A Dedication to my Canon A-1 35mm SLR
This blog post is dedicated to my trusty old Canon A-1 35mm SLR.
Dear Canon A-1,
Your are the first SLR camera I could call my own. I remember back when I just started to understand what you were. I only had $100 to spend, and I rescued you from a pawn shop in Van Nuys. That was where our relationship began. I remember the wonderful feel of pulling your film advance lever with my thumb after each photo. The touch of your retro 70′s strap around my neck. The soft sound of your silk shutter sliding back and forth at different speeds. The clack of your mirror as I began to understand photography. I loved the excitement of adjusting the focus on your lens, turning all your dials and seeing the results. I remember the joys we shared as you took all my film and showed me what I could create. You were there with me when my life in photography began. You were even the first camera to take a picture of me with my now wife. I know we don’t spend as much time together anymore, and I know I have let you get a little dusty. But I also know that we will always be friends, and we will remember the good days when photos were fresh, ideas were new, and the world was yet to be conquered. Let us never forget those emotions and continue to live them. Thank you Canon A-1 for being there for me in the beginning.
Your friend
- Lukas
February 4th, 2010 at 9:06 am
I still haven’t figured out how to tell my 30D that my first love was and always will be my Nikon FG. It’s mad enough at me already for bringing a Mamiya RB67 home a year ago. I just might end up threatening it…something like, “You remember what happened to 20D when he refused to love the film? That’s right, I got you. And where’s 20D now? Yup…he’s the backup. Now there’s a 7D patiently waiting to replace you, so you better be real nice to the filmies, or you’ll be at the back of the bag in no time.”
February 4th, 2010 at 10:11 am
Good stuff. What’s not to love about full-frame 35mm? There’s a reason that even the original Canon 5D’s still command a premium price. A giant viewfinder is an amazing thing. Kudos to you for learning on a film camera. The amount of poor shots I made in my early days makes me glad I started with a DSLR (Rebel XT) . I’m hoping Canon will combine a 5D with a 7D and make something amazing..