Canon EOS50d, Canon EF100-400mm IS USM Zoom
My Background
I've been interested in photography for many years and got my first real camera when I was in my mid teens. It was a Canon FTbQL 35mm film camera. Trouble was I couldn't afford any lenses for it and soon had to sell it and buy something cheaper.
It wasn't long before I realised my mistake, I tried several different makes but was never happy with any of them. Then came the time when I was a little bit better off and decided to have another Canon. But which one, I'd always wanted an F1 but it was way beyond my means and even now I couldn't afford one.
So I went to Jessop's Photographic HQ, when it was on Hinckley Road in Leicester, to try out a few different models, The A1 was top end of my budget, but I was uncertain about the LEDs in the display (in those days LEDs weren't too reliable and were prone to vibration failure).
But Jessop's salesman new his stuff and seeing that I was uncertain and why, he suggested an F1. When I said I'd love one but hadn't the money, he replied "Canon have released the F1n an instructed us to reduce the price of the old F1."
The new price was only about £20 more than an A1, it didn't take much time to make up my mind and I walked out with a Camera that would be my constant companion for over twenty years.
At work the following Monday, I told a friend. He said he'd always wanted an F1 as well. He rang Jessops to reserve one and was informed that they'd received a fax from Canon to put the price back up - apparently there were professionals running around the photo stores buying F1s by the bagfull. My friend borrowed my Amateur Photographer magazine and phoned round the country until he found a shop in the North East that hadn't yet had the fax. Using his Credit card he managed to get one as well.
Over the years I added lenses to my F1 and took some interesting pictures. Including the back of the head of a professional at a friends wedding - who seeing my camera, tried to always be between me and the happy couple, including backing into me when I tried to get a pic of the cake. I could understand why though, my friends relatives preferred my pictures, which I gave to the happy couple, along with the negatives.
I also added a couple more cameras, one out of nostalgia, a Canon Demi half-frame a beautifully engineered piece of photo history. The other a Canon AS6 Aquasnappy, which was waterproof and took some great canoeing photos. I still have all three cameras, though now I've gone digital they don't get much use.
Now, I'm going to try and post a blog every time I go out with the camera and get some decent pictures.
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