From:  Tim Bodle

Date:  March 15, 2014

Subject:  Ever Buy a Japanese Camera in Vietnam?

I was in Japan for 2 years before I went to Vietnam.  I did load up on camera equipment and stereos. I took it all home when I was on leave.  So I got some more camera and stereo stuff while I was in Saigon. Needless to say I had a full suite of Nikon gear.   After being married several years and kids later I sold all of it to help pay the bills.  I had taken plenty of pics of the kids by then.

The wife just bought me a DSLR for my birthday and told me to get with it.  The big vacation is coming up and she wants pictures!


    From:  Brian Wickham

     Date:  March 14, 2014

Subject:  Ever Buy a Japanese Camera in Vietnam?

I bought a Minolta SRT-101with 50mm f1.4 lens for $125 in Oct 1968 at that little PX store that was inside MACV HQ.

Brian Wickham


    From:  Tim Bodle

Date:  March 14, 2014

Subject:  Ever Buy a Japanese Camera in Vietnam?

The picture [on the website above] of the street stand with the Industry Hall within a block is interesting being so close to the Hiroshima blast site.  Yet, I believe, when one visits the blast site at the White Sands test site, visitors are not allowed to take any sand/glass souvenirs.  What kind of residual radiation was there at White Sands that wasn't in Japan?  Does the question make sense?


    From:  Mike McNally

     Date:  March 14, 2014

Subject:  Ever Buy a Japanese Camera in Vietnam?

Chances are you bought a Japanese camera while serving in Vietnam.  The attached photo shows workers at the Nikon plant in 1952. It's part of a page of photos from post-WWII Japan, appearing in The Atlantic.   Click on the link more pictures of Japan in the 1950's.

Mike McNally


Japanese Cameras

March 2014

AFVN Group Conversations