I was introduced to the world of photography with my first camera from Kodak named Instamatic X-30 using 126 cartridge film. I do not keep any picture taken with this camera now.

Instamatic X-30

The first SLR camera I used was a Fujica ST605 with 50mm screw mount lens. It was owned by my brother. The resolution of this lens was not that good. However, I gained a lot of basic photographic techniques and inspirations from this camera. This camera carries a screw mount which can fit Pentax screw mount lens. The metering was a stopdown system, that means you need to stopdown the aperture. In the mean time, you can also see the depth of field. It is a very good camera for the beginners. You need to consider the aperture, shutter speed and depth of field when you compose your picture before pressing down the shutter  button. That was expensive to take a picture especially colour print in the seventies. There is no way to take quality pictures with this camera outfit. But it is definitely a good camera for the beginners.

Fijica ST605

The Minolta XG2 with a 50mm f1.7 lens was the first camera owned by me. It worths HK$1,200 in the seventies.  Minolta is a great brand name. It was one of the big five in the seventies and eighties. It had been a partner with Leica and had made very good rangefinder cameras. The XG-2 features the latest technologies at that time, e.g. touch sensor on the shutter initiates the LED display of information in the viewfinder. The Minolta lenses are not that crispy as those from other big names. But it features the taste of European lenses - the Leica.

Minolta XG2

Apart from the standard lens, I got another 39-90mm zoom lens for this camera. It was a heavy, cheap but nice lens.

Sun 39-90mm f3.5

However, I did not keep it for long. I switched to a Nikon FM a year later, because most of my friends were Nikon fans. I traded the Minolta XG2 with Nikon FM. But I could not afford a Nikkor Lens though. My alternative standard zoom lens was a Vivitar 35-70 mm F2.8. It was a great lens at that time.

Nikon FM

Vivitar 35-70 f2.8-3.5

In the meantime, I started to build up another line with Olympus. I was attracted by its slim design and quality lens group. My first OM camera was the OM2. Then I owned a 50mm f1.8, a 28mm f3.5 and a 200mm f4.0. All of those were supposed to be the best value for money.

Olympus OM2

Olympus 28mm f3.5

Olympus 50mm f1.8

Olympus 200mm f4.0

I took many great pictures in London and Europe with these gears in the early 80's.