To the older photographers here

[Pfreddee]

You have to ask???????????!! Of course GAS existed back then. Even back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, as they did why I was a boy. Of course when you're a boy, you don't have much disposable income (I believe that's the term I'm looking for), so a box Brownie was IT, for many years! In my case, I wanted a Crown Graphic, but Dad bought me a Polaroid Model 95, instead. Then that lasted many years, and so on, and so on, and so on.

With best regards,

Pfreddee(Stephen)

[Rico]

I already had GAS in the early '70s with an Instamatic, Halina Paulette, and Franka 6x6 folder: rich trove for a kid. Of course, I wanted more, but pocket money did not permit. I visited the pro photo shop repeatedly to drool on the SL66 and, later, the newly released Contax RTS.

[Bob Michaels]

Ever wonder how "Shutterbug Ads" came to be? (probably not, but here it is anyway)

in the 1960's Glenn Patch, a computer technician who worked at the Air Force Eastern Test Range (now Kennedy Space Flight Center) was editor of the Space Center Camera Club newsletter which had a popular classified section. After the US won the great space race with the USSR by several Apollo lunar landings, the space center laid off about 10,000 workers in 1972-73. Glenn was one of those laid off but kept the newsletter going on a personal basis as he was a photographer and collector / trader of stereo cameras. After a number of very lean years, the newsletter began making money and became Shutterbug Ads, published in Titusville FL adjacent to the space center. Shutterbug eventually became a very profitable business for Glenn after many years of struggling.

When Apple introduced the Apple II in the late 1970's, Glenn saw a need for a computer equivalent to Shutterbug so hobbyists could sell their original Apples and other used computers. This became Computer Shopper which Glenn eventually sold for really big dollars and retired to Branson MO. He also sold Shutterbug at that time.

I bought most of my camera gear used through Shutterbug in the 1970's. I also worked with Glenn Patch on another venture. But Glenn was so scrupulously honest, that he would not let anyone see a copy of Shutterbug before it was on the newsstand so no insider could take advantage of an advertised good deal before it went public.

Glenn Patch was also the astronaut's private "party photographer" because of his personal discretion. Early astronauts were serious heavy duty party people. Glenn could be relied on to photograph, develop film, make prints, then deliver prints AND negatives while never disclosing who was at the party or what transpired.

[Richard G]

That's a great story. Thanks for sharing it.

[Jack Conrad]

I had GAS but no coin to relieve it back then,
but now I can afford the old beauties...and, er,... beasts.