Camera Talk

@18%gray - you definitely need a model II! Those are very nice little cameras. Just lacks the convenience of the IIa's lever wind.

I had a couple of these, but sold one of them. Maybe to someone on the nelsonfoto forums?

I bought another a few years ago from a workmate who was strapped for cash. I gave him more than it was worth, because I could see that he really needed the money.

It has the 47mm Ektar, which is a bit unusual. Most have the Schneider Xenon. Need a bit of work, but nothing major.

@madrigalrose - love the shot of the cat. Well done!

Honeywell Pentax Spotmatic. I bought it new in 1970, when I was 14, with money saved up from my summer jobs. I still have it, although it is now on its 2nd 55/1.8 Takumar (the first is gummed up, and they are too plentiful and cheap to bother cleaning it.) It still works mostly - the meter is pretty eccentric nowadays, and the slow speeds are a little wonky.

It was eventually joined by a Spotmatic F (better meter), and a SV. As I became older (and less poor) I gradually obtained some of the Pentax system lenses I had lusted for when I was young.

Mine was a Varex Exakta... got it at a flea market and still got it, but the iris went kaput. One of these days I'll fix it, or get a new lens.

When I saw the title to this thread I somehow read it as "first camera" rather than "first SLR." Obviously, the Retina is not an SLR. My apologies.

My first SLR was a Pentax K1000 that I took in lieu of some of my pay when the newspaper I was working for went belly-up. I still really like that camera, and have two of them now. They are like tanks, and really, really easy to use.

My very first SLR was an Exacta I bought new from Olden Camera (NY) for $40, with lens, in 1964. I don't remember the model. It was a little tricky to use because it didn't have a pentaprism. My first full-feature SLR was a Honeywell Pentax H1a which I used for years. I had a Spiratone 28mm wide-angle for it, along with the Super-Takumar 55mm f/2, and some off-brand 135mm f/3.5 tele. Good times!

Gene

Pentacon LTL I got it with money I saved cutting lawns. It was $125.00 new in 1974.

Fujica ST605, bought new in early 1976 I think. From Ritz Camera for $135. Work for the grounds crew at Va. Tech after graduating from Va. Tech while my wife (now ex-wife) finished school. Saved my overtime pay from shoveling snow. Probably used it for 15 years; changed batteries maybe 3 times.

My first SLR was a Canon Rebel XS, my first REAL SLR was a Canon AE-1.

Mine was an AE-1 too. I still have it.

Mine was a Minolta XE 7 , bought it from a pawnshop for {not much??} I took it to the Azores in the mid 80s. It did well.
After vI got home I was sort of careless to where I put it and it was stolen.