Your FIRST 35mm Camera...

fmajor · Nov 22, 2008

I believe my 1st 35mm camera was a Canon "Snappy" i bought at a "Hudson's" department store - in 1986!!! I used it on all kinds of adventures and it went with me everywhere. Eventually, sand made it's way into the works and the camera just stopped working. I later bought a "real" camera (35mm SLR) - a Minolta X-700 the summer of 1990 at a "Montomery Wards" department store (they had the lowest advertised price at the time!!!). The X-700 really caught my eye and Minolta was well-regarded by a former high-school teacher. I've been a Minoltian ever since.

rossawilson1 · Nov 26, 2008

My first was borrowed from my dad, a Pentax K1000 the classic beginners camera..

The first I bought my self was a Nikon F80.. wish I'd never sold it.. still, not exactly expensive now.. full auto, advances settings AND small and light.. I feel a visit to ebay coming on!

Paul Jenkin · Nov 26, 2008

My first camera was an Edixamat 35mm camera given to me as a 13th birthday present in 1974. Although looking like an SLR from most angles, it had a waist-level finder. You could get a prism finder to turn it into an SLR but I never found one. It was completely manual (I used an old Weston meter). My first SLR / camera with a meter was a second-hand Olympus OM1n, which was probably the best handling camera I've ever owned - albeit a bit lightweight and flimsy feeling for my tastes.

Steve Smith · Nov 26, 2008

Paul Jenkin said:
My first camera was an Edixamat 35mm camera.

As was mine.

Paul Jenkin said:
Although looking like an SLR from most angles, it had a waist-level finder.

Mine had a fixed prism so I think it was a later model. My father has one like yours though.

Paul Jenkin said:
I used an old Weston meter.

I got a Weston Master V with mine.

I still have my Edixa and it seems to be working properly but I haven't had a film in it for twenty years.

Steve.

Curt · Nov 26, 2008

I bought my first camera at a department store, it was an Exacta 500 with a Zeiss Tessor lens, 2.8 as I recall. A really nice camera with not meter but it was new and mine. The first photo I took was of my cat running across the lawn. In the photo I caught the cat in mid air with the two front legs tucked back between the two rear legs, It ran like a rabbit or some other kind of animal other than a cat. The camera loved Tri-X, the Kodak film that was cheap and available back then. I've never seen an Exacta 500 for sale since then.

My second 35mm camera is a Nikon F3hp with a 55 micronikkor lens. I got it when I was taking biomedical photography courses. It's sweet, I think I will always keep it even though I don't use it, probably should some day. Maybe get a couple of new lenses, no, that's my New Years resolution. Fingers crossed.

Paul Jenkin · Nov 26, 2008

@ Steve Smith.....

Lucky guys. I really liked my old Edixamat (apart from the WLF which, as a teenager, I thought was the most uncool invention in history as all the Nikons and Canons had prisms).

If your dad ever decides to part with his, I would give it a very good home....!

All the best.

Paul.

Steve Smith · Nov 27, 2008

Paul Jenkin said:
If your dad ever decides to part with his, I would give it a very good home....!

Unlikely as he has only just bought it. His camera collecting has stepped up a couple of gears recently. He started just buying types of camera which he had owned in the past. Now he's buying anything which looks interesting.

Steve.

Joe Grodis · Nov 29, 2008

My 1st was a rather cherry Pentax screw mount with no light meter. I remember I couldn't afford a decent light meter so I got really good at estimating exposure. It was a great camera and I sure would like to find another.

-joe

John_Nikon_F · Nov 29, 2008

Joe, maybe a Honeywell Pentax H3v (aka Asahi Pentax SV)? There also was the H1a/S1a body, which didn't have the self-timer, and 1/1000 was unmarked on the shutter speed dial, but was there.

-J

elingles · Dec 1, 2008

First 35mm camera: Olympus 35ED fixed-lens rangefinder; first 35mm SLR: Canon A-1.

dracblau · Dec 1, 2008

My first 35mm SLR camera was a Yashica FX70 Quartz that I inherited from my grandfather in the mid 1980s. I found it to be a very nice camera, and I still have it. It needs some restoration and service as the leatherette covering disintigrated and it needs new foam lightproofing, otherwise it is still in good working order.

