A man's gotta know his limitations

Congratulations on taking on your condition head on and also for showing no bitterness at the choices that are handed out to us occasionally!

Probabaly a stupid suggestion on my part considering you want ease of use for a camera system but reading the description of your symptoms a TLR on a neck strap would be an ideal counter.

:)
 
Well, that IS an interesting thought. I have put a few hundred rolls of 120 through a Yashica 124G ...
Still, I love the convenience of using something I can palm. My Pentax SP1000 is half again heavier. My images with it are much sharper at slower shutter speeds. My S-T 55/2 is fully the equal, if not better because of the coatings, than my Canon 50/1.8.
 
Paulfish, sorry to hear about your condition and I
understand how the fatigue affects every little thing
from my wife's MS. Good luck on finding a good M
camera and as someone else suggested keeping the
Canon 50 might be a good idea.:)
Nelson
 
Paul, from the great cheerfulness, good humor, irony and generosity of your many posts here on RFF, I'd never have guessed that you've been battling against something debilitating like this. I think your good spirit must be a pretty strong defense against this challenge. To pick on Rick's quote of Daisy, let me quote Mr. Bernstein from Citizen Kane, "Old age is the one disease you don't want to be cured of." Of course, 59 is simply what I'd call "late youth." Keep fighting the good fight. What about an M5? Or a Robot Royal?
 
Ditto to the digital stabilization but if you are a film man then a weighty possibility is something like a used Nikon f4. Any way you seem to have received lots of good advice from this very good thread and best of luck to you.
 
Paul, you have certainly given this your best from what I've seen here at RFF. Sorry the Bessa and FED haven't worked out for you.
Maybe worth keeping the lenses though; you have made very good use of those.
Good luck on your next RF camera!
Rob
 
I posted this earlier on your ad, sorry...

Hello, paulfish, I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. Maybe this will help a bit. I remember reading an article on Eugene Smith where they mentioned his use of straight handles that screwed into the tripod socket for low light work. Essentially a straight dowel 8 inches or so long with a 1/4 - 20 thread sticking out the end. In use it was either braced on the chest or against the right wrist/arm for verticals (hand up). Cameraquest has something similar but they are much shorter, wouldn't take much to diy, I don't think. Take care.
 
Thank you so much for your kindnesses. I always will have a rangefinder camera or two. It's just that the Bessa does such a good job of being an airweight. Maybe I need to go the M route for weight and density; I'd pick up 50 percent weight right there.
And hey, I am keeping the FED2d, and will get it whipped into perfect shape. I've got the A5. Nabbed a couple of shots tonight while eating dinner with my bride and youngest son. Man, that A5 is quiet and vibrationless. Wish it had a Bessa-bright - or FED long-base - finder ...
 
Paul. also consider the classic Leica table top tripod. With the medium ball head you can put the three legs on your chest and still have the camera high enough to use the finder. It allows you a "stable" platform without having to drag a full sized tripod along. The ball head will allow you quite a flexible movement when needed. Folded up it can easily go into a bag or even a largish jacket pocket.
As for getting old, it does beat the alternative! I have severe nerve damage in my leg and some in my hands, but they have not yet translated into tremors. Biggest problem is fatique. When you literally cant feel your feet, walking becomes a bit of a guessing game! Even surfaces are fine, grassy fields a disaster and every architect who insists on polished marble floors should be made to walk across it with shoes that have been soaped!! Stairs without handrails are a no-no - I will not venture down or up them! The biggest bugger of it all, the whole thing was caused by medication, Thalidomide as that was the "last chance" medication when I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2001 ( a form of bone marrow cancer - incurable, but kept in its place with various chemicals at the moment).
I have this appreciation of parking meters. When my legs decide to veer off - I can usually grab hold of one and correct the drift! It also gives me plenty of excuses for visiting cafe's and sitting down.
With any illness, the trick is to work within the limitations imposed - and have the right to occasionally be pissed off about it.
When I was diagnosed, my hematologist/oncologist told me that the two most asked questions asked were "How long do I have left?" and "How do I avoid paying taxes for that time?". I always felt that it was the right spirit.
 
I know you've mentioned your condition here and there but I didn't realize just how pronounced it was. I have a feeling more weight may not be sufficient, and the 'pod suggestions are worth trying out, at any rate.

That said, Zorkis are heavy old ba5tards. My Zorki-4 weighs in at almost 600 grams, body only, versus 500 for the FED-2. (The fixed-lens Vitomatic weighs 750g but that's probably a wash once you put a well-built lens on the Zorki, as opposed to my lowly aluminum I-26.)
 
Sorry to read that the Bessa didn't work out for you Paul. I hope you can fine something suitable to balance things out. Fed 5 is a brick of a camera, heavier than a fed 2 but Joe's suggestion of a Canon P sounds like a good one. I sure would hang on to that Canon 50/1.8 until I was sure of what I'd do. If you go the Leica M route a m adapter is a lot cheaper than a new to you M mount lens! Just my .02 cents.
cheers
 
I've given this some more thought and I would probably try the string trick (from Justin on p. 1) first. After all, the investment is as close to zero as you want. A dollar store nylon dog leash should be perfect for this.

I'm blessed with steady hands but I do occasionally use one of those telescoping hiking sticks with a tripod mount. What I like is that I'm not limited to standing up straight, camera at a fixed height off the bottom, as with a string. But then I'm still nimble enough to kneel and crouch when needed.

By the way, waist level finder with a taut neck strap doesn't necessarily mean medium format. Think Exakta, Praktiflex, etc., if you prefer 35mm.
 
Dont forget the Nikon F with it's waistlevel finder. Bright enough to be useful, even looking down to waist level.
 
gb hill said:
Sorry to read that the Bessa didn't work out for you Paul. I hope you can fine something suitable to balance things out. Fed 5 is a brick of a camera, heavier than a fed 2 but Joe's suggestion of a Canon P sounds like a good one. I sure would hang on to that Canon 50/1.8 until I was sure of what I'd do. If you go the Leica M route a m adapter is a lot cheaper than a new to you M mount lens! Just my .02 cents.
cheers
Click to expand...

Hi Paul --- I think this is good advice. If you can live w/out a meter, a Canon P or an M2 would give you the extra weight to help you steady the camera, and you could continue to use your beloved Canon 50/1.8 lens. Either of those camera bodies will be heavier (and sturdier) than any fixed lens rf you could buy. You would probably find the Canon P easier to load, and good samples can be had these days for about $250 (or less).
 
get an M3 or M2 and a heavy lens such as a Nokton 35mm f1.2 or Nokton 50mm f1.1. It makes me happy inside knowing that you continue your pursuit in rangefinder photography despite your set back. Don't ever let someone tell you what you can and can't do! Thank you for sharing your story with us, that also goes to you Tom A, I had no idea! You take marvelous pictures and make fine products :)
 
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