What camera are you?

[Rich Silfver]

Spinning off on the 'How old are you': What camera are you?

To determine what camera you are it must have been introduced during the year you were born. If more than one camera was introduced in the same year it's up to you to make the selection :)

[Rich Silfver]

Olympus 35 Trip:

[GeneW]

1945. I'm a Rolleiflex Automat 3 TLR:

Taking lens:
Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 75mm F3.5 or
Zeiss Opton Tessar 75mm F3.5 or
Schneider Xenar 75mm F3.5

Viewing lens:
Heidosmat 75mm F2.8

Shutter:
Compur Rapid 1/500-1s/B

Special Features:
-Automatic film feeler
-Accessories attached by bayonet.
First single, later double.
-Built-in delay release
-Eye level focusing magnifier
-Grand Prix at Paris World Fair

[Oldprof]

Lame premise. Photography wasn't invented when I was born.

[back alley]

Zeiss Contax IIa and IIIa

Postwar Precision 1950-61

The Zeiss Contax was arguably the best 35mm rangefinder made before WWII, with a larger range of faster and sharper lenses than Leica. Many considered the pre-war Contax the "professional" 35mm camera, while the Leica was for amateurs. While Leica remained relatively intact after the war, Zeiss postwar recovery was made infinitely harder by being split into two separate competing West and East German companies. After W.W.II West German Zeiss introduced the modernized Contax IIa and IIIa in 1950. Compared to the prewar Contax II and III (without and with meter), the IIa and IIIa used the same lens mount with a completely re-engineered shutter mechanism, new body, and much improved chrome finish. Many believe the post war cameras are more dependable, but others will argue the point. Contax offered a complete system approach, including a broad range of lenses, viewfinders and close-up devices. Competing against the likes of the postwar Leica IIIf, Nikon S, and Canon IV, the Contax IIa and IIIa were very competitive designs in 1950.

[Brian Sweeney]

Well, as I put in my "how old are you post", The Nikon SP and Leica M2 were 1957 Babies as well. Who could ask for more? Of course the entire '50s was the age of the Rangefinder, and as many here can attest to, most are still with US. The Nikon F was still in its pregnancy...

[digitalox]

Oldprof, Ha ha ha. Bunch of old farts around here aint ya. :D

I guess I would be the Leica CL, made from 73-76.

[Peter]

For a 1972 I guess I am a Rollei 35 Gold with 40mm/3.5 Tessar. :)

[Rich Silfver]

Oldprof, your year was a good one - Kodacolor - the first true color negative film was introduced that year - and the first ALPA camera came out ;)

[Todd.Hanz]

Hmm, 1964..............why the Russian "Voshod" of course, what else would there be silly.

Todd

[Brian Sweeney]

Hmmm. I got my first camera in 1964, a Kodak Brownie.

Don't forget the Nikon S3 Olympic. I had to settle for the Brownie.

[Laika]

You have made this easy for me Richard being another 1967 ... I could go with my Nikkormat FTn (nice camera btw) but since this is a RF site and I do want a Leica M so much I'll go with the M4 :D

[Designer]

Originally posted by Laika
You have made this easy for me Richard being another 1967 ... I could go with my Nikkormat FTn (nice camera btw) but since this is a RF site and I do want a Leica M so much I'll go with the M4 :D

Laika,

You've just said what I need. I'm another 67 guy!:D w/. the same choice as yours.

[rover]

Research will be necessary... 1966 though, I believe the Minolta Himatic 9, Mamiya Super Deluxe and Minolta SRT 101 all were being introduced to the public too.

[taffer]

And again thanks for a very imaginative, interesting and fun thread Richard, you da man ! :D

Hint: googling for "<youryear> introduced camera" can give surprising results. Again I found the 'Minolta and me' story :)

I am... the 1976 XM Motor !! (http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/minoltaxk/index.htm)

AND I may be the Leica/Minolta CL as well, seems my life is bound to the mount Rokkor company :rolleyes:

[vladhed]

Hmm, seem to be an unusual number of RF fans born in 1967 myself included! My Oly Trip 35 (http://www.storm.ca/~vladhed/cameras/22oly-trip.html) describes me well too, then, simple and well conceived :D

OldProf, photography didn't start when we were born, but we like to think it got a lot better :D

[Brian Sweeney]

Well, I know the Nikon RF years of introduction, but there are a lot more SLR-era babies here!



Nikon SLR introductions years (http://cyberdenis.topcities.com/nikonslr.htm)

[Brian Sweeney]

And a very good reference on Nikon (http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/society/rhnc/index.htm)

[SolaresLarrave]

Following Oscar's advice, I learned that 1959 wasn't too bad a year for photography.

