequent gifts of cash, and an ongoing tithe of time.
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My first SLR was a Canon EF. Loved that camera. I still have it.
LL
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Although it wasn't my first camera (I think it was the third) ... the BEST camera I have ever owned was a Nikormat EL. Light, fast, never took a poorly exposed picture. When I was in Japan in 1980, Nikon service department offered a free "upgrade" of the metering system (those were the days of real customer service). Even though there was nothing wrong with it, I took them up on it .... got it back in 3 days. Still have it today and it still works great. Bill
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After using parents' Retina Reflex, friend's Exacta and a borrowed Leica M-4, I finally bought the original Olympus Om-1 in 1973. Went on to add the orginal OM-2. Loved its incredible "painting with light" low-light abilities, especially with compact Zuiko lenses like the 24f2. I even started collecting Pen FT/Fv kit. Eventually bought the OM4T and its 280 flash about 19989, which I made the mistake of selling 8 years later, in order to get the autofocus Nikon F70, because my eyes were no longer as sharp. All the automation/matrix metering, and great flash control was great for sharp, well-meterd, salable instructional images, especially with the 24-120 lens. But the need for flash to compensate for slowness of the non-megabuck lenses also made for predictable images. Traded F70 for the smaller, more ergonomic F-80 about 2001. Easier to use, but even less inspiring.
Got a Olympus C5050Z for underwater photography. It and the housing were cheaper than a housing for the F80 would have been, and I wanted to try digital.
I was absolutely blown away by the quality of the images, especially in such areas as colour gradation and saturation in high-contrast situations (sunsets, etc) and low light situations.
In Dec. 2004, I bought an Olmpus E-1 outfit after many side-by-side comparisons the Nikon D70 and Canon 20D. Was heading for the rainforest in Dominica, and liked the solidity and weather sealing, relative compactness of the whole (14-54mmf 2.8, 50mmf2 macro, 50-200mmf2.8 zoom lens) outfit. Put *tool* usability before latest features. Rarely regret that. Recently added the 11-22mm f2.8(fantastic lens) and and E500 body (so, so) Still have two Om 1's, an OM 2 and the F80, and the 5050 and a Canon S70 and their housings for underwater, but rarely use the film cameras.
Really hope that there'll be an E-1 successor!
erichK
saskatoon, canada
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My first camera was given to me by my parents last year. It was a Canon T2 with a 28-80 kit lens. Since then I've stepped up. I used a D70 that my school essentially gave to me for 9 months and a set of 2.8 lenses. Now I just ordered my 30D and 16-35 L and a 50 1.8. This will be followed by a 70-200 and then wherever i feel like from there.
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First camera was a Pentax SP 1000
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My first camera was a Pentax MX. Never should have sold it.
Current line up includes a Canon A1, Minolta Maxxum 7, and an Olympus E500.
Only the Olympus is being used at this time.
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My first serious camera was a Practiflex slr with a zeiss tessar lens, purchased over 50 years ago.
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I was 12 years old in 1966 and bought a well used Kodak Pony 135 for $11.00. It had several shutter speeds, an f/3.5 lens, and manual focus with no rangefinder, just a simple viewfinder.
It was stolen a few years later and I bought a Canonflex R2000 with 50mm lens, or was it 55mm, can't remember, for $125. I had hit the big time! ;-)
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In 1951, I bought a Lordox 35mm. In my late teens I aquired one of the first Pentax SLRs (Remember scew-in lens - when 85mm was considered telephoto) From there it was a sucession Minolta SLRs up to the 7D. The funny thing is I still have most of these cameras and keep them in a display case in my library. The only justification for this aberation I give my wife is it's cheaper than chasing women
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Minolta X-570. It is still in a box in my basement.
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My first (and only) camera was a Canon A70 point-and-shoot. I bought it when I was 15, and I've had it for two years now. Its wearing out now though, and I want to upgrade to a Canon SLR, (probably the Rebel XT) once I get the money saved up.
Its been a great little camera to get me started. I've taken over 13,000 pictures with it now.
