NaChase
Well-known
My Timeline:
My Timeline:
It seems that I have experienced much of what others on this thread have experienced, albeit at an accelerated rate.
My first camera was a Casio Exilim point and shoot that I got for graduating from high school in 2006. It was a perfectly serviceable camera and I used it frequently until its back LCD decided to break.
However, after an intermittent period of photographic apathy (from 2006- 2007) I decided I wanted to get a bit more serious about learning photography's ins and outs. This prompted me to buy a Nikon F2S, an equally beautiful and indestructible camera (I am confident it will outlive me by some margin and I only just turned 22!). Moreover, this camera, along with the 50mm f/1.8 that I got with it (I have since added a 24mm f/2.8 and a 105mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor), has taught me more about photography than any of the classes I have taken ever could.
Also, drawing on similar experiences from previous posters, I felt that film, while useful, was a dying medium and that digital was the way to go. This prompted me, after much saving, to buy a Canon EOS 50D, as awesome a digital camera as there ever was. However, despite its amazing image quality, speed,and general ease of use, I found myself feeling a little disenchanted with the super-clean, almost clinical look to the images it produces.
Thus began my rangefinder odyssey. It was only in the last year or so that I became aware of the existence of rangefinders, however, soon after this revelation I found myself lusting after one, albeit in a hypothetical sense (the cost, in my valuation, was outrageous!). Then again, the only rangefinders I was looking at were the Leica M7 and MP, it was only later that I discovered that "vintage" Leicas could be found "cheap." Thus, after much searching, working, and saving I found my Leica, the venerable M3 no less. This camera, along with a collapsible 50mm Summicron, has since become my primary workhorse. More importantly, the images I find myself creating with it are the best I have ever made (the fact that I shoot it meterless has taught me more about light than I ever thought I wanted to know). Also, this camera facilitated my interest in home development in a big way (my house routinely reeks of stop bath), which, along with my photo scanner, has afforded me a much higher degree of control over my work.
In conclusion, it has been a fun, if abridged, journey from my now deceased Casio point and shoot to my Leica rangefinder.
My Timeline:
It seems that I have experienced much of what others on this thread have experienced, albeit at an accelerated rate.
My first camera was a Casio Exilim point and shoot that I got for graduating from high school in 2006. It was a perfectly serviceable camera and I used it frequently until its back LCD decided to break.
However, after an intermittent period of photographic apathy (from 2006- 2007) I decided I wanted to get a bit more serious about learning photography's ins and outs. This prompted me to buy a Nikon F2S, an equally beautiful and indestructible camera (I am confident it will outlive me by some margin and I only just turned 22!). Moreover, this camera, along with the 50mm f/1.8 that I got with it (I have since added a 24mm f/2.8 and a 105mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor), has taught me more about photography than any of the classes I have taken ever could.
Also, drawing on similar experiences from previous posters, I felt that film, while useful, was a dying medium and that digital was the way to go. This prompted me, after much saving, to buy a Canon EOS 50D, as awesome a digital camera as there ever was. However, despite its amazing image quality, speed,and general ease of use, I found myself feeling a little disenchanted with the super-clean, almost clinical look to the images it produces.
Thus began my rangefinder odyssey. It was only in the last year or so that I became aware of the existence of rangefinders, however, soon after this revelation I found myself lusting after one, albeit in a hypothetical sense (the cost, in my valuation, was outrageous!). Then again, the only rangefinders I was looking at were the Leica M7 and MP, it was only later that I discovered that "vintage" Leicas could be found "cheap." Thus, after much searching, working, and saving I found my Leica, the venerable M3 no less. This camera, along with a collapsible 50mm Summicron, has since become my primary workhorse. More importantly, the images I find myself creating with it are the best I have ever made (the fact that I shoot it meterless has taught me more about light than I ever thought I wanted to know). Also, this camera facilitated my interest in home development in a big way (my house routinely reeks of stop bath), which, along with my photo scanner, has afforded me a much higher degree of control over my work.
In conclusion, it has been a fun, if abridged, journey from my now deceased Casio point and shoot to my Leica rangefinder.
1990 - Pentax K-1000 and another Pentax I have no clue about anymore.
1991-1993 - Nikon FM2, Rolleiflex / Rolleicord, Nikon F4
1994-1998 - Leica M4-2, Leica M6, Nikon 8008, Nikon F, Nikon F2, Contax G1, Hasselblad 500c, Fuji 6x9, Fuji GS645S, Leica Minilux, Contax T2, Olympus P&S, Agfa digital camera.
1999-2009 - Various cheap P&S digitals. Nikon D40. Leica Digilux 1.
