What was your very own first camera?

[Rayt]

I bought a Brownie when I was 10 at a garage sale. It took 127 film and Sylvania flash bulbs. I remember sending the film off to York for processing.

 

[mathomas]

Miranda Sensorex II. Bought it with savings and Christmas money in 1976, when I was 13. Problem was I didn't often have the money for film or processing. Still, I loved the camera and was thrilled to have an 35mm SLR after shooting the family Brownies, Tourists and Polaroids. The family down the street had a darkroom so I got a taste of wet printing, too.

 

[alan davus]

Yashica TL Electro SLR with a Yashinon 50 1.9. Bought 1974, died in 1985.

 

[AJShepherd]

The first camera I remember using was a Kowa Kid - 8 shots on 127 film. Not sure where that came from.

The first camera that was ALL MINE was a Polaroid Super Swinger, which I got as a present in the early 70s.

The first SLR I owned was a Zenit EM in the later 70s.

Strangely, I didn't acquire a rangefinder until the last decade!

 

[cidereye]

My grandfather gave me his Konica C35 when I was 14 y.o.

Saved up my bus money for 12 months by walking to school and back so I could buy a lovely Canon EF from a pro I knew who was selling 1 of his 2 EF bodies off as he was mainly using MF for studio work and kindly waited for me to save. 🙂

 

[reuno]

My own very first camera was a Canon AE1 program my dad bought me. I still see it as one of the most user friendly camera ever made and one of the most well balanced camera between automatic mode and "pro" use. Awesome camera... need to fix light seals in mine.

 

[adeir]

A used OM 2 with a 50mm 1.4 lens was my first camera. I worked as the resident Photoshop geek at a camera shop, so I got a discount on film and processing. As a result, I shot a tonne of film with that sucker. That was nearly 15 years ago. I just gave it to my dad last July. He was interested in trying out a film camera after having a look at my Zeiss Ikon. He normally uses a digi p&s, and takes quite a few photos to print and display around his house. His initial experience with the Oly caused him to buy a Canon 60D😱 So much for the film aspect, but he sure enjoys using his new DSLR! My mom still faithfully uses her OM 1 and has so far resisted the digital craze/age. She still gets doubles printed of every shot so she can share them.

I think I'm going to ask for the OM 2 back!

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

My "very own first camera" was a Kodak Instamatic; I kept it for a long time, but it mysteriously disappeared over a decade ago.

 

[murpograph]

my first camera was an ADOX GOLF (MF Viewfinder) given by my father when he bought a new 35-mm Rangefinder (Dacora Super Dignette). Used it for a few years until light leaks from the back and holes in the bellows made it more or less impossible to take clear pictures.

Udo

 

[viv]

Canon AE-1. No longer have it.

 

[je2a3]

Pentax K1000 purchased at 47th St. photo in '81 was a college freshman... haven't used in a while....VF needs cleaning.

 

[dogberryjr]

A Vivitar 110 received for Christmas 1977. It's long-gone I'm afraid.

 

[wlewisiii]

Canon AE-1 from the Illeshiem, FRG US Army PX, 1983. Sold later to cover bills. Stayed with Canon till just recently.

 

[filmfan]

My first camera was a Minolta X-370 with 50mm f/1.7 and 80-200mm f/4 lenses. It was given to me by my father for Christmas when I was 13 years old or thereabouts. I was also given a small enlarger. I still have all the items and use them once in a while.

 

[kossi008]

Canon AT-1, bought in 1980, and I still have and am using it again after a complete rehaul. Don't have the 50/1.8 anymore that I bought with it, replaced it for a 50/1.4 along the way.

 

[dee]

Kodak Brownie 127 , the Art Deco rounded bakerlite version circa 1957 , at 10 years . Adox Golf 1a in the 60s .
First SLR - new Prinzflex STTL 1972 .
All long gone but replaced through e-bay or Charity shops , but the Golf 1a is dead !

 

[p.giannakis]

I grew up playing with my father's Yashica Minimatic-C but the camera I bought with my own pocket money was a Praktica BMS and the standard 50 f/1.8. Served me well for a decade and then moved up to a Canon EOS 5, my first real camera.

 

[d.keljikian]

1936 Ikoflex with an uncoated 75mm 3.5 Triotar. It works, and I still love this camera. What about a project/ images (recent or historical) from your 1st camera?
~doug

 

[Ronald M]

Waltz Envoy with 50 2.0 Nikkor. Can`t even find this one in the history books.

Film transport failed early, but it got me thru a year of HS and college.

Right after graduation, I went to Altman camera in Chicago and bought a Pentax Spotmatic + 50 1.4, 35 3.5, 28 3.5, 85 1.8 135 3.5 200 5.6 all at one time. Selwyn Schwartz was one happy salesman. Later added a 300 4.0 24 2.8, 21, 200 4.0, 100 macro 100 bellows lens.

Sold it all after two rolls with a borrowed Leica.

 

[eia41]

A brand new, sealed Minolta XE1 with a 50/1.7attached, bought during a business visit to Denmark (Copenhagen) in 1976. I have never stopped suspecting that it had fallen off the hold of a...ship! It has never let me down and it still works faultessly.