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just bought a camera I once owned in the 70's

Paul Howell

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In the mid 70s I bought a Miranda, I was getting out of the Air Force although had both Pentax and Nikons the BX had a nice Miranda for on sale for something like $50. I bought it on an impulse, kept it for a few months then sold it and made some money, but I had etched my name on the bottom plate. Last week I bought a Miranda from the Goodwill auction site, same camera I had for those few months. Meter is inactive, but otherwise in good shape. Came with a couple of lens which I did not have.
 
My first serious camera (after a Zenit) was a Pentax S1a back when I was 19yo. Although this camera gave me many good photos and rewards in photo contests I sold it 3 times to buy a more expensive one and every time was coming back to me like a loyal dog.
Now I am proud to have it as the first camera in my collection.
 
A few years ago, I was given a Spotmatic I had sold to a friend about 30 years ago. She went digital, and the camera sat for years. Felt good holding the camera again....
 
A few years ago, I was given a Spotmatic I had sold to a friend about 30 years ago. She went digital, and the camera sat for years. Felt good holding the camera again....
 
With me it has been more like: I bought a camera I couldn't afford back in the 70's.
 
I've done that with the canon F1N. I had tried just about every canon FD camera. I could not warm up to any of them. Loved the lenses though. Finally had the F1N. And I really liked everything about it. But it jammed pretty regularly halfway through the roll. So I sold it and have up on the FD system altogether. Sold everything and went to Olympus.

I have a full Olympus system now. But there was something I missed about the F1N. So eventually I picked up another one with the 50mm f1.4 SSC. It's on my backlog of cameras to use. I really think it is one of the best film cameras ever. Eventually I would like a couple more lenses for it, but I will keep it the kit small.
 
After almost abandoning 35mm over 15 years ago I've been using a Spotmatic F on odd occasions for a year now, mainly shooting colour, I need to get around to processing then printing.

I had my first Spotmatic F in 1975 and eventually sold it to a friend along, I sold my other my other screw mount SIa's and lenses to other friends they were all in use until recently. I had needed bayonet fit bodies/lenses for work.

Eventually I bought another SPF from a Community Darkroom/workshop facility about 10 years ago in mint condition afterwards discovering the original owner was a friend of mine,. I enjoy using Spotmatics the simplicity etc makes them so easy to use.

Ian
 
I did that also, I was given a AE1-Program for Christmas in 1980, I pawned it away in 2001. I just bought a mint AE1-P.
Something about "fist love" I guess.
 
A never ending story ...

I bought my first Konica Hexar AF in 1993 - traded it a few years later against a Contax 137ma - bought another one in 1998 - lost it in a gondola lift in the Swiss Alps near Grindelwald - bought my third one in 2002 - lost it during the break up of a relationship ...
About a year ago I found some slides on the attic, I took with the Hexar AF during the Tour de France 1994 - now I'm looking for my fourth one ...
 


That's a camera I've bought and sold a few times.
 
I only regret selling two cameras, a plain prism Nikon F and a Mamiya C330s. The Nikon was a very early number in shop condition when I sold to a friend, the Mamiya I had from new and used through college. Replacing them wouldn't be the same, a Nikon F in similar condition and number would be virtually unobtainable anyway.
 
love these stories; but take it from an old fart "never sell a camera to buy a new one, afterwards you'll regret it". 1# 1966 a Box Tengor, 2# 1967 Lubitel 2 and still shooting.
 
The first just disappeared, the second was dropped and too expensive to repair. Both replaced: Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera and a Voitlander Vito IIb
 
Paul Howell said:
By the same camera, i mean the camera, my name engraved on the bottom plate.
Click to expand...

That's actually quite amazing! Was the selling Goodwill one near where you lived when you sold it, or did it get to travel around?
 
I was in Sacramento when I sold the camera. In those days I kept a daily journal which I had in storage. Yesterday I dug it out and found the entry, sold it to a teacher was going spend the summer in a work study in Sweden. I bought the camera from Sacramento on line, I bid $25 and got it for $17.00 plus shipping.

At the time I had shot a couple rolls of film, as I wrote the 50mm is sharp, Im looking for the negatives so I compare when I shoot with it.
 
Wow Paul! Thats quite amazing to have found the same camera. Now I know where all the good cameras in Sacramento Goodwill's have been disappearing to.. havent seen anything good in months. Another one on my list is the spotmatic. Ill buy one thinking I will use it.. sell it, then buy another.
 
Your right about all the cameras, after I bought my Senormate another kit showed up on line from Sacramento, body, 3 lens 50mm 105, and a 35. I did bid but someone out bid me. I have the 105 in the EE version, quite a nice lens. I still have my Spot, my first 35mm SLR got in the 60s from a pawn shop in Long Beach, when Long Beach was still a Navy town, came with a 135 and 35mm as well as the 50mm, I still take the Spot out for walk a couple of times a year.
 
eddie said:
A few years ago, I was given a Spotmatic I had sold to a friend about 30 years ago. She went digital, and the camera sat for years. Felt good holding the camera again....
Click to expand...

It felt good shooting mine again! (All day yesterday in San Francisco.) The light meter works but is almost useless in bright light shooting into shadows. But with the sunny 16 rule in mind you really don't even need it!
 
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