Forums > Photography Talk > What was the first camera you ever used?

Photographer

Stephen Fletcher

Posts: 7501

Norman, Oklahoma, US

Kodak Brownie for me.  Only camera we had around the place when I was a kid.

https://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg100/Norman_Guy/brownie%20canera.jpg

Aug 14 16 11:17 am Link

Photographer

Kent Art Photography

Posts: 3588

Ashford, England, United Kingdom

I was going to post that it was a Rolleiflex T, which was actually the first camera I used professionally.  Before that I had a mix of cheap cameras that probably didn't have any names I would recognise today, except Kodak.

Aug 14 16 11:28 am Link

Photographer

Renato Alberto

Posts: 1052

San Francisco, California, US

Minolta SR 2. Which I still have, and it still works.

Aug 14 16 11:33 am Link

Photographer

Don Garrett

Posts: 4984

Escondido, California, US

To my knowledge, it was a Minolta SRT 101, that my brother gave me in the early to mid 70s, when he went to Kauai, to live.
-Don

Aug 14 16 11:34 am Link

Photographer

CAG Photography

Posts: 183

Windsor, Vermont, US

Argus C3

Aug 14 16 11:40 am Link

Photographer

Stephen Fletcher

Posts: 7501

Norman, Oklahoma, US

Don Garrett wrote:
To my knowledge, it was a Minolta SRT 101, that my brother gave in the early to mid 70s, when he went to Kauai, to live.
-Don

The 101 was my first slr, followed by a 102 and a 201.  Great cameras.

Aug 14 16 11:46 am Link

Photographer

A-M-P

Posts: 18465

Orlando, Florida, US

A Kodak disposable.

Aug 14 16 11:46 am Link

Photographer

J O H N A L L A N

Posts: 12221

Los Angeles, California, US

Something very very close to this picture.

https://img1.etsystatic.com/071/0/6891434/il_340x270.813793525_j3sq.jpg

Aug 14 16 12:10 pm Link

Photographer

Jorge Kreimer

Posts: 3716

San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Minolta_SRT101.jpg

My dad's camera.

Looks like it was a popular model.

Aug 14 16 12:16 pm Link

Photographer

AgX

Posts: 2851

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US

First ever? Kodak Brownie Starflash.
First serious attempt at photography? Pentax Spotmatic. I have and still use 2 of the latter.

Aug 14 16 12:27 pm Link

Photographer

g2-new photographics

Posts: 2048

Boston, Massachusetts, US

First ever was an old Kodak that my parents gave me.  First 'serious' was a Prakticamat (best I could afford at the time).  Currently: Canon and Olympus.

Aug 14 16 12:52 pm Link

Photographer

Instinct Images

Posts: 23162

San Diego, California, US

Jorge Kreimer wrote:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Minolta_SRT101.jpg

My dad's camera.

Look's like it was a popular model.

Yep same here it was my dad's. I think my nephew still has it.

First camera I bought was a used Canon F1 which I still have about 36 years later.

Aug 14 16 01:06 pm Link

Photographer

Laura Elizabeth Photo

Posts: 2253

Rochester, New York, US

The first one I ever I suppose would be some kind of Kodak disposable when I was young.   The first one I really remember useing to take actual planned photos though was a D80.  I was given a D90 maybe year later and still use that today so really not that much of a change lol.

Aug 14 16 01:08 pm Link

Photographer

Don Garrett

Posts: 4984

Escondido, California, US

Stephen Fletcher wrote:

The 101 was my first slr, followed by a 102 and a 201.  Great cameras.

I became sold on Minoltas, and bought a Dynax 9xi when I got back to California.
-Don

Aug 14 16 01:10 pm Link

Photographer

Don Garrett

Posts: 4984

Escondido, California, US

Instinct Images wrote:

Yep same here it was my dad's. I think my nephew still has it.

First camera I bought was a used Canon F1 which I still have about 36 years later.

