Camera Talk

My first SLR was a Minolta SRT-101 purchased at an Air Force Exchange store in 1968. It came with a 58mm f1.4 MC lens. This camera replaced a used Petri 7S rangefinder. About 4 years later I added an SRT-MC and eventually sold the 101 body and lens. In the mid to late 1970s I wanted to upgrade to Canon or Nikon, but I couldn't justify the expense as photography was a hobby, not a career.

My first SLR was a Minolta that I had given to me by my husband's boss in the mid 1980s. I don't have it anymore and I have no idea where it is! I may have given it to someone when I purchased my Nikon FM2 and Nikon EM in 1996. Of course, I now have quite a few SLRs and other assorted cameras that I've collected through the years.

This thread hasn't had activity lately, but because I just introduced myself in another section and mentioned my resolution to start posting, I thought I'd start here. (I see familiar names from Nelsonfoto posting here so I should mention that I posted several photos there from the same occasion as the one posted here but the one below has not been posted before).

The first SLR I bought is an Exa, little brother of the Exakta. I bought it in about 1964. It came with a 50mm f/2.9 Meritar which I used with Kodak close-up lenses to take flower pictures; for that purpose, the Meritar, condemned by knowledgeable people, did just fine with help from Kodak's add-on lenses. The Exa shutter only has speeds from 1/25 to 1/150 and I can't think of anything automatic about it. But it cost $29.95 and the three close-up lenses with the Series VI adapter cost about $12 so I got pretty good capability with a small investment (and slow film). Later on I bought a 50mm Tessar for it as well as a 35mm Angenieux (now a collectible, I guess). The Exa's biggest job became copying family photos and photos for our church's 100th anniversary.

I haven't used it since 2011 or 2012 when I put some of my hoarded APX 25 film in it to take pictures in the North Loop area of Minneapolis, thinking that an older style film and camera might give an older look-- no verdict on that yet. It's a fine looking camera, I think and some of the people passing by that day in Minneapolis told me so. Here's the photo, taken with either the Tessar or the Angenieux on APX 25.

minoly wrote:The first SLR I bought is an Exa, little brother of the Exakta. I bought it in about 1964.

I remember being very attracted to the Exa, mostly from ads in the back of camera magazines by NY camera stores. I still think it a very handsome camera. You seem to have gotten a lots of good years out of it.
-- James

My first SLR was the second camera I ever bought. After messing around with a Polaroid Swinger, I did my research, and purchased a Sears TLS (re-branded Ricoh Singlex). I thought the shutter speed dial on the front was pretty cool, and unique from what anyone else I knew had. I got the black version, four lenses, flash, and a couple other accessories. Later on I added a flash bracket with a coiled PC cord. Folks thought I was a pro with that outfit. But hey, I was still in high school.

I had it through my first year in the Navy, then traded it in when the meter crapped out. I was never happy with the lenses, though I got pretty good at changing them out quickly. Traded it all in on a Voigtlander Vitessa L that was great for my little day trips with my sailing buddies, and didn't take up a lot of space in my HPL (Horizontal People Locker [aka, bunk]).

PF

My first slr was a Canon FTb (QL- love the Quick load),with a 50mm/f1.4SSC lens. What a view through that 1.4!

I found it in a little camera repair place in New Hampshire. It was a very good deal, as I recall. That really started everything for me, photography-wise.

I still use if sometimes - usually with my 24mm/f2.8SSC; probably my favorite among my FD lenses.

When shooting 35mm film I find myself more often using one of my Nikon F90's, but the FTb just handles so nicely; I've taken some of my favorite photos with it. The only thing is that it doesn't have the split prism - just the fuzzy/not fuzzy Fresnel thing; not the greatest in low light.

Bill

Argus/Cosina STL1000 with the 50/1.8, finally jammed up and I bought another from Ebay ~12 years ago to replace it. Basically a Nikkormat with an M42 screwmount. I put an SMC 50/1.4 Tak on it.

Hi all, my first SLR was a Topcon Unirex. I was very proud of that one because I bought it with the money I earned doing a student holiday job. It had that nice chrome barreled 50mm UV-Topcor standard lens, a leaf shutter in the body and a selector for spot or average metering with a third metering cell in the center of the mirror.
Later my father helped me fund the then new Nikon FM by buying the Unirex from me. He couldn't master it and sold it on himself. I whish I still had that camera though.
My latest SLR? Just two weeks ago I purchased a 'never used' Nikon F100 on evilbay for just USD150. I wondered if it indeed was new as advertised. When it arrived it came in the original box and it even had that plastic insert over the film gate to protect the shutter blades! Not a scratch on the camera and not one dust particle anywhere.
Even before the camera arrived from the U.S. I had purchased a brand new AF-S Nikkor 50mm/F1.8 for it in a local shop. Now if only I knew what to photograph I'd take it out for a stroll right away - such a wonderful camera. My first autofocus SLR by the way... !

regards,
Benny

Pentax Spotmatic.... which my dad bought new in 1973
I bought a Nikon FE2 when I was 18

My first SLR was the Minolta XG-A, a stripped-down, fully automatic SLR from the early 80's. I quickly outgrew it because I wanted to set my own f/stop and shutter speed...tinker around on my own. After that I switched over to one of the early Nikon auto-focus SLR's that a friend gave me (love it, btw) but again wanted a manual camera. Lastly, settled down with a pair of Minolta X-700's and couldn't be happier.