[NSR] Photography Old vs New School

pcbikedude · Post by **pcbikedude** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 4:27 pm

I've been using a digital camera for about 7 years now. I've used several cameras Fuji, Vivitar, Canon, and Sanyo and I have not been satisfied with the color reproduction. Doesn't matter what the megapixels, there's just some light and color subtleties that aren't there.

Before I went on vacation last year, I broke out my old Pentax K1000 (35mm) but discovered that it was no longer functioning.

Now I have the picture bug again. I want to take my scooter(s) to various places in town and snap a few pics off. But I think I want to get away from digital and go 35mm again. I sent my K1000 to the repair shop for a minor overhaul.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 4:58 pm

I used to shoot a lot in my younger days, but I cut way back as I started wanting to just own cameras more than take pictures with them. The day Kodak announced they would no longer produce 127 film was a sad day for me (not that any of the 127 cameras I owned were ever used, mind you, but I always had in my mind that I *could* use them. When my Minolta XGM broke I pretty much quit all together.

Then the pro-sumer digital SLR came around. I sold all the best of my collection to get some of the money needed - I convinced myself to buy the Canon 10D because I had a Canon Rebel and a couple pieces of glass - but ended up with the 20D because it came out that week. So you could say that digital got me back on the horse.

What I like is the ease of image manipulation in the digital format. All the darkroom tricks the master printmakers have are available to the least gifted of us (me!) without needing to dedicate a room specifically for that purpose.

Lotrat · Post by **Lotrat** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:21 pm

pcbikedude wrote:I've been using a digital camera for about 7 years now. I've used several cameras Fuji, Vivitar, Canon, and Sanyo and I have not been satisfied with the color reproduction. Doesn't matter what the megapixels, there's just some light and color subtleties that aren't there.

Before I went on vacation last year, I broke out my old Pentax K1000 (35mm) but discovered that it was no longer functioning.

Now I have the picture bug again. I want to take my scooter(s) to various places in town and snap a few pics off. But I think I want to get away from digital and go 35mm again. I sent my K1000 to the repair shop for a minor overhaul.

I'm a big fan of Pentax. I had a Canon Rebel... broke. I had a Canon digital broke. My Pentax ZX50 (film) never let me down and still works. My latest digital camera is a Pentax KX. Great camera for me. All my lenses from my ZX50 (film) work on my KX (digital). Awesome. Gotta love a company that doesn't abandon their older product lines.

KX Lens - PENTAX KAF2 bayonet stainless steel mount Usable lenses: PENTAX KAF3, KAF2, KAF, KA (K mount, 35mm screwmount, 645/67 med format lenses useable w adapter and/or restrictions)

I love film, but digital is just to convenient.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:45 pm

pcbikedude wrote:I've been using a digital camera for about 7 years now. I've used several cameras Fuji, Vivitar, Canon, and Sanyo and I have not been satisfied with the color reproduction. Doesn't matter what the megapixels, there's just some light and color subtleties that aren't there.

It isn't the megapixels that matter so much as the size and quality of the sensor. But I agree that most of the digital sensors on the market today are just not up to ye olde Kodacolor. (And I'll stop there on that particular topic before I begin to tearfully sing Simon & Garfunkel's "Kodachrome".)

Before I went on vacation last year, I broke out my old Pentax K1000 (35mm) but discovered that it was no longer functioning.
Now I have the picture bug again. I want to take my scooter(s) to various places in town and snap a few pics off. But I think I want to get away from digital and go 35mm again. I sent my K1000 to the repair shop for a minor overhaul.

The Pentax K1000 is the photographic equivalent of a classic Vespa, and well worth the trouble of having repaired. Treat it well and it'll still be making photos for as long as they keep making film for it, even after WW3 zaps every integrated circuit on the planet. My Pentax ME Super is a couple generations newer, and still a classic of sorts, but I'm still on the fence about doing the repairs needed to bring it back into service.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:24 pm

It's very important to calibrate your monitor so what you see is what you get.

