[Don Hoey]

Joes comment on the Nikkormat, and Adey's OM1 made me think of this.

Since getting into photography, I have over the years gone through the upgrade path. Be it the ability to be able to afford what was a ' dream machine ' ( boys & toys ), kit purchased to suit a particular style as the hobby developed, or keeping up with the latest technology.

It would be interesting to see other members lists just to remember some fine names, and chart the introduction of developments over the years.

My list starting in 1966 with the advent of through the lens metering. Until then most meters were hand held or clip on.

Miranda G ...... Interchangeable view finders. With non coupled TTL metering head. Loads cheaper than the Nikon F. Bought when I was in the RAF in Aden.
Pentax Spotmatic ..... M42 thread lens mount. Top kit for its day. The end of pre set lenses. ( on early lenses the aperture control was a twin ring set up. Decide the setting and set the master ring. The second ring was used to open the lens up for focusing and then twisted back to the stop on the master ring before taking the exposure. How things have developed. )

Nikkormat FTN ..... traded the Spotmatic for this. Body only cost was £165 and I was on £12 a week. Petrol was 5s 3p a gallon. Thats nearly 4 galls to the pound.
Nikkormat FT3 ..... Introduction of AI coupling. No more twist each way to couple the lens to metering system when changing lenses.
Nikon FM ..... had 2 of these- kit bag now getting heavier. Leap up in metering technology. LED meter display, very fast response. The end of slow response CDS cells.
Nikon FE ..... Battery powered with aperture priority auto mode. Quickly sold. Let down by batteries in the cold.
Nikon F2S ..... Finally at the dream range. Back to twist and turn to couple the meter. This head could meter down to -2EV. Led display great for low light use.
Nikon F2A ..... AI so auto lens / meter coupling. Traded this for my wifes Bronica ETRS kit ( straight swop ). I needed to get her involved and therefore ' on side ' for future spends.
Nikon F2AS ..... The ultimate incarnation of the F2 range. Amongst the finest mechanical cameras ever made.
Nikon F3 ..... Back up for the F2AS. Quieter shutter. Battery dependance solved by using motor drive supply. The start of electronics, my first camera that relys on special lead for remote shutter operation. But it still takes interchangeable heads and screens.

Bronica SQA ..... A venture into medium format. Good kit. Could not afford Hassleblad. I used the CDS vertical finder as a solution to the rubbish that gets on the focusing screen when the flip up type is used. Still had a reversed image on screen. This camera really slowed me down in the landscape. I still miss the large viewfinder image.
De Vere 5 x 4 ..... A distraction brought about by the search for swings and tilts control in still life. I got it for very little and modified it to accept the Bronica body. That was just before Fuji released the GS680 6x9 cm which I really fancied but could not justify, as due to its size this is studio kit.
Agfa Record ..... Folding 6 x 9cm. Used for outdoor pop concerts. Its standard lens is 105mm so a 35mm crop of the neg made it like a super telephoto. Security just laughed whenever they saw it.
Olympus XA .... Very compact aperture priority. Limited range finder focus due to it small size.
Various 6 x 6cm folders that I have aquired and used as large neg. compacts.

Nikon D100 ...... A new age.

What next ?

Don