The Nikon F was introduced in 1959, which also saw the introduction of the Ektachrome High Speed Film and the Retina Reflex camera, by Kodak. The Pentax H2, first mass produced camera (by Pentax) entered the market too, together with the Olympus Pen Half-frame.

I'm amazed...

Hence, therefore and thus, I'm a Nikon F. :D

[Pherdinand]

I'm a minolta XK Motor guy too. Thanks, Taffer ;)

[wierdcollector]

Pentax H2 for me since I have two of them. Nikon F is great too, but I passed on 2 brassed up models years back so I don't have one. Don't ask how little they were asking.

[hugivza]

I'm totally stuffed as a child of 1942. I think that oldest camera I have is either a Zeiss Ikonta with a Zeiss Opton Tessar, which is probably immediately post WWII, or an Zeiss Ikoflex I circa 1948. I was unable to take photos at birth, being less precocious than some, but probably could have at the age of 6 if I had a camera. It certainly would not have been one which would have graced these forums!!

[dostacos]

MINOX III introduced in 1951

[dmr]

Well, I guess I'm an RCA color TV camera. That's the most interesting in a quickie google.

Jeesh! I guess I admitted my real age. :(

[unohuu]

1957 was the Nikon SP; Leica M2; but I think I would be Mamiya 35-III.

[zpuskas]

Leica IIc. Same year Babe Ruth died and Edward weston made his last prints.

[elcud35rc]

Anyone know what cameras came out in 1981? Were rangefinders still made?

[Brian Sweeney]

The Minolta CLE "debuted" in 1980, but it was in 1981 that they made a real showing.

[Frank Granovski]

I'm an M3 but I don't own one. :bang:

[Brian Sweeney]

Didn't you read the RFF rules???? You must BUY the camera that you identifies you. That's the reason why I bought an SP, of course.

[dany_nyc]

1957 - I'm a Vredeborch Felica! Not that I've ever seen one in person or know how to pronounce it, but it's good looking camera.

[Wayne R. Scott]

I am a Contax IIa and Contax IIIa camera. (And I own one of each).

wayne

[sf]

I am a Canon AE-1 Program. It was also the ubiquitous camera during my childhood, and I still have the one that I grew up with. It is as old as I am.

[StuartR]

Looks like I am just before you shutterflower -- a Canon A1. Or an M4-2, but I am not that graceful and my internal meter works pretty well, so I guess I am the A1. I don't look like much, but i am fairly useful.

"Canon has good reason to have unbounded confidence and pride in the A-1. Embodied in this camera are the qualities of one of the finest SLR cameras produced durring the '70 and into it went the most sophisticated electronics technology available in the world during that era."

<blushes>

[skarpia]

1978 Olympus XA 35mm compact cameras introduced. That would be me. Anyone interested in selling me one? :D

Another tough competitor was the Polaroid SX-70 - World's first autofocus SLR. But then again this IS the RFF.

[Brian Sweeney]

> 1957 - I'm a Vredeborch Felica! Not that I've ever seen one in person or know how to pronounce it, but it's good looking camera

Also Nikon SP and Leica M2, introduced with the Felica...

[Alec]

In 1969 the Kiev arsenal was producing the 4A - and I already have one (made in 1974 admittedly), so no new GAS, please.

(The faux ostrich is (c) Aki Asahi, not ukrainian.)

[Ergo]

The 1941 Kodak Ektra. America's Best System 35 Camera.

And same month may i add.

[jonasv]

1987 Fugi Quicksnap and Kodak Funsaver start the disposable camera market.


Ugh. Great.. :(

[matt fury]

1984...Minolta Maxxum 7000 -First full system AF Single Lens Reflex 35 mm camera. No apterture ring... "Ugh." is right.

[jaapv]

Great thread. In my year of birth Leica reintroduced the IIIa, Contax had its first SLR, the Contax S, and Canon-then the Precision Optical Co.- brought out the Canon SII. On a more pedestrian level there were the Kodak Retina II and the Brownie Six-20. Bless me, this is ancient history, archeology rather! :eek:

[jaapv]

I'm totally stuffed as a child of 1942. I think that oldest camera I have is either a Zeiss Ikonta with a Zeiss Opton Tessar, which is probably immediately post WWII, or an Zeiss Ikoflex I circa 1948. I was unable to take photos at birth, being less precocious than some, but probably could have at the age of 6 if I had a camera. It certainly would not have been one which would have graced these forums!!