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my first cam was a minolta xg-m, i still own it, though its meter isn't working anymore. my oldest cam is a yashica electro 35g
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Borrowed my folks brownie, then bought a Hanimex Praktika, finally got talked into a Pentax KX MD. Still using the KX to this day and have finally scored on a motor drive for it, added a spare body.
Had a Yashica TLR for a short spell, replaced that with a Rolliflex which I still have.
In the last couple years have added way too many cameras to my kit. Contax G2 when a local store went out of business - cool camera. Added a Minolta Maxxum 70 when I found myself too slow to focus and set things when shooting our dog doing agility.
Picked up a Nikonos for swimming with the fishies.
For some unknown reason I added a Fuji GX680 (not sure on the model number - it's an auto focus 120 fixed lense unit). Great camera when I remember to take the lense cap off.
Added an OM-1n when it was offered up for only $60. A buddy had one when I first bought my Pentax and I admired the size. I should sell it.
Holding off on going digital for now as the KX is still going strong. Tend to keep it in slide film while the I use the G2 for prints.
I'm in a world of hurt if film goes away......
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Kodak Brownie, which melted after I left it in the sun, in a closed car, in the Mojave desert (I was only 12).
Yashica 124 G a gift in college, still have some of the big negatives
Pentax Spotmatic was the first camera I purchased. I loved the camera and seriously considered professional photography at that point. I especially liked the 20mm f4.5 Takumar lens I used on it (stolen in 1981). A Pentax LX, replaced the stolen Spotmatic. Great camera and I still have it, I also got a K1000 at the time ostensibly for fast film, but I really missed the Spotmatic.
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Nikormat FTN still have it and it still works. (if i can find a battery for the meter)
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My first camera was a Lubitel 2, a russian twin lens reflex, 4x4. 100% manual, did not have a battery. This was around 1970 I believe it cost around 50 guilders at the time. It was a great way to learn the basics.
(http://www.vanruitenbeek.com/ImagesSmall/lubitel2b.jpg)
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The infamous Pentax K-1000. Doesn't everyone have one?
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I had a Kodak point and shoot when I was little, or I would use my mom's camera. I got my first 'serious' camera when I took Photo I in high school, which was a hand-me-down 1983 Minolta x570 from my grandfather.
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Canon AE-1 with 50mm 1.8 in 1978.
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First camera: Kodak Instamatic
First 35mm: Konica 35mm compact P&S
First SLR: Minolta SRT-101
First auto SLR: Minolta XD-11
First digicam: Kodak DC260
First (sort of) DSLR: Olympus E-10
First (real) DSLR: Canon EOS 10D
Second (real) DSLR: Canon EOS 1D MkII
Paul
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i got my first camera when i was 14; a second hand pentax me. got stolen, replaced by an me super.
after that, nikon point and shoot, ricoh GR1, couple of sony cybershots (loved the swivel lens system) nikon d70, fm2n, d200.
still wish i didnt have to sell that ricoh GR1...
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Brownie 127 (with a piece of black tape over a small crack in the body) in the late 50s or early 60s, followed by a Kodak folding bellows camera in 120 which had shutter speed and aperture adjustments. I was probably about 12 at this point. Brief relationship with an Ilford Sportsman 35mm, followed by a Zenith SLR with non-return mirror and no light meter. Olympus 35RC and Nikon F2 in the 70s, and a second hand FM later on. I still have the Nikons, and also a Minolta Dimage 7i which I bought about three years ago. Planning to get a D200 if South African prices ever reach affordable levels or I win the lottery.
Odd memories: Relatives from the US visited us in Scotland in the early 1960s with a camera that could take colour photographs! Every shot I took until my late teens or early twenties was based on the exposure guide printed on the back of the film box, and "Sunny 16" still works as well as ever.
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Kodak 110 in the late 80's.
Pentax 105 35mm P&S (loved it, was absolutely waterproof, dropped it in a river many times). - 2000
Canon A80 - 2003
Canon Rebel XT - 2005
Canon 5D - this month
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A Kodak Instamatic is the first one I could actually name, but something from Ilford in a grey shiny plastic was the very first. It had a very odd film size which was rapidly becoming extinct due to 35mm and compact cassette style camera becoming all the rage and relatively cheap. My first SLR was a Zenit, which I traded up to a Canon EOS. Then it all stopped for a few years until a couple of point and shoot Fuji's came my way. That and some other influences re awakened my interest, so I recently found my self owning an Olympus E500, quickly followed by the Lowepro bag, filters, spare batteries, cards, and last weekend a great Zuiko Macro lense.
