What was it like in the good old days?

davef · 08-31-2008, 10:44 AM

Originally posted by jsherman999

Very good thread.

I'm curious, how and when would you decide that you needed a new lens back in the day? Prior to the internet, did you respond to print ads, seeing what others had at photo clubs, etc? How did you hear about new lenses and then how did you know that you wanted them?

I took the same approach then that I do today. If I'm shooting something and feel there's a gap or I'm not getting the results I want, then I'll look for something to fill/fix it. After a while I tend to stabilize on a "set" lenses that I use for different purposes. For film it was 24/35/50/105 and 200 plus a 55 micro. My current DSLR tag line isn't much different.

Although my film history predates the internet, there were certainly other means of communication. Magazines did reviews -- as it remains today, reviews need to be taken with a large grain of salt. Word-of-mouth was common (a direct predecessor to much of what this forum provides), rentals were possible, we swapped lenses/systems to try and stores were more common, generally staffed with knowledgeable photogs, carried larger inventory and were more likely to let you try something once you established a relationship. Dave

Tom S. · 08-31-2008, 01:17 PM

Originally posted by Canada_Rockies

All you little kids drive me nuts! I celebrated the 29th anniversary of my 39th birthday this year. I will NEVER be older than Jack Benny.

May be not, but he's dead...

**Ash** · 08-31-2008, 01:48 PM

Wow! What a thread.
It's interesting to see from whence people have come in their photographic journey and how that changes things today.

I am by no means an old-timer in the field, but I started off with a Rikoh XR10 Super (great body) and a 50mm f/1.7. Learnt a lot with this combo.

I then built on with a pretty ordinary 28-80mm lens and the Vivitar Series 1 70-210. I did want better zooms, so it was a no-brainer for me to go digital and pick up a fine array of DA zooms.
So first with the K100D, then now the K10D.

dylansalt · 08-31-2008, 02:47 PM

1982 - Minolta XG - 50, 500 Solgor Mirror, Tamron(adaptall mount) 70-210
1986 - Nikon FE2 - 50 plus Tamron - got stolen
1987- Contax M - the most beautiful 35mm camera I have ever owned - built in3fps m/drive, leather finished, ran off 4 AA Batteries - 50 Zeiss, 28 Zeiss (incredible sharpness& colour) and the Tamron - I used this camera everywhere and it earned me a lot of money doing weddings with a Metz ttl 45 Hammerhead (incredible flash) it eventually fell apart - I won a major Agfa compo and was awarded a fully paid trip to Botswana - couldn't go (wife 7 mnths preggy) and took second prize a fully polycarbonate Minolta Si with autofocus, eyestart, hand motorised zoom lens - thought it was a joke of a camera - but was actually indestructible!

Have some amazing pics from this "toy" camera (polycarbonate was a joke in the early 90's) and even after a multitude hiking,mountaineering,rockclimbing trips the Minolta is still good to go - respect!

Switched to digital - 2000 - Oly 5060w prosumer - what an amazing machine! Went with it cos of the excellent 28mm wide end and almost slr like control over picture taking - this camera is now being used by my 21 yr old son

Purchased the K10D 2008 (the Canon 40D was first choice initially) and still only have the kit lens as optically I'm getting better pics then I ever did with the film bodies I owned and unless I need something (can't think of anything) radically more than what the K10D has to offer I won't be changing too soon!

Jimbo · 08-31-2008, 03:25 PM

Ok, I started by buying a second hand Miranda Sensomat in 1972, which I still own along with 50mm lens. I shot with it for 4 years when I got interested in the opposite sex.. and shut down my hobby for over 36 years... Two women later and decided I needed a new hobby. During a move I dug out my old Miranda and said what not!! Checked around for 3 months and it came down to two cameras [Nikon D80 and the Pentax K10] I guess you know which one I choose. Last November I stated all over again. Decided I should buy 5 lens with another on order. This way I can tell myself, you have too much into this to give it up again! Having a great time, more learning the whole process on taking pictures again. Too much fun for this old guy. Now if I can only get my K10 back from the repair shop! Cheers JIMBO

marcdsgn · 08-31-2008, 05:48 PM

I'm reasonably young but still began photography pre-digital. I never "upgraded", simply "added" to my kit. Still have every bit a equipment I bought.

Prior to the K10D, my additions were a second camera body, then heaps of filters, lenses, and various add-ons.

