Friday, October 16, 2020

Cameras


I bought my first good camera when I was in High School, a Konica T3, 35mm SLR.  I was never thrilled with it, worked hard a couple of summers, sold it to a classmate (who I learned 35 years later dropped it down a flight of stairs a few days later - sorry Kevin,) and bought a Cannon F-1 - at the time Cannon's top of the line professional 35mm SLR. It was amazing, it had a titanium frame and shutter, it was incredibly durable. Over the years I added a bag full of Cannon lenses and another Cannon body to the collection.  About 20 years ago, I traded all of that, for a Nikon 35mm SLR, with a nice zoom lens, auto focus, auto exposure.  I used the Nikon for about 5 years, before moving onto digital.  When I bought the last film camera, digital was just not quite there on image quality and the cameras that were close were very expensive.  

When I went digital, I went small.  Cameras that fit in a pocket, that were easy to carry.  I owned several of them, including a fixed lens SLR, and an early fixed lens mirrorless design (A Fujifilm one that I still have and it still works.)  A couple of them were really good.  I had one with a Leica lens (sadly it was left in the bottom of my day bag and was broken) and a Samsung that I still use from time to time.  I always tried to buy the best lens that I could, wide to telephoto.  

A few years ago, I got the urge to go back to an SLR, to go back to interchangeable lenses.  I bought a Nikon D5500.  It is a solid reliable design. It is APSC, or crop sensor in format.  The rear screen folds out and can be flipped over.  It has an input for an external microphone if you are shooting video.  It was one generation to soon for WiFi, Bluetooth or nearfield to work well, technically it is possible, practically, no.  I have three lenses from a 10mm super wide angle to 300 mm, a solid mid range telephoto.  The lenses are not the best that Nikon makes, but they do what I need them to do, they are easy to carry, and none of them cost more than my first car.  I'd like to have a 500 or 600mm telephoto to chase the birds with - but those can cost more than my first car.  I also have a Nikon underwater camera, a compact digital that I should use more.  I take if I am going for a walk in the rain.  

I have come to describe my style as documentary.  I am not a fine arts photographer - I don't manipulate my subject, or the lighting or set the stage (though I have the training and I know how to do those things.) Journalistic style tries to tell a story - most of my images are captured because I like them.  End of story.  I seldom photograph people, I find people hard to photograph - I always have.  Early in life, I made a living as a commercial photographer, aerials, postcards and advertising work. The couple of times I tried to work with models was frustrating for everyone.  I disliked portrait work, and hated weddings. 

What I capture, is what I use.  Very rarely I will crop an image, and even less often process or edit photos.  I don't change the color, or saturation, or sharpness.  What I shoot, is what I print.  Part of that is the software that I limit myself to, part of it is philosophical,  I want to show the world, warts and all. If I edit a photo, I will say so in the caption or text.  

When was the last time you used a film camera? 

 

18 comments:

  1. I can't remember the last time I used a film camera! But I sure like digital better.

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    1. Digital is so fast, flexible and inexpensive.

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  2. koi fishie! can't remember; probably instamatic 110 color cartridge. at least 20 years ago.

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    1. I don't think I ever owned a 110 camera, the film is a nightmare to work with in the darkroom

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  3. 2002, I think. It was a great Canon EOS Rebel SLR. I used one of Ken's digitals after that to see if I liked it, then got my first digital (a Panasonic Lumix bridge) in 2006. Since then, I've had two digital SLRs, both Canon. The current one is a 6D.

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    1. Cannon has a 600mm lens for apsc that I would love to own, but I would need to buy a new body to go with it,

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  4. Anonymous10/16/2020

    Like Walt, early 2000s was when I bought my first digital camera. My current camera is not being used until I can get out and about on public transport and carry a backpack. It is too heavy for a pocket. I very occasionally crop a photo but no more than that.

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    1. I seldom carry a second lens, unless I am traveling with a shoulder bag.

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  5. A film camera... Well, I bought my first digital in 2000, so I suppose that was the last time I used a film camera. I would love to use a higher end digital (I currently have a Canon SX730 HS) but I don't like something hanging around my neck and I don't want to carry around extra "parts," so the bag-friendly, pocket-friendly is what I'm sticking with for now.

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    1. The compacts are very good quality, and easy to carry. I have a really good Samsung that I still use from time to time when I want to go lite.

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  6. You sound like may Dad. He started big and then went small and has since come back to the big.

    I cannot remember the last time I used a film camera ....decades ago??

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    1. I owned a Pentax 6x7 for a few years, an SLR that used 120mm film, that was HUGE!

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  7. It's been at least 20 years. I had a Vivitar 110. I loved that little flat thing! It was the only camera that I could take decent pictures with. I don't care for digital too much. I like to touch my pictures and look at them in an album or two. I will take an occasional picture or fifty (that burst thingy) with my cell phone, just playing with the thing.
    Yes, I miss the sound of a rotary phone, and manual typewriters. Sue me.

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    1. I print a few prints, because I like prints. Have you seen the YouTube videos of young people trying to make a call on a rotary phone?

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    2. Prints! That's the word I was looking for! I've seen the young people and rotary phones phenomenon in person. I laughed so hard it hurt, sort of like my son's reaction to me trying to use that blue tooth thingy in my ear.

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  8. Oh wow, I have to think about that. I think the last time I used a film camera was around 2001 or 2002. When I was a teen, I took lots and lots of photos. I loved photography. Then work got in the way and I tapered off a bit. When digital came out, I was in heaven and I started taking lots of photos again. I've never stopped since.

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    1. I am amazed at the 200-300 shots a week that I am taking, in the film days that would have been a rare week, not every week.

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  9. Only this morning Someone and I were talking about cameras (iPhone types) I mentioned you have a camera, a proper one. You are only one of two people I know with one.

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