You can use adobe RGB which may already be loaded on your computer. I use Eye one match.
http://www.outbackphoto.com/printingins ... pi014.html

Remember also that if you are shooting jpg the camera is manipulating your image before you even see it

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:30 pm

Syd wrote:I used to shoot a lot in my younger days, but I cut way back as I started wanting to just own cameras more than take pictures with them. The day Kodak announced they would no longer produce 127 film was a sad day for me (not that any of the 127 cameras I owned were ever used, mind you, but I always had in my mind that I *could* use them. When my Minolta XGM broke I pretty much quit all together.

Then the pro-sumer digital SLR came around. I sold all the best of my collection to get some of the money needed - I convinced myself to buy the Canon 10D because I had a Canon Rebel and a couple pieces of glass - but ended up with the 20D because it came out that week. So you could say that digital got me back on the horse.

What I like is the ease of image manipulation in the digital format. All the darkroom tricks the master printmakers have are available to the least gifted of us (me!) without needing to dedicate a room specifically for that purpose.

I went digital when I couldn't find slide film anywhere but pro shops. I'm shooting a 20D and 30D now.

The quality of your lens and sensor is MUCH more important than megapixels. A 20D is like 8 mpix and takes outstanding photos in the right hands and with the right lens.

And as noted post processing is almost always necessary.

A lot of people like to point out that Ansel Adams didn't have digital gear. What they forget is that he was a master in the darkroom!

That being said I still miss my Leica M1 rangefinder

pcbikedude · Post by **pcbikedude** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:54 pm

The guy at the camera shop seem to think it would be a simple fix to my K1000. He's also going to "tune it up" for about $40.

Still, a lot people still think that although digital photography has come a long way, it still isn't as good as negative & prints.

Last year on vacation, I struggled with my Canon digital trying to get the exposures to come out right. I think I took about 10 shots of a particular cliff at Zion Natl Park before I got one I liked.

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:09 pm

It's funny this thread comes up, because we've agreed in my house that if I get a Buddy, my wife gets a brand new Digital SLR! We don't have alot of cash, so the chance to get some shiny stuff means I want to get her something she's been wanting for a long time, and photography really makes her happy. Granted I don't know much about photography, but from the research I've done it seems Sony is actually winning out because it has the features she likes, a good price and from what I understand it also takes Minolta lenses (I think it's Minolta). This part perked both of our ears up because we're both professed pawn shop junkies and love hunting for bargains in places where the owner has no clue what they have. SLR lenses are often sitting in huge numbers at pawn shops and if we can get some quality lenses with a little hunting at a huge discount, that makes the camera go even further!

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:22 pm

You've gotta check any of the pawn-shop lenses for internal fungus - a common problem with older glass not stored with silica to keep the air dry. Most repair shops will no longer disassemble and clean a funky lens for fear of contaminating other gear in the shop.

That said, the old Nikkor glass fits my D-series Nikon digital, but forces me to do manual focusing and metering. Metering is no big deal with instant feedback on the LCD screen, but focusing took me a little while to re-learn as the new DSLRs typically don't have a focusing grid in the viewfinder. I've had a bunch of fun using my old 50mm f1.4 on the DSLR. Guess I gotta shoot some scooter pics.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:00 pm

I've been an avid amateur photographer for 40 years but have been left behind in the digital age. Oh, I have cheap point and shoot digital cameras, but no DSLRs. The main problem for me is the price for a semi-pro or pro level DSLR. My 35mm cameras are Nikon pro-level models like the "F", "F2" and semi-pro N90s. My favorite is my black bodied F2AS. The only DSLR I can afford are the cheap, plasticy (is that a word?) entry level models of which I can not bring myself to buy. I'd like to continue shooting film, but Kodak has closed all of their local processing centers and I no longer have a darkroom setup. Granted, digital is a lot more convenient and you can shoot hundreds of frames for next to nothing, it still lacks the dynamic range of film and one has to contend with digital noise at ISOs' higher than 200. I guess I'll have to wait until Nikon comes out with a semi-pro model in the $1000 price range.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:21 pm

As purely an amateur, I only have lower-end SLRs and DSLR. The SLR is an old FG (which still works fine based on some B&W I did a couple years ago), and I bought fairly early into the D40, knowing that better things would be coming (at lower prices) in the future. I'm not ready to buy another DSLR yet, but the new and used choices will be much better.