If I upgrade in the future, it will probably be to a secondhand SLR (perhaps a K20D in five years or so). I see no point in upgrading to the "latest greatest" as soon as it's released, because it very soon isn't either of those things in today's environment. So I'll wait till the price comes down after it's superceded a few times.

J.Scott · 08-31-2008, 06:29 PM

My memory sucks - I can't remember what I used prior to 1976. That year, however, I got married and the Missus bought me a Practika L w/ 50mm lens. It is simply a light-tight box that held, exposed and advanced a roll of film. I still have it, too.

In the early 80's I bought a brand new ME Super with a 50mm f2 lens. It was all I could afford but seemed a huge advancement over the Practika. The ME was aperture priority and it had TTL metering. I used to take a lot of slides back then and loved to have friends over for slide shows - complete with my enrapturing monologue and plenty of alcohol.

My next camera came in 2000 - a Pentax MZ-7 with a zoom lens (I think 28-80mm). I never really liked that camera; it seemed to plasticy and fragile compared to the ME Super. So there was almost a 20 year gap between cameras - and this one was a huge leap in technology; it had autofocus!

I bought a small Olympus P&S 2mp camera shortly after the MZ-7 purchase and I can still hear the salesman's words, "Use the digital for fun shots but your film camera is for serious photography. Don't worry, I don't think this digital thing is going to catch on; we'll be using film a long time to come." Riiiight!

Then i bought my *ist DS in 2005 because the digital thing was catching on!

The K10D arrived in the fall of 2007 and now I am contemplating buying a K20D so I don't get left behind in the technology.

Meanwhile - in the frenzy of all this digital imagery - I am taking more film pictures than ever. This weekend, for example, we visited relatives in Sault Ste. Marie and I dragged along no less than 3 cameras - 2 film and my K10D. I am almost embarrassed to admit but I never took the digi out of the camera bag, but I shot a roll of Fuji 200 with my MZ-5N during a boat tour of the Sault Locks.

Also, in the past 2 years I purchased 5 film cameras - medium format and several rangefinders. I think I am a freak!

Last edited by J.Scott; 08-31-2008 at 06:42 PM.

8540tomg · 08-31-2008, 06:38 PM

Good question Gary,

I bought my first camera, a Pentax MX in 1981. Change, then as now, was certainly the order of the day but the rate of change was far slower. The MX had enough features and accessories to keep me happy for about 20 years. One of the beauties of this period was the fact mechanical SLRs like the MX and LX had reached the end of 80 to 100 years of development. They were beautifully designed and watch-like in precision. My cameras continue to perform as new almost thirty years later.

I doubt my digital gear will have the same longevity.

The M series cams and lenses were being phased out by the mid eighties with the A series cams and glass. Personally, I had no need or desire to update my gear at that point. If I were to change cameras it would have been to a Pentax LX, which would provide me with all the automation I needed without changing from K and M series lenses. Actually, I purchased a used K2 that provided the auto exposure missing on my MX. As you can see from my signature (if that’s what it is called) I contented myself adding various lenses, filters, bellows etc. until 2007. During the film era I looked at Nikon and Canon but never was sufficiently impressed or financially able to make the jump.

I admit I began to seriously consider digital when the LX was phased out. Clearly, the heyday of film had passed. I had two young boys at the time and school, sports, music, etc. put the hobby on the back burner for a while. To be honest I didn’t pay much attention to advances in gear until the spring of 2007 when I bought my K10. Pentax’s backward compatibility kept me in the fold and I never considered another digital brand.

It was only six months later I really began to realize how quickly technology was a changing. The K10 I paid $1,100 for was discontinued within a year and replaced by the K20. I was a little miffed to see my investment cut in half in less than a year. Such is the world of consumer electronics it seems.

At this time I don’t find the K20 sufficiently different to upgrade to that model. I am quite content with what I have and see no reason to change. Perhaps the K30 or 40 may change my mind but I am kind of set in my manual focus ways. That being said it is possible technological change may not allow it. Time will tell.

Tom G

J.Scott · 08-31-2008, 06:38 PM

Originally posted by Canada_Rockies

All you little kids drive me nuts! I celebrated the 29th anniversary of my 39th birthday this year. I will NEVER be older than Jack Benny.

So you're 68 - are you bragging or complaining?!

