How old is everyone here in 35mm land?

[Jim Jones]

I'm 80 years, three months, and 25 days, the most ancient so far in this survey. The Leica M4 I bought new is little more than half as old, the Nikon gear, mostly bought used, is both older and newer. For convenience, much shooting is done digitally, but for quality, large format B&W is still the way to go. Those cameras don't have to be as new as the Leica and Nikons to perform well.

 

[bdial]

Following my dad's example, I am about 40

Started with film at around age 6, circa 1959

 

[fmajor]

In me 40's, but gettin closer to the 50's.....

I like my 35mm gear (Minolta manual focus and Minolta Rokkor glass), but like Jeff Kubach lately i'm shooting more 120 (6x7) through my Mamiya RB67 Pro-S (that is *when* i'm actually shooting - in a slump these days....).

 

[ArtO]

I'm 66. Started shooting film when I was about 8. Had a number of periods where for years I did nothing at all in photography. Now I'm just happy as can be that I can purchase and use all this wonderful equipment that I could only look at when I was younger.

 

[Alan Gales]

I'm 52. My Nikon F is 45, Nikkormat FtN is 42 (that's my 'new' camera ), my Deardorff V8 was made in 1950, Linhof STIV 1959; I have and use lenses made from 1904/5 to 1971. I do use mostly fresh chemicals and color films, but I'm currently using Tri-X in 8x10 that has been stored frozen since 1989.

E., I didn't know that you were an old fart! I'm a young 51 myself.

My Stereo Realist is from the 1950's. I also own a Zeiss Ikon Contaflex 2 from the 50's and a Zeiss Ikon Contessa with a frozen shutter from the 60's. That's it for 35mm cameras. My oldest piece of photographic gear is from the 1940's, a 14" Kodak Commercial Ektar lens that I use on my Wehman 8x10 camera.

 

[tkamiya]

I'm at an age where it's a good argument if I am in my late mid 40s or early late 40s. My enlargers are good decades older than I am. I have cameras at least twice as old as I am and some even more.

I'm mostly a 35mm shooter but occasionally medium format - depending on my mood and willingness to lug around a heavy camera.

 

[StoneNYC]

I'm 80 years, three months, and 25 days, the most ancient so far in this survey. The Leica M4 I bought new is little more than half as old, the Nikon gear, mostly bought used, is both older and newer. For convenience, much shooting is done digitally, but for quality, large format B&W is still the way to go. Those cameras don't have to be as new as the Leica and Nikons to perform well.

The oldest guy mostly shoots digital, what does that say about the rest of us dinosaurs?


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[StoneNYC]

Following my dad's example, I am about 40

Started with film at around age 6, circa 1959

Wow father and son on here? Do you mostly shoot digital too?


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hoopla]

I'm new here (waving!). I'm in my 50s. Been shooting 35mm since 1971. Got my first darkroom in '72. Have shot 120, 126 & digital. I bought a Rebel t1i outfit a couple years back, used it a few times, then eBayed it. Am looking to get my oldest Yashica manual SLRs spruced up and get back to shooting and back to some darkroom work.

 

[KenS]

Gotten to be so old that I cant remember... but i do remember (of the times in the early fifties) going 'out with the old Deardorf (and about 12 of Ilford's glass plates in a 'recycled' WWII satchell) for a day with my mentor...

('Twas in the days when the Ilford Exposure Tables were more common than hand held exposure meters)

Ken

 

[fotch]

The oldest guy mostly shoots digital, what does that say about the rest of us dinosaurs?


~Stone

Old fashion.

 

[Soeren]

I'm 52. My Nikon F is 45, Nikkormat FtN is 42 (that's my 'new' camera ), my Deardorff V8 was made in 1950, Linhof STIV 1959; I have and use lenses made from 1904/5 to 1971. I do use mostly fresh chemicals and color films, but I'm currently using Tri-X in 8x10 that has been stored frozen since 1989.

Hmm my Voigtländer Bergheil is from 1933 (Wauv it turns eighty this year) And no thats not my "New" camera
Best regards

 

[benjiboy]

When I was born F.D.R was the U.S President, and Neville Chamberlain was the British prime minister.

 

[AndreasT]

I want more people over 50 voting, so that it makes me feel younger.

 

[dnjl]

Respect to all you septua- and octogenarians in here! If I ever get to that age, I probably won't be able to eat without assistance, let alone carry a camera.