The D40, even being only 6MP, is doing everything I need at this point. The light weight sure doesn't hurt.

I need to borrow my old boss's 55mm f1.2 - I used it once or twice on the FG and loved it, even though it significantly outweighed the body. It should do Lovely Things on the D40 as well.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:39 pm

I used to be a "serious" photographer and studied it for a while in college before moving on. This was in ancient, pre-digital times.

When digitals became popular, I wasn't quite an early adopter but hopped on with a prosumer model. By this time, I was art directing pro photographers who were in the middle the transition to digital. For many, it was (and remains) a rough road.

To date, I have never been very satisfied with a consumer-level digital I've owned, but quality has improved a lot since I bought my current Sony (which is, at best, adequate). Aside from color fidelity and better low-light quality, larger sensors have vastly improved the flattened depth of field that plagued digital for the first 10 years or so. My next consumer digital will likely be a Lumix or a Canon S4.

In the meantime, I kind of rediscovered shooting film. I was inspired by discovering a hidden (unusable) darkroom in my office building, which reminded me of how much I loved working with film.

I've assembled a motley collection of 35mm cameras, mostly compact rangefinders bought for $15-$30. I was intentionally looking for small cameras that would travel well on scooter or bicycle. My current faves are my Olympus XA capsule camera, my Argus Cosina 35 (broken in my last crash, replaced with a Vivitar 35EE) and for shooting during rides, a Minolta AF2 (early autofocus point & shoot with a lot of quirks).

These are for the most part hobbyist cameras and each have some serious restrictions. But I kind of love them for the same reasons I love so many scooters: small, well-engineered, simple and somehow enhanced by their limitations.

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:43 pm

The one we're looking at for my wife would be an "entry-level" DSLR as well... at $600

No fancy lenses or even a freakin' case! Just a box and a "cheap" basic optic (at least that's what every one calls it. To me it looks far nicer than any camera I've ever owned). With extra lenses, case, and various equipment I'm told we'll be shelling out over a grand for a "starter" DSLR.

I guess every technical hobby has it's "hidden" costs, just like our scooters. I had to explain to my wife why, in order to stay at my $4,000 budget I had to look for a scooter that was no more than MSRP of $2800 and she didn't get it. Not a week later, I'm getting the same conversation back to me about cameras

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:43 pm

Geeze Eric, it sounds like you're describing part of my camera collection. Are you sure you're not rummaging through my closets?

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:48 pm

Although to the camera illiterate, I did see at least one thing at Fry's Electronics while we were shopping for her camera that looked simple enough for my non-camera brain: A cheap helmet cam! For some reason I'm skiddish about spending a ton of money on a camera attached to my helmet or that can otherwise be trashed. I figure something like this and then a nice HD point and shoot handheld camcorder like a Flip HD would be great for the bike

http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... CHAQ8wIwBQ

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:50 pm

babblefish wrote:Geeze Eric, it sounds like you're describing part of my camera collection. Are you sure you're not rummaging through my closets?

Have you been selling it off on eBay?

What do you have in yours? Curious!

I've also got some currently broken ones: Yashica Electro 35, Yashica MG-1, Minolta Hi-Matic 7. I'll be buying something else along these lines ones I find the right deal. Recently got (VERY cheap with two cases worth more than the camera!) an Olympus Accura View 120 point & shoot that I've been using to take pics of scooters as they go by my office window.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:52 pm

If you want a helmet cam, I would highly recommend a GoPro HD. http://www.amazon.com/GoPro-HD-Helmet-H ... 446&sr=8-1

It is small, light and well protected from shock and water has a wide angle lens and is HD.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:54 pm

BuddyRaton wrote:
Syd wrote:I used to shoot a lot in my younger days, but I cut way back as I started wanting to just own cameras more than take pictures with them. The day Kodak announced they would no longer produce 127 film was a sad day for me (not that any of the 127 cameras I owned were ever used, mind you, but I always had in my mind that I *could* use them. When my Minolta XGM broke I pretty much quit all together.

