The good old days...

[Brian Atherton]

Whichever way comparisons are measured, for my pocket, quality photographic gear has forever been expensive, so I’ve always saved and bought the very best I can find and held on to it for as long as possible, especially lenses, until they’ve served their purpose.

One thing I do know, is that film gear that was outside of my range financially in the 1970s – 90s is now well within it, particularly medium format.

For calculating worth, this website may be of use:

http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/

 

[Lauffray]

Today resembles much of what you guys are describing in the past, a conservative government, coming out of wars, a recession with high prices and stagnant salaries. (Not that I'm necessarily pessimistic about the future)

So, not much has changed ? 🙂

 

[cz23]

I don't now about anyone else but I was making $1.90 per hour working as a busboy when I bought my Minolta. I also worked pumping gas at a Clark Gas Station 3 nights a week. As I remember I was bringing home about $75 every week after taxes.

Needless to say, $300 was a LOT of money. I was renting a room for $10 a week at a rundown Hotel near the river and living primarily on loaves of bread bought from the day old bread store and peanut butter in an institutional can. Once a week I would treat myself to a can of Tuna, or some hamburgers from the White Castle on East Lake St if I had somehow convinced a girl to go out with me that night.

$25 per week to pay off that camera was a big commitment for me and having it stolen seemed to be the end of the world for me at the time.

Yeah, those were the good old days. Let's see. Prices were high, wages were low. Nixon was President. And I would be caught up in the tail end of the draft in a few months. At least the Paris Peace Agreement was signed before I had to go to Vietnam.

I really enjoyed reading your little two-part bio.

John

 

[Pioneer]

I think you are right about that.

Life seems to go in cycles and old farts whine and grouse about how much better things used to be. 🙂

 

[Rodchenko]

Yeah, but the old farts were better back in the day...

 

[Bill Clark]

Yes, I remember those days.

Back in the 1960's I usually received $3.00 to mow a lawn. They were fairly large by todays standards. Only did 1 a day then. As a teenager 3 bucks was, well, it was 3 bucks. Still managed to have a savings account at a local bank.

Now I get mine mowed every other week for $50.00 each time.

 

[Roger Hicks]

All inflation comparisons are however next to meaningless, because people value/buy different things.

Microwave oven 1947: $5000, call it $50,000 today)

Second-hand Speed Six Bentley in the UK in 1950: GBP 125, about $350, call it GBP 2000 today (you'd be lucky to get one for GBP 500,000 now).

Pound sterling 1966: $2.80. Pound sterling at lowest point around 30 years ago about $1.10. Pound sterling today: about $1.60.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Vics]

1956
Leica M3 chrome - $297
Leica M3 black - $327

smoke on that!!!

I'm old enough to remember that in 1956, that was a ton of money for a camera!

 

[Vics]

Funny, I recently bought an ais Nikkor 1.8/50 (used) for $74. Hmmm...

 

[Lauffray]

All inflation comparisons are however next to meaningless, because people value/buy different things.

Microwave oven 1947: $5000, call it $50,000 today)

Second-hand Speed Six Bentley in the UK in 1950: GBP 125, about $350, call it GBP 2000 today (you'd be lucky to get one for GBP 500,000 now).

Pound sterling 1966: $2.80. Pound sterling at lowest point around 30 years ago about $1.10. Pound sterling today: about $1.60.

Cheers,

R.

It isn't absolute monetary value I'm interested in, but rather how "affordable" these were relative to an average person's salary back then. In the 90s I remember my parents didn't make a ton of money, but we didn't have to go out of our way to afford certain things every once in a while.

Today, when I look at what it costs to buy a house for example, I wonder if it was the same for people in the past or if it's comparatively more difficult today.

 

[zauhar]

I think you are right about that.

Life seems to go in cycles and old farts whine and grouse about how much better things used to be. 🙂

Things really have changed in fundamental ways, this is not old farts waxing nostalgic. Didn't someone above say their dad was making more with a HS diploma in the 60's than he is today with a college degree?

Young people today have lots of reason to grouse. If they don't it's cause they have nothing to compare to or totally have their head in the sand.

 

[Mcary]

It isn't absolute monetary value I'm interested in, but rather how "affordable" these were relative to an average person's salary back then. In the 90s I remember my parents didn't make a ton of money, but we didn't have to go out of our way to afford certain things every once in a while.

Today, when I look at what it costs to buy a house for example, I wonder if it was the same for people in the past or if it's comparatively more difficult today.

I'd say there are fewer small homes being built these days then in the past. So instead of being about to buy a start home that they can afford you people like yourself are forced to buy larger then they need or can afford all based on the BS that it will go up in value of course not considering how much $$$ they'll be paying in interest over the next 30+ years. Can't speak for any place else but in the United States. They use some kind of fantasy math to determine how much of home you can afford. Example if say someone is just making their $900 a month rent payment the realtor and bank will tell them sure you can afford a $1500 a per month house payment.

 

[Roger Hicks]

It isn't absolute monetary value I'm interested in, but rather how "affordable" these were relative to an average person's salary back then. In the 90s I remember my parents didn't make a ton of money, but we didn't have to go out of our way to afford certain things every once in a while.

Today, when I look at what it costs to buy a house for example, I wonder if it was the same for people in the past or if it's comparatively more difficult today.

Sure, I don't disagree. All I mean is that for a given income, less money spent on A = more money available to spend on B.

Also, when I was at university in the late 1960s/early 70s, I didn't have a mobile 'phone, a microwave oven or a computer. But I did have a Leica IIIa and a Triumph TR2...

I suspect that life is a LOT more difficult and expensive today -- and on behalf of all ageing hippies, I'd like to apologize to young people today for those greedy bar stewards who failed even to try to live up to the ideals of the 60s.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I'd say there are fewer small homes being built these days then in the past. So instead of being about to buy a start home that they can afford you people like yourself are forced to buy larger then they need or can afford all based on the BS that it will go up in value of course not considering how much $$$ they'll be paying in interest over the next 30+ years. Can't speak for any place else but in the United States. They use some kind of fantasy math to determine how much of home you can afford. Example if say someone is just making their $900 a month rent payment the realtor and bank will tell them sure you can afford a $1500 a per month house payment.

Not in the UK. Tiny overpriced hovel "starter home" apartments are being built in large numbers -- for rich people to buy and rent out to the young.

Cheers,

R.

 

[kbb]

I don't now about anyone else but I was making $1.90 per hour working as a busboy when I bought my Minolta. I also worked pumping gas at a Clark Gas Station 3 nights a week. As I remember I was bringing home about $75 every week after taxes.

Needless to say, $300 was a LOT of money. I was renting a room for $10 a week at a rundown Hotel near the river and living primarily on loaves of bread bought from the day old bread store and peanut butter in an institutional can.

And, the reason that Motel 6 got it's name is...well, you know.