I think I've got the bug again..........
Oh I'm new here BTW, found the site by googling for a review of the Apple Aperture product.
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Great topic
First was a Yashica Mat 124 TLR, my father bought me in Jr. High School. I was lucky enough to have a portrait photographer in my area take me under his wing and teach the basics of photgraphy. I was a staff photog from Jr. High through College. The shutter on the Yashica died with no repair possible (or so I was told) - I wish I still had it.
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My first "real" camera was a Mamiya/Sekor 1000TL. After that, there were several Pentax screwmount bodies.
These days it's Nikon manual focus SLRs and Leica M rangefinders.
Oh, yeah....my digital is a Canon A540 P&S.
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What a cool read!
I've only really begun to take photography more seriously over the last four years or so. That said, the first camera that made any kind of impression on me was a Samsung AF Slim Zoom my parents bought for me to take to the World Jamboree in Holland in 1995. Although it was a basic P&S, it did have a decent zoom and also had a bulb mode, which I used to mess around with quite a bit. It was good to travel with, and if I had to get another P&S film camera, I'd probably get something similar. It was stolen by a former friend when I was in University, and I was cameraless for about eight months.
I bought a used Rebel G with a kit lens and a 420EX, and started to learn what SLRs are about. I also bought a used 100-300 EF zoom to use as well. That setup lasted me until November 2006 when the camera crapped out on me at a motorsport event. It also somewhere along the line developed a hole in the case, just below the shutter button. I'm pretty gentle with stuff and certainly wasn't using it to build a deck, so who knows!
After getting frustrated by the lack of reliability and durability of the Rebel, I went into a local shop and eyed up a Canon Elan II used. It was over 350 CAD and that seemed a good chunk to save towards digital. Then, one week before Christmas I went back in and it was under $200 including a grip (with batteries that have lasted a year! ). It's been fun to shoot with, and Ive enjoyed the added level of control.
Finally, this last month, I have moved to digital with a 10D and a couple of new full frame lenses. It's been great to learn more with, especially trying newer creative things. I've never had gobs of money to spend on photography, so eliminating the cost of film has been nice.
That said, I really do enjoy something about film, and can't wait to get some time out shooting with the new 17-35 on the Elan!
Over the last year, I have come into possesion of all of my families cameras. I've got a few brownies, as well as some bellows cameras (not 4X5, 120 film I think) dating as far back as 1913. I am hoping over the next year to start seeing if any of them are functional enough to shoot with. I'm also eyeing my dads Zeiss Ikon, and my girlfriend has a Mamiya RB67 which I'd like to try sometime.
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I remember one day I saw the slide my father did, as an amateur, and I was impressed by that.
So I may started with is FM2,
But my first one was a F301, then F801 with AF, then later, a F4, a Pentax 6x7 (love it) and D70 to try digital.
Next one, still thinking...
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New member, first time poster.
My first camera was a Kodak Instamatic that used 126 film, circa 1968.
From there:
- Kodak 110 Instamatic, circa 1972.
- Polaroid camera, unknown model, not an SX-70 though, circa 1977.
- Pentax K-1000 (surprise), 1981.
- Cheapo Samsung 1.3 MP digital camera, 2002.
- HP Photosmart 850 4MP digital camera, 2003, battery door gave up the ghost after 9,000 frames.
- Canon Digital Rebel (300D), 2005, 11k actuations and still going strong.
Also in a box, inherited from family:
- Miranda Sensorex - Works most of the time, mirror sometimes sticks when winding film.
- Mamiya/Sekor 500TL - Doens't work, film advance problem among others.
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First I borrowed my Dad's Voigtlander rangefinder.
My first camera which I actually owned was the AE-1. With it I first began to learn photography.
Upgraded to an A-1, which I still miss - what a great camera.