Then the pro-sumer digital SLR came around. I sold all the best of my collection to get some of the money needed - I convinced myself to buy the Canon 10D because I had a Canon Rebel and a couple pieces of glass - but ended up with the 20D because it came out that week. So you could say that digital got me back on the horse.

What I like is the ease of image manipulation in the digital format. All the darkroom tricks the master printmakers have are available to the least gifted of us (me!) without needing to dedicate a room specifically for that purpose.
I went digital when I couldn't find slide film anywhere but pro shops. I'm shooting a 20D and 30D now.

The quality of your lens and sensor is MUCH more important than megapixels. A 20D is like 8 mpix and takes outstanding photos in the right hands and with the right lens.

And as noted post processing is almost always necessary.

A lot of people like to point out that Ansel Adams didn't have digital gear. What they forget is that he was a master in the darkroom!

That being said I still miss my Leica M1 rangefinder

Funny you mention the darkroom part. I went to a show once of Adams' work and personal collection which had several printings of Moonrise, Hernandez, NM. One of the prints is the one we all know; black sky, bright moon, detail in the shadows, not washed out in the light. Perfect.

Another print was a straight print without manipulation, which looked like I took it - pretty bland.

pcbikedude · Post by **pcbikedude** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:57 pm

I have several DOA cameras myself. Canon Snappy AF and Minolta AF2.

I would love to find a working Yashica range finder.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:01 pm

pcbikedude wrote:I would love to find a working Yashica range finder.

If you're patient and persistent, you can get them pretty cheap (under $30). Oddly, the 2 I have came from eBay. They were both DOA and the sellers gave me refunds and said, "Don't bother sending it back." As if they were selling them on the chance they would work! You can also do well by avoiding the more cult-ish models (Electro 35 GSN or a silver MG-1) and getting something a little less popular.

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:09 pm

Syd wrote:
BuddyRaton wrote:
Syd wrote:I used to shoot a lot in my younger days, but I cut way back as I started wanting to just own cameras more than take pictures with them. The day Kodak announced they would no longer produce 127 film was a sad day for me (not that any of the 127 cameras I owned were ever used, mind you, but I always had in my mind that I *could* use them. When my Minolta XGM broke I pretty much quit all together.

Then the pro-sumer digital SLR came around. I sold all the best of my collection to get some of the money needed - I convinced myself to buy the Canon 10D because I had a Canon Rebel and a couple pieces of glass - but ended up with the 20D because it came out that week. So you could say that digital got me back on the horse.

What I like is the ease of image manipulation in the digital format. All the darkroom tricks the master printmakers have are available to the least gifted of us (me!) without needing to dedicate a room specifically for that purpose.
I went digital when I couldn't find slide film anywhere but pro shops. I'm shooting a 20D and 30D now.

The quality of your lens and sensor is MUCH more important than megapixels. A 20D is like 8 mpix and takes outstanding photos in the right hands and with the right lens.

And as noted post processing is almost always necessary.

A lot of people like to point out that Ansel Adams didn't have digital gear. What they forget is that he was a master in the darkroom!

That being said I still miss my Leica M1 rangefinder
Funny you mention the darkroom part. I went to a show once of Adams' work and personal collection which had several printings of Moonrise, Hernandez, NM. One of the prints is the one we all know; black sky, bright moon, detail in the shadows, not washed out in the light. Perfect.

Another print was a straight print without manipulation, which looked like I took it - pretty bland.

