Bill 45

I have some German's cameras that I have : Retina IIIC (large C) with lenses. Retina Reflex III with lenses and a Zeiss Contessa that I am use now.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Francisco, My first camera was a Kodak 126 format model, 104 or something like that. I no longer have it as I sold it well used a few years ago for more than it was new. Originally my Mom and I attempted to buy an inexpensive camera with an offer on some food item as a mail order. They after some time returned our money as the offer had already expired and they ran out of stock. I guess my parents then discussed it and they bought me the slightly better Kodak Instamatic. Nothing instant about it.

When I was slightly older say 10-ish in 1964 they would also trust me with their 620 Format Argus FIxed Focus TLR. Took pretty nice images from say 6 foot to infinity. That camera is made of bakelite. I still have that camera with the flash bulb accessory. Sadly 620 is a thing of the past. The nice big 6x6 cm negatives have made me want to have a 120 format Rolleiflex, but $$$.

My first serious camera was an Asahi Pentax KM that I purchased myself in 1978. I had used borrowed Pentax Spotmatic and Spotmatic F, but by the time I wanted one Asahi had moved on to the bayonet K-mount. My first few lenses were an Asahi smc-Pentax-M 1:1.7 50mm, 1:3.5 28mm, 1:3.5 135mm, and 1:4 Macro 50mm.

I gradually added more bodies, all Pentax, K2 DMD, K1000SE, and lots more lenses. To be continued...

photoman43

My first camera was a 35mm Bosley rangefinder camera from around 1953.

Second was a Rolleicord twin lens reflex from around 1956.

wingclui44 Loc: CT USA

Yes, this Praktica Super TL was my first SLR, It had a Pentacon 50mm f1,8. I was very happy with it, even the shutter speed was limited to 1/500 sec. and no self timer. and 42mm Pentax screw lens mount. I love that prime 50mm lens. After several years, my friend asked me to sell it to him because of the prime lens, I did!

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Paco, my first camera was a Petri rangefinder that I had around 1956 and it came, like other cameras at the time with a 50 mm lens. I was using a hand held Weston Master that I bought used. If memory does not fail the meter had a selenium cell, not super accurate and erratic response at times. That is what we had and we had to work with. Learning photography was not easy and most film in use were black and white. In spite of all that it was fun.

That Petri served me well till I bought a Konica SLR with a 50 mm Hexanon lens, a very sharp lens. By this time I was using a Sekonic hand held meter with a C&S cell, much better cell than selenium but still with problems in changing light. I was learning on my mistakes since an instructor was not easy to find and amateurs in general were not doing better than I was. I learned a lot reading photography magazines like Modern Photography. I did not know of any Photography Club and formal photography instructions were very expensive. Using the hand held meter was quite an educational experience since I learned when I had to modify the readings to come with the right exposure for some subjects.

Today it is so easy since digital cameras have instant feedback and histograms to let us know if the exposure is "correct." The Internet is full of tutorials to learn all kind of photography and Camera Clubs abound.
By the way, my first formal camera was a Nikon F from 1963. I still keep it and at times I shoot film with it.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

1. Canon T70 Film SLR (1984)
2. Canon Rebel (first generation - 6MP) (around 1990)
3. Canon 7D (My first serious DSLR - Sold)
4. Canon 7D Mark II
5. Canon 6D << Very good in low light
6. Canon 5D Mark IV

Still own all except the 7D, which I sold.

I also have a Canon SX50HS and a Panasonic LX-100

A. T.

This is such a cool story; this really shows the true passion photographers have for their art.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

...Continuing, I also added other equipment like an electronic flash and Gossen Luna-Pro exposure meter. By 1987 I had a lot of photographic Equipment, including a nice Gitzo Tripod my girlfriend bought me, and a 4x5" Omega View camera. I had no sooner purchased a really odd (now rare and popular) Asahi smc-Pentax-K 1:2.8 30mm lens, then we got burglarized at our apartment at the time. Goodbye to the 30mm that I don't think I had yet used to shoot any film with, the KM, Luna-Pro, and strobe. Luckily, I had much of my equipment at my parents home, In-Laws' home, Sister-In-Law's apartment. The girlfriend and I had gotten married in 1984 and are still together in 2021. I was given a Pentax ME camera but immediately traded it for a Pentax ME Super. I also had acquired a couple plain vintage German made 35mm cameras. Nice glass. I also for several years had a Pentax 6x7 6x7cm 120 camera. Took great images but it kept breaking down. I got the one lemon it seems. I also thru the years purchased a Pentax MX, K1000, and a friends entire Pentax Spotmatic and lenses (system). The K1000 and Spotmatic came after I had already switched to primarily digital photography. I also added a well used old wooden folding 4x5" field camera and an additional large format lens.

cdayton

Here I am with my first camera - don’t remember a lot about the outing.

Paul J. Svetlik Loc: Colorado

Francisco, since you brought this subject: My first camera was a pre-war Kodak Junior 620 (6x9 format).
My second camera but the first SLR camera was also Praktika - like yours - purchased in 1954 (the spelling on the face of the camera was different at that time) It was also a simpler model from yours - without a pentaprism and a speed to 1/500 sec. only.
The lenses on your Practica (Helios) were probably made in the Soviet Union?
Original lenses for Practica cameras were Carl Zeiss Tessar (Jena) or Meyers Optik Primoplan (Dresden?).

Tommy II Loc: Northern Illinois

My first camera was also a Kodak Instamatic 50. I bought it just before I went into the Marine Corps, I remember I had my Mom send it to me right after I got out of Boot Camp. My second camera was a a Nikon F Chrome, which I bought while serving in Marine Corps. Unfortunately it was destroyed in a fire fight. ( it probably saved my life) My next camera, which I purchased in 1975 was a Minolta SRT 102. I ended up buying several lenses and filters. I ended up getting away from photography for almost 3 decades, due to being busy with businesses and personal life. I got back into it in the late 1990’s when digital cameras came onto the scene, starting with a Panasonic camera that stored images on floppy disks. Then I bought my first Nikon digital camera, the Coolpix 950. I started buying the Nikon DSLR’s, starting with the D5000. I kept trading up until I purchased a D500, then a D850. I still shoot with both the D500 and D850, with a variety of lenses. Being 73 years old, I think the 500 and 850 will probably be the last new cameras I will ever buy. I’ve sold off all my other cameras ( including that Minolta SLR 102 and all the lenses and filters to a young lady taking a college film course, for $50.00.) She was thrilled to get them.

tommydif

I'm so glad you posted this! It brought back a lot of memories:

Kodak Instamatic (as a kid)
Mamiya-Sekor DTL-1000 in High School and college - shot, developed and printed a lot of B+W
Olympus OM-1 in medical school
Canon AE-1 as a wedding gift from my wife
Moved to digital with:
Canon EOS 10D
Canon EOS 40D
Leica Monocrom (just 'cuz)
Sony Cybershot RX 10 IV bought for our 25 anniversary trip to Sicily
Canon EOS 80D

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

...I *think* it was a Kodak, it was a box and pretty much kid-proof. I recall having a great time with it at church camp in Julian, CA and I know I got some "keepers" lol...

Duke the Nuke

Ricohflex twin lens about about 1957

Amielee Loc: Eastern Washington State

I think I may have had a box camera as a child but do not really remember it. The first on I do remember is an Argus C-3. Still have some slides taken with the camera and Oh man do we look young.