Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
07-11-2019, 07:39 AM - 1 Like   #16
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
gofour3's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 8,085
QuoteOriginally posted by Ontarian50 Quote
Yes, $340 was quite a pile of cash in those days, and yet the things sold quite well.
Yep and you also would have had the option of doing a layaway purchase with the camera store, so you could spread out the purchase over a few months.

Phil

07-11-2019, 07:42 AM - 1 Like   #17
Veteran Member
Cuthbert's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2013
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,740
QuoteOriginally posted by gofour3 Quote
Yep and you also would have had the option of doing a layaway purchase with the camera store, so you could spread out the purchase over a few months.

Phil
Again, I think they were viewed as an investment because those cameras from the 70s (Nikkormat, FTB, Minolta Srt, Spotmatic and K) after almost 50 years are still working as this board proves it.

Cameras from the 90s...not so much. Even the difference in building quality between the FTb and the Minolta 7000 is huge, my friend when he shoots prefers the Canon due to its "solid" feel.
07-11-2019, 08:05 AM - 1 Like   #18
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
gofour3's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 8,085
QuoteOriginally posted by Cuthbert Quote
Again, I think they were viewed as an investment because those cameras from the 70s (Nikkormat, FTB, Minolta Srt, Spotmatic and K) after almost 50 years are still working as this board proves it.

Cameras from the 90s...not so much. Even the difference in building quality between the FTb and the Minolta 7000 is huge, my friend when he shoots prefers the Canon due to its "solid" feel.
For sure, when I bough my Pentax KX kit in 1975, it was a "big" purchase for me and something I would not have to replace for years. Still have and use it 44 years later.

Thankfully when I bough the KX, K28/3.5, K55/1.8 & K135/3.5 I had the "bank of mom" to help with a no interest loan, so no credit cards or layaway's were needed.

Phil.
07-11-2019, 08:45 AM - 1 Like   #19
szs
Senior Member




Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Morelia, Michoacán
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 126
Original Poster
I believe, the 70's were somewhat a "golden age" of cameras (and rock music, but that's a different post in a different forum). The technology was advanced enough for excellent lenses and reliable mechanics. Also, advances in electronics (first transistors, later ICs) made it possible to have different flavours of exposure programs etc.

I still own and use a Canon AE-1, as does my father, who bought it at that time (1976-1984) from an engineer's salary.

Later, cameras became more plasticky, gimmicky, somehow more disposable....

08-07-2019, 06:02 PM   #20
Pentaxian
titrisol's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: In the most populated state... state of denial
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 1,848
They sure were!
The price of cameras was very high, and thus they were cared for a lot

QuoteOriginally posted by Cuthbert Quote
Ouch! $2000 today? Were Spotties that expensive?
08-07-2019, 06:38 PM - 1 Like   #21
Otis Memorial Pentaxian
stevebrot's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Vancouver (USA)
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 42,007
QuoteOriginally posted by Cuthbert Quote
Ouch! $2000 today? Were Spotties that expensive?
Yes, they were that expensive*, though probably a bit less at street price. I was unable to find an ad from that period, but would estimate street price with a S-M-C 55/1.8 at about $235. FWIW, the conversion to $2000 2019 dollars is a bit miserly. Minimum wage in 1971 was $1.60/hr and $10,000 a year was solidly upper middle class.


Steve

* Photography in general was a very expensive hobby with a good quality 35mm SLR being very much a luxury purchase and Pentax was not a bargain brand. A good camera was considered a long-term investment.
08-07-2019, 06:43 PM   #22
Otis Memorial Pentaxian
stevebrot's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Vancouver (USA)
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 42,007
QuoteOriginally posted by szs Quote
Is it a factor 10? Would be interesting to see what the other cameras at that time cost...
Minolta SRT 101 w/58mm f/1.4 was $235, street price in 1969.


Steve

08-08-2019, 03:27 AM   #23
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter




Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Texas
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,446
QuoteOriginally posted by stevebrot Quote
Yes, they were that expensive*, though probably a bit less at street price. I was unable to find an ad from that period, but would estimate street price with a S-M-C 55/1.8 at about $235. FWIW, the conversion to $2000 2019 dollars is a bit miserly. Minimum wage in 1971 was $1.60/hr and $10,000 a year was solidly upper middle class.


Steve

* Photography in general was a very expensive hobby with a good quality 35mm SLR being very much a luxury purchase and Pentax was not a bargain brand. A good camera was considered a long-term investment.
Yes - my starting salary as a new engineer in 1969 was $9,000. By that time I had switched from Pentax through Canon to Leica, with both a Leica M4 rangefinder and Leicaflex SL. By 1971 I had 35, 50, & 90mm lenses for the M4 and 50 & 135 & a bellows mount 100 for the Leicaflex. Leica prices took a huge jump then (new labor laws in Germany), so when the M series Pentax came out I returned to Pentax for the lens prices, then added an LX. Still have and use the Leicas though, and prefer to use a rangefinder for most of my use. So now use digital Leica RF with my old lenses. Tried Pentax dSLRs and never bonded.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
pentax spotmatic, spotmatic advertisement
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Vienna 1971 Elroy Jetson Monthly Photo Contests 2 09-09-2018 02:08 PM
Night Not since 1971 ........ daacon Post Your Photos! 14 08-01-2018 03:04 AM
Pentax is advertising, Pentax is advertising!!! bladerunner6 Photographic Industry and Professionals 21 05-14-2016 02:05 PM
Summer 1971 in Spain eyry Monthly Photo Contests 7 04-16-2016 09:04 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:23 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top