 

[sehrgut]

I'm in my late 20s, and have recently started loving 35mm. I got into film with a Holga (like many of my generation), and shortly thereafter, a beautiful Rolleiflex Automat. Later I acquired a Fed-2 and a Chaika-1, which have become a couple of my favourite cameras, and introduced me to 35mm. Now I've got a Kiev-19, Nikon F2, Argus C3, Recesky, Hasselblad 500C/M, and I know I'm missing a couple in there . . . Camera Acquisition Disorder, I guess . . .

 

[StoneNYC]

I'm in my late 20s, and have recently started loving 35mm. I got into film with a Holga (like many of my generation), and shortly thereafter, a beautiful Rolleiflex Automat. Later I acquired a Fed-2 and a Chaika-1, which have become a couple of my favourite cameras, and introduced me to 35mm. Now I've got a Kiev-19, Nikon F2, Argus C3, Recesky, Hasselblad 500C/M, and I know I'm missing a couple in there . . . Camera Acquisition Disorder, I guess . . .

See just like I've been saying all the people who put down Lomo, look it brought out a real photo user, so Lomo can turn into something more. I never once used a Lomo/Holga type camera but I can see the trend since I'm no longer in my 20's and started when I was 12


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sehrgut]

I still like the "toy camera" aesthetic, but only in its place. The Holga was the last toy I purchased with "real camera" money . . . I want toys to cost "play money" (like the $9.99 Recesky). All these $50-$100 "crap on purpose" cameras seem silly to me . . .

And besides, I have more rolls to put through the Hassy! :-D

 

[StoneNYC]

Remember inflation, 9.99 IS $50... I can actually remember when it cost $10 to fill the tank, now it's $60 ...

Anyway, ya know something occurred to me looking at the graph... the harsh drop off in the number of film users after 50 may actually have more to do with technology and the internet and there may be many film shooters who just don't know about us because they aren't on the internet. The saddest part, is I'm sure many of them will slowly stop using film, not because they want to move to digital, but because their local photo stores slowly stop selling film...

I ACTUALLY went into a photo store in a high end neighborhood, the owner was out but I inquired about the old cameras in the display window, that I wanted to examine (it was an RB67 and I was designing a integral polaroid back for it) and they kept thinking I wanted to buy it, and said "why? you can't even buy film anymore" I said they still sell 35mm and 120 and he said "well the medium format and large stuff they stopped making, there's just left over stock, I wouldn't put my money into that, digital is way better anyway" I just stared at him, here's a photo store who doesn't even know they still make 120 let alone LF and I can't say it enough... this is a photo store.... wow... so people like that are also killers of film or the idea of it. This was before I found APUG and I actually was really disheartened because I believed him for a little while... sad...

 

[NedL]

... the harsh drop off in the number of film users after 50 may actually have more to do with technology and the internet and there may be many film shooters who just don't know about us because they aren't on the internet....

I know that this is true. I've met a number of older film photographers who are not on the internet and don't care to be. Not long ago I was at a wedding and the bride's grandmother and I got to talking. She collects cameras and has been a photographer her whole life. After the wedding, she was planning to spend time on the North California coast, chosen specifically as a photo trip. I would love to see her photos, but she doesn't even have email.

 

[removed account4]

See just like I've been saying all the people who put down Lomo, look it brought out a real photo user, so Lomo can turn into something more. I never once used a Lomo/Holga type camera but I can see the trend since I'm no longer in my 20's and started when I was 12


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

hi stone

sorry to pick at what you said, but i think that lomo / lo-fi / holga users ARE real photo users. there is no difference between "them" and the people who spend $4K on
a ebony 4x5 camera. "they" just don't buy into the whole "its gotta be expensive to be a camera" thing.
for people who don't "get" the holga thing, they should take a look at the work of victor milin. his holga / lo-fi work is mind-blowing ...

 

[albada]

56, and started collecting cameras at 40. That got me into mixing and designing my own developers. I turned 13 in 1969, so I caught the end of the age of innocence in America. Started photography as a child with a Diana that a travelling salesman gave away.

Mark Overton

 

[sehrgut]

Remember inflation, 9.99 IS $50... I can actually remember when it cost $10 to fill the tank, now it's $60 ...

That's $9.99 "new money". I just got it yesterday. ;-)

 

[Wade D]

59 last November. I've been shooting film since age 12 and developing my own film and prints since age 14 when I built my 1st darkroom. 5' x 8' is plenty of room to have fun in. All of my current 35mm cameras are Minolta, SRTs to Maxxums.

 

[removed account4]

That's $9.99 "new money". I just got it yesterday. ;-)

that cracks me up ...