What were your first Canons? Analog and or digital?

[FTb-n]

My first camera was a Kodak Instamatic 104. My first 35 was a black body Canon FTb-n with an FD 50 1.4. It is also my avatar. I carried this camera almost everyday for three years in highschool, shooting for the yearbook and pushing Tri-x to a "whopping" ASA 1200. My secondary "stealth" camera was the almost palmable Rollie 35 (also black with an S-Xenar 3.5 40mm lens). For a little extra fun, I bought a used Argus C-3 -- a virtual tank.

Later, my 35 kit consisted primarly of three Canon AE-1 bodies. Target clearanced out refurbished bodies for $50 each. I couldn't resist. These proved to be great camera's, although I missed the match-needle exposure system of the FTb-n. (I always shot the AE1's in full manual mode.) It was handy to keep one body loaded with Kodachrome 64, one with Ektachrome 160, and the third with Plus-x BW. Later, I used Ektar 100 and Ektar 400 print film.

My first DSLR was a Canon Rebel XT. This camera served me well for several years. Then in a three year span, I migrated to a 60D, a 7D, two 5D3s, a 1Dx ... and recently an SL1 for little fun camera.

There's no question that the 1Dx and the 5D3 are my favorite bodies to work with today, but the FTb-n remains my sentimental favorite.

 

[Dylan777]

Used my dad's Konica T3 until I bought my first camera...

First Canon was a D60...

This is my first 35mm bought in 89', still own it... over the last 3-4 years started to use it again and now it's my EDC. Never had a CLA and works like new.

love the look of this range style. beautiful Pookie

 

[bholliman]

Canon T2i/550D, March 2011

I owned a few film cameras back in the day starting with a hand me down ancient Kodak Brownie followed by a cheap 110 mini camera. When I started working, I was able to buy a decent 35mm SLR (Nikon FM2) and a couple of lenses. I shot many many rolls of Kodachrome and Ektachrome, but lost interest somewhere in the early 90's and the camera sat on the shelf for a decade or more before I finally sold it.

Fast forward to the digital era. I only had passing interest in photography for most of the 2000's, but in 2009 we started to take a series of family vacations to some great locations and I became interested in recording the experiences. My wife had a decent 2005-era Canon point and shoot (S3is I believe) that did a creditable job. I also used a Nikon P&S from work occasionally. After learning how to operate an SLR many years before, I was frustrated by the limited controls and slow response time of the point and shoots. After a couple of experiences where I missed shots of important family memories due to the limitations of these cameras, I resolved in early 2011 to buy a camera that was capable of taking pictures of moving subjects and had a quick recovery time between shots. I did some on-line research and what I read pointed me toward the Canon 550D as the best camera available in it's price range. I never looked at higher end DSLR's and thought this expensive (perception at that time) camera would handle everything I would need for many years. Of course, as with many readers at CR, it was the "gateway drug" to a series of bigger and more expensive gear over the next 6+ years.

 

[rpt]

My first Canon was the AE1 Program that I bought in 1981. I got my first Canon digital as a present. It was the EOS 300D. I got it in 1984. This was the camera that got me back into photography.

 

[slclick]

My first Canon was the AE1 Program that I bought in 1981. I got my first Canon digital as a present. It was the EOS 300D. I got it in 1984. This was the camera that got me back into photography.

You must have had a time machine as well!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_300D

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

My first Canon was the AE1 Program that I bought in 1981. I got my first Canon digital as a present. It was the EOS 300D. I got it in 1984. This was the camera that got me back into photography.

Getting a 300D in 1984 would be quite a trick, they were announced in August 2003. (I'm sure it was a slip of the keyboard)

The 300D did indeed appeal to enthusiasts who were not ready to lay out much more for a 10D. I see that the first photo I have from my Digital Rebel was dated 12/8/2003

 

[privatebydesign]

My first 'serious' camera was an AE-1 bought new in 1978, I still have it and have posted this picture of my various work cameras before. I actually sold it to a family member many years ago and they 'sold' it back to me a few years ago.

My first digital was an S30, the first serious one was a 1D, I sold it before I took the first picture!