Clicker · 08-31-2008, 07:03 PM

I started with Pentax, moved to Nikon sold my Nikon stuff (F3 system) to move up to MF gear and added LF, actually needed 35mm so went to canon for their then AF EOS system, continued into their digital SLRs and now back to Pentax digital

btw all along i have picked up some antiques out of curiosity sake

So i basically started with Pentax/Nikon film based models and strangely enough it looks like i might end up that way with digital Pentax and Nikon:ugh:

oh and i still shoot B/W film with a Canon.

**Lowell Goudge** · 08-31-2008, 07:54 PM

Originally posted by Damn Brit

These days seem to have a surfeit of feeding frenzies, LBA aside (that's a permanent fixture) we have CBA, speculation about what the next camera will be/should be, will Pentax survive, WendyB conspiracy theories (please don't let that thread die

) and Sigma 10-20 mm threads (which was spooky to me as I've just bought one

).

For those of you who were enthusiastic photographers way before digital, I have this question?

How long did you keep your cameras before upgrading, how often did new innovations happen that would cause you to even want to change cameras, did you change brands , how different was it?

Lets look at history

Ricoh XR2-s December 1980
Pentax KX Not an upgrade, second body June 1982
Pentax PZ-1 (real upgrade) December 1991 (11 years)
Pentax *istD December 2003 (12 years)
Pentax K10D December 2006 (3 Years)

BUT each DSLR has shot more than all 3 film bodies combined.

Still use both DSLRs regularly, and more importantly, I still have all the bodies and all14 lenses aquired over the 25 years I have bought cameras.

In fact this weekend, used my 300F4 and 135 F2.5 quite a lot.

noblepa · 08-31-2008, 08:04 PM

My experience is similar to wlank's.

1966 - my dad bought me an Argus C-3 Matchmatic
1968 - I bought a Pentax Spotmatic
2006 - I bought a used Pentax SF-1 on ebay
2007 - upgraded to a Pentax K10D

Like someone else said, my choices boiled down to the Spotmatic, a Minolta SRT-101 or a Nikon F. I decided that I didn't need the "professional" features of the Nikon (especially at almost double the price of the Pentax), and the Spotmatic felt better than the SRT. Plus, the Super-Takumar lenses had a very good reputation (still do, for that matter).

I got the dslr, largely because digital has become inevitable. We can argue the merits of film vs. digital, but it is clear that digital has won the marketplace. Film has already become hard to get, and many emulsions are no longer made. Its kind of reminiscent of the Beta vs. VHS wars: many argued that Beta (film) had higher image quality than VHS (digital), but VHS won the marketplace and Beta disappeared.

I read all the comments about how some people bought an *istD, then a K100D, then a K10D, then a K20D and they are anxious for the next Pentax, so they can buy that, as well. They lambast Pentax for not having a full-frame camera or 10 frames-per-second and threaten to leave Pentax for Nikon of Canon. I plan on keeping my K10D for at least 10 years. I doubt that it will last as long as my Spotmatic has. Or even more ridiculous, the people who sold their K100D and lenses to buy a D200 and sold that to buy a 5D.

I think that some people's hobby is buying cameras; mine is photography.

Be careful, Canada_Rockies, some of the youngsters around here probably don't even know who Jack Benny was.

BTW, I just celebrated the 18th anniversary of my 39th birthday.

**Canada_Rockies** · 08-31-2008, 08:09 PM

Originally posted by J.Scott

So you're 68 - are you bragging or complaining?!

Both!

8540tomg · 08-31-2008, 09:00 PM

Originally posted by jsherman999

Very good thread.

I'm curious, how and when would you decide that you needed a new lens back in the day? Prior to the internet, did you respond to print ads, seeing what others had at photo clubs, etc? How did you hear about new lenses and then how did you know that you wanted them?

Jay,

I my case I kept current on all things photographic in the 1980s by reading Popular Photography, Modern Photography, Shutterbug and a few others I can't recall at the moment. The late Herbert Keppler was always a must read as were the latest lens reviews. Prior to Ebay camera stores always had lots of used equipment and I browsed through them on a regular basis. As a member of the local camera club the pros and cons of various cameras/lenses were a common conversational topic. As for what I wanted/needed it was LBA - I wanted everything just like now.

Cheers

Tom G

Damn Brit · 08-31-2008, 11:45 PM

These answers have been awesome guys, not just experience but a history lesson as well.

