Ah, the 90s, well, that was a time when everything seemed a bit slower, a little less fancy, but the pictures, they were something special. I remember back then, you’d see folks walking ’round with their film cameras, snapping away at anything that moved. No fancy phones, no digital screens, just good old-fashioned rolls of film. It was the golden age of film, if you ask me.
Now, in them days, there weren’t too many options when it came to film cameras. Most folks used the 35mm cameras, like those Canon EOS-3. Oh, that one was a big deal. It was the camera for the real pros and the ones who thought they could be. It was a single-lens reflex camera, and I tell ya, it sure made you feel like you were holding something important. I think it came out in ’98, just when the world was starting to get a little bit too modern for my taste.
But you know, there was also that Olympus OM-4T. Now that one, folks didn’t expect it, but it sure packed a punch. I remember seeing it in the hands of the city folks, snapping pictures like they was making a masterpiece or something. It had this fancy gold color, real flashy like, and it was a hit among them photography folks who liked to show off a little.
And don’t get me started on those medium format cameras, like the Hasselblad and the Mamiya. I don’t know much about ‘em, but I do know they were fancy. You’d see them on TV or in them high-end magazines. It’s the kind of camera that takes real big film rolls—120 or 220, they called ‘em. Only the best photographers could afford ‘em, I reckon. But don’t think for a second that every Tom, Dick, and Harry had one of them fancy cameras. Oh no, they were for the pros, the ones that knew what they were doing. Those big fancy shots in magazines? Yeah, they came from them cameras.
Now, back in the 90s, there was something about those films. They weren’t no fancy digital pixels that you can zoom in and mess with. Nah, these films captured everything just how it was, and you had to wait for that film to be developed before you even knew what you got. Patience, that’s what it taught you. You’d go to the photo shop, hand over your rolls, and wait a few days, sometimes even a week, before you got your pictures back. And oh, the thrill when you finally opened up that envelope and saw what you’d taken. There were no do-overs, no retakes—what you snapped was what you got.
Another thing I remember was how folks liked to use the Nikon N90s. That was another one of them advanced cameras. It had autofocus, which was a big deal back then. You didn’t have to fuss with the focus like you did with them old cameras. You could just point, press, and boom! That picture was in focus, just like magic. And let me tell ya, those cameras came with these light meters, which made sure your pictures didn’t turn out too dark or too bright. That was a blessing, ‘cause sometimes you’d get home, and the sun would be so bright that all your pictures came out all washed out. But with them fancy light meters, that didn’t happen as much.
And don’t forget them films like Velvia 50. You put one of them in your Nikon N90s, and boy, you were in for some bright, crisp pictures. Them colors would pop like nothing you ever saw before. Folks said it was the best for landscapes, but honestly, you could use it for just about anything, and it would make your pictures look like they belonged in a magazine or something.
Oh, and how could I forget the camcorders? Back in the day, you’d see folks walking ‘round with them little Handycam things. Like that Sony Handycam, used by Ryder McLaughlin in them shows. Now, that was something. Them things were all the rage, folks thought they were all high-tech, walking around like they was filming a movie or something. Little did they know, they were just making memories, just like the rest of us.
Looking back, I gotta say, the 90s were a good time for cameras. Sure, they weren’t as easy as today’s digital ones, but there was something special about it all. You had to know what you were doing, you had to think about what you were snapping. None of this point-and-click nonsense. You had to have patience, a steady hand, and a good eye. And in the end, those photos, they meant something. They weren’t just something you’d scroll past on your phone. Nah, they were memories you’d hold onto forever, tucked away in old photo albums or framed on the wall.
So, if you ever get your hands on one of them old cameras from the 90s, don’t just let it sit there. Go ahead, load up some film, and see what you can capture. You never know, you might just end up with a picture that tells a thousand stories.
Tags：[90s Film Camera, Canon EOS-3, Olympus OM-4T, Nikon N90s, Velvia 50, Hasselblad, Mamiya, Film Photography, Analog Cameras, Sony Handycam, Vintage Cameras, Photography Tips]
