My first ever SLR, film camera, I ever held was a Pentax k1000. I thought it was the coolest thing ever! It was 1996 and I was 17 and in my Senior year of high school. Our school had just done a huge remodel and added a new tech center and that is where my photo class was. We had a studio set up, a chemical room and a darkroom. I used to wish I could stay in that class all day, even though the teacher was a huge bore! I have to admit he was a nice man though.
I remember seeing an add for the Nikon f100. It was the "big deal" at the time and I swore I'd have one some day. The big "professional" camera was the f5 from Nikon, it was a $5k camera and the f100 was it's kid sister but it was still $1000, without a lens! I had a job after school and when everyone was saving for prom, I was saving for my first camera. It was used, and it definitely was not a Nikon or Canon, but it was mine! I had a few lenses and a lot of excitement.
I used that camera for a few years but the lens mount was no longer used, I needed to mainstream. The day came when I was ready to get a new camera. I went into the camera store and was sort of persuaded into the Canon line, well it was the first camera they put in my hands. At the same time I had became friends with people who shot Canon and figured we could share lenses. Note: Most people will say you can borrow a lens, but never let you. Just as well I suppose, don't want to have to owe a friend a lens!
Fast forward a few years and everyone was going digital. I was still trying to perfect my film processes and there was no way I would ever be able afford all the things you needed for digital photography! I remember being at the camera store thinking that digital was "cheating" because you had too much control. I think I just felt a bit left out of the movement. Plus I didn't have a computer.
Many years later, digital was still around and film processing was getting $$$$. I knew I had to get into digital. When I started dating my Madphotoguy, I had access to a lot of computer stuff. I also had my own personal tech support. ;) Together MPG and I explored digital photographic with point and shoot cameras but one day, in 2008 I got a Pentax digital camera, the k10d! I was so excited. I used my camera for a while but wanted to have a Canon again, for some reason. I sold my Pentax and went Canon, again.
Having a family and feeling like I wasn't using my equipment "enough" I sold my Canon off. All the equipment I had, gone. I had no photo in my Madphotogirl anymore, I was a Mad girl. This time the "Mad" did mean angry. I was angry at myself. I don't have to give up on what I love to be a good mom and wife. With the awesomeness that is the Madphotoguy, I'm getting a Nikon D5100! Yes I am finally getting that "brand" that I looked up to for so long. I know the equipment does not make a photographer but this is a special something for me. The gear list will be updated and it will be short, for awhile. Why does standard shipping take forever!