08-31-2008, 06:38 PM	#38
8540tomg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,461	Good question Gary, I bought my first camera, a Pentax MX in 1981. Change, then as now, was certainly the order of the day but the rate of change was far slower. The MX had enough features and accessories to keep me happy for about 20 years. One of the beauties of this period was the fact mechanical SLRs like the MX and LX had reached the end of 80 to 100 years of development. They were beautifully designed and watch-like in precision. My cameras continue to perform as new almost thirty years later. I doubt my digital gear will have the same longevity. The M series cams and lenses were being phased out by the mid eighties with the A series cams and glass. Personally, I had no need or desire to update my gear at that point. If I were to change cameras it would have been to a Pentax LX, which would provide me with all the automation I needed without changing from K and M series lenses. Actually, I purchased a used K2 that provided the auto exposure missing on my MX. As you can see from my signature (if that’s what it is called) I contented myself adding various lenses, filters, bellows etc. until 2007. During the film era I looked at Nikon and Canon but never was sufficiently impressed or financially able to make the jump. I admit I began to seriously consider digital when the LX was phased out. Clearly, the heyday of film had passed. I had two young boys at the time and school, sports, music, etc. put the hobby on the back burner for a while. To be honest I didn’t pay much attention to advances in gear until the spring of 2007 when I bought my K10. Pentax’s backward compatibility kept me in the fold and I never considered another digital brand. It was only six months later I really began to realize how quickly technology was a changing. The K10 I paid $1,100 for was discontinued within a year and replaced by the K20. I was a little miffed to see my investment cut in half in less than a year. Such is the world of consumer electronics it seems. At this time I don’t find the K20 sufficiently different to upgrade to that model. I am quite content with what I have and see no reason to change. Perhaps the K30 or 40 may change my mind but I am kind of set in my manual focus ways. That being said it is possible technological change may not allow it. Time will tell. Tom G Last edited by 8540tomg; 09-02-2008 at 03:11 AM.

08-31-2008, 07:54 PM	#41
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	Originally posted by Damn Brit These days seem to have a surfeit of feeding frenzies, LBA aside (that's a permanent fixture) we have CBA, speculation about what the next camera will be/should be, will Pentax survive, WendyB conspiracy theories (please don't let that thread die) and Sigma 10-20 mm threads (which was spooky to me as I've just bought one). For those of you who were enthusiastic photographers way before digital, I have this question? How long did you keep your cameras before upgrading, how often did new innovations happen that would cause you to even want to change cameras, did you change brands , how different was it? Lets look at history Ricoh XR2-s December 1980 Pentax KX Not an upgrade, second body June 1982 Pentax PZ-1 (real upgrade) December 1991 (11 years) Pentax istD December 2003 (12 years) Pentax K10D December 2006 (3 Years) BUT* each DSLR has shot more than all 3 film bodies combined. Still use both DSLRs regularly, and more importantly, I still have all the bodies and all14 lenses aquired over the 25 years I have bought cameras. In fact this weekend, used my 300F4 and 135 F2.5 quite a lot.

08-31-2008, 08:04 PM	#42
noblepa Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bay Village, Ohio USA Posts: 1,142	How often do I upgrade? My experience is similar to wlank's. 1966 - my dad bought me an Argus C-3 Matchmatic 1968 - I bought a Pentax Spotmatic 2006 - I bought a used Pentax SF-1 on ebay 2007 - upgraded to a Pentax K10D Like someone else said, my choices boiled down to the Spotmatic, a Minolta SRT-101 or a Nikon F. I decided that I didn't need the "professional" features of the Nikon (especially at almost double the price of the Pentax), and the Spotmatic felt better than the SRT. Plus, the Super-Takumar lenses had a very good reputation (still do, for that matter). I got the dslr, largely because digital has become inevitable. We can argue the merits of film vs. digital, but it is clear that digital has won the marketplace. Film has already become hard to get, and many emulsions are no longer made. Its kind of reminiscent of the Beta vs. VHS wars: many argued that Beta (film) had higher image quality than VHS (digital), but VHS won the marketplace and Beta disappeared. I read all the comments about how some people bought an *istD, then a K100D, then a K10D, then a K20D and they are anxious for the next Pentax, so they can buy that, as well. They lambast Pentax for not having a full-frame camera or 10 frames-per-second and threaten to leave Pentax for Nikon of Canon. I plan on keeping my K10D for at least 10 years. I doubt that it will last as long as my Spotmatic has. Or even more ridiculous, the people who sold their K100D and lenses to buy a D200 and sold that to buy a 5D. I think that some people's hobby is buying cameras; mine is photography. Be careful, Canada_Rockies, some of the youngsters around here probably don't even know who Jack Benny was. BTW, I just celebrated the 18th anniversary of my 39th birthday.

