When was the last time you bought a "new" 35mm film camera?

[Tom Hoskinson]

Voigtlander Bessa R3a, 75mm f3.5 Color Heliar and 90mm f3.5 Apo Lanthar. I have some Fuji Neopan 400 and 1600 and I'm ready to go.

 

[Karl K]

Yesterday !

Yep...yesterday I bought a brand new Contax NX with a Zeiss 28-80 zoom. I shot two rolls of Elite Chrome 100 before I even read the instruction book. A client needed some slides of her needlepoint pieces, so I bracketed in 1/2 stops and even used the built-in flash for some fill-in on several shots. The 28-80 focuses both automatically and manually, even in the "macro" mode. My other film cameras (Leica M2 and M3) are not suitable for close-up work. I'll let you know how the slides turn out. Does anybody have opinions on the Contax N System? I know it's discontinued, but the build quality seems quite good for such a ridiculously low price.

 

[Mick Fagan]

1985 Nikon F3HP.

Mick.

 

[Ole]

2003, a Bessa-L.

 

[rduraoc]

Looking at the results, most people either bought a new 35mm less than 3 years ago, or more than 14 years ago. I guess that this last result is due to people moving to larger formats, and not using/needing their 35mm gear so much. But I'm just guessing...
My last purchase was a Minolta Maxxum 7, bought at B&H, USA, shipped to Portugal, payed customs, and still I was able to save almost 200€ when compared to local price. Great camera (better than the Nikon F80 or the Canon EOS50 - yes, it's just cheap provocation...).

 

[David H. Bebbington]

Bought a Pentax MZ5n in 2001 (Pentaxes seem to last about 10 years with me), and a Bessa T about 2 years ago. Don't use either one much (the Pentax comes out when I do a [very rare] press job), but they're just too nice to sell!

 

[Fintan]

I've bought several Nikon F55 cameras for presents in the past few years. I've also bought a new Xpan II a few years ago.

 

[Rombo]

I bought Nikon FM3a in 2001 and Pentax 645N in 2004. I did not buy any of those digital cameras. (And never will!)

 

[Andy K]

The last 35mm camera I bought new was my Olympus mju Zoom 105. I think I bought it in the mid 90s, I'm not sure.

 

[Ole]

Bought a Pentax MZ5n in 2001 (Pentaxes seem to last about 10 years with me), and a Bessa T about 2 years ago.

Same here, except my Bessa is an "L".

 

[kwmullet]

I voted 9-13 years ago (Canon EOS Rebel or some such), assuming that this poll meant factory new. I suspect you'll get very different numbers if you ask folks about when they got "new to them"/used 35mm gear. I buoght a bunch of Canon EOS gear (two EOS-1n kits) about 4 years ago, and sold it last year to buy a Canon FD kit (F1, FD and FL lenses). Also bought a Zorki-2s last year.

 

[NikoSperi]

Spanking new Leica MP from Robert White less than 12 months ago... always wanted one of my own. So what's wrong with eating rice for two months straight?

 

[noseoil]

Fujica STX-1 new in 1980, my first and last "new" 35mm. tim

 

[colrehogan]

FM3A a couple of years ago.

 

[GregT.]

1978 - Canon F1n (The version between the original F1 and the latest F1N.) CLA'd once in its lifetime (1996) and still going strong today.

 

[Craig]

I bought a Nikon F6 shortly after it came out - abut a year ago I think?

 

[Robert Kerwin]

I bought an F100 back in 1999 when my Nikon FA began to act up. Turns out the FA just needed a good cleaning, and is still working to this day. But I use the F100 95% of the time anyway.

 

[stark raving]

1981. Canon AF35ML for my father for Christmas.

 

[baronfoxx]

Just to put things into perspective, it would be interesting to find out when you have bought your last "new" from a dealer 35mm camera.

I bought a new Leica M7 last year from Classic Cameras in London and traded in a Leica M6TTL bought in 2002.
Both bought to satisfy a lifelong ambishion to own these fine examples of photographic engineering.

 

[sp_maher]

I've purchased only two cameras new. The first was in 1985--a Ricoh KR-30sp which is still a faithful companion. Then in 1999, I believe, I purchased a Canon Elan II and a few lenses. I loved the Canon, but I lost the whole kit in a flash flood. That was my one and only foray into a "high tech" system. With the exception of a Pentax zx-5n, my cameras in use tend to be mechanical. The ZX-5n is a beautiful camera, but I tend to use manual focus lenses on it.

Sean

 

[Gabe Racz]

Only my first camera -- a Pentax K1000 back in 1987. Unfortunately I managed to wear it out fairly quickly (rewind knob) and traded it in for a used Minolta SRT-200 in 1989, which was used heavily, shelved for most of 15 years, and is back in action now.

 

[athanasius80]

2004: Nikon N65 for my graduation trip to Europe. It was worth it, the thing takes abuse nicely---like when I forget its in a backpack and drop the whole thing to the floor.

 

[Mick Fagan]

I forgot to mention the new Vivitar Mariner 35mm compact camera, complete with underwater housing and bright yellow plastic housing.

Got it from Aldi, just before Christmas 4 weeks ago, cost $19.95.

Mick.

 

[David Brown]

... it would be interesting to find out when you have bought your last "new" from a dealer 35mm camera.

I was going to say "never", since all of my SLR's were used. (Currently have 9 that work and a couple of "doorstops".)

But then I remembered that I bought a Pentax "IQZoom928" (point and shoot) several years ago. And on the recomendation of my mother-in-law, of all people.

David

 

[gr82bart]

I hate to say it, but my last new camera was the Nikon D2X. But before that it was the Hasselblad 503CW. My next camera will be a new 4x5. So I don't feel too guilty about it.

My last new 35mm film SLR was a second Nikon F4e in university. I don't even remember in what year I bought that camera.

Art.