Go Pro HD is 250 bucks. The Vivitar is $45. Less worried about losing that one for just a helmet cam. Get a nice camera for on-board the bike.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:15 pm

ericalm wrote:
babblefish wrote:Geeze Eric, it sounds like you're describing part of my camera collection. Are you sure you're not rummaging through my closets?
Have you been selling it off on eBay?
What do you have in yours? Curious!

I've also got some currently broken ones: Yashica Electro 35, Yashica MG-1, Minolta Hi-Matic 7. I'll be buying something else along these lines ones I find the right deal. Recently got (VERY cheap with two cases worth more than the camera!) an Olympus Accura View 120 point & shoot that I've been using to take pics of scooters as they go by my office window.

I don't remember everything I have, but I do have an Yashica Electro 35 (several if I remember correctly) and a Minolta Hi-Matic 7. I had a black bodied Electro 35 (extremely rare in the US), but sold it on eBay a while back. Several Oympus rangefinders including one or two PENs (1/2 frame 35mm). Ever see a Pentax micro SLR that uses 110 film?

I have two of these sets:

It comes with 3 lenses. The handle looking thing under the camera is a motor-drive. The clear containers contain different filters. I have a bunch of 110 film in the freezer, but don't know whether or not they are still useable.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:17 pm

ericalm wrote:
pcbikedude wrote:I would love to find a working Yashica range finder.
If you're patient and persistent, you can get them pretty cheap (under $30). Oddly, the 2 I have came from eBay. They were both DOA and the sellers gave me refunds and said, "Don't bother sending it back." As if they were selling them on the chance they would work! You can also do well by avoiding the more cult-ish models (Electro 35 GSN or a silver MG-1) and getting something a little less popular.

I think I have an Electro 35 GSN....

Oh, and the majority of my cameras are in working condition. On some, I've replaced the foam seals which tend to deteriorate with age.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:26 pm

Hadn't seen that Pentax. Don't think I'm hardcore enough to buy a 110 and hunt for film.

My camera wish list is as long and broad as my scooter/MC list at this point!

pcbikedude · Post by **pcbikedude** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:28 pm

Just found my daughter's Minola APS camera too. Still works. I think you can still get film. Processing maybe an issue.

Found an old Vivitar wide angle 35mm camera. Funny the things you find when cleaning. I also have a collection of old Kodak Instamatics 110's and 126's.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:30 pm

babblefish wrote:Ever see a Pentax micro SLR that uses 110 film?

I have two of these sets:

It comes with 3 lenses. The handle looking thing under the camera is a motor-drive. The clear containers contain different filters. I have a bunch of 110 film in the freezer, but don't know whether or not they are still useable.

That's awesome! Never seen that one before, but I did have the flat-bodied one. You just gotta love the oddballs made in the 50's through the 70's.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:40 pm

My 35mm SLR spoiled me. I have yet to find a digital camera that matches it, not so much in image quality, but in features. My 35mm kit includes a body and four lenses: 24/2.8, 50/1.7, 70-150/4-5.6, and 300/5.6 (mirror). Semi-automatic exposure, manual focus. Small, lightweight, and able to take damn near any photo I wanted. A DSLR kit like that would cost way more than I can justify. A typical point-and-shoot can't do anything like it.

What I've compromised on is a high-end non-SLR; Olympus calls theirs "ultrazooms". It has a fixed lens, but all the optical zoom range I'd need (and yes, I know the image quality I'm losing with a zoom

). It allows the choice of aperture/shutter-priority exposure or even full manual (by pushing freakin' buttons, not proper dials

). It's autofocus

, but it allows manual focus override: still useless for following things in motion, and frankly a pain in the ass to use, but at least if I'm setting up a shot, I can actually set the focus at any arbitrary point I wish!

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:49 pm

babblefish wrote:Ever see a Pentax micro SLR that uses 110 film?

Back when those were in production I repeatedly came very close to buying one of those. Each time I reminded myself how crappy prints from 110 film looked (even at standard size), and saved my money.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:54 pm

Syd wrote:That's awesome! Never seen that one before, but I did have the flat-bodied one. You just gotta love the oddballs made in the 50's through the 70's.

