Happy 35th to my Leicaflex SL!

[Tom Duffy]

Although I no longer have the receipt, I remember that it was in early Spring of 1969 (senior year high school) that I bought my Leicaflex SL. It cost me real money at the time $480 with a 50 mm Summicron.

It's taken me through Tri-x with Acufine, Kodachrome, home processed E-4 Ektachrome, HW ultrafine grain film, Agfachrome, Plus-x and my all time favorite, Panatomic-x printed on Agfa Portriga.

I went to one of my daughters' track meets on Saturday and took the camera with the big, old 180mm f2.8. The camera is very easy to focus and I got some great shots of the kids. Sad to say, with all the parents and all the cameras, it was the only film camera there. Oh well, used Tri-x in Acufine as still the best available...

 

[Flotsam]

1969 Costs of Living:
A loaf of bread cost.................. $ .20
A gallon of gas cost.................. $ .30
A gallon of milk cost................. $ 1.10
A new car cost cost approx...... $ 2000.00
A new house cost approx............... $ 40,000.00

Yeah, $480 was real money back then.

But try paying $6,000 for this week's hot digicam today and see what it is worth in Thirty Five years.

 

[Aggie]

Were those NY prices? Gosh half that and you had the top of the line in eastern Nebraska in 69. BTW my sophomore year at Tekamah-Herman HS.

I remember my dad forgetting his glasses and I had to read the sales sticker on a car for him. He paid $6779 for a Brand new 1970 (early relase) Cadillac Eldorado. My mom had a fit that he spent that much money on as she called it "Damn useless piece of sh**" So my dad dutifully hauled chicken feed home in the trunk when he had to. I got to vacuum the trunk.

 

[roland]

I was the lucky owner of a Leicaflex SL and SL2 and I was very happy with them for over 30 years. But then my SL2 felt on the ground, and the lightmeter did'nt function anymore.I sent it to Leica for repair but...for the price of the repair I could buy me a Nikon F90X including a 24-120mm. So I sold my complete Leica collection. Now I must confess that I regret it!

 

[Tom Duffy]

basic rule of thumb: never sell your Leica, you will ALWAYS buy a new one to replace it!