What was your most significant camera? Why?

I suppose my most significant camera was my 1959 Beirette because it was the camera that I used when I learnt how to take photos. I was at primary school at the time and we had a photography club that held regular competitions with shopping vouchers for the local photography shop as prizes - it was those vouchers that funded my photography - using them to buy film and paper (and then developing & printing at home with my dad in a makeshift darkroom in the kitchen). As I remember it, the camera had a view finder but no viewfinder focusing facility - just the distance marked on the focusing ring - so I had to guess the distance and gauge the depth of field. There was no metering either so I used a cheap Boots light meter. I no longer have the camera or any pictures of it but it is listed on camera-wiki.org and there is a photo of it by Alf Sigaro with a Creative Commons Licence so I think I can link it here without breaking any rules:
Beirette by Alfred, on Flickr
 
Nikon F2. I could never had afforded one of these in the UK, but I was living/working in Hong Kong in the 70s and prices were far more reasonable. Stunning camera and, of course, all the lenses and accessories were available and equally affordable. Good days ...
 
A black/silver Asahi Pentax Spotmatic 500. A beautiful camera which my Dad bought me in Steamer Point, Aden, in 1965.
 
While I studied photography at college and had a Minolta SLR, it wasn't until got my first digital camera that things changed for me.

I think... just the fact that you could take as many shots as you wanted (memory cards permitting) or continue to retake until you got it right was a proper shift change. It certainly changed it for me from being something that I did on holiday, to being something I did far more often.

That camera was a Pentax Optio 550. It was a significant cost back in 2003 at £550 and I almost didn't do it as it was hard to justify - but that was BC (Before Children) so I still had some disposable cash.

Even though you weren't in control of much (if anything) and I didn't do any PP work, just the fact that I had a camera that I could and would take places meant that I became more interested in not just taking photos, but trying to take good ones.

AD.065 by Kell Lunam-Cowan, on Flickr
 
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My first camera is Nikon D3200, It is just a entry-level SLR. 1 years later I bought Nikon D7100, it was great. Now my significant camera is Canon 5D3.
 
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I did like my old Nikon F60. Had many a fun moment with this camera. It reminds me of a time that was filled with good memories. :)
 
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I guess my first significant camera was the Canon EOS 10 with a 35-135 lens, the very first SLR and camera I learnt a great deal about picture taking with.

First camera I ever used was an Olympus Trip my sister owned and lent me, I later got an Olympus AF10.

Nikon FM2, F4s & Hasselblad 500 CM were all money earners for me along with more recent Nikon D300s (gave this to my nephew) & D700.

I worked in a photography shop and saw so many lovely cameras and lenses if I had to choose one camera and lens that I have owned to use for the rest of my life it would most probably be a Nikon FM2 with a 35f2. If it was something I haven't owned but used it would be a Leica M6 with a 35mm Summicron I loved selling those!
 
My Fuji Xt2. After a few years with Canon camera's and big zoom lenses it was so refreshing to use this with the 16, 56 and 90 and actual improve my image quality. Loved it.
 
First camera I brought new was a Praktica MTL 5B. Basically what I learned how to take pictures on.
 
jakeblu said:
A Praktica, I can’t even remember the model name, it was over 40 years ago and it was my first ’proper’ camera. I shot a friends wedding with it and that’s significant because I decided never to shoot a wedding again.
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Mine too - Practice MTL5B - back in the 1980's. Upgraded to a Pentax K1000 because they used the same M42 Screw lenses.

My first Digital SLR was the Fuji S1 which was recommenced to me by an award winning wedding photographer.
 
Canon 5D classic with the 50mm f/1.8 lens. Introduced me to full frame and it had a lovely look to the images whilst the nifty fifty brought dof creativity.

This was the point where I knew I'd love photography.
 
gman said:
Canon 5D classic with the 50mm f/1.8 lens. Introduced me to full frame and it had a lovely look to the images whilst the nifty fifty brought dof creativity.

This was the point where I knew I'd love photography.
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I think my first modern wide aperture prime was probably just as significant as my first camera.
 
A Coronet Box Camera bought for me by my nan at a jumble sale (I think it cost theepence). It sparked my interest in taking pictures and led to 55 (so far) years of enjoyment of photgraphy.
 
My first camera was a Kodak instamatic 126 which I loved and used for many years!
Simple basic but effective.
It’s where it all started for me
 
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