Do You Remember Your First Digital Camera?

[andit]

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Hi Guys,

 

Here's a bit of an off topic post. Do you remember your very first digital camera? This may sound strange, but digital moved in with an astonishing speed. The first SLR that was widely available and almost affordable was the Canon D30 (with a 3.1 megapixel sensor - not to be mixed up with the current 30D) which was released in 2001. Prior to this, you only had digital compact camera's.

 

It was around 2000 that people actually sat up and started taking note of digital camera's. I was working with a Rollei SL66 Medium Format at the time and needed something with which I could do preview shots (the availability of Polaroid film for a Polaroid back was a huge problem here). The first digital camera that came out where you could go into a manual mode and set shutter speed and aperture yourself was the Nikon E880. The idea was to set shutter and aperture on the digital, take the shot, and then transfer these settings to the MF.

 

My first digital was the Nikon E880. It was an awful camera to use - Nikon could not have made the menu system and operation modes any more difficult. You had to charge the battery for 14 hours, and you got 40 to 60 shots on one charge... Mind you, at that stage the camera had a 3.1 megapixel sensor, which was cutting edge at that time. Looking at the images today though, that camera actually did very well.

 

Lets have some fun with this thread and bring back some memories of the recent past.

 

Andreas

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[stunsworth]

Kodak DC4800 bought in 2001 or so from Jessops in Manchester. 3.1 mp. It cost around £500 and came with a full copy of Photoshop - which was part of the attraction of the system.

 

I still have camera, though I can't remember when I used it last...

 

KODAK DC4800 Zoom Digital Camera Support

 

Kodak DC4800 Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review

[sdai]

My first digicam was a Casio QV10, my first DSLR is the D1X.

[paulmoore]

My first digital was the Nikon E880. It was an awful camera to use - Nikon could not have made the menu system and operation modes any more difficult. You had to charge the battery for 14 hours, and you got 40 to 60 shots on one charge... Mind you, at that stage the camera had a 3.1 megapixel sensor, which was cutting edge at that time. Looking at the images today though, that camera actually did very well.

 

Lets have some fun with this thread and bring back some memories of the recent past.

 

Andreas

 

I bought a very early nikon d1 - 2.74 mp back in 1999 for 5,000usd, was not bad but not that good either with it's limited sensor size.. however it was a start and I did some good things with it.. even have a couple of the shots still in my portfolio. One job I had to make 20inchx30inch BW digital prints

from the files..I was amazed they rezzed up .. well sortof.

The bad was the early nikon capture software.. had to work like hell to get it to look good.. and those damn cards/ minidisks.. eeek! Can't believe it was less than 10 years ago..by 2000 I had 2 of them and they stayed until 2003 shooting mostly web stuff.. so I got my moneys worth out of them before they became paperweights as I am sure they are just that now. I remember in 2005 when I bought the same priced dmr people thought I was crazy..it turned out to be a much better investment than the old D1's and still going strong.

[PeterP]

Apple Quick Take 200 - 1997

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[andybarton]

Also a Kodak. A DC280

 

KODAK DC280 Zoom Digital Camera Support

 

Then a Panasonic LC5

 

Then a DMR...

[stuny]

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A year after getting our first Leica compact binoculars (Trinovid BNC 10X25), which blew away our compact Nikons Barbara surprised me with a 1999 Christmas gift of an R8 and an 80-200 zoom. I was immediately addicted to Leica, and refused to get a digital camera until I could use my R lenses on a camera. In March of 2004 I bought a D2, and in our first trip with it (Belize) took 65% of my photos on it. My feelings about that camera match what other members who still have their D2s report, and I’ll keep it and use it for quite some time. I store its spare batteries in the refrigerator just in case they become unavailable.

 

Two years later Barbara surprised me with a DMR.

[andit]

My first digicam was a Casio QV10, my first DSLR is the D1X.

