Do any of you have a "birth year camera"?

[RalphLambrecht]

One of my other passions is classic/vintage steel bicycles. In that world some of the folks get a kick out of having a bike from the year they were born. I have a Motobecane Grand Record (lovely and French) with a 1974 s/n that was probably sold in 1975, the year I was born, and that's close enough for me.

I had thought about getting a K series Pentax a while back, and when I realized recently that they were released in 1975, I decided I should go for it. This K2 has an early serial number, so from right around 1975. Not that it really matters, but I kind of like the idea. Here it is on my favorite Domke bag.
I do wrong with the baby pictures my dad took me.
Do any of you have a birth year camera?

View attachment 269122

 

[moggi1964]

Yashica Minister 700 - released circa 1964. I bought it because of the year and also because they didn't make them in large numbers. Just had it serviced and expect it might outlive me.

 

[sterioma]

A Rollei 35 from around my birth year (could not find specific years from Rollei serial numbers, but it should be in the right ballpark).

 

[Andrew Patteson]

Thanks for all the responses so far -- these are fun to see!

I am glad I'm not alone in thinking this is a neat little extra bit of connection to a camera. I understand it's not deep and meaningful.

And I just figured out I unintentionally already had another birth year camera -- adding to the Yashicas in this thread -- my Electro GX is also from 1975!

And Mr. Paramount, yes, I've noticed that with bikes and cameras both -- those who used them as pros are more likely to just see them as tools, not objects of fascination.

 

[Stats]

My dad bought a Leica 2f the year I was born and when I was twelve years old he showed me how to load it and take pictures with it. I still have that camera to this day, and it was the first serious camera that I have ever owned.

 

[gone]

I don't even have a personal birth year, much less one for a camera. One birth certificate says I'm born 1952, the other says 1951. The latter is a dummy my parents made up to have me enrolled in school at 5 instead of 6. So who knows? I have no memories of the moment. Maybe those two adults weren't even my parents. Sure, they said they were, but they said a lot of things that were crazy, so who knows?

 

[Dennis-B]

Meridian Model B "Press" camera, produced in 1947. Seems it's more a technical camera a-la Linhof. Solidly built, although limited movements. Bellows is a non-leather product, and is still as tight and supple as new. It uses 4x4 lens boards, albeit beveled edges. I found a Graflex view lens board which allowed Speed Graphic lens boards, allowing lots of lens variations.

 

[removedacct1]

My Retina IIIC, made in 1959. Great rangefinder camera, for so many reasons.

 

[grahamp]

My MPP VII was 'born' the same year I was (it is probably a couple of months older), and about 15 miles away from where I was. Not that I have had it that long...I probably weighed maybe twice what the camera weighed at birth!

I also have my fathers Vito B. It is the early style, so it is probably a couple of years older than I am.

 

[Alan9940]

Don't know their exact year of "birth", but I have 3 which hail from, I believe, the early 50's (me, too!): Kodak Retina IIa, Zeiss Super Ikonta III, and Zeiss Mess Ikonta.

 

[reddesert]

For certain cameras there are enough records to date them to the month (or day and hour, I imagine, for Leica). Many of these are collector-bait but the Nikon F and F2 are affordable, and between the two they cover 1959 to 1980, see production dates at https://www.destoutz.ch/nikon_f_bodies.html

35 years ago when I was still in my teens I bought a Nikon F, which I now know is two years younger than me. At the time, it was old and not in high demand, and I was young. Now I'm middle-aged and it's just getting started.

 

[Andrew Patteson]

More great cameras and stories. Thanks all.

Stats -- that is an especially beautiful connection.

Graham -- birth year and birth place both -- that is very cool!

 

[c.d.ewen]

I'm a Dec '46 baby, so when I saw this Leica IIIc from 1946-47, I jumped. I was primed - my first camera was an early Leica (don't know what model). Collapsible Elmar. I get waves of nostalgia just holding it.

Charley

 

[Danner]

I'm a Dec '46 baby, so when I saw this Leica IIIc from 1946-47, I jumped. I was primed - my first camera was an early Leica (don't know what model). Collapsible Elmar. I get waves of nostalgia just holding it.

Charley
View attachment 269400

Super nice. That's a Summitar? It looks pristine, and a beautifully rendering lens.

 

[c.d.ewen]

Danner: Yep. 50mm f/2.

Charley

 

[mooseontheloose]

Never thought about it. I was excited to come across this post which lists cameras released in 1974, but the few on the list that I own and have used (Yashicamat 124G and Polaroid SX-70) were officially released a few years earlier, although if I check the serial numbers I may find that the ones I have were from my birth year. The one I really want from that list is a Widelux F7, but I just can't justify the price for the amount of times I would use it.

 

[MattKing]

Rachelle,
I think that you might like an Olympus OM-1 MD - it is a great travel camera

 

[Ian Grant]

A Praktina FX and 58mm Biotar, Leica M3 and 50mm Summicron, and a Rolliefle Automat Opton Tessar lens, plus some LF lenses all made around the year I was born and fully functional.

Ian

 

[Sirius Glass]

Never thought about it. I was excited to come across this post which lists cameras released in 1974, but the few on the list that I own and have used (Yashicamat 124G and Polaroid SX-70) were officially released a few years earlier, although if I check the serial numbers I may find that the ones I have were from my birth year. The one I really want from that list is a Widelux F7, but I just can't justify the price for the amount of times I would use it.

I picked up a WideLux F7 with a cracked viewfinder for $200US a few years a go. Fun to use but I do not use it much.

 

[neilt3]

I have a Kiev 4 that by chance was made the same year as I was born .
The amount of other cameras I have that were in production at that time , no doubt a few others are the same year as well .

 

[ChristopherCoy]

What camera was born in 1980?

 

[MattKing]

What camera was born in 1980?

The Nikon F3.
As well as one that would be perfect for someone living on a boat - the Nikonos IV-A.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

The Nikon F3.
As well as one that would be perfect for someone living on a boat - the Nikonos IV-A.

That would require I got IN the water, and I make it a point to never get in THIS water. We had a 6’ gator swimming by the boat yesterday!

 

[MattKing]

That would require I got IN the water, and I make it a point to never get in THIS water. We had a 6’ gator swimming by the boat yesterday!

So the water is finally getting cleaned up a bit!
It occurs to me that my Retina IIIc may very well be from my birth year.
Which is really kind of neat, given the fact that I bought it as a gift for my Dad, because he had always wanted one, but could never justify the cost when they were new or still available nearly new.

 

[bluechromis]

I was born in 1956 and it seems my Kodak Cresta II and Hawkeye Brownie Flash were being made during that time. It seems that Pacemaker Speed Graphics were also. Maybe someone can say there is way to look up the serial number to find the exact year mine was made.