 

[FTb-n]

FTb and F-1 (in the 70's). Sold the Ftb but kept the F-1. Got a few more F-1s later. Was not a happy camper when the EOS system came out but that was then, this is now. No longer have any FD items. Now I have a substantial EOS system ;->>

I had a friend in highschool with an F-1 and for many years I thought this the perfect 35mm body -- the last one I'd ever want if I could only afford it. But, when I could, I ventured into the medium format world with a Mamiya 645 1000s. A great camera for its day. But, I kind of wish I got that F-1 with additional FD glass instead. The inginuity and build quality of those pre-electronic Canon bodies still fascinate me.

(For the record, I'm not an anolog purist. I definately prefer CDs to vinyl. )

 

[rpt]

My first Canon was the AE1 Program that I bought in 1981. I got my first Canon digital as a present. It was the EOS 300D. I got it in 1984. This was the camera that got me back into photography.

Getting a 300D in 1984 would be quite a trick, they were announced in August 2003. (I'm sure it was a slip of the keyboard)

The 300D did indeed appeal to enthusiasts who were not ready to lay out much more for a 10D. I see that the first photo I have from my Digital Rebel was dated 12/8/2003

He he! Sorry, 2004. Thanks for waking me up.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I sent a note to CR guy with the idea to add a gallery for photos that might give us a place for images of our old equipment as well as provide a better format than the current galleries with hundreds of pages.

He did add it as a test, click Gallery above and select one of the categories to upload a photo to. Keep them to about 1024 pixels for best results, larger images are a pita.

 

[Crayfordmedia]

my first camera was a 350d, then i went up to 50d and now i using 5d mark3

 

[gwflauto]

My first Canon was the analog Canon FTb. My Standard lens was 85/1,8. Some FD lenses that I especially enjoyed were the 400mm/f4,5 and the 20mm/f2,8. The AE1 was my next Canon camera but I bought it much later and I didn't get really happy with it. Some years later the T70 and around 1985 the T90 became part of my equipment. The T90 was in my luggage on many assignments. The wonderful EOS 3 was the last analog Canon that I got. I still have some of the old analog cameras, and I have started recently to experiment a little bit with the old EOS 3.
The digital Canon world started for me with the Canon G 7, a fine P&S for a trip around the world with my son. Because of the weight and space limitations in my backpack, a point and shoot was really the only possibility for this long journey.
The EOS world came to me with the 6D. A bad attack of GAS resulted in the addition of the EOS 70D and last fall of the 5D MkIV. Meanwhile the lenses are way too heavy, to carry most of them along on longer trips. It is sometimes difficult to make these choices.
I have used other brand cameras quite regularly. I have used a historic Leica for quite a while, a completely manual Hasselblad came along almost every trip to other continents for several decades, and a I bought couple of Nikons when, due to the Fukushima problems, the Canon Cameras were hardly available for several months..

 

[GlynH]

My first 35mm SLR was a Chinon CS purchased from Dixons here in the UK as an 18-year old in 1978 with a 50mm f/1.7 lens if I remember correctly. ISTR buying an 80-200mm 42mm screw mount zoom lens but am not sure what make it was - maybe Tamron, Vivitar or something like that?

My next camera was a Canon A1 bought brand new in 1980 just in time for a trip to Canada where lenses were so much cheaper I ended up with a Canon FD 24mm f/2.8 and some other stuff. In fact I had spent all of my holiday money within the first week of a 3 week trip!

Bought the T90 when that first came out and fed the body with more FD lenses including 200mm f/4 Macro, 50mm f/1.2L, Auto bellows with a macrophotography lens on it and more that I can't remember. All Canon of course.

I remember persuading my father to buy a Canon MC10 at some point but I ended up reluctantly selling all of my own Canon gear when I was broke and needed the money.

I had access to a Sony Mavica digital camera that wrote its picture files to a 3.5" floppy disk but steered away from digital cameras for some time under the illusion that quality was poor. That was until I saw some pictures taken with a Powershot digital camera at a falconry and the pictures looked great. The fact that you could easily email them appealed and so I bought one for myself.

Bought the 10D when that first came out and remember feeling a little underwhelmed at the pictures straight out of camera as they looked dull & flat compared to the processed jpegs I was used to looking at on a computer screen.

