dwmoar Loc: Oregon, Willamette Valley

The first camera was a old Yashica TLR Model A which my grandpa gave me on my 16th birthday.

The TL Exectro X is the first camera I purchased while in the Army stationed in Okinawa Japan in 1974
Both still work as good today as it did when I got them.

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therwol Loc: USA

There are third party focusing screens for many DSLRs that have an optical assist like a split image or micro prism center. I found some on this site, along with instructions on how to change screens yourself. Under "Categories" pick your brand and camera. See what's available.

https://www.focusingscreen.com/

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

Geez! You started right at the top o’ the line!

Stan

John7199 Loc: Eastern Mass.

My first was a Maymia-Sekor (sp?) as so many have said before, it was stolen from my Fiat 128.

popheizz Loc: berks co., pennsylvania

Minota SR-1, bought 1965 from Nichols Discount Store.

Phil67

I bought my first real camera in 1982 and it was a Ricoh XR-7. This was for the purpose of photographing the arrival of our first granddaughter and the other grandchildren that came very soon after. The camera was awesome if you look at the specifications and is still available on EBay. I would say over 95% of my photos were exactly what I expected! Not bad for a beginner in fact, my first test roll included one shot no bracketing, on auto, of two Fuchsia flowers side by side on an overcast morning. I entered that photo at the international photo contest in Beijing, China in 1982 or around that time. I knew they would be getting thousands of floral shots, but everyone who saw this photo loved it and I would just look at it constantly. About 2 or 3 months after it was sent to Beijing, I received a certificate as a finalist. That for me was like first prize. From then on, I widened out my subject interest and bought different lenses. The camera finally gave out in 2001. I was able to sell 20”x30” enlargements of the Fuchsia photo which I titled “Dancing Ballerinas”, because that is how I saw them in the viewfinder. I’ve also sold other 20”x30” enlargements of nature shots taken in upstate New York in the Fall of 2001, about two weeks before the Ricoh died. But I’m happy for all the thousands of great photos it gave me and helped with my photographic success.

MDI Mainer

My first camera was a blue Brownie Starflash I got for my 8th birthday, which I think I still have in a box somewhere. I can't remember how many times I burned my fingers removing a flash bulb, since the ejector on the back never worked all that well!

Then in 1964 my father went as a delegate to the World Bank/IMF meeting in Tokyo, and brought me back a Nikon F with 50mm lens. I used that camera through my collage years, then unfortunately sold it to a friend shortly after I graduated.

luvmypets Loc: Born & raised Texan living in Fayetteville NC

My first real camera was a film camera made by Chinon. (I bet there aren't too many people on this forum that have heard of that brand) Even though it wasn't a top 3 named camera it got me started in my journey towards real photography (vs snapshots). I don't have a photo of it because it was the only camera I had and eventually it started having issues and an instructor I had traded a Pentax he wasn't using for it so I would have a camera. From there I went to Nikon. I loved my Nikon FA and still have it and all the lenses but I haven't had the desire to return to film (yet). My current cameras are listed in the tagline.

I did purchase a Canon Rebel before the D7000 but I was never happy with it; from there it was back to Nikon.

Dodie

Lsengrav

First real camera was a used Nikon F in 1981. I used it during a trip to Europe in 82. My sister appropriated it soon after (long story - details are hazy now) and kept it until 2015. I dont think she put more than a few rolls through it in those 33 years. Meanwhile, I inherited my Grampa's Voigtlander and used that for years. Here they are along with a pristine F2A I found recently in Korea. In the back are an FE, a Nikkormat EL, and my first "real" digital camera, a Fujifilm XT10. And of course the Crown Graphic!

srt101fan

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

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My first real camera was a used Speed Graphic 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 Press Camera I got when I was 14 years old. It used sheet film. My second real camera was a used Argus C3 35mm camera I bought when I was 15. I still have both but my brother has them at this time so I don't shoot with them very often now.

wide2tele Loc: Australia

I have! I'm kinda surprised how many here started with the major brands to be honest. The people I knew back then, many started with cheaper brand camera makers. I started with my Ricoh shown in the opening post. I bought a bunch of Tamron lenses over time to go with it before I could entertain any thought of buying a Nikon.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Yes - Chinon were marketed in UK. Ricoh made a small and light SLR which was reliable and took good pics.

DUKE103 Loc: Boston Area

I bought my first camera, a Nikon F with a FTN meter and lots of lenses back about 1966 ish and still have it. I was trying to figure out how many hundreds of rolls of film I have used without a single camera issue.
The camera traveled with me to college, law school, honeymoon, Europe and beyond over many a year. I hated to put her on the shelf when film was getting difficult to obtain. I then bought and now use a Nikon D80 which again is flawless. I have no need to upgrade this camera. It suits my current needs just fine

ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA

Nope. My first DSLR was a Nikon D3200, a sweet little camera that went to a friend who wae
S starting his own photographic journey.