There is the Hasselblad Rossex. And you were born in the year that the greatest film ever, Casablanca, was released!
The picture comes from THIS (http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/hasselblad/cameras/hasselmodels/models/prototype.htm) site

[dazedgonebye]

It looks like I'm a Canon Canonet...loaded with Kodachrome II, both introduced in 1961.

[clarence]

There is the Hasselblad Rossex. And you were born in the year that the greatest film ever, Casablanca, was released!
site

Hello,

Some people would say the greatest film ever was Tri-X.

Clarence

[sf]

1981 . . . Canon AE-1 Program came along that year. Funny, or maybe just totally logical, that the AE-1 was the ubiquitous camera of my childhood. It was my mother's camera, and was present pretty much constantly until only maybe 5 years ago. Then she gave it to me, and I put it somewhere "safe". Never put anything anywhere safe.

[colin]

I would have to be a Leica 111C
Like me, a great classic!!
I exude quality, performance and longevity

[leica M2 fan]

The Kine Exakta would be me. I own a later model - the Exakta VXlla from about 1956. The same year I was born came the Contax ll and that same year plans were formulated to introduce a new kind of Contax camera - the Contax S, a reflex camera. Wonderful year for cameras .

[Joe Mondello]

October 1950

In October 1950, David Duncan during a visit to New York goes public with the news of how Nikkor lenses were superior to German lenses. <snip> Nippon Kogaku and Nikkor become then famous outside Japan. This boosted the Japanese camera industry.

Oh yeah and I was born too, and THAT boosted the German AND Japanese camera industries for decades to come!

[Lemures-Ex]

1985: Only thing I could find was digital processing technology, so basically a digital camera. That sucks :p I mean, I like my digital, but I greatly prefer film...

Anyone know of anything else?

One of the sources:
http://ezinearticles.com/?History-of-the-Camera&id=18736

[350D_user]

Other than Canon becoming Canon Inc, and some televised event of a landing (allegedly shot in a studio) a few miles away on some rock... 1969 doesn't seem to offer much.

[bsdunek]

Well, this is a big decision. 1939 was an intresting year.

I could be an Argus C3. My Grandfather had one of those and took hundreds of slides. No light meter, just used the chart that came with the film. I have a C3 in my collection - good solid simple camera.

I could also be a Pilot Super SLR. Neat MF camera. Very simple and rugged. I don't have one of these.

Most exotic would be the Riken Gokoku No. 1. A MF camera that looks a lot like a Leica. I'd love to have one of these in my collection!

Guess I'll go with the C3. It's me - simple, rugged, long lasting!

[micromontenegro]

I can honestly say that I realy like my vintage, 1966: Rollei SL66, Contarex Pro, etc. But me, I am a Rollei 35 -quite small.

[Ossifan]

Ok, 1966 was actually a pretty interesting year. According to various websites the following cameras were introduced:
The Olympus PEN EE-EL, EES-EL, FT, FV Quickmatic 3.5 and 2.8 as well as the 35LE
The Rollei 35
The Yashica Electro 35
The Nikon F
... and there are more, but mostly slrs/medium format.


But ultimately I think I'm a lens because in 1966 Leica introduced (from the Leica website):
The LEICA NOCTILUX 1:1.2/50 mm is the first 35mm camera [I assume they mean lens] with an aspherical element.

Cheers,
Alex

[agianelo]

1947 - The Polaroid Land Camera. Is that film or digital??

[nemjo]

Olympus Wide (1955)
In 1955 Olympus introduced the Olympus Wide. Designed specifically for wide-angle photography, the Olympus Wide was an Olympus 35V camera fitted with a wide-angle lens. To facilitate framing, the camera featured a natural-light bright-frame finder. The Olympus Wide became hugely popular because it provided an easy way to take superb, wide-angle photographs that had previously only been possible using expensive cameras with exchangeable lenses. The Olympus Wide helped to pioneer the subsequent wide-angle camera boom.

nemjo

ps.: - Kodak began selling color films without the cost of processing included, as the result of a consent decree signed in 1954. The long-term result was the creation of a new market for Kodak, providing products and services to independent photofinishers.

[rogue_designer]

1975 - I guess I'm a Canon F1 (and here I am trying to get rid of my F1N's, I guess I'll be locked into the FD mount now forever. ;) )

Interestingly, the first CCD based flatbed scanner was released the same year. As was a CCD based astro camera.

The OM2, and AE1 were also released that year - but I'm not a huge auto exposure fan, so I couldn't roll with those.

Leica *stopped* production of both the M4 and M5 in 75.. can I choose one of them?

[iml]

I'm a Praktica Nova B, which means I'm probably made out of tank parts, so no messing with me

http://licm.org.uk/livingImage/NovaB.html

Ian

[bobkonos]

If I were a camera bag in the year I was born, I'd be carrying a Leica IIIf, Nikon S, and Hasselblad 1000f. I could do a lot worse.