2009-2010 - Leica M2, Leica M4, Leica M8, Leica X1, Nikon D700, Konica Big Mini, Leica CM, Contax T3, Olympus XA.
1991-1993 - Nikon FM2, Rolleiflex / Rolleicord, Nikon F4
1994-1998 - Leica M4-2, Leica M6, Nikon 8008, Nikon F, Nikon F2, Contax G1, Hasselblad 500c, Fuji 6x9, Fuji GS645S, Leica Minilux, Contax T2, Olympus P&S, Agfa digital camera.
1999-2009 - Various cheap P&S digitals. Nikon D40. Leica Digilux 1.
2009-2010 - Leica M2, Leica M4, Leica M8, Leica X1, Nikon D700, Konica Big Mini, Leica CM, Contax T3, Olympus XA.
Last edited:
froyd
Mentor
mine is short!
mine is short!
1980's played with dad's Exacta SLR, which I still have but never use.
1989 Minolta Maxxum 7000i, somehow I was seduced by all that crazy technology crammed into one camera. I lost the Maxxum after 2 years.
2001 Nikon F4s. Still have the camera and love it, but darn is it heavy! the weight was the reason for my move to RF. I will never sell the F4s as I love to use it and it was a gift from my father.
2008 Bessa R2a. Loved the camera but it was stolen together with the 35 Ultron attached to it.
2010 Wondering how to replace the Bessa I flipped a coin between two systems I always wanted to try Contax G and Epson R-D1. Contax G1 and 28,45,90 kit won (mainly for financial reasons) but I hope to one day afford the R-D1. The Contax experiment is producing good pictures, but the enjoyment of shooting is less than it was with the Bessa. Might eventually get an Ikon, if funds allow, but I would have to get rid of the Contax G1. I'm happy with two film systems (one RF and one SLR) I don't need three.
2025 I will be finally able to afford an M9, but still no money for Leica glass on par with my current Zeiss set-up
mine is short!
1980's played with dad's Exacta SLR, which I still have but never use.
1989 Minolta Maxxum 7000i, somehow I was seduced by all that crazy technology crammed into one camera. I lost the Maxxum after 2 years.
2001 Nikon F4s. Still have the camera and love it, but darn is it heavy! the weight was the reason for my move to RF. I will never sell the F4s as I love to use it and it was a gift from my father.
2008 Bessa R2a. Loved the camera but it was stolen together with the 35 Ultron attached to it.
2010 Wondering how to replace the Bessa I flipped a coin between two systems I always wanted to try Contax G and Epson R-D1. Contax G1 and 28,45,90 kit won (mainly for financial reasons) but I hope to one day afford the R-D1. The Contax experiment is producing good pictures, but the enjoyment of shooting is less than it was with the Bessa. Might eventually get an Ikon, if funds allow, but I would have to get rid of the Contax G1. I'm happy with two film systems (one RF and one SLR) I don't need three.
2025 I will be finally able to afford an M9, but still no money for Leica glass on par with my current Zeiss set-up
Bruin
Noktonian
My history in photography only spans a decade, but it's been inspiring to read how long some of you have been shooting with your first cameras.
2000/2001 - While in college I bought my first camera, a Fuji DL Super Mini, recommended from online reviews. It was a good p&s to get started with, and though I didn't shoot a whole lot I started figuring out its limitations. I retired it after a few years when something stopped working and all the pictures came out fuzzy.
2002 - I seriously thought about a Minolta Maxxum 5 kit and taking a photography class or learning about it more, but I had other hobbies I was more into at the time. My girlfriend got me a Olympus Stylus Epic (after some hints) and I had a lot of fun with it, carrying it with me everywhere and trying all kinds of shots.
2004 - I really wanted a Rollei AFM 35 as an upgrade on the Stylus Epic with more manual control. I decided to bite the bullet and got a Nikon FM3A and 45/2.8 pancake kit to learn the basics of manual shooting. I added a Nikkor 28/2 Ai, Tamron SP 90/2.5, and a tripod setup for my ideal classic SLR kit. I gave the Stylus Epic to my dad and kept the FM3A with me most of the time. I loved my kit but wanted a faster lens and something smaller and lighter that still had manual controls.
2006 - I started reading RFF because rangefinders seemed to be the camera I was looking for, but Leica prices were shocking to me (coming from MF Nikons). Even a Bessa kit was close to what I paid for my FM3A. In 2007 I picked up a Yashica GX to test the RF waters first... and I was hooked! DIY B&W developing and scanning soon followed, which opened the monochrome world to me like never before.