The first 35mm SLR camera I bought with my own money was a Pentax K-1000, which I bought in the late 80s. I still have this one and use it here and there to this day. It is wonderfully simple and fully manual, which is what I prefer.

cherryrig · Dec 2, 2008

Nikon FM2n w/ 50mm AIS E f/1.8

uwphotoer · Dec 2, 2008

My first 35mm camera was a Kodak Pony I got for a few bucks at a garage sale in the early 70's, then in '76 I bought myself my first new camera, a Mamiya Sekor 500 DTL, it had a spot meter...... I learned about metering, and when I bounced the camera off some bricks I learned to buy used cameras, and the only other new camera I have ever bought was my first Nikonos V in 1989, nothing new since.

Steve Smith · Dec 3, 2008

uwphotoer said:
Mamiya Sekor 500 DTL.

I have just bought one of those for next to nothing. I haven't worked out why I bought it yet. It seemed like a good idea at the time!

Steve.

Woudschim · Dec 3, 2008

The first 35mm camera I ever had was a Ricoh Singlex II, with 135, 50 and 35mm lenses. Very soon after that came a Praktica LTL3, Super TL and TL1000.
They are all gone now, I will stick to my Kodak Retina II.

Marino · Dec 5, 2008

Was a yugoslav (i don't remember the brand) compact m.focus camera: a gift at my 14 birthday. I used for some years also an old Agfa and finally, several years later (1993) i bought my first reflex: an used, plastic, EOS1000 35-70mm. And so on...

mjk · Dec 5, 2008

My first 35mm camera was a fixed-focus plastic job that I got at 9 or 10. Prior to that, I'd been shooting a little disc film camera. My first REAL 35mm camera, however, was the Nikon FG I got two years ago from my grandfather and still use whenever I need a light camera body. The first camera I actually BOUGHT was a Nikon N8008s, which I bought a few months after I got the FG when I started to want a camera that could do tricks like 1/250 flash sync.

blivit · Dec 11, 2008

Pentax Spotmatic II, bought while stationed in Germany in 1971, I still have it, it needs a good CLA, mirror sticks up occasionally. Great pictures. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

Also have Canon FT, Nikon FG, and Nikon Rangefinder (the expensive one, circa 1950's ?)

Jeff Dahn · Dec 14, 2008

My very first was a Nikkormat FT, with a 55mm f 3.5 macro lens in '66.
Ironically, within the last week I've gotten the exact same setup to take me back to my roots.
Jeff

viridari · Dec 14, 2008

My first 35mm was an unspeakable thing. Some kind of 1980's Olympus point-n-shoot, no manual settings to speak of. Back then I asked for a Pentax K1000 for every birthday and Christmas (I was but a pup, still living with the parents) but got skunked every year.

About a month ago, my parents came down to NC to visit with us and the grandkids. Dad left a camera bag behind (intentionally). In it was the Minolta X-700 that he used to take family pictures when I was a kid. He's done with it. Instead of putting it on eBay, it's mine now.

It's not my primary camera (Mamiya C330 is right now) but it has a lot of sentimental value and does get used occasionally.

BillForce · Dec 14, 2008

My first 35 mm was a Perfex with a F3.5 Wollensack lens in 1947 while I was taking a photo class in high school. My dad was a building contractor and I worked the entire summer doing odd jobs to pay for it. It cost $45. NEW with a case and attachments. I gave it to my sister and B.I.L. when I joined the Navy as a photog. in 1952.

gordrob · Dec 15, 2008

My first 35mm was a Pentax Spotmatic in 1967 - had to sell it a couple of years later to finance university but bought another newer Pentax in 1970. The concept of the single lens reflex was exciting at the time and all the accessories that were available. Then another Pentax motor drive in 1973 complete with the 250 frame back and Pentax attache case. Still have the motor drive and still use it. My daughter has inherited my Spotmatic and a collection of 8 lenses and accessories. I also picked up an ESII in my travels.
Gord

Katier · Dec 19, 2008

Pentax Program A for me. My dad used a Me Super ( ironically I have on now ) and was happy with it so I went Pentax too. It remains a family tradition as we both still have Pentax SLR's ( Digital in Dad's case, film and Digital in mine ).

Fotoguy20d · Dec 19, 2008

A Leica IIIc with 50mm f2 Summitar.

Vader · Dec 20, 2008

Minolta 7000.

I have a Nikkormat FTN (w/ two lenses) that my father in law gave, but have never run a roll through it.

Your FIRST 35mm Camera...

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