CAREFUL, someone might get the impression that you are old !
-Don

Aug 14 16 01:15 pm Link

Photographer

FIFTYONE PHOTOGRAPHY

Posts: 6597

Uniontown, Pennsylvania, US

a pinhole We made in School followed by several Instamatics or vice versa, first real 35mm Camera, a Kodak Brownie for HS Photography class which I still have somewhere.

Aug 14 16 01:46 pm Link

Photographer

studio36uk

Posts: 22898

Tavai, Sigave, Wallis and Futuna

The very first camera was probably a Brownie for family photos. But in photography training the first was one of these: A Crown Graphic 4x5 sheet film camera

https://www.historiccamera.com/librarium/crowngraphic/crowngraphic_image1.gif

Studio36

Aug 14 16 01:56 pm Link

Photographer

Motordrive Photography

Posts: 7083

Lodi, California, US

first camera was a Kodak 126 Instamatic, first real camera was an Argus C-3

Aug 14 16 02:08 pm Link

Photographer

A Thousand Words

Posts: 590

Lakeland, Florida, US

My first camera was a Kodak 110 Instamatic

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Kodak_pocket_instamatic_100_(1972).jpg

My first 35mm was a Rikoh Singlex TLS

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4653004695_0853f2f818.jpg

Then I moved to a Nikon F

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Nikon_F_Photomic_FTn-2714.jpg

Since then, I've stuck with Nikon.

Aug 14 16 02:10 pm Link

Photographer

descending chain

Posts: 1368

San Diego, California, US

First camera I ever used was a Deardorff.  First camera I ever owned was a Nikon F.

Aug 14 16 02:41 pm Link

Photographer

Creative Fantasies

Posts: 63

Grand Junction, Colorado, US

Other than a Kodak Instamatic that my parents loaned me, it was my trusty Pentax K-1000. The camera was a work-horse made of metal and practically indestructible. On a trip in the middle of nowhere of Catalina Island, my batteries died, and the camera, being totally mechanical along with my Harris Memory Meter saved the day and I took 3-4 rolls that all came out good.

Aug 14 16 02:45 pm Link

Photographer

Hidden Hills Photography

Posts: 116

San Antonio, Texas, US

First one I actually remember using was a kodak my parents had, don't remember the model, I was pretty young then, but I do remember it had these little flash cubes you could attach to the top, There was a bulb on each face and I don't think they were good for more than one shot per bulb, but the cube would rotate you you got a new bulb each shot. I loved playing with the spent cubes.

   The first camera that was actually mine was a vivitar that shot 110 film. Not even sure that stuff is even around anymore. 

   The first "real" camera I used was a Canon AE-1P with I think an 80-200 and 50mm lenses. Every time I see one on eBay or in a camera shop I am tempted to pick one up out of nostalgia.

Aug 14 16 02:47 pm Link

Photographer

BTHPhoto

Posts: 6985

Fairbanks, Alaska, US

Kodak Brownie Hawkeye.  When i was 12 my mom took it away because I was "wasting film," then my uncle gave me his B&J 5x7.  I did chores for him for a sheet of film per week until I turned 14 and could legally get paid for driving a tractor.

Aug 14 16 03:23 pm Link

Photographer

Chris Macan

Posts: 12954

HAVERTOWN, Pennsylvania, US

It was one of those Kodak 126 Instamatic,
Then when I got a little more serious about it I took my fathers Argus C44 to learn on.

Aug 14 16 03:24 pm Link

Photographer

WGordxn

Posts: 38

Boston, Massachusetts, US

Nikon D3300 ,

Aug 14 16 03:27 pm Link

Photographer

PhillipM

Posts: 8049

Nashville, Tennessee, US

Fuji S1

Aug 14 16 03:37 pm Link

Photographer

Stephoto Photography

Posts: 20158

Amherst, Massachusetts, US

My dad's Canon A-1. I'll never forget that camera!

Aug 14 16 04:05 pm Link

Model

Account subscribed

Posts: 175

Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

This tells me that at least two of you are at my age since we had the same analog camera. Not that it matters but sometimes I wonder why age is hidden for photographers. Age does not seem to reflect my lookings into the lens or the work afterwards.

