What was your first camera ?

Benco · Mar 21, 2013

snowbear said:
My first film (and P&S) was one of the later Kodak Brownie models, probably a Six-20. My first, and current DSLR is a Nikon D40. My only digital P&S was a Nikon Coolpix 2200 that was given to me as a birthday gift.

The first camera I actually bought was a Kodak Instamatic (126) I got when I was about 10.

S**t yes, I'd forgotten about the Instamatic, that was my first film camera to be sure, and those awesome four shot flash bulbs they had...the smell of burning plastic with every photo...happy days.

Derrel · Mar 21, 2013

My very,very first camera was a 620 rollfilm camera. It had ONE shutter speed, and was made of gray plastic. it had a knob to advance the film,and a red window to peep thru to see when the film had been advanced far enough., It had a self-cocking shutter. I *thought* for many years that it had been an Ansco...but it was not, I found out later. I bought it at the school rummage sale for 10 cents in 1973. Here is a scan of a print from that camera...one of those awful pebble-finished prints that were common in the mid-1970's.

shelby16 · Mar 21, 2013

Just got my first DSLR today! Nikon D5100!

Before that I had a Nikon 7x CoolPix point and shoot.

Tony S · Mar 21, 2013

Kodak Brownie... I think it's still in a box somewhere around here.

desmondlewissmith · Mar 21, 2013

Minolta SLR, given to me by my brother, a photography student in 1986

Usul · Mar 22, 2013

My first camera was one of point and shoot plastic film cameras, i don't remeber the model. And also was an old Zenit with nice 58 mm lens, but wasn't interested in photography that time to use it a lot.
My first DSLR was Sony A-290.

Dikkie · Mar 22, 2013

First single use camera's.
Then a Minolta Riva Zoom 70 compact film camera.

Then I experimented for years with a Lomo LC-A, a Lubitel 166B, a Seagull 205A,...

First SLR: Nikon F401

First DSLR: Nikon D40 (but quickly sold for a second hand D50)
Now looking for a D7000

Mully · Mar 22, 2013

Brownie Hawkeye 1957

Rick58 · Mar 22, 2013

First "real" camera? Ansco Viking 4.5 (120)

SCraig · Mar 22, 2013

Ansco Cadet II (127 film box camera) still have it
Kodak Signet 40 (35mm rangefinder) still have it
Olympus OM-10 (35mm SLR) gave it to my mom
Olympus OM-2N (35mm SLR) still have it
Sony DSC-P150 (digital point-and-shoot) still have it
Sony DSC-H9 (digital bridge) still have it
Nikon D60 (DSLR) still have it
Nikon D90 (DSLR) still have it
Nikon D7000 (DSLR) still have it

I worked in a camera store when I was a teenager and had the run of the place. I shot with virtually everything they had in the store EXCEPT the Nikons, they were off-limits for some reason. Leica, Yashica, Mamiya, even a couple of TLR Rollei's. Good times

runnah · Mar 22, 2013

Didn't actually take pictures but I took it everywhere.

brunerww · Mar 22, 2013

Cool thread. Lots of memories.

- My first camera was probably a mid 60s Kodak Instamatic of some kind. I too remember the smell of burning flashbulbs

- My first SLR was a Minolta SRT-101 I bought in the early 70s. Built-in light meter, no more holding up meters to people's faces before the shot, like Dad had to with his old TLR. Wish I still had that camera.

- after the kids were raised, I got back into photography, and bought my first DSLR, a Nikon D50, in 2005. Now that camera is retired and on the shelf. Looking forward to the next 50 years of photography. Wonder what comes next?

usayit · Mar 22, 2013

I don't recall my first camera. I vaguely remember those toy 110 cameras you get out of a McDonalds kid's meal. I shot a lot with it. My father had a Auto 110 which I would share film with him and he would process for me.

My first P&S camera was a vivitar Spree camera. I passed it on to my mother and she loved it for its simplicity.

My real camera (10 years old I think) was my father's Minolta 7000. Didn't realize at the time how advanced that camera was. I have it in my display case.
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/collector-s-corner/69296-old-buddy-minolta-7000-returns-home.html

After my father's minolta, I went backwards in time. I ended up shooting with a bunch of early screwmount Asahi/Pentax cameras which started my collection (Asahiflex, spotmatics). I then went to some K-mounts including the awesome Pentax LX.... then to Pentax MF (67 and 645).

When I graduated from college, I decided get something more modern. Canon Elan IIe and a Sony U10 as a key chain digital P&S. My first DSLR was the D30. Somewhere along the way, I got tempted by a Leica M3 which I CLA'd and my love of rangefinders really took off.

Buckster · Mar 22, 2013

My "firsts" in camera ownership and use:

1969 - Kodak Instamatic 104 - First camera that was MINE. (used family cameras before that).
1974 - Polaroid Color Pack - First camera I could use for experiments like long exposures, etc.
1978 - Nikon F Photomic - First SLR "real" camera.
1998 - Sony Mavica FD81 - First digital camera.
2004 - Canon 20D - First DSLR.
2009 - Mamiya C330 - First Medium Format camera.