How many cameras?

My recent purchase of A Canon 5D2 got me thinking about all the different cameras I’ve had over the years.

I started to seriously take photos in around 1982 when I was loaned a Zenit E SLR with the standard 50mm and a telephoto of around 300mm IIRC. It was a clonky bit of kit but it got me started. I had to return the camera when I moved away for work, but then bought a Praktika SLR, which was much better than the Zenit. I later got hold of a Halina 28mm lens to compliment the Zeiss Jena 50mm and a rather nice Slik tripod.

I suddenly decided that this kit was too bulky and sold it all to buy a Rollei B35, this was a lovely little camera but very unreliable. I also dabbled with 21/4 square format in the form of a Yashica TLR. Then it was back to the 35mm SLR with a Contax with Zeiss T* 50mm and Yashica 28mm lenses. I much preferred the images from the Yashica lens over the T* even though it was single coated, the T* was very boring.

I kept the Contax for a good few years then sold it and had an Olympus OM2 with 50mm, 21mm and 150mm lenses on a long loan, this was a superb camera and my favourite 35mm SLR. When they were returned I bought a Nikon301 with a 35-70 Nikkor zoom. I then added a Nikon FM with 50mm f1.8 Nikkor and 90mm f2 Tamron. The 301 was sold when a brand new Nikon D90x with Nikon 24-120 zoom arrived. Then in 1997 I’d had enough of film and sold the lot and went digital with an Olympus 3040Z.

I still have the 3.3mp 3040z and it takes a good photo, but in 2007 I went DSLR with an Olympus E330 with D-Zuiko14-42mm zoom, later adding a Sigma 55-200mm zoom and D-Zuiko 11-22mm zoom. This year I again felt the need for smaller kit and bought an Olympus PEN E-PL1 with the 14-42 kit lens and 40-150mm zoom.

As it said at the top of the post I’ve been at it again, this time going Full-frame digital for the first time with a Canon EOS 5D2 and a Canon EL 24 – 70 f2.8. This combination is by far the biggest heaviest camera I’ve ever had, weighing in just shy of 1.9Kg. It is an absolute joy to handle though.