Well, today marks the end of an era... Nikon has announced today that it will stop making MOST of its film cameras to concentrate on digital models. The announcement also says that the production of manual lenses will also come to an end.
In honour of the great tradition of Nikon film cameras, I offer a (digital) picture of my first Nikon film camera - Nikkormat FTN purchased in Brisbane from Georges camera store in Adelaide St, in 1972. I think it cost me $250, for the camera plus a 50mm f2.0 Nikon lens. (A lot of money back then considering I was working as a computer operator at Thiess Holdings in Archerfield earning $57.57 per week (an easy figure to remember!). My first camera has some very sentimental memories for me - I was able to get myself a part-time job as a photographer with Colorama Studios in Brisbane who had the contract to do all the photography for Queensland University - all graduations and functions. My job was to go to the function, photograph couples and groups and capture pictures that would result in sales of prints for Colorama. I was paid the princely sum of $4.00 per roll of photographs taken and $1.00 per print sold. On a good night, I would take 3 or 4 rolls, get $12 or $16 and then take my brothers out for a big night out - to get a pizza from the Pizza Hut in Annerly or Romeos in the Valley. I remember Bob Smith of Colorama very well - he taught me so much about photography - he was a good boss, always fair, supportive and encouraging and I remember him fondly - and his wife Sherrie and what seemed to be their tribe of 12 young children under 5!. Bob Smith also had the concession to do the photography at the "Ekka", a gig which I passed on to my brother Peter when I left Brisbane to go to Melbourne. Brisbane was like that in the early '70's - it was very common for older siblings to pass on their part-time or holiday jobs to younger siblings after two or three years. Bob Smith from Colorama, I salute you and thank you for your inspiration for my love of photography and making pictures.
PS. AMAZING - I just "googled" Colorama in AUstralia and found this link - Bob and Sherrie are STILL in business ... after 40 years! Congratulations guys - hope we can speak or catch up soon...
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