Bought its replacement the 20D when that was released but only took 8 photos with it in 3 months as I was still struggling to get to grips with the 1.6x crop as I did with its predecessor.

As soon as the 5D came out I had to have one and my dealer allowed me to trade the 20D for its original purchase price for the 5D. I loved that camera but p/x it against the 7D as I thought I needed the extra 'reach' for a trip to see the last shuttle launch with my 100-400mm zoom.

Even before I got back I realised my mistake and emailed the dealer to ask for my 5D back but it never happened.

Never got on with the 7D for the aforementioned reason and the fact that the photos were not as pleasing as the 5D despite being loaded with bells & whistles.

Bought a second hand 5D but strange as it sounds I never got over the loss of my original as all of my cameras had been purchased brand new and it just didn't feel right. Says more about me than the camera of course!

Bought a 5D MKIII a couple of years ago but still have the 5D/7D although both back in their boxes and never used now. I should really move them on but they aren't worth much now although they both have extremely low shutter counts.

Was thinking of the MKIV but really want the red focus indicators back like the original 5D (and now 1DX2 I believe) so will probably wait for the MKV unless there is a really good deal on the MKIV at the Photography Show next month when I might have a rethink unless

I did toy with the idea of the 1DX2 but its big, heavy and I'm not getting any younger. And then there's the cost!

I guess I've always been a Canon guy from way back when and see no reason to change now. I'm too invested in Canon glass to think about changing systems and then there's the learning curve so I'm here for life it seems...

-=Glyn=-

 

[Trondsol]

My first Canon was a AT-1, followed by a A-1. Then a 50e (and lost interest in photography).
First digital was a IXUS V² for holidays and travels. Bought a 350d, followed by a 60d, now uses a 7dII. (FF next).

 

[hbr]

My first camera was a 35mm film camera - Mamiya/Sekor and my first digital camera was a 5 mp Kodak Easyshare.

My first Canon DSLR was the Rebel 350D. Since then I moved to the 450D, the 550D, the T5i, 6D and 7D II. I also purchased 2 Powershots - the S95 and the S120.

My next purchase will probably be the 6D II.

I have lots of Canon glass.

 

[mb66energy]

AE-1 reliable tool, bought from my father in 1981, stolen and found later in a store's 2nd hand shelf
EF (2 bodies) 2nd hand in 1986, great reliable tool ...
Powershot G2 in 2001
EOS 20D in 2005 because ... they offered the great 2.8 60mm Macro lens which I still love today

 

[SteveM]

First camera an Olympus OM-2n, gorgeous little camera but a small variety of lenses, and expensive. Then went for the Canon F1-n, 5fps and built like a tank....an awesome camera.
Wish I'd bought the Olympus trip (and that similar were made now). A paparazzi friend of mine had one of these and earned most of his money with one - he worked the airports. By the time others got the slr up and ready to shoot he had his shot and was gone, slr's often got pushed into photographers faces as well. Very high quality 35mm compact. I so wish the equivalent (full frame not apsc) were available now.

 

[SteveM]

Forgot to add, the Canon F1n had interchangeable focussing screens, so I could use a clear screen for sport....made follow focussing easier, and a split screen for anything else.

 

[AlanF]

First Canon film camera was a Canon Demi (manufactured 1963-71), bought for me by my fiancee as an engagement present. Damn good half-frame camera. First Canon digital was the 300D, which led me down the slippery slope to today. My first digital camera was the Casio QV-10 with its 0.07 Mb sensor and 2 Mb memory.

 

[halldjh]

My first Canon was a gift from my uncle. It was a used Canonet QL 28 (analog, obviously). That held me over while I delivered newspapers for three years to buy myself a Canon A-1 (purchased in December 1979). My first EOS was also an analog camera -- the Elan 2e, purchased in 1996 or 97, I think. My first real digital camera (ie, not including 2 Canon point and shoots) was the Canon 70D, purchased in May 2014 to take photographs at my son's wedding (and father-in-law's 4th wedding, a week later in Jamaica). That's my current digital body. I've also started shooting film again, with a Canon New F-1, and have added a Canonet GIII to my collection also, which I've been shooting B&W with.