My first camera - Nikon rf10

[Hamish Gill]

I'm always banging on to people about being a nikon user for 20 years now ...
Well turns out it's actually 19 years!

My first camera was a Nikon RF10; bought for me by my Nan when I was 9 years old in 1992 ... And here it is

A model based on the original RF/RD Quartz model. But this budget entry level Nikon RF-10 remained strictly a non-data back version and it was only sold in selective countries (not even in Japan). The lense used on the camera is a rather odd, 34mm f/4.5 Nikon lens. The RF was also named as "Smile-Taker) in US; it was introduced as the first Nikon AF/AE compact in 1992.

Info taken from one of the most useful nikon resources out there http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/htmls/models/htmls/slr9294a.htm

"smile-taker" how sweet

I'm going to stick a 400iso film in it and take the dogs for a walk this avo ... I'll report back with some snaps

edit... photos -fuji 400iso colour film (cheap stuff) dev'd at jessops, neg scanned 3200dpi on epson v500, cropped to 6x4 ... otherwise untouched

this actually shows a fairly capable AE imho

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Man, talk about brand loyalty Hamish - even after owning a 'Smile Taker' you still stayed with Nikon! LOL

Very cool that you still own it - looking forward to seeing the results.

Tell us how many times you look at the back of the camera to see what you've just taken...

 

[Chris Dodkin]

My first camera was one of these - what were my parents thinking!

 

[Hamish Gill]

Have you still got it ... .. or any photos taken with it?
how old were you?

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I was around seven years old - I don't have it any more and can't remember ever getting any meaningful shots from it as it was way too complicated for a 7 year old - just loading the film was a challenge at that age LOL

I later relived the experience, and bought a Lubitel from Cecil Jacobs in Leicester - it was fun for about a week, but I was already into 35mm and I couldn't cope with the TLR.

I do have some old cameras upstairs in the 'office' - I'll have a dig through

 

[Hamish Gill]

You should, it's a lot of fun playing with old kit I reckon ... And if we all do it and document it here it would be quite useful for other people who might have the same camera ... And very interesting for geeks like me!

 

[Ralph Thornton]

My First camera. This was the improved Model 104 that used flash cubes. You could take four flash pics without replacing the bulb.

 

[Hamish Gill]

View attachment 1160

My First camera. This was the improved Model 104 that used flash cubes. You could take four flash pics without replacing the bulb.

4!! wow ...
126 film though eh ... not much chance of running a film through it these days

 

[Hamish Gill]

rf10 photos added to first post

 

[Pete Askew]

I still have a Mamiya C3 although I haven't used it for a while. Great quality though. I also must have an Instamatic somewhere that I git or Xmas when I was about 14 having expressed an interest in photograph!! Never even finished the first film and gave it to my sister. Switched to cine film using a second hand 3 lens Russian Quartz (saw a single lens version in the same junk shop as the pilots helmet over the weekend!). Still have the films I shot and a projector - one day I must play them, although I suspect they may not turn out to be lost 'masters'!!

 

[Bryan Hunt]

This was my first camera when i was about 12 years old http://

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I still have it even thou it had large accident when it fellout of my backpack while I was riding my moped. I had to glue the lens mount back on luckily it still worked .
Then as a poorly paid apprentice saved up and bought a Ricoh KR10 super.
When I finished my apprentceship I got my first Nikon a F801 and have stayed with Nikon and now have a D300

 

[Hamish Gill]

i have a pair of 801's ... good camera!

 

[Ralph Thornton]

...it had large accident when it fellout of my backpack while I was riding my moped. I had to glue the lens mount back on luckily it still worked...

Seems like cameras were sturdier back in the day. While shooting with the Kodak I mentioned above, I saved up until I could buy a Pentax Spotmatic in 1968. That was one tough camera...
1) On one backpacking trip I slipped on a log while crossing a creek. I fell into the creek and the camera bounced on the log before it went in the drink. I took out the film and dried it off with my hankie. Then I dropped it in the next creek I crossed. Kinda clutsie that day. Dried it off again, reloaded fresh film and kept shooting. When I got the film processed the only images I lost were a few on the roll that got wet. Never even had the camera serviced and continued to use it for many years.
2) Several years after #1 I was traversing a steep cliff face while climbing. The camera strap broke and the camera tumbled down about 150 feet before coming to a stop. Film door popped open and there were many dents. I sent it to Pentax for repair. Charge was around $110 for a new door and adjustment. I continued to use that camera for several more years until buying a Canon Elan IIe in 1993.

 

[Thomas brookes]

Man, talk about brand loyalty Hamish

when i went to the shop hamish "works" in to buy my camera he showed me nothing but nikons!!!!!! hahaha i do love mine very much tho!!!!!!good sell hamish!!

 

[Hamish Gill]

To be fair to me we have had trouble getting stock from canon ... Although they have just changed thier distribution to a third party so should be easier ...
I'd still recommend nikon though ... I likes them!