2008 - I decided to switch over to RFs entirely and get an interchangeable lens body, so I settled on the Zeiss Ikon after doing a ton of research here. I started with an M-Hex 50/2, then added a ZM 25/2.8 and M-Hex 90/2.8. I sold my Nikon kit and later switched the ZM 25 for a CV 28/2 and the M-Hex 90 for a J-9 85/2. I tried the CV 40/1.4 for a fast, one-lens kit, but also sold it to save money.
2010 - Being unable to resist a good deal (but unwilling to spend much), I picked up a Konica Auto S1.6 to play with and learned how to repair it myself. I wanted to try an ultrawide lens so I got a Bessa-L and 15/4.5 combo, which has been a lot of fun lately. I'm gonna sell the S1.6 and J-9 to keep it simple and focus on my 28/50 ZI kit.
Next for me is a Sony NEX-5 and 16/2.8, which will be the first digital camera I buy for myself! An M-mount adapter will let me get 42mm and 75mm lenses with my two RF lenses. When the 12mm ultrawide adapter comes out, I'll probably replace the Bessa-L/15mm kit with it.
It's a good time to be into photography!
2000/2001 - While in college I bought my first camera, a Fuji DL Super Mini, recommended from online reviews. It was a good p&s to get started with, and though I didn't shoot a whole lot I started figuring out its limitations. I retired it after a few years when something stopped working and all the pictures came out fuzzy.
2002 - I seriously thought about a Minolta Maxxum 5 kit and taking a photography class or learning about it more, but I had other hobbies I was more into at the time. My girlfriend got me a Olympus Stylus Epic (after some hints
) and I had a lot of fun with it, carrying it with me everywhere and trying all kinds of shots.2004 - I really wanted a Rollei AFM 35 as an upgrade on the Stylus Epic with more manual control. I decided to bite the bullet and got a Nikon FM3A and 45/2.8 pancake kit to learn the basics of manual shooting. I added a Nikkor 28/2 Ai, Tamron SP 90/2.5, and a tripod setup for my ideal classic SLR kit. I gave the Stylus Epic to my dad and kept the FM3A with me most of the time. I loved my kit but wanted a faster lens and something smaller and lighter that still had manual controls.
2006 - I started reading RFF because rangefinders seemed to be the camera I was looking for, but Leica prices were shocking to me (coming from MF Nikons). Even a Bessa kit was close to what I paid for my FM3A. In 2007 I picked up a Yashica GX to test the RF waters first... and I was hooked! DIY B&W developing and scanning soon followed, which opened the monochrome world to me like never before.
2008 - I decided to switch over to RFs entirely and get an interchangeable lens body, so I settled on the Zeiss Ikon after doing a ton of research here. I started with an M-Hex 50/2, then added a ZM 25/2.8 and M-Hex 90/2.8. I sold my Nikon kit and later switched the ZM 25 for a CV 28/2 and the M-Hex 90 for a J-9 85/2. I tried the CV 40/1.4 for a fast, one-lens kit, but also sold it to save money.
2010 - Being unable to resist a good deal (but unwilling to spend much
), I picked up a Konica Auto S1.6 to play with and learned how to repair it myself. I wanted to try an ultrawide lens so I got a Bessa-L and 15/4.5 combo, which has been a lot of fun lately. I'm gonna sell the S1.6 and J-9 to keep it simple and focus on my 28/50 ZI kit.Next for me is a Sony NEX-5 and 16/2.8, which will be the first digital camera I buy for myself! An M-mount adapter will let me get 42mm and 75mm lenses with my two RF lenses. When the 12mm ultrawide adapter comes out, I'll probably replace the Bessa-L/15mm kit with it.
It's a good time to be into photography!
NickTrop
Mentor
Wow... hadn't had time to check out this thread since I first posted. (I thought it would be one of those "sinkers...") but very kewl! I'm really looking forward to reading this later when I have some time. Interesting to see the gear evolution of others! Cheers.
Nick
Nick
Chris101
summicronia
It's fun talking about ourselves Nick!
NickTrop
Mentor
LOL - isn't this what the Internets is all about? Chris - you have had an absolutely fascinating "evolution". (Cyber bows to you in reverence...
)Al Patterson
Ferroequinologist
Mine goes like this.
1960's Instamatic 104
1970's Argus C-3, Bell & Howell 126 film camera and No. 3A Autographic Kodak Model C
1980 to 2000 Canon AE-1
2000 to now, Canon A-1, QL17-QIII Leica CL, Yashica GSN, Sony DMC-V3 amd Samsung GX-1s
1960's Instamatic 104
1970's Argus C-3, Bell & Howell 126 film camera and No. 3A Autographic Kodak Model C
1980 to 2000 Canon AE-1
2000 to now, Canon A-1, QL17-QIII Leica CL, Yashica GSN, Sony DMC-V3 amd Samsung GX-1s
je2a3
je
1975, my dad taught me how to use his "no meter" Yashica J SLR by referring to the sunny 16 illustration in the film box
1978, went to the USA to study, an uncle gave me a Kodak 110 instamatic
1980s, college/graduate school years, bought a Pentax K1000 at 47th street photo, eventually acquired a Vivitar 35-105mm zoom for my trip to Europe upon graduation. This was my main camera for the next 12 years.
