The Collection

I came to photography rather late in life (about 9 years ago) and never really had anything to do with film..... My first real camera was a decent digital one (Canon EOS 650D) So unlike most people of my age, I didn't come to digital photography from a film background.

However a few years ago, a friend asked me to go along with her to a 35mm film class being held at a local art gallery, so I picked up an old Pentax film camera from a charity shop and went along.

It didn't take long before I was hooked and I fell in love with film. I liked the darkroom, the chemicals, the enlargers and the magic paper..... it was like dabbling in the dark arts, it felt like alchemy........ and before long I had set up my own home darkroom and had started collecting old and vintage film cameras from charity shops, car boot sales and eBay.

I now have a collection of 66 (so far) cameras dating from my 1914 box brownie through to modern film cameras......... and they all work. It is now starting to look a bit like a museum of photography.

[Kitty Hawke]

Ohh...such a tidy museum too.....!

[Dianne]

Pretty incredible!

[Babs]

What a great collection. I have a friend who also collects old and vintage cameras. He started his collection about 25 years ago and told his wife that when he retired he would sell his collection to help fund his pension. Well he has now been retired 15 years and is still collecting. He has about 400 cameras now.

[Merrelyn]

What a fabulous collection.

[Swillin' Billy Flynn]

@onewing I've got a way to go yet then. :)

[Korcsog Károly]

Wow! Wonderful collection! Congratulations!

[Junko Y]

When you take to a new hobby, you pursue it passionately, don't you! That is an amazing collection.

[Domenico Dodaro]

Superb! Do you manage to shoot each of them every now and then?

[Swillin' Billy Flynn]

@jyokota If a thing's worth doing....... :)

[Swillin' Billy Flynn]

@domenicododaro I run a roll of film through each new one I buy. Just to make sure they are working properly. Several rolls if I really like the camera. :)

[Ellen Bogenschutz]

Very impressive

[borof]

What a collection and in such a short time. All my appreciation for your performance.

[The Dog Lady]

Very nice collection. Safe to say that was a day that changed your life forever

[Jo]

Fabulous collection - I love your description of your discovery of using film, I agree it is sort of magical.

[Kas]

What an impressive collection.

[haskar]

Lovely collections

[Carolinesdreams]

What a great collection.

[Dawn]

Wow an impressive collection

[Cazzi]

Wow what a fantastic collection and beautifully displayed.

[PhylM-S]

An impressive collection! There was something special about the scent of the chemicals in the dark room and yes, it was (and still is) magical.

[kali]

i would like to see some of your film photos. @spanner thought he had a lot ! Mine have the indignity of being higgledy piggelty inside camera bags

[PhotoCrazy]

So cool!! Great collection!

[Swillin' Billy Flynn]

@kali66 I have posted quite a few over the years.
Here are a few examples. https://365project.org/swillinbillyflynn/challenges/2015-06-05 https://365project.org/swillinbillyflynn/challenges/2015-05-01 https://365project.org/swillinbillyflynn/challenges/2015-05-14 https://365project.org/swillinbillyflynn/challenges/2015-04-03 https://365project.org/swillinbillyflynn/challenges/2015-04-26 https://365project.org/swillinbillyflynn/challenges/2015-02-12 https://365project.org/swillinbillyflynn/challenges/2015-02-09

[kali]

making your own prints must be amazing. i remember the swans taken with the brownie...

[Swillin' Billy Flynn]

@kali66 I love printing my own photos. but the best thing about film photography is the social aspect. You walk around with a box brownie round your neck...... and you will get dozens of people who come up and want to talk to you about it. :)

[Annie D]

what an amazing collection!