I have one of those too!

...and several Polaroid Land cameras in silver and in black:

I know, it's a sickness...

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:55 pm

TVB wrote:
babblefish wrote:Ever see a Pentax micro SLR that uses 110 film?
Back when those were in production I repeatedly came very close to buying one of those. Each time I reminded myself how crappy prints from 110 film looked (even at standard size), and saved my money.

Yes, the pictures are crappy, but you'll look good taking them!

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 11:12 pm

Two of my favorites, even though I haven't used them in many moons. They are both 35mm.:

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 11:30 pm

I came very close to buying a Polaroid that uses 100 (peel off) film.

I'm not going to post my wish list because I don't need more eBay competition.

But I would love a Rollei 35, even one of the lesser Singaporean made ones or a 35LED. And a Canon Demi. And a Ricoh Auto Half. And a Contax T2… uh… and…

It is a sickness. My collecting mentality gets the best of me at times. I'll admit that there are many I just want to HAVE for their industrial design aesthetics and as objects as much or more than I'd use them as cameras.

Lotrat · Post by **Lotrat** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 11:39 pm

Anyone need a Kodak disk camera with dead batteries?

Lotrat · Post by **Lotrat** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 11:39 pm

Damn that's a big photo.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 11:53 pm

babblefish wrote:Two of my favorites, even though I haven't used them in many moons. They are both 35mm.:

My brother gave me one of these little lovelies

.
It didin't take 35mm

I loved listening to the shutter whirl on the Mercury II half frame.

My friends and family started giving me old cameras. I think I hurt some feelings when I would sniff at the gifts and mention that I had several Brownies already, thanks.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 1:00 am

babblefish wrote:If you want a helmet cam, I would highly recommend a GoPro HD. http://www.amazon.com/GoPro-HD-Helmet-H ... 446&sr=8-1

It is small, light and well protected from shock and water has a wide angle lens and is HD.

I have a GoPro Hero (nn-hd) that I picked up at costco for $100. No...The Academy isn't calling (yet) but I have gotten my moneys worth in fun!

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 1:40 am

ericalm wrote:I came very close to buying a Polaroid that uses 100 (peel off) film.

I'm not going to post my wish list because I don't need more eBay competition.

But I would love a Rollei 35, even one of the lesser Singaporean made ones or a 35LED. And a Canon Demi. And a Ricoh Auto Half. And a Contax T2… uh… and…

It is a sickness. My collecting mentality gets the best of me at times. I'll admit that there are many I just want to HAVE for their industrial design aesthetics and as objects as much or more than I'd use them as cameras.

Unfortunately, my Rollei 35 is a Singaporean, but I've handled the German made one too and can't really tell the difference.

One camera I've been eyeballing is this:

Looks old school, but surprise! It's digital. Minox DCC Leica M3. Amazon is selling them for $210. Reviews are mixed, but I want it more for it's looks more than anything else. I'm sure you understand this Eric.

Mulliganal · Post by **Mulliganal** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:29 am

I remember years and years ago being so proud of my new Nikon SLR and taking it to my grandfather's house, who was a professional photographer, so he could be proud of it along with me.

He looked it over and shook his head in approval, then preceded to unpack a large trunk with a number of Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, Leica and some where in there even a Nikon F2AS, talk about feeling small.

Well, I still love Nikon cameras and currently use a D300 in my garage studio but will probably upgrade to the next FF generation D700/800 when/if it hits.

To the OP, I almost always have a camera with me, and the main reason I want a scooter is to be able to catch all those shots (I love street photography) that I'm unable to catch while driving around town in my car.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:40 am

Mulliganal wrote:I remember years and years ago being so proud of my new Nikon SLR and taking it to my grandfather's house, who was a professional photographer, so he could be proud of it along with me.

He looked it over and shook his head in approval, then preceded to unpack a large trunk with a number of Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, Leica and some where in there even a Nikon F2AS, talk about feeling small.