1996, a Leica enthusiast friend traded an M3 + Summicron 50mm and 35mm lenses for a custom tube amplifier I built, Pentax outfit kept for posterity
1997-1999, broke up with the girlfriend went to Tamarkin and bought a demo M6, Elmarit 90/2.8 and Billingham bag also discovered camera shows which triggered a moderate collecting habit, e.g. IIIf black dial + Summitar 50/2, Canon IVSB2, Jupiter lenses and etc.
2001, bought a cheap digicam for the web
2004-2007 learned to develop/print B&W film, became a member here, lots of GAS, fell in love with the Leica II got a Lumix FX01 to replace malfunctioning P&S, eventually GAS subsided due to work
2009-present, got an E-P1 and M-adapter as a lens tester still shooting a lot of B&W film with just a hint of GAS :angel:
1978, went to the USA to study, an uncle gave me a Kodak 110 instamatic
1980s, college/graduate school years, bought a Pentax K1000 at 47th street photo, eventually acquired a Vivitar 35-105mm zoom for my trip to Europe upon graduation. This was my main camera for the next 12 years.
1996, a Leica enthusiast friend traded an M3 + Summicron 50mm and 35mm lenses for a custom tube amplifier I built, Pentax outfit kept for posterity
1997-1999, broke up with the girlfriend went to Tamarkin and bought a demo M6, Elmarit 90/2.8 and Billingham bag
also discovered camera shows which triggered a moderate collecting habit, e.g. IIIf black dial + Summitar 50/2, Canon IVSB2, Jupiter lenses and etc. 2001, bought a cheap digicam for the web
2004-2007 learned to develop/print B&W film, became a member here, lots of GAS, fell in love with the Leica II
got a Lumix FX01 to replace malfunctioning P&S, eventually GAS subsided due to work2009-present, got an E-P1 and M-adapter as a lens tester
still shooting a lot of B&W film with just a hint of GAS :angel:
Chris101
summicronia
Thank you Nick. As my girlfriend says, "If [I'm] so good, how come I'm not rich?" I used to blame that on my lifestyle, but now it's just the way it is.
On the bright side, my new work IS radioactive!
On the bright side, my new work IS radioactive!
jan normandale
Film is the other way
I'm digging this thread! Everyone is so different about how they tell their story and there's a lot of difference in opinion regarding the camera choices. Very interesting is how most of this is focused on the 35mm systems. Almost all people seem to have held an SLR then checked a RF system subsequently.
If anyone is interested in what I shoot with what I described early on in this thread you can see it in my links to my site and my flickr account.
If anyone is interested in what I shoot with what I described early on in this thread you can see it in my links to my site and my flickr account.
1974: Smena 8M (ended its life as a toy for my nephew in the 1990s)
1976: Dad's Kiev 4A (still somewhere, working I suppose)
1980: Praktica VLC2 (still working OK, but no battery, so fully manual) - my best photos, so other say, were taken with Praktica... probably not because of the camera, though
1996: Olympus Mju-2 (=Stylus) - much loved P&S, stolen in 2009 and replaced with exactly the same model months later
1998: Nikon FE2, my main camera (and will remain so)
2004: Olympus C760, my first digicam, now collecting dust
2009: Nikon D90 (would be selling it if I could get a decent price, which is not the case... so it stays)
My first enlarger was Opemus Meopta IIa (sold in 1996), and now I have its young brother Opemus Axomat 4
Now I'm thinking of a Voigtlander Bessa... (and a Hassy)
1976: Dad's Kiev 4A (still somewhere, working I suppose)
1980: Praktica VLC2 (still working OK, but no battery, so fully manual) - my best photos, so other say, were taken with Praktica... probably not because of the camera, though
1996: Olympus Mju-2 (=Stylus) - much loved P&S, stolen in 2009 and replaced with exactly the same model months later
1998: Nikon FE2, my main camera (and will remain so)
2004: Olympus C760, my first digicam, now collecting dust
2009: Nikon D90 (would be selling it if I could get a decent price, which is not the case... so it stays)
My first enlarger was Opemus Meopta IIa (sold in 1996), and now I have its young brother Opemus Axomat 4
Now I'm thinking of a Voigtlander Bessa... (and a Hassy
)