Upgraded to T-90 (stolen in airport in Russia )
Elan II (stolen in airport in US - Now I'm a lot more careful!)
... just used a cheap rangefinder for a while ...
Decided to try SLRs again with a Rebel Xt. It reminds me of the AE-1
Upgraded to 5D (I'm reminded of how I felt about that A-1 so long ago)
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Zenit with a 58mm and a 300mm on a metal case with filters... ugly! (like a tool box), also came with a "rifle grip" (this was in 1970)
then, nikon FTN, F2 and F2S (wish I had it still!)
Pentax 6x7, (made good money with it as a pro)
Nikonos III (great camera)while I sailed around the world and live on boats for 20 years
now, on land canon eos 1ds mk II
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The first camera I could really call my own was a Polaroid Land camera, the kind with bellows that enabled you to flatten it into a "compact" size. Boy I had fun with that camera when I could afford the film for it.
My first "serious" camera was a Canon TLb circa 1974-75. Come to think of it, other than my Leica M7 and a tiny Minolta APS, I've never owned anything but Canon cameras for the past 30+ years.
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1. Zeiss Ikon 126 film (in attic)
2. Rollieflex TLR from my grandfather, fantastic (sold)
3. Ricoh SLR (still used, albeit rarely!)
4. Sony 3MP digital (still got it, not used)
5. unknown 5x4 (still got it but not used for years)
5. Canon 300D (sold)
6. Canon 20D (now backup body)
7. Canon 5D
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My Dad's Argus C3 and then his Honeywell Pentax. My first purchase was in high school - the Konica Autoreflex T2; then when starting as a photo editor for the university newspaper, the original Canon F1 with breach lock mount FD lenses (when Canon was the underdog, remember when).
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New user here, Hi!
I'm a bit younger and poorer than most of you lot here, so my list doesn't start back in the '60s...
The first camera I had for any period of time was some Ricoh P&S 35mm that I borrowed from my grandfather. After that I bought my own, a Canon SureShot Owl (I love that huge viewfinder...)
I then went digital with a Canon Digital Ixus V3, then a Fuji finepix A345. DSLRs were aiming a bit too high at that point. I also frequently make use of borrowed Nikons.
Now I still use the Fuji (it is a fairly decent camera), along with a Canon AL-1, a hand me down from my mother. Great camera, and even though I plan on getting a DSLR (probably a D40 or EOS 400D, maybe an EOS 350D), I doubt I'll let the AL-1 go. I like the freedom of manual focus, and the cheap availability of FD lenses means I can still upgrade in that regard.
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My first cameras were two Canon T-90's followed by a Canon F-1N Lake Placid, Olympic Edition.
Switched to Nikon F4 for six months until I settled on an EOS 1.
Since then....
EOS 1-N x2
Pentax 645
Mamiya 6
Fuji 6x9
Leica M6 x 2
Hasselblad 553
Hasselblad 503
Canon EOS 1V HS x2
EOS 1-D
EOS 10D x2
EOS-20D x2
Nikon FM3
Hasselblad X-Pan
Mamiya 6MF
EOS-1 D MK II x2
EOS-1Ds II
EOS-5D x3
Littman 45 Single 4x5
I'm sure I've missed a few.
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This thread took me back a little, but it's fun to recap. In the following order, a Kodak box camera I used in 1947 to take family pictures and the deer herd still roaming in Richmond Park, London UK, then a Pentax SLR purchased in Tokyo for 5000 Yen while on R&R leave during the Korean war in 1953/54, (when one English pound was worth 1008 Yen, would you believe). Later in 1976 a Nikon F series SLR, various Ricoh's, a pre-war Rolleiflex TLR Carl Zeiss Jena Tessarf4.5-75mm lens (still have), a Mamiya TLR and lenses I occasionally use, Nikon FM2 an-all time favourite I will not part with, F4, F80, and then embracing digital with the Sony 828, Nikon D70, Minolta A2 (a really flexible walk around digicam). Soon, if all is well on the home front , a Nikon D200 to go with all of my fast Nikkor prime lenses and a few third party zooms.