 

Believe it or not, this was the camera that started the digital revolution. If I remember correctly, Casio marketed this as a frame grabber and not even as a camera.

 

Andreas

[earleygallery]

Hmmm my experience doesn't mirror that of the OP's but then I've not really embraced digital capture preferring film, but I do enjoy using PS on the scans.

 

My first digital camera was about as basic as they gethttp://www.ciao.co.uk/Samsung_Digimax_800k__5096858

 

It had one feature that lots of M8 users seem to want, no LCD on the back (so you had to wait until you downloaded the images to see what you had).

 

Then I bought a Panasonic LC5 (Digilux 1) which I still have, and then bought an FX30 (C lux 2).

[MJLogan]

Original D-LUX. Still use it when the Digilux 3 is just too big. I fell in love with it before I saw the price tag. That's never a good thing for me to do.

[miami91]

Apple Quick Take 200 - 1997

 

 

I had this too! Prior to the return of Steve Jobs, Apple rebadged just about everything --- cameras, printers, scanners, paper, floppy disks, etc. They were quite adrift...

 

My lasting impression of this camera, besides the poor images, are of the incredibly flimsy memory cards. Seemed like they were made out of paper. They also held like 8 images.

 

My first "real" digital camera was the Digilux 1 (2002).

 

Jeff.

[stevelap]

First (and only, so far) digital compact: Nikon Coolpix 5000, around six years ago if memory serves. (Frustrating).

First DSLR: Nikon D100, 2005. (Excellent).

[streetshooter]

Sony Mavica, 1st generation. It used a floppy disc.......

[clw]

First (and only, so far) digital compact: Nikon Coolpix 5000, around six years ago if memory serves. (Frustrating).

First DSLR: Nikon D100, 2005. (Excellent).

 

Hey, that was mine too! The Coolpix 5000 that is. It was frustratingly slow. It was a small 5 MP camera, and I think the boss paid close to $900 USD. It was purchased for me so that I could shoot product photography. Later on, we upgraded to a Nikon D100.

 

First digital camera I purchased for myself, was the Olympus E-1. I made lovely pictures at the time, but the viewfinder was tiny, as it was a 4/3 camera.

[Jeffry Abt]

The Nikon D1 started it all for me. Pro digital cameras have come a long way since then.

(My last film camera was the M7. I rarely use it)

[enboe]

On an impulse, I tried the VGA-resolution Agfa Smile. It was totally unacceptable, and I returned the camera.

 

A couple of weeks later I splurged $1000 and bought the Nikon Coolpix 950. I still have some wonderful pictures that 2.1 megapixel camera delivered. I think that was in 1999 or very early 2000. How fast things have changed!

 

Eric

Leica M8

Nikon D2X, D40X

and more film cameras than I can remember

[DTD]

Came to digital quite late with a Olympus C5060 – I was lucky enough to win it in a competition. Not bad at all for a prosumer/bridge/whatever camera. Articulated lcd screen which I'm glad to see has re-appeared on the E-3. Sold it to go towards an E-1.

[masjah]

I've still got my first digital camera. It seems to be built in to my mobile phone. I've never used it though.

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Hallo,

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[StS]

In my case a Canon Powershot G2, bought for 750€ in 2002. It is still in use, good for documentary images (the swivelling monitor is quite helpful). It has all disadvantages of point-and-shoots, slow autofocus and inaccurate motorized zoom but is sufficient for static objects. It even accepts a lens hood (using the tube for the extension lenses).

 

Stefan

[farnz]

Mine was the Digital Dream L'espion that produced 'huge' 0.3 megapixel shots. The image quality was awful.

 

My first 'proper' digital camera was a Pentax 1st DS because it was advertised as being able to use my Pentax 67 medium format lenses providing that you used an adaptor. I left no turn unstoned and yet I could not find an adaptor and a senior man at Pentax finally admitted to me privately that he didn't think any had been made.

 

Pete.