Equipment ...
Rather than boasting about my camera equipment (I only have 2 cameras and a lens so that would be silly) I finally made a list of the cameras that I have used since 1967.
Cameras marked with a (#) I still have. The dates indicate when I received or bought the camera, in some cases that involved a little guesswork. I have not added many technical details of these cameras as they are widely available on-line. Perhaps at a later date I will make some separate pages for these cameras with some pictures taken with them.
My first camera, an Agfa Clack (1967)
The sony Alpha 7 III (2019).
However things have improved over the years and, as for many, digital has made all the difference. Now it is not so much the technical aspects that hold you back, now it's down to the more creative side of photography, finding subject matter, composition, lighting etc.
- Agfa Clack: 1967 (#). Inherited from my mother and used for my first film on holiday with my parents in Limburg, The Netherlands. Bulky, but proud to be seen with it, flash attached and all.
- Agfa Isomat Rapid: 1968. Inherited from my mother and used during my 228km cycle trip to Limburg aged 13. The outward trip took two days and I cycled back in one day. No gears, normal tires and it is still a PB. Not sure what happened with the camera as I no longer have it.
- Yashica Half 17 EE Rapid: 1971 (#). Also inherited from my mother. It came in a black leather case and replaced the Agfa Isomat. First used during my hike for the 1st class scout badge. I'm not sure what my mother was using at the time. It may well be that I just borrowed the camera a few times. However it's still here.
- Beier Beirette vs 1970: Bought on 11 July, 1972. A pretty cheap camera because I needed something for my moped trip to Switzerland that year. I only used it for a short spell.
- Topcon RII: 1972-1975. Purchased by my brother for 240 guilders on Biak, then part of Dutch New Guinea and handed down to me. Stolen on 8 July, 1975 at station Brussels Noord on my way to Switzerland. I assume it was the RII Japanese version and not the Topcon Beseler C. First used in 1973 during a summer camp and during a climbing course in the Austrian Alps.
- Film camera (?): In 1974/5 I used a cheap super-8 film camera in Greece and around the house. Can't remember what this was or where it came from.
- Chinon Memotron CEII: 1976-1979. Bought on 19 November, 1976 (Foto-Kino Rob Strik BV) to replace the Topcon. Probably the camera I took most pictures with in the second half of the 1970's, B/W, colour and colour slides (transparencies).
- Zeiss Ikon Movikon 8: 1978-ish (#) Super-8 film camera. Not used a lot, but I remember making a very short stop motion film.
- Bilora Stahl-Box: 1970's (#). Bought second hand just for fun, but never used much. Basically an old pinhole box camera like the Kodak Brownies.
- Yashica-44 Copal SV: 1979 (#). A second hand 4x4 medium format camera only used occasionally at home and in Switzerland.
- Agfamatic 200 Sensor: 1977 (#). This one belonged to Greet, but has always produced fairly reliable images in situations where my Chinon 'failed'.
- Poloroid Land Camera Colorpack 100: 1977/8 (#). Used a little around the house. We used poloroid cameras in the EEG department for taking screen images of the Kretz Technik Echoenephalograph 4200 screen, so I guess that led me to have one myself.
- Poloroid Land Camera Model 1000: 1978/9 (#). Used a little around the house and on a few trips. As before, but this is a colour version.
- Asahi Pentax 110 (bundled set): Bought on 7 September, 1979 (#). It was quite expensive at 1190 guilders, but the box with the little camera, lenses and filters was just to tempting at the time. No more heavy cameras to toss about. However the small 110 format negatives were pretty useless and much detail is lost. It came in handy when taking quick reference snaps through the microscope during botany practicals at Edinburgh University.
- Practica BCA: Bought on 21 June, 1990 and used until there were issues with the lens (2003). A basic SLR camera, all we could afford at the time, but it did well on many hill and mountain trips. Handed over to my son, if I remember well. Replaced by the Canon Powershot.
- Practica Sport Mini: Bought on 30 June, 1993 for £37.91 (#)- Basic point and shoot as a stand by.
- Yashica T5 (2x): Bought on 23 July, 1999 for £99.90 (#). Again a little lightweight point and shoot camera for general use during the holidays. Used until, and a little into, the digital era.
- Canon Powershot G4: Bought in March 2003 (#) | 4-megapixel 1/1.8" CCD sensor. Our first digital camera. Used until 2007.
- Canon EOS 400D: 2007-2016 (#) | 10.1-megapixel CMOS-APS-C sensor. The Digital, Rebel our second digital camera. It developed some issues wit the auto focus and was replaced with the Sony and some smaller point and shoot digital cameras.
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ8: 2010 (#) | 12-megapixels 1/2.33" CCD sensor. Our first small point and shoot digital camera mainly used by Greet.
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ9: 2013 (#) | 16.1-megapixel 1/2.33" MOS sensor. The small pocket camera concept has fascinated me ever since the Pentax 110. It is always there without the bulk and weight.
- Sony RX100-III: 2016 (#) |
20.1-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor. This has been a fantastic little work horse that has been on my hip more often than any other camera. It has helped me to 'up' my photography skills.
- Sony Alpha 7-III: 2019 (#) | 24.2-megapixel 5 Exmor R CMOS sensor. This is my first mirrorless full frame camera purchased with the kit-lens (Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6) in November as a retirement present together with the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 prime lens and some additional sundries. A very nice start.
This list may give you a rough idea what my relationship with cameras and photography has been. Rather erratic, purchase what you can afford at the time and make due with what you have. Some photographic record of life is better than none.
Agfa Clack (1967) - Front
Yashica Half 17 EE Rapid - Front
Yashica Half 17 EE Rapid - Back
Zeiss Ikon Movikon 8 - Front
Yashica 44 Copal SV - Front + Back
Agfamatic 200 Sensor - Front
Agfamatic 200 Sensor - Back
Bilora Stahl Box - Front
Poloroid Land Camera Colorpack 100 - Front
Poloroid Land Camera Colorpack 100 - Back