Aug 14 16 04:17 pm Link

Photographer

Robb Mann

Posts: 12327

Baltimore, Maryland, US

First camera I ever used was a Polaroid.  Not sure of the model. First camera I ever owned was a Nikon 110 format. I still have it somewhere.

Aug 14 16 04:39 pm Link

Photographer

Robb Mann

Posts: 12327

Baltimore, Maryland, US

J O H N  A L L A N wrote:
Something very very close to this picture.

https://img1.etsystatic.com/071/0/6891434/il_340x270.813793525_j3sq.jpg

I have one of those! It was my grandfathers.

Aug 14 16 04:40 pm Link

Photographer

Gene Cannon

Posts: 159

Wendell, North Carolina, US

A Kodak Brownie back in the late 50's and early 60's.

Aug 15 16 02:20 am Link

Photographer

Creative Image

Posts: 1417

Avon, Connecticut, US

Brownie Reflex.  Bought it off another kid for 5 bucks.

Aug 15 16 07:00 am Link

Photographer

Shades Of Brown

Posts: 187

Glenn Dale, Maryland, US

I wish i knew. It was a canon that my father had in the early to mid 80s.. Later on as I got older i bought a Elan, but I still had that older silver looking Canon.. And the images from that camera always looking so stunning compared to my Elan or etc.  Im not sure what happen to that camera but If I could find out what model it was and what lens that was i would buy it again TODAY! Sadly back then as a child/teen I didn't bother to remember what model it was. sad

Aug 15 16 07:04 am Link

Photographer

Dorola

Posts: 479

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Minolta SR-1

Aug 15 16 08:06 am Link

Photographer

goofus

Posts: 808

Santa Barbara, California, US

about 10 years old..made some money painting addresses on curbs..and then went to the photoshop in town and bought this:  Agfa Super Solinette


the owenr tried to talk me out of it because and into something lens complicated.. but all those dials and settings were exactly why I wanted this one

didn't even have a handheld meter - I just used the guide printed on the inside of the film box

Aug 15 16 09:20 am Link

Photographer

martin b

Posts: 2770

Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines

Hidden Hills Photography wrote:
First one I actually remember using was a kodak my parents had, don't remember the model, I was pretty young then, but I do remember it had these little flash cubes you could attach to the top, There was a bulb on each face and I don't think they were good for more than one shot per bulb, but the cube would rotate you you got a new bulb each shot. I loved playing with the spent cubes.

   The first camera that was actually mine was a vivitar that shot 110 film. Not even sure that stuff is even around anymore. 

   The first "real" camera I used was a Canon AE-1P with I think an 80-200 and 50mm lenses. Every time I see one on eBay or in a camera shop I am tempted to pick one up out of nostalgia.

We must be twins.  I used to stare for hours at the back of magazines dreaming of buying the camera before I finally got that setup in the mid 80's.

Aug 15 16 09:33 am Link

Photographer

Jerry Nemeth

Posts: 33355

Dearborn, Michigan, US

My first camera was a very basic Twin Lens Reflex.
Next a rangefinder camera.
          Mamiya 500DTL.
          Nikon F2.

I had a hard time recollecting my first camera because it was so long ago.   smile

Aug 15 16 09:43 am Link

Photographer

salvatori.

Posts: 4288

Amundsen-Scott - permanent station of the US, Unclaimed Sector, Antarctica

My present for 8th Grade graduation from Catholic school. Pretty much the only time I ever used flash... ha

https://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200612/21/06/f0112806_20263955.jpg

Aug 15 16 09:45 am Link

Photographer

Snarkhunter Imaging

Posts: 68

Harvard, Massachusetts, US

Another Kodak Instamatic user. I can't say that I miss it.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ … ic_100.jpg

Aug 15 16 12:17 pm Link

Photographer

SayCheeZ!

Posts: 20613

Las Vegas, Nevada, US

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hfirdv34n7A/TKQ3HxHED3I/AAAAAAAAGhM/r2tEP-XdJmQ/s1600/FLINTSTONES+CAMERA.png

Aug 15 16 05:10 pm Link