My first was a Pentax K1000, for high school photography classes in 1982. I still have it. It only has a simple light meter, but I got the best exposures out of that camera, better than the Canon AE-1 I borrowed from my dad on occasion. I had a home darkroom set up in my bathroom with an enlarger with a color head. I only tried color a couple of times, though. Color is more finicky and expensive. I thought I was going to be a professional photographer, and I almost was, but the need to support myself got in the way.