I am actually looking for a Leica IIIf made on the same day in 1953 that I was born. That would be something....

[shadowfox]

Unfortunately, in 1971, not a whole lot of exciting Olympus was made :(

If I have to choose from the slim pickings, I am the 35 DC

Pro: Good lens
Cons: No (manual) control

heh, I don't wear glasses and I am a scatter-brain, sounds like me alright :D

[BJ Bignell]

My choices are mostly SLR:

Nikon F3
Nikon F3HP
Pentax LX
Pentax ME-F (world's first TTL Autofocus SLR!)
Bronica SQ
Mamiya ZE / ZE-Quartz
Konica FC-1
Minolta CLE
Rollei SL 2000F
Minolta XD-11 (model d)
After 15 pages of results on Google, I got tired of looking...
I don't really know anything about that list of cameras there, so I guess if I had to pick one that was "me", it'd be the Bronica. Why? The wife is always saying I'm square... :(

[kestas]

1973
of course i can said: "i'm Nikon XX, Olympus XX, Leica XX, Contax...", but... :eek: i was born in USSR ...
so, i think i'm Zenit-E (1965-81 in production). and this Zenit was my first "real" camera :)

[sepiareverb]

Well I get a cool one- the first NASA Hasselblad- not exactly introduced that year, but modded that year- can that count please? I loved the 69 moon shot- so this is a good one for me on that score too.

[Gid]

Mine would have to be a Canon 111 - first Japanese camera with a 1/1000th sec shutter speed, apparently. Introduced the year of my birth:o

[HuubL]

OK, I go for this one. Although this particular one is a IIf to IIIf upgrade from 1956, but they were made in 1952 also. Just love its looks!

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=34146&d=1160424276

[PhotoMat]

Given the choices for '64, I guess that I'd rather be associated with the Canonet QL17, as opposed to that year's other intro, the Olympus GTF gastrocamera fiberscope. UGH!

[Lemures-Ex]

Sweet, 1985, Oly XA-4 :)

I'm not terribly small, or wide, but I am quiet and sneaky. hehe *makes shifty eye movement*

Funny thing is I just got one last week...

Jared

[arbib]

Canon 1Vs B2, Also Leica introduced the M3 in 1954. (I still want one...with a 50 F/1.5 Leitz)

[Al Patterson]

I was born in 1955, so I must be either a Leica M3, or Leica IIIf.

[Spyderman]

I'm an 84's child as well as Olympus OM-4 which is BTW my favourite SLR :)

[ChrisPlatt]

I was born in 1961, so I guess I'm a Kodak Carousel.
I feel like I have been running in circles all my life. ;)

Chris

[Steve Bellayr]

The Cooky 35 and the Motoca both by Kashiwa Seiko

[kingjon]

1964. Yashica Minister D or maybe an Olympus Pen F.
Jon

[Kent]

I am a 1970 FED-3 of course. Oh, wait I'm not Russian! Hmmm...

OK, I am a Leica M4. Or a Leicaflex SL with a Elmarit-R 2.8/35. Yes, that's what I am!

[Morca007]

1989
The first Leica compact camera LEICA AF-C1 is launched.
Well, i'm not very compact...

Canon EOS-1
Hmmm, I'm not a canon user.

Nikon FM-2n
Getting warmer!

Hasselblad 503CX
Well, despite the fact that I've never used one, I think i'll choose to be represented by this.

[gb hill]

Oh wow! 1959 that makes me a Canon P (Populare) though I don't feel populare. All I can feel now is GAS!....Darn thread:(


http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/film/data/1956-1965/1959_p.html?lang=us&categ=crn&page=1956-1965

[Quamen]

1984 -

Canon T70
Plastic fantastic,No thanks

Pentax program A
Getting better

Leica M6
Close but no cigar

Rolleiflex 2.8F Platin
Yes please

[gandalfk7]

i'm of the 1987 so the possible choices are:
contax 167MT
yashica FX-3 Super 2000
rolleilex 2.8 GX

i choose Yashica FX-3 Super 2000

[shimo-kitasnap]

I'm of 1986:
Nikon F501, Canon T-90, Canon RC-701 (first comercial digital still camera that used magnetic storage), ah but they were still making the AE-1 so i'd rather be that since it was what i cut my teeth on.

[aarathi]

I use Kotak Easyshare Digital camera. The pictures are very clear taking by this camera.

[migtex]

1961.. so it's about a Nikon F !! Can´t helped, it's Karma!