Now I don't expect you to now the name of the guy in the factory!
Just a quick straw poll to which manufacturers folks are using.

I started out with a Minolta Dynax SLR back in '96. Saved up for a while and some folks put in as well for my 18th birthday. Over the years got a number of accessories and lenses (as you would expect).

Wanted to go digital, I was about to get the Dynax 7d to go digital. Then Minolta disappeared :( Since got a Sony Alpha, which I love!

Did exactly the same. Dynax 5 was a great camera nad stood up to some real stick in fairly extreme circumstances across the world. When i wanted a digital the Alpha was the obvious choice. So far i'm happy although its in Auto far too often. I'm taking a course to improve my photography but i really want to try some Macro stuff. I just need to get a good SH macro lens.

I started off with a GB.Kershaw 450 in the late 50s.Still got it and it still takes wonderful pictures if you can get the film,but very expensive to develope.Using a Fuji 5700 now because it is much easier to use.My wife has a Russian Zenit(zenith) from the 60s & she takes beautiful photos with that.

My wife has a Russian Zenit(zenith) from the 60s & she takes beautiful photos with that.
I knew it wouldn't be long before a brand appears that I had forgotten!

I always swore by Olympus, and still do but when it comes to DSLR, I went for the canon, mainly because lenses are much more readily available for the canons than they are Olympus....

If someone gave me the money, I'd go back :)

Used to be a Pentax but that fell under the wheels of a lorry as back doors of a mini bus flew open on motorway :(

Now have a Canon 1D IIN (to be replaced with a III if I win lotto this weekend :P )

I bought my first Olympus (OM10) over 20 years ago - and it's still going strong!!!! So couple of years ago, I bought an Olympus E500 digital SLR (came with 2 lenses!!) Got a discount as well.....!!!! ;)

Another sony A100 user here. I agonised for ages which DSLR to buy, the Sony just felt right in my hands so I got one
Dave..

I started with a olympus e500 digital and kit lenses , which I still use , trouble is the modern lens for this are expensive . I recently purchased a pentax k10d , which I am very happy with as all the old pentax lenses are compatible with this camera . Must state the quality on both cameras is superb .

The very first camera I had was a a Kodak instamatic that I was bought as a present. I then treated myself to a Zenit 35mm SLR in the late 1970s (I still have it - built like a brick privvy).

After that I stuck with Canon gear, although I had a Practika which used to live in the car and around the house we also had an Olympus SLR and a couple of 'snapshot' type cameras.

I had to sell most of my gear in the late 1990s, but now I have a Canon digital SLR and a Leica 'snapshot' type camera.

The very first camera I had was a a Kodak instamatic that I was bought as a present. I then treated myself to a Zenit 35mm SLR in the late 1970s (I still have it - built like a brick privvy).

After that I stuck with Canon gear, although I had a Practika which used to live in the car and around the house we also had an Olympus SLR and a couple of 'snapshot' type cameras.

I had to sell most of my gear in the late 1990s, but now I have a Canon digital SLR and a Leica 'snapshot' type camera.

Well if we are going back to previous cameras then I had a nice little Olympus trip. It still works perfectly. My old man took it to Canada with him because all the nice new cameras are very unhappy when it gets to -20C and the batterys stop working. The trip is all mechanical and worked perfectly. Some stunning shots of dog sleds etc.

My own first camera (as opposed to "borrowing" my brother's Instamatic) was a Polaroid Instant camera - the one where you had to stick the metal flap containing the film, under your armpit (:gag:) to keep warm while developing!!! I still have some of the pics I took with that.... It used the old "flash cubes" as well - remember those?? :hihi::hihi:

Mine's a Canon (only a 350D though, as I'm well skint). After working in Jessops for probably over a year in total, I thought it was time to buy a camera myself, and the Canons just seemed like the right ones for me. Would love something a bit more snazzy, but like I said, can't afford it.

I have an Alpha-100. Like Dafoot, I was about to get a Minolta 7D and it disappeared! So had to wait for the Sony.

RPG- which Minolta were you coming from?

None, I came from a Sony V3 and an Olympus OM10! :D But I tried out the 7D a couple of months before I wanted to buy one, saved up, and poof, it was gone.