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My first was an el-cheapo 70s vintage Kodak P&S in 110 film size Then I didn't own one for a long while. Since then, I've had a Canon Elan-IIe, an EOS-3, a 10D, and now a 30D.
I've also recently inherited a bunch of large and medium format film gear, and some 35mm stereo gear, as well. I'll be receiving that stuff right after Christmas... so, some new interesting possibilities in the future....
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First camera ever: Kodak 110 camera of some type (sorry, I was 7, I don't recall anything specific).
First 35mm: Kodak K4 - fixed-focus and aperture point & squirt. About 1985.
First SLR: Minolta Maxxum 3000i. Basically, a point & shoot with good optics.
First manual camera: Konica Autoreflex T. Handed down from my dad, this is the camera that really got me going. Good controls, built like a tank, no fancy stuff, good optics. A terrific student camera. I'd still use it except that decent work-alikes for mercury batteries are not easy to come by. The lenses hold their own with a lot of expensive modern glass.
Nikon FM2: Probably the best film camera I've ever used. My first Nikon, which I bought with what may be my all-time favorite lens: the (manual) Nikkor 50, f/1.4. This is the only film camera that I still use.
Nikon N80: plastic, auto-everything. Taught me how to use (and abuse) fully automated cameras. Made some good shots with it, but don't think fondly of the experience of using it.
Olympus C3040: first digital. Gave me a tantalizing glimpse at the potential of the digital medium. Surprisingly tough for such a comparitively cheap camera.
Fuji S1 Pro: first DSLR. Absolute workhorse of a camera. Possibly the most slippery camera body ever made . Huge, heavy and obsolete by today's standards, but so what? I currently have several images showing in a gallery that were made with this camera and nobody seems to mind the pixel counts.
Nikon D70: The current every-day DSLR. Has done its job without complaint for the last two years or so. I wish it had better manual controls and a better viewfinder, but I can't have everything. I've done lots of work that I'm happy with using this camera, and I'm not in any hurry to replace it. Maybe if Nikon ever ships an "FM3-D," I'll go for it .
Panasonic LC-1: Current every-day small camera. Great manual controls; I love using this camera. Only serious gripe: no optical viewfinder. If I could afford to, I'd replace it with an M8, but for the time being, its job is secure.
Honorable mention: Pentax Spotmatic that my coworker threw out. In good working order; the stopped-down meter is something of a pain to use, but the camera is a piece of photographic history and still very capable of making a good photograph.
Needless to say, I have lots of lenses of various descriptions kicking around, but that's probably fodder for another thread.
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Daniel Bell
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My first camera was actually my father's. A don't remember the name Kodak model bought in 1960. I was eight when I was first "exposed" to Kodachrome 64. I remember that the camera had no exposure meter, therefore I was pretty darn good in guessing the exposure with my eyes and the sunny/16 rule. I guess this has became part of my DNA. I am still good at anticipating the matrix system of my Nikons. My first SRL was a Fujica STX1, with a Metz flash and the classic combo: 28, 50 and 135 mm. Still alive and working after 25 years, my best friend goes on vacation with this set. I bought my Nikon in 1995 and it was a FM2. I am still using it with satisfaction. Meanwhile I have worn out a F90X while travelling around the world for business and vacation. I was using the camera also for work and to follow a volley team and I figured out that at the end it must had passed the 200 thousand shots. Recently I bought an F100. Could have not afforded it new, but here in Italy a good used F100 now sells for less than a cheap zoom. And I still love slide film. Maybe digital is better, faster, cheaper, one has a good excuse to upgrade photo gear every other year, ... who cares. My world is a loupe, a bunch of slides over a lighted box and a carefully designed max 100 slides projection for my friends with coffee mugs and a lot of talk. Since I was eight years old, and that was loooong time ago. As long as I can buy slide film and have it processed, why change?
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My first camera was some sort of Kodak 127 roll film box camera. No flash, no controls. But I've still got a scrapbook with B&W photos taken with it. Not real sharp, but better than on might expect.
My first 35mm camera was a Yashica J rangefinder that my dad brought back from a trip to Japan. I still have it! No meter, but a flash shoe and PC socket with x sync, a self timer, and shutter speeds (IIRC) of 50 / 100 / 300. An f2.8 lens, I think. (I'm too lazy to go look.)
