For my 13th birthday I really wanted a camera. When I was young I tended to burn through "hobbies" very quickly. Mom understood this, but really wanted me to explore this artistic medium. A good family friend, Kurt Cooper, owned a camera repair business, Kurt's Camera Repair. He recommended an inexpensive, completely manual camera for me, the Praktica L (made in the former East Germany). With no light meter I had to memorize the tables that came with the film. The sunny 16 rule (on a sunny day f16 at 1/100s shutter speed for ASA100 film (now ISO100)). I still own that camera, but have moved on. I have owned Canon and Nikon film cameras, but now use a Nikon D750.