Still have your first SLR?

Woodyg3

Senior Member
Contributor
An Argus C3 was among my first few cameras. I tend to think of it as my first “real camera”. I still have it.

My sister got the C3 after me, and when I asked for it back years later, she said something like "oh, it finally bit the dust." She tossed it! I wanted to toss her! LOL.

I feel the same as you, that C3 was my first real camera, and I got a lot of great shots with it!
 

STM

Senior Member
Not my first, it was a Minolta SRT-101. But my second is my avatar and it is still going strong after 40 years. I got the MD-2 several years after it.
 

Steve Bell

Senior Member
Over the years I graduated from a Kodak Brownie 127, Kodak Twin 20, Ensign Selfix 12-20 to my fist SLR, a Practica Super TL2 with the 50mm standard lens. I still remember the loud clunking shutter. Later I added the Zeis Flektogon 35mm F2.4 and Zeis 135mm F3.5. When I moved to to an Olympus OM system I gave the Practica kit to my father to replace his Zenith E.
 

nononadanope

Senior Member
Over the years I graduated from a Kodak Brownie 127, Kodak Twin 20, Ensign Selfix 12-20 to my fist SLR, a Practica Super TL2 with the 50mm standard lens. I still remember the loud clunking shutter. Later I added the Zeis Flektogon 35mm F2.4 and Zeis 135mm F3.5. When I moved to to an Olympus OM system I gave the Practica kit to my father to replace his Zenith E.

I had to look up the Ensign and the Praktica cameras as I had never heard of those manufacturers before. The Ensign one looks awesome. It looks like a simple camera, although I'm sure it wasn't really. I like the designs of folding cameras.
 

Eyelight

Senior Member
First camera was a Kodak Hawkeye 127 (46mm) and I still have it. It was one of those with the built in flash reflector that was half the size of the camera, fixed focal length, fixed aperture, wait for the light to come to you camera.

First SLR was a Minolta XG7 acquired in June of 1979 and used for roughly 25 years before retiring it, and I still have it. Need to run a roll through it and see what happens.
 

nononadanope

Senior Member
@Chito - That's almost as old as me.
@Eyelight - Did an image search on the Kodak Hawkeye. You weren't kidding about the flash being about half the size of the camera lol. Also, it would be interesting to know how it goes putting a roll of film in the Minolta.

After doing some searching; I noticed that the design in cameras changed in the late 80's. That was when they started to look like the ones we have today and started to have the digital display on top. Still; I like the looks of the older cameras more.
 

WeeHector

Senior Member
Zenit E. Once saw it described as the ideal camera to take to an Irish wedding. When you're done taking the photos you can use it to hit the drunken guests on the head! :D
 

nononadanope

Senior Member
Zenit E. Once saw it described as the ideal camera to take to an Irish wedding. When you're done taking the photos you can use it to hit the drunken guests on the head! :D

LOL! I could've use that at my brothers wedding a few years back. Wasn't an Irish wedding but that didn't stop people from getting drunk. Heck, even the priest was drunk. Haha.
 

Photowyzard

Senior Member
My first SLR was a Pentax Spotmatic F screw mount, Silver Body.
I upgraded that to the Pentax MX when it first came out.
Sold it and all my gear two years ago when the D800 came out.

My current Film Body inventory includes:

Nikon FM2n with grip
Nikon F5
Nikon F6

I still have my first original camera given to me by my great aunt when I was 8, an Imperial Instant 800, with batteries, film and a return envelope to get it developed!
 

nononadanope

Senior Member
My first SLR was a Pentax Spotmatic F screw mount, Silver Body.
I upgraded that to the Pentax MX when it first came out.
Sold it and all my gear two years ago when the D800 came out.

My current Film Body inventory includes:

Nikon FM2n with grip
Nikon F5
Nikon F6

I still have my first original camera given to me by my great aunt when I was 8, an Imperial Instant 800, with batteries, film and a return envelope to get it developed!

I looked up both the Pentax's. The spotmatic one seems to have come out the year my Mom graduated from college. I understand about the selling the old gear. "Out with the old, in with the new". Although sometimes that's a no-no, depending on the item of course. But if you're strapped for cash then that's a different story. How do you like your current film camera line-up? Do you shoot with the DSLR more or the SLR?
 

kevy73

Senior Member
I still have my Mamiya RB67 Pro medium format camera too... still take that to weddings and snap a few shots on that too.
 

Jimbo216

New member
No, but I still have my 2nd SLR - a 1980's Nikon FG. The nice thing about it is that all 3 lenses I have work with my new Nikon D3300 DSLR :)
 

nononadanope

Senior Member
No, but I still have my 2nd SLR - a 1980's Nikon FG. The nice thing about it is that all 3 lenses I have work with my new Nikon D3300 DSLR :)

Very nice! It's great that the 3 lenses work with your new Nikon :). BTW, looks like you're new to the site (unless you've been here before under a different name). Anyways, if you're new then welcome aboard! If you can and want to, you should introduce yourself in the new members section.
 

Sandpatch

Senior Member
My first SLR was my Dad's Kodak Retina Reflex IV and it's still in the closet and complete as seen here. I was actually it's third owner, as one of my older brothers passed in on to me. I have fond memories of this camera and it still worked perfectly when it was stored away 40 years ago.

2014-06-20 Kodak Retina Reflex IV - for upload.jpg
 
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nzswift

Senior Member
First SLR was a used Nikon FM. After about four years i was going to trade it on a new FM2 but ended up walking out of the shop with an excellent condition F3. Always regretted selling (trading) my first SLR so last year bought a FM in about the same condition as "my" first SLR.
Just call me nuts!
 
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