Well, I still love Nikon cameras and currently use a D300 in my garage studio but will probably upgrade to the next FF generation D700/800 when/if it hits.

To the OP, I almost always have a camera with me, and the main reason I want a scooter is to be able to catch all those shots (I love street photography) that I'm unable to catch while driving around town in my car.

Sounds like your grand father had/has quite a collection. Are you in his will?

The Nikon D300 is a good camera from what I've heard, but a FF would be best - if you can handle the price of admission.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:48 am

babblefish wrote:Yes, the pictures are crappy, but you'll look good taking them!

No, anyone using the Pentax 110 SLR looked like a clown playing with an undersized toy camera. That and Minolta's 110 SLR really were circus freaks: remarkable for the fact that anyone made them at all (and did a reasonably good job of it, all things considered), regardless of whether they contributed anything else useful to society. Personally, I consider that a badge of honor.*

Since everyone else is listing the cameras obscura in their collections and admitting the irrationality of owning them, I'll mention a few of mine. I have a Polaroid Big Swinger, a B&W peel-apart "instant" (read: a minute or two) camera whose name identifies its vintage more clearly than its date of manufacture would... and which I came by quite honestly: It was my parents'.

I have a (1940s?) twin-lens reflex Kodak that takes reel film that was still available in the 1980s when I bought it, but probably not anymore. I have an even older Kodak which is little more than a leather-covered box with reels that can be used to roll film onto, and a little piece of glass on the front that might charitably be called a "lens", with a spring-loaded shutter with two settings: "instant" and "bulb" (for use with a handheld flash). There's a pocketable Agfa camera from the 1960s which has zone-based focusing, and which I actually purchased (in the 1980s) with the intention of it being my "backup" camera in case none of my newer electronic gadgetry worked. Actually one of the last film-based cameras I bought was a standard color Polaroid, purchased new in the late 1990s (as the handwriting was on the wall for that technology), and last used in an art-school project that required a few discrete semi-nude photos... purely for artistic purposes.

*But then, that's coming from someone who thought it was a worthwhile expenditure of time, energy, and money to configure a Mac SE to work as a web server.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:51 am

...but I LIKE my Pentax 110 SLR...

Mulliganal · Post by **Mulliganal** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:53 am

babblefish wrote:
Mulliganal wrote:I remember years and years ago being so proud of my new Nikon SLR and taking it to my grandfather's house, who was a professional photographer, so he could be proud of it along with me.

He looked it over and shook his head in approval, then preceded to unpack a large trunk with a number of Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, Leica and some where in there even a Nikon F2AS, talk about feeling small.

Well, I still love Nikon cameras and currently use a D300 in my garage studio but will probably upgrade to the next FF generation D700/800 when/if it hits.

To the OP, I almost always have a camera with me, and the main reason I want a scooter is to be able to catch all those shots (I love street photography) that I'm unable to catch while driving around town in my car.
Sounds like your grand father had/has quite a collection. Are you in his will?

The Nikon D300 is a good camera from what I've heard, but a FF would be best - if you can handle the price of admission.

He was an amazing man; he always seemed young even near the end while in his late 80s. While in his early 80s he would still talk about all the hot old ladies at the senior center that, according to him, all wanted him.

I remember his darkroom being larger than most really good size living rooms. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get any of his cameras after he passed, but I still have my eye on his vintage Martin trumpet which he loved.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:17 am

Mulliganal wrote:
babblefish wrote:
Mulliganal wrote:I remember years and years ago being so proud of my new Nikon SLR and taking it to my grandfather's house, who was a professional photographer, so he could be proud of it along with me.

He looked it over and shook his head in approval, then preceded to unpack a large trunk with a number of Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, Leica and some where in there even a Nikon F2AS, talk about feeling small.

Well, I still love Nikon cameras and currently use a D300 in my garage studio but will probably upgrade to the next FF generation D700/800 when/if it hits.

To the OP, I almost always have a camera with me, and the main reason I want a scooter is to be able to catch all those shots (I love street photography) that I'm unable to catch while driving around town in my car.
Sounds like your grand father had/has quite a collection. Are you in his will?