My first SLR was a Miranda Sensorex. In some ways, ahead of it's competition. It was priced roughly like a Canon TL (or TLb--I don't remember the exact timeframes), but with a wider range of shutter speeds, a removable prism with available waist level finder, and full aperture metering. It had one uncommon feature that I really liked, and might still like: The shutter release was mounted on the front of the body, rather than the top. With thumb in back, and index finger in front, it was very easy to "squeeze" the shutter release, rather than push it. I could hand hold that body at lower speeds than any other mechanical release camera of the time.
After that, a variety of Nikons and Canons, a Leica M3 (I wish I still had that), a couple of Mamiya TLRs, and an old 4x5 press camera with lens movements that I used for an architectural project. Oh, on the opposite end of the spectrum, I had a Kodak Pocket Instamatic 60, a Rollei 35, an Olympus Stylus, and a Minolta underwater body. Oh, yeah, I still have my dad's Zeiss Ikon Contaflex IV, a leaf shutter 35mm SLR with some interesting features. Still one of the most precise feeling, solidly built cameras I've used.
I settled on Canon with the New F1, and Canon's USM lenses and all electronic mount kept me with Canon when I finally transitioned to AF.
The D300 & D3, and the new 12-24 lens, are the first offerings from Nikon that might make me choose Nikon over Canon, if I didn't already have a huge investment in equipment.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asahi_Pentax (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asahi_Pentax)
Pentax history (http://www.photoxels.com/history_pentax.html)
- first instant return mirror
- first pentaprism viewfinder
- first TTL metering
- first auto exposure
I think the Konica Autoreflex was the first Auto Exposure SLR camera, in 1965:
http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Konica_Autoreflex_A3 (http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Konica_Autoreflex_A3)
In fact, Konica had a whole series of Shutter Priority AE cameras before Pentax introduced the Aperture Priority Spotmatic in the mid 70s.
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Beginning in 1973 ...
Olympus Trip RC
Konica SLR with an 80-200 zoom
Olympus OM-1
Mamiya RB-67
Contax RTS
Bronica GS-1
Contax RTS II
Contax 167MT
Fuji GX-680
Contax RTS III
Linhof Technikardan 23S
Contax N
Canon 1Ds II
Canon 1Ds III
All gone but the 1Ds'es and a horde of Zeiss and couple of Leica glass.
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Beginning in the mid '60s, -
Ansco 620 - point and shoot of its day.
Instamatic 126 - some model middle road
Mamiya 500DTL - first "real" camera, carried me through high school, became serious doing own B&W for next 30+ yrs, two lenses 50mm and 135mm
Nikkormat FTN - various lenses, college years, some color processing
Nikons of various flavors, FM, FE, F3s etc grad school, many lenses
Leicas, Hassies - for next decade
Mixed 4x5, even tried 8x10 for brief time, mostly Linhof Tech IV and Mamyia 7 with Hassy through til 2000
Canon D30 began digital for me with a S10 as first dig. camera, what potential might be, then mix of Canon, Fuji S1-3, Rebel, 350D, 400D, Nikon D70, D200, D2x, D80, D300 and Leica M8 mostly now...for now....the beat goes on...
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Bought a Pentax Spotmatic in 1968. Sold it in 2001 and was still working fine, was cleaned once. The little switch that turned on the meter broke off once.
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Started with an olympus XA-2
Then:
*Eos 50e
*Olympus mju II
*Pentax Spotmatic SP
*Hasselblad 500cm
Nikon F2
*Consinon something or other
Eos 300D
Eos 350D
*Eos 40D
I still have all the ones marked with a *
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I guess someone will make some statistics and draw conclusions on this thread...
My first camera was a Kodak Instamatic, in early 70's. After a while my father let me use his Yashica. I do not remember the model. Then I got a Konica C 35 and survived with that until late 70's when I succeeded in convincing my father to buy me a Canon A1 with a 50mm f1.4 and a 200mm f4 lens
That camera rendered excellent results for more that 25 years until I bought a Minolta Dynax 800Si with the 24-85mm zoom that was a bit disappointment compared with the fixed length ancient canon lens.