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08-31-2008, 10:44 AM	#31
davef Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ontario Posts: 433	Originally posted by jsherman999 Very good thread. I'm curious, how and when would you decide that you needed a new lens back in the day? Prior to the internet, did you respond to print ads, seeing what others had at photo clubs, etc? How did you hear about new lenses and then how did you know that you wanted them? I took the same approach then that I do today. If I'm shooting something and feel there's a gap or I'm not getting the results I want, then I'll look for something to fill/fix it. After a while I tend to stabilize on a "set" lenses that I use for different purposes. For film it was 24/35/50/105 and 200 plus a 55 micro. My current DSLR tag line isn't much different. Although my film history predates the internet, there were certainly other means of communication. Magazines did reviews -- as it remains today, reviews need to be taken with a large grain of salt. Word-of-mouth was common (a direct predecessor to much of what this forum provides), rentals were possible, we swapped lenses/systems to try and stores were more common, generally staffed with knowledgeable photogs, carried larger inventory and were more likely to let you try something once you established a relationship. Dave

08-31-2008, 01:17 PM	#32
Tom S. Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 4,317	Originally posted by Canada_Rockies All you little kids drive me nuts! I celebrated the 29th anniversary of my 39th birthday this year. I will NEVER be older than Jack Benny. May be not, but he's dead...

08-31-2008, 01:48 PM	#33
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Wow! What a thread. It's interesting to see from whence people have come in their photographic journey and how that changes things today. I am by no means an old-timer in the field, but I started off with a Rikoh XR10 Super (great body) and a 50mm f/1.7. Learnt a lot with this combo. I then built on with a pretty ordinary 28-80mm lens and the Vivitar Series 1 70-210. I did want better zooms, so it was a no-brainer for me to go digital and pick up a fine array of DA zooms. So first with the K100D, then now the K10D.

08-31-2008, 02:47 PM	#34
dylansalt Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Durban, South Africa Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,052	1982 - Minolta XG - 50, 500 Solgor Mirror, Tamron(adaptall mount) 70-210 1986 - Nikon FE2 - 50 plus Tamron - got stolen 1987- Contax M - the most beautiful 35mm camera I have ever owned - built in3fps m/drive, leather finished, ran off 4 AA Batteries - 50 Zeiss, 28 Zeiss (incredible sharpness& colour) and the Tamron - I used this camera everywhere and it earned me a lot of money doing weddings with a Metz ttl 45 Hammerhead (incredible flash) it eventually fell apart - I won a major Agfa compo and was awarded a fully paid trip to Botswana - couldn't go (wife 7 mnths preggy) and took second prize a fully polycarbonate Minolta Si with autofocus, eyestart, hand motorised zoom lens - thought it was a joke of a camera - but was actually indestructible! Have some amazing pics from this "toy" camera (polycarbonate was a joke in the early 90's) and even after a multitude hiking,mountaineering,rockclimbing trips the Minolta is still good to go - respect! Switched to digital - 2000 - Oly 5060w prosumer - what an amazing machine! Went with it cos of the excellent 28mm wide end and almost slr like control over picture taking - this camera is now being used by my 21 yr old son Purchased the K10D 2008 (the Canon 40D was first choice initially) and still only have the kit lens as optically I'm getting better pics then I ever did with the film bodies I owned and unless I need something (can't think of anything) radically more than what the K10D has to offer I won't be changing too soon!

08-31-2008, 03:25 PM	#35
Jimbo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Maple Ridge BC Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,368	Ok, I started by buying a second hand Miranda Sensomat in 1972, which I still own along with 50mm lens. I shot with it for 4 years when I got interested in the opposite sex.. and shut down my hobby for over 36 years... Two women later and decided I needed a new hobby. During a move I dug out my old Miranda and said what not!! Checked around for 3 months and it came down to two cameras [Nikon D80 and the Pentax K10] I guess you know which one I choose. Last November I stated all over again. Decided I should buy 5 lens with another on order. This way I can tell myself, you have too much into this to give it up again! Having a great time, more learning the whole process on taking pictures again. Too much fun for this old guy. Now if I can only get my K10 back from the repair shop! Cheers JIMBO