The Nikon D300 is a good camera from what I've heard, but a FF would be best - if you can handle the price of admission.
He was an amazing man; he always seemed young even near the end while in his late 80s. While in his early 80s he would still talk about all the hot old ladies at the senior center that, according to him, all wanted him.

I remember his darkroom being larger than most really good size living rooms. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get any of his cameras after he passed, but I still have my eye on his vintage Martin trumpet which he loved.

Love it! Thanks for sharing!

pcbikedude · Post by **pcbikedude** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:36 am

Does anyone use a toy camera like the Diana and Holga?

I find these interesting. 120 film, fix focus lens, plastic body, interesting pictures.

Crap Eric, I think I have the disease.

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 4:24 am

I'm not into the LOLO/Holga/Diana repro/plastic and toy camera thing, partially because it's just one more thing I'd get sucked into! Many of the cameras look pretty fun. I did get a Superheadz Ultra Wide, a repro of a Vivitar Utra Wide. It's got a 22mm fixed lens. No settings, use 400 or 800 film and hope for the best!

Their Blackbird Fly 35mm Twin Reflex is kind of interesting and appealing, but I'd probably get a 120 / med. format if I was going to get something like that for the price.

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 4:30 am

Lotrat wrote:Damn that's a big photo.

Fixed it for ya.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 12:51 pm

TVB wrote:I have a Polaroid Big Swinger, a B&W peel-apart "instant" (read: a minute or two) camera whose name identifies its vintage more clearly than its date of manufacture would... and which I came by quite honestly: It was my parents'.

"It's more than a camera, it's almost alive,
It's only nineteen dollars and ninety-five,
Flip it up, it says "YES"....

I have a mind like a steel trap when it comes to old advertising jingles.

My pa has one of those little Minox-format Yashicas, although I recall it's got a different model name but looks the same. I have a couple of old Kodak bellows 620/120 cameras doing bookend duty, plus a Yashica LM twin-lens reflex 120.

Love the film advance lever on the Minox/Leica digital.

iMoses · Post by **iMoses** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 4:30 pm

What I love about my DSLR is that I can shoot hundreds of photos without worrying the cost of paying for developing film... what I hate about my DSLR is that I have to go through hundreds of photos I just took

I also have a small collection of film cameras and accessories.

Time magazine once said "Is God is dead?"
iMoses is saying "Is film dead?"

Mulliganal · Post by **Mulliganal** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 5:23 pm

iMoses wrote:What I love about my DSLR is that I can shoot hundreds of photos without worrying the cost of paying for developing film... what I hate about my DSLR is that I have to go through hundreds of photos I just took

One of the things I dislike about DSLRs is that I think it make some people very lazy. When people shot film I think many of them put more effort into knowing their camera, film type and shooting conditions.

With digital I see people just shoot until they get a half-decent shot with no regard to shooting conditions, f-stop, white balance or film speed. Then they wonder why so many of their shots are under/over exposed, or blurry.

Perhaps I'm being a snob, but I think folks should spend some time at least learning the basic of how a camera works, especially if they plan on documenting the life and times of their kids.

Edit, the one thing I love about digital is there is no need to change film, be it from ASA 100 to 400, or from color to B&W. Now that's cool.

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:04 pm

iMoses wrote:What I love about my DSLR is that I can shoot hundreds of photos without worrying the cost of paying for developing film... what I hate about my DSLR is that I have to go through hundreds of photos I just took

Back in the day(s of film), shooters for National Geographic were known for going through hundreds of rolls while covering stories out in the field. Legendary amounts of film!

I kind of miss hovering over a light table, poring over contact sheets and negatives. I certainly prefer it to sorting through disc dumps of several hundred shots that I sometimes get from "pro" photographers. Ugh!

Modern Buddy

[NSR] Photography Old vs New School

[NSR] Photography Old vs New School

Re: [NSR] Photography Old vs New School

Re: [NSR] Photography Old vs New School