The first camera I bought was a Nikomat FTn with 50mm f1.4 in 1968, which I got "mail order" from a shop in Hong Kong that was recommended to me ny someone who had bought from them. It arrived, shipped in its own little wooden crate! Wonderful camera! It was stolen, and I replaced it with a Nikkormat FTn, complete with USA warranty. Stolen. Replaced with an F2 Photomic FTn. Stolen. Replaced with a black F2SB. Still have it. Then I got a D70s. Still have it (may turn it into an IR mode). Just got a D7200 a few weeks ago and am really happy with it. I really enjoy those "it can do WHAT?" moments as I continue to learn more.
I got my Nikon F at a PX in Japan in 1966 -- a wonderful, durable camera. I have its direct descendant now, the D500 -- another phenomenal instrument.
Minolta maxum 9000 in 1986 from the PX at Great Lakes FTC. Shoot with Nikon now.
jdmarks64 wrote:
I got my Nikon F at a PX in Japan in 1966 -- a wonderful, durable camera. I have its direct descendant now, the D500 -- another phenomenal instrument.
I now also have the Nikon D500 as my main camera now.
grandpaw wrote:
This is not my first camera but it is the first one I ever bought myself back in 1971 and I took this picture of it a few minutes ago with my Iphone 7plus to be able to post it here. I have had a few of these over the years but this is the actual original camera that I started out with. I was eighteen and went with my dad to the local camera store and told the owner that I wanted a camera that would make me happy and I would not regret buying and this is what he put on the counter. A Nikon F body, FTN meter, and a F2 50mm lens and I can say that I have never been let down by this camera and it looks and operates as good today as when I bought it back in 1971.
What was your first camera to purchase.
This is not my first camera but it is the first on... (
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The first camera I could call mine was the same as your Nikon FTn but with a 55mm f/1.2 lens, thanks to a generous father. They were bought in 1969. I still have the camera and lens, though I keep them for sentimental reasons and don't use them any longer.
The first camera I bought with my own money was a 4x5 Crown Graphic with a 135mm f/4.7 lens, some film holders, including the one that took the 16 exposure pack, a leather camera bag and a Burke and James changing cloth. I was just walking by a camera store in Mobile, Alabama in 1970 and saw the thing in the window. I paid $150 for it. I had a lot of fun with it. I still have it.
VTMatwood
Loc: Displaced Vermonta in Central New Hampsha
therwol wrote:
The first camera I bought with my own money was a 4x5 Crown Graphic with a 135mm f/4.7 lens, some film holders, including the one that took the 16 exposure pack, a leather camera bag and a Burke and James changing cloth. I was just walking by a camera store in Mobile, Alabama in 1970 and saw the thing in the window. I paid $150 for it. I had a lot of fun with it. I still have it.
That's a camera setup that I would not mind having today!
That is a beautiful example of a classic Nikon F! Man, you started at the top!
It was years before I could afford a Nikon F2 Photomic. You've made me
want to go load some film in it!
SRT-101-- a great shooting camera! Built like a tank. And it has mechanical cables inside!
I shot quite a bit with an SRT-100. It still works (after CLA and new light seals).
Those Minolta Rokkor manual lenses were pretty dang sharp.
My first camera was a gift from my grandma: a Kodak Instamatic that used flash cubes.
I don't remember the first one I bought--it would have to have been inexpensive.
VTMatwood wrote:
That's a camera setup that I would not mind having today!
Graflex sold their camera business to Singer (of Singer sewing machines) at some point, and they made "press" style camera well into the 1970s. Then they sold out to Toyo in Japan, including all of their tooling, and that was the end of their line. I think that the "Super Graphic" was the last model made. I would imagine that you could find many of these available on the used market. If anyone walked around with one of these today, it would probably get a lot of comments and questions.
I just can't get myself to sell mine. I still have my 4x5 darkroom equipment, though unused for years. Who knows?
Not counting a Kodak Instamatic I got who knows when, the first slr I bought was a Yashica TL Super, which I ended up giving to my dad, in 1969, which was replaced by a Pentax Spotmatic. I loved that Spotmatic.
therwol wrote:
I just can't get myself to sell mine. I still have my 4x5 darkroom equipment, though unused for years. Who knows?
Hang on that Graflex. You can still get everything you need to make it work---and film and developers have improrved greatly.
It may come down to a choice of using it or using film or a camera that connects to the Internet. :-)
Quote:
Not counting a Kodak Instamatic I got who knows when, the first slr I bought was a Yashica TL Super, which I ended up giving to my dad,
in 1969, which was replaced by a Pentax Spotmatic. I loved that Spotmatic.
M42 screw mount lenses (that will fit the Spotmatic) are still being made. Chances are they will continued to be made,
since they are also used in industrial and scientific equipment.
My folks bought me an FM2 as a high school graduation gift (1983). It has a 50 f1.8 and later I got an MD-12 for it. I still have it and use it.
DSC_2669 by
Mark Kasick, on Flickr
Mid 90's I got an F3HP used- a rental camera for $350, I didn't like it as much as the FM2, but for some reason held on to it until a few years ago. Then sold it.
Somewhere in there I got an Olympus Point and shoot that was water resistant. I use that one a lot, the fill flash worked great on it, and I took it camping and fishing a lot.
LOL Film cameras are a dime a dozen today. I an FG (current favorite), an F80 A Pentax K1000, A Canon A1, a Yashica "Peter Parker model" A Vivitar M42 mount. The most expensive was the FG at $50, it's mint with a beautiful 50 f1.8 AI-s. Someone gave me the A1.
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