A few years ago after a review by MR, I got an 8MP Konica Minolta A1 which I still use with pleasure
Manuel
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[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=174049\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Cool! That there would be the first camera I used (mom's).
Much later:
Olympus OM-1
w/Olympus 28mm and 75-150mm lenses.
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Ah, down memory lane. My first camera was given to me about when I was in junior high, late '40s. I think it was an Argus 21. 50mm f3.5 viewfinder. I remember 'dressing' it up with a big lens hood to make it look more impressive and shooting basketball games using natural light. I processed those shots in some souped up developer I ordered from an ad in the back of a magazine. Got some good shots, albeit with tapioca-sized grain.
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Boy, this one takes me back!
1952 - Beacon 120 roll film camera
1954 - Kodak Pony 135
1957 - Rolleocord
1960 - Rolleiflex
1961 - Crown Graphic
1969 - Besler Topcon Super D
1972 - Hasslebald 500C
1992 - Canon A1
1992 - Mamiya 645 1000s
2004 - Mamiya 645 Pro
2006 - Mamiya 645 AFD and Phase One P45
2007 - Phase One P45+
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First camera (other than cheap 110 instamatic) was a Mamiya-Sekor in 1972.
http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCam....html~mainFrame (http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?Mamiya500TL.html~mainFrame)
Wish I would have kept it for sentimental reasons. I still have my first Canon F-1 body I bought in 1974.
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My first was a Pentax H3-v, then a Mamiya Sekor 1000DTL, also purchased in '72.
I still have both of them.
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Your going to laugh... but
My first camera was the Kodak 'Disc' - which took a round cardboard insert with approx 20 tiny negatives around it. The negatives were smaller than a thumbnail.
Quality was abhorent.
Kodak's disc camera was needless to say a complete flop.
I think I only ever took a couple of 'rolls' with it before discarding it!
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My first camera was a Canon Powershot A20, a 2.1 megapixel camera. Before that, I wasn't really interested in photography for artistic purposes... before the A20, it was snap shots with disposables and maybe about 3 rolls of APS film developed (Kodak APS compact) before going to digital.
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It's interesting to see what people started out with and where they went.
My first camera was a Tower Snappy which gave way to my Dad's Rolleicord with Weston Master III selenium celled meter and finally on to my own first "real" camera - a Kodak Retina IIIC, which died in a fire in McKay's Camera Store in Monterey around 1968. From there it was on to SRT-101's which got me through high school yearbook and newspaper. Then there was a series of Nikons, Pentax 6X7, Brooks Veriwide, RZs, view cameras and on and on. Sold the Veriwide to help pay for my first semester at Art Center, and that's the camera that I miss the most, most of the time.
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My first camera was some kind of a Brownie black brick. As a kid I longed for my dad's 3F Leica red dial. I must have been about 5 and was allowed to take 4 pictured a day.
Throwing a fit at Niagra Falls wanting to use dad's Leica, I threw my black brick camera over the falls.
Yes, I took "the" beating of my life !
Today I have great respect for all cameras and I too am afraid to let my little grandson look through my Leica and never at Niagra Falls.
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I'm pretty sure it was a Petri MF-101A. I inherited it from my father who used it to shoot real estate that he had appraised. Awful JC Pennys zoom lens attached. Man, I loved that camera. It was almost identical to a Pentax K1000 which I later also inherited and still use today on occasion.
http://www.tradera.com/auction/1/aid_58435926#pic (http://www.tradera.com/auction/1/aid_58435926#pic)
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Another Argus C3....followed by Leica IIIf (stolen) Nikon F..etc.
Steve
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First camera was a Kodak Instamatic (125?) I got for Christmas in the early 60's.
Then a 35mm P&S which I have only a vague recollection of.
Then my superlative Minolta SRT 102 in 1971 (72?); I couldn't even begin to say how many images that camera shot over the years and the places it went with never a problem or repair... still have it today with the original 50mm 1.7 & 135mm 2.8 Rokkor X lenses.
Today all new Nikon gear supplemented with some great 70's & 80's MF lenses which I love.