08-31-2008, 05:48 PM	#36
marcdsgn Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Queensland Photos: Gallery Posts: 265	I'm reasonably young but still began photography pre-digital. I never "upgraded", simply "added" to my kit. Still have every bit a equipment I bought. Prior to the K10D, my additions were a second camera body, then heaps of filters, lenses, and various add-ons. If I upgrade in the future, it will probably be to a secondhand SLR (perhaps a K20D in five years or so). I see no point in upgrading to the "latest greatest" as soon as it's released, because it very soon isn't either of those things in today's environment. So I'll wait till the price comes down after it's superceded a few times.

08-31-2008, 06:29 PM	#37
J.Scott Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,675	My memory sucks - I can't remember what I used prior to 1976. That year, however, I got married and the Missus bought me a Practika L w/ 50mm lens. It is simply a light-tight box that held, exposed and advanced a roll of film. I still have it, too. In the early 80's I bought a brand new ME Super with a 50mm f2 lens. It was all I could afford but seemed a huge advancement over the Practika. The ME was aperture priority and it had TTL metering. I used to take a lot of slides back then and loved to have friends over for slide shows - complete with my enrapturing monologue and plenty of alcohol. My next camera came in 2000 - a Pentax MZ-7 with a zoom lens (I think 28-80mm). I never really liked that camera; it seemed to plasticy and fragile compared to the ME Super. So there was almost a 20 year gap between cameras - and this one was a huge leap in technology; it had autofocus! I bought a small Olympus P&S 2mp camera shortly after the MZ-7 purchase and I can still hear the salesman's words, "Use the digital for fun shots but your film camera is for serious photography. Don't worry, I don't think this digital thing is going to catch on; we'll be using film a long time to come." Riiiight! Then i bought my ist DS in 2005 because the digital thing was* catching on! The K10D arrived in the fall of 2007 and now I am contemplating buying a K20D so I don't get left behind in the technology. Meanwhile - in the frenzy of all this digital imagery - I am taking more film pictures than ever. This weekend, for example, we visited relatives in Sault Ste. Marie and I dragged along no less than 3 cameras - 2 film and my K10D. I am almost embarrassed to admit but I never took the digi out of the camera bag, but I shot a roll of Fuji 200 with my MZ-5N during a boat tour of the Sault Locks. Also, in the past 2 years I purchased 5 film cameras - medium format and several rangefinders. I think I am a freak! Last edited by J.Scott; 08-31-2008 at 06:42 PM.

08-31-2008, 06:38 PM	#39
J.Scott Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,675	Originally posted by Canada_Rockies All you little kids drive me nuts! I celebrated the 29th anniversary of my 39th birthday this year. I will NEVER be older than Jack Benny. So you're 68 - are you bragging or complaining?!

08-31-2008, 07:03 PM	#40
Clicker Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,241	I started with Pentax, moved to Nikon sold my Nikon stuff (F3 system) to move up to MF gear and added LF, actually needed 35mm so went to canon for their then AF EOS system, continued into their digital SLRs and now back to Pentax digital btw all along i have picked up some antiques out of curiosity sake So i basically started with Pentax/Nikon film based models and strangely enough it looks like i might end up that way with digital Pentax and Nikon:ugh: oh and i still shoot B/W film with a Canon.

08-31-2008, 08:09 PM	#43
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	Originally posted by J.Scott So you're 68 - are you bragging or complaining?! Both!

08-31-2008, 09:00 PM	#44
8540tomg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,461	Originally posted by jsherman999 Very good thread. I'm curious, how and when would you decide that you needed a new lens back in the day? Prior to the internet, did you respond to print ads, seeing what others had at photo clubs, etc? How did you hear about new lenses and then how did you know that you wanted them? Jay, I my case I kept current on all things photographic in the 1980s by reading Popular Photography, Modern Photography, Shutterbug and a few others I can't recall at the moment. The late Herbert Keppler was always a must read as were the latest lens reviews. Prior to Ebay camera stores always had lots of used equipment and I browsed through them on a regular basis. As a member of the local camera club the pros and cons of various cameras/lenses were a common conversational topic. As for what I wanted/needed it was LBA - I wanted everything just like now. Cheers Tom G

08-31-2008, 11:45 PM	#45
Damn Brit Guest	These answers have been awesome guys, not just experience but a history lesson as well.