What Was Your First Camera and When: My first camera was an Argus C3. I got it in 1957 to go to a summer camp. It was great camera on which to learn. I had to estimate speed and...

plieber

My first camera was an Argus C3. I got it in 1957 to go to a summer camp. It was great camera on which to learn. I had to estimate speed and f-stop. Still have the photos taken back then.

Adirondack Hiker Loc: Southern Adirondacks

My first camera was a Kodak Instamatic back in about 1968. I was the local winner of a high school essay contest about the United Nations, and won a week trip to NYC. I needed something to record the sites, and the film cartridge was as easy as it got to load.

RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa

I had a kodak instamatic too. I know I earned it and my memory tells me it was from collecting Bazooka Joe Bubble Gum comics/wrappers.

photophly Loc: Old Bridge NJ

My first was a Yashika 35mm,,can't remember the model number,that was back in the mid 60's

snowbear

I had an old Brownie when I was about 8 - around 1966. I got an Instamatic a few years later - can you say "flashcubes?"

I got my first "real" camera as a birthday gift in 1974 or 1975 - a Minolta Hi-matic 7s rangefinder; fixed 45mm f/1.8 lens; split-image focus. I still have it and recently (within past 2 years) shot a roll of film with it. The hot shoe needs to be replaced and I can't get batteries for it so there is no meter, but it still works.

Messsucherkamera

Petri FT SLR with a 50mm f/1.8 lens. Got it in 1971.

Stone Angel

I had a Pentax K1000 and a Richo KR5. Back when I was 18 or so......

1eyedjack

I got a "PAX" Japaneese 35mm ,manual settings,used a light
meter to tell me what to set. Took slides in those days,
1953 in Tokyo,I should convert them to digital, some day I hope.

cgchief Loc: Jarrettsville

plieber wrote:

My first camera was an Argus C3. I got it in 1957 to go to a summer camp. It was great camera on which to learn. I had to estimate speed and f-stop. Still have the photos taken back then.

Bought this in 1937, the new AF model 'Full Focusing'; the original A model did not focus. Sunday I was shooting some b&w with it, I like to exercise the shutters of my cameras. I just noticed the tag when I got the box for the photo; I don't remember if I registered my camera as per
instructions. Probably to late now.

ahanonymous Loc: Queens, NY

A Voightlander Vittorette DR I still have it today, see photo below. I took the photograph in the bathroom mirror when I was 13. 46 years later via Photoshop I put myself back into the mirror with the same camera.

Me at 13 and 46 years later....

plieber

photophly wrote:

My first was a Yashika 35mm,,can't remember the model number,that was back in the mid 60's

Bet you had a Yashica Electro 35. My family owned a photo supply company and I saw and sold a lot of cameras from the mid-60's on including a fair number of Electro 35's.

plieber

snowbear wrote:

I had an old Brownie when I was about 8 - around 1966. I got an Instamatic a few years later - can you say "flashcubes?"

I got my first "real" camera as a birthday gift in 1974 or 1975 - a Minolta Hi-matic 7s rangefinder; fixed 45mm f/1.8 lens; split-image focus. I still have it and recently (within past 2 years) shot a roll of film with it. The hot shoe needs to be replaced and I can't get batteries for it so there is no meter, but it still works.

I sold a lot of Hi-Matic 7's in my family's camera store. I thought it took excellant photos that were especially contrasty.

plieber

cgchief wrote:

quote=plieber My first camera was an Argus C3. I ... (show quote)

Cgchief, why am I not surprised that you owned an Argus 35. I kind of wish I still had it around.

photophly Loc: Old Bridge NJ

plieber wrote:

photophly wrote:

My first was a Yashika 35mm,,can't remember the model number,that was back in the mid 60's

Bet you had a Yashica Electro 35. My family owned a photo supply company and I saw and sold a lot of cameras from the mid-60's on including a fair number of Electro 35's.

That does sound familiar.......thanx

plieber

ahanonymous wrote:

A Voightlander Vittorette DR I still have it today, see photo below. I took the photograph in the bathroom mirror when I was 13. 46 years later via Photoshop I put myself back into the mirror with the same camera.

That's a great pair of pictures. I really enjoyed the concept and execution. Thanks for posting. I think I might steal your idea.