My first "exposure" to 35mm was using my dad's Argus C3 when I saw the Beatles. Needless to say they weren't great but later moved on to an OM-1. It was stolen and I went to an OM-2N. Now I'm trying to learn the 350D.

I LOVED my OM1. Graduated to it in 77 or 78 - still have it. Finally stopped shooting with it when I switched to the 20D and now LOVE digital. I shot more in my first year with digital than my entire life before with analog...

Learn a lot by shooting.

I miss the OM1 sometimes, but I'm really in heaven now.

Brownie in 1940, Minolta 35 in 50s and 4X5 Speed Graphic and early 60s, Mamiya 2-1/4 X 21/4 into 2003, 10D > 20D > 5D > 40D > 1DSIII. This is where I stop for the next 2-3 years. Maybe a 1DS V or VI.

Argus C-3 -> Kodak Retina IIIc -> Voigtlander Vitessa-T -> Rollicord TLR -> Nikon F2SB -> Mamiya RZ67 -> Wisner 5x7 Technical Field -> Canon Elan 7Ne -> Canon EOS-3 -> Canon 300D -> Canon 400D -> Canon 1Ds3

Minolta SRT 201 & 202 -> 300D -> 1DII

Jim Victory wrote:
Got my first SLR in 1966 and my first DSLR was the 1D in 2001.

My first SLR was the FT-QL and I still have an AT-1.


Still have my FT-QL and an A-1. Not to mention the Elan II. It was a broken latch on the Elan's film door that inspired me to buy a 10D. Haven't shot any film to speak of since!

I started when I was 13 years old with my dad's 1962 unpowered Canonflex slr. I used that camera for 3 years of high school photography, no light meter, no autofocus, no autowind, no nothing. Then I got a Nikon FG for graduation, which I used for a year of photo class in college, and went on to use for 17 years until I got the nikon coolpix 660 when it came out. Now many cameras later, I'm looking forward to the 5d Mk II and that old 35mm look again.

I'm 20 years old and started photography two years ago with my Powershot, then upgraded to a Rebel XT, now a Canon 5D.

Not to make anyone feel old....but I have never loaded film into a camera...and not sure how to either haha.

I started with a Ricoh XR-P and had that for 12 years before getting an EOS A2 (5) in 1996, and EOS 3 in 2001.

Listing just the ones that got a ton of use, and only SLRs:
Kowa SE, Miranda Sensorex, Canon A1, EOS 3, EOS 1N, Pentax 645N, Pentax 67...
and then a procession of Canon DSLRs.
Along the way I also used TLRs, rangefinders, a view camera, and some AF compacts.
And I'm 21 years old...not.

ocean7 wrote:
I am suprized to read that so far the poll goes 17-0. FM members must be old enough. Younger generations have actually very little clue about film (usually).

digitial hasn't really been out there for that long
i only switched in 2004, only four years ago, with the 20D, so that doesn;'t really knock all but the very youngest of age groups out.
EOS 650 was my first camera (although when really little I did use my dad's FD mount), I started SLRs pretty young though I think stopped with P&S when I was like 5 or 6.

point and shooters might have switched a little earlier in some case but i'm not too surprised about the results at all, but I think most people who started with SLRs would have started with film.

now if you poll about who used SLRs without AF, THAT might show some separation I bet....

Just used Argus and Yashica 35mm film cameras. No SLR interest there until the digital equipment and developing started coming out.
Gee, I miss those flash bulbs

Gil

Yes and still kicking around a Holga.

I am a Nikon F3hp kid.

Started with Minolta P&S. Landscape & wildlife. It died a natural death.
Moved to Minolta x570. Landscape & wildlife mostly. Still have it.
First digital was Olympus UZ 2.1 mP. Landscape & wildlife. Wife has it.
Then Canon 10D --> 20D. Mostly youth sports. Still have the 20D.
Now 1D3. Youth sports primarily. And still have it.
Wow, guess I am a packrat.

An old Argus, then a QL-17, then a AE-1, AT-1, A-1, Then an A2. Finally went digital about two years ago.

eric kim wrote:
I'm 20 years old and started photography two years ago with my Powershot, then upgraded to a Rebel XT, now a Canon 5D.

Not to make anyone feel old....but I have never loaded film into a camera...and not sure how to either haha.

I am 41 and loaded my first roll this summer

I have no clue about film, I've always shot digital

I love my 5D but would give my right arm for an x-pan or Fuji 617.

Borrowed an X-pan from my wedding photographer (very kind of him) and it took me a week to figure out how to focus, weird rangefinder things

I started with my dad's Canon FTB QL and a 55mm f1.2 for a few months. Eventually, I bought my own Nikon F and a Nikkor 50mm f1.4. Played with large format photography while I was in my teens and in college. My 1st DSLR was a Digital Rebel (300D) just as a "test" system, sold that after a month of usage and got myself a 1D once I got more comfortable with digital.

Yes, started in 1989 with the Canon EOS-650 that I still have.
Bought the 1D in 2004 and still use it.
Yes, that's 2 camera's in 19 years

ocean7 wrote:
Devin Hillam wrote:
This is kind of off topic, but does anyone know of any setups, be it camera and a handheld light meter that don't require any type of batteries to operate/meter? I'd be really interested in getting one

Any mechanical camera with no built-in meter or a broken meter will do Some cheap lightmeters like the Gossen Pilot 2 do not need batteries.


Thanks. I'll look in to it

Started with an AE-1 in 1976 and worked my way up to two A-1 bodies and 6 FD lenses. Went digital in 2006 with my first 30D, my first auto focus too.

i started in 2006 (im 18 hah) with a Nikon F2 photomatic and 3 great lenses

-Nikkor 50mm f1.2 AI
-Nikkor 105mm f2.5 AI
Nikkor 28mm f2 AI

hah i had no idea at the time

but now i am allll canon

back in 1975 I started with a cheap kodak 110 cartridge film camera, them moved on to a Fujica st605 35mm, then progessively moving up to Nikon F2, F3, FE, then to the beatiful Canon 1V HS, then switched to 100% digital in 2002 with the first really affordable High Res Dslr...Canon D60