My First Ever Film Camera - Minolta Hi Matic G

This was the first Film Camera I bought.

The Minolta Hi Matic G

I bought it in 1980 from Mathers Cameras, in Bradshawgate , Bolton.

It was a cracking camera and took great pictures.

The Olympus Trip was the popular camera when I bought it, but I've always been a bit different from mainstream when it comes to gadgets.

As you can see, almost forty years later it is still in mint condition. I am very tempted to put a film in it and see the results !

Minolta became, Konica Minolta and in January 2006, sold it's camera division to Sony.

My camera of choice today ... a Sony !

I didn't know the Minolta to Sony story until i was talking to another vintage lens hunter in a charity shop at the weekend !

The camera looks beautiful, well maybe not to everyone, but to a camera geek like me it does.

[Lee]

You still have the camera after 40 years. I'll have to think hard to remember if I have anything in my possession from that long ago. And Mathers are still going too!

[Nick]

Fancy still having your first camera, Phil. You just have to try it out to see what results you get.

[Beryl Lloyd]

Amazing !

[Dione Giorgio]

It looks almost brand new. You do take good care of your equipment. My first film camera was a Chinon and I think I still have it stowed away somewhere. It took great pictures, too.

[Casablanca]

Love it! My first camera was a Cosmic Symbol! My Mum had an Olympus Trip and my Dad always had a great range of cameras. My first SLR was my 21st present from my Dad and was an OM10. Memories!

[Helen Jane]

It is very nostalgic with that rippled black plastic coating which featured on most cameras of the age. Sadly, I can not remember my first camera brand - but I can remember taking lots of images with the lens cap on and failing to wind the film on frequently.

[Hazel]

I hope it has pride of place on the sideboard, Phil!!! Looks in mint condition and interesting to unravel that story.

[Phil Howcroft]

@quietpurplehaze mint condition it is, all my lenses and old camera are in a display cabinet in my computer room :)

@helenhall ahh the lens cap on the camera, I still do that sometimes !

@casablanca memories indeed Casa' . I had , still have the OM20, I use the zuiko 50mm lens for my vintage lens photos :)

@sangwann Dione, your chinon will have a vintage lens on it which you can use :)

[Phil Howcroft]

@beryl thank you beryl :)

@nickspicsnz I might just do that Nick :)

@gamelee cheers Lee, I thought Mathers was on Bradshawgate, but a google shows it has since moved. I always hang onto my geek items !