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A Brief Personal History
I have a BA degree in advertising, an MBA from a prestigious program, and an almost insatiable desire to learn new and creative things. Many years ago, I spent a lot of time outdoors coaching soccer (I was also a certified FIFA soccer referee). I kept at it until my knees decided they were finally too old to continue, even if the rest of me was still willing. This spring, I retired from over 39 years in the advertising and publishing industry - a business life that was often hectic. Then, as now, I always found balance by spending my favorite times with my family and friends.

My grown sons are all great young men (obviously a glowing tribute to their mother), and my lovely grandchildren are more precious than you can imagine. I also have a pretty wife who has put up with me now for over 38 years (a miracle of tolerance I can guarantee I do not question)!

Yes, it's really me!

About This Site
My first new camera was a Mamiya 1000 DTL, purchased in 1968 (still have it, and it still works). I have been collecting Mamiya 35mm cameras for a long time, and think they are often overlooked as interesting photographic equipment. I was surprised, a few years ago, at how little information was available about the 35mm portion of Mamiya's history (there is a bit more now, but not much). Not even Mamiya itself has anything to say about their 35mm heritage, apparently preferring not to detract from their current marketing efforts for their mid-size professional film and digital brands. I didn't expect that to change after Mamiya transferred all its photo assets to Cosmo Digital in September 2006, forming the new Mamiya Digital Imaging company ... and I was right.

However, I have gathered a lot of Mamiya 35mm data myself over the years, and about eight years ago I decided to make my information available. I'd never built a web site before, so this has been a many-years-long creative learning experience for me, and I certainly hope it has become an information forum to each Gentle Reader for what I think are some truly neat old cameras!

I say that knowing full well Mamiya made some "clunkers" along the way. But Mamiya introduced many new features into 35mm photography. They were in the forefront of SLR design (see Mamiya Prismat prototypes); had the first production 35mm camera with a removable back (Mamiya Magazine 35, c.1957); the first dual metering system (Mamiya 500 DTL, c.1968); unquestionably the most technologically advanced 35mm SLR of its day (Mamiya Auto XTL, c.1971) and they still produce medium-format film & digital cameras and lenses of superb clarity. The new Mamiya Digital Imaging Company also produces an extraordinary medium-format digital camera.

Few people realize Nikon's Nikkorex F camera, featuring the first Copal S vertical-travel metal focal-plane shutter, was actually produced for Nikon by Mamiya! Similarly, few people realize other well-known and well-respected cameras (like the Rollei 35) used lenses (Rolleinar) that were actually made by Mamiya!

Other Things
I've been fortunate to have done a lot of traveling over the years. In the USA, I've been from Maine to California, Seattle to Miami, and even the Bahamas (although I have to admit I've never seen the Grand Canyon).

My wife and I have spent weeks in Germany, Austria and Hungary, and made brief stops in Shannon, Ireland and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. We've been to Venice, Naples, Rome and Florence in Italy; Athens and Santorini in Greece; Eze, Paris and Nice in France; Barcelona in Spain; and Dubrovnik, Gruda and Cavtat in Croatia!

We've also been lucky enough to have seen the far side of the world, spending several weeks in Tokyo, Kyoto, Fuji and Osaka in Japan, and both Beijing and Shanghai in The People's Republic of China.

And, as wonderful as that all sounds (and yes, I do realize exactly how fortunate and blessed we have been) there's still no place like home!

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