tunalegs
Pretended Artist
When I read that article about doing "A Leica Year" back in 2009, I thought it was a good idea... but I thought the specification of a Leica was odd.
So you're going to use your best camera and probably best lens for a year. Isn't that what you'd do anyway? I understood the logic behind the idea to a point. That familiarizing yourself with a set piece of equipment would make you a better photographer. No switching and swapping on a whim for this or that situation.
But the general idea reminded me of a somewhat flippant remark in The Amateur Photographer's Handbook that if everybody had to start out with a box camera instead of the latest gadget laden camera, there'd be a lot more good photographers out there.
The idea being that a lot of people get in over their head before they've learned to take good photos with even a simple camera. Too many options, settings, too much obsession with gear. The best camera will do anything a photographer wants, but the best photographer can make any camera do what he wants. Or something to that effect. Maybe it's a bit mystical. Though on the practical side there's nothing wrong with being an ingenious photographer who can work around the limitations of limited equipment.
So to the point, I wanted to try a year shooting with a camera that would make me think, and offered only a limited range of adjustments. I dug into my closet and pulled these out:
The Argus because it's an Argus. Top shutter speed is a nominal 1/300 (actual speed is more like 1/200) - widest aperture is f3.5 Knob wind, manually cocked shutter, no slow speeds, etc.
The Exa - Shutter speeds 1/25 through 1/150 +B. Widest aperture f2.9 (really stretching to get out of the 3 territory). Knob wind, etc. Reflex "waist level" viewfinder.
The Ansco No. 2 -one shutter speed +time. Two apertures. Fixed focus. (has two viewfinders though - which makes it twice as good for composing)
Vote for your favorite. 🙂
Personally, the Exa is in the lead right now because of all of the cameras it is the best made and most precise, despite its limitations. The Ansco is second, primarily because I have no way to scan or print 6x9 negatives. Although if I really wanted to I'm sure I could figure out something. It's not quite as inane as it might seem at first, films like Tmax have extended the range of conditions under which a box camera is useful - and it's easier to pull a decent print out of a big poorly exposed negative than it is to pull one out of a 35mm poorly exposed negative.
The Argus is last because it is so boring. 😀
Oh and in case anybody suggests it, I decided to steer clear of cameras like the Holga because I find their aberrations distracting. Yes they are simple, but I want to see the image, not blur and vignetting. Maybe in the future though.
So you're going to use your best camera and probably best lens for a year. Isn't that what you'd do anyway? I understood the logic behind the idea to a point. That familiarizing yourself with a set piece of equipment would make you a better photographer. No switching and swapping on a whim for this or that situation.
But the general idea reminded me of a somewhat flippant remark in The Amateur Photographer's Handbook that if everybody had to start out with a box camera instead of the latest gadget laden camera, there'd be a lot more good photographers out there.
The idea being that a lot of people get in over their head before they've learned to take good photos with even a simple camera. Too many options, settings, too much obsession with gear. The best camera will do anything a photographer wants, but the best photographer can make any camera do what he wants. Or something to that effect. Maybe it's a bit mystical. Though on the practical side there's nothing wrong with being an ingenious photographer who can work around the limitations of limited equipment.
So to the point, I wanted to try a year shooting with a camera that would make me think, and offered only a limited range of adjustments. I dug into my closet and pulled these out:
The Argus because it's an Argus. Top shutter speed is a nominal 1/300 (actual speed is more like 1/200) - widest aperture is f3.5 Knob wind, manually cocked shutter, no slow speeds, etc.
The Exa - Shutter speeds 1/25 through 1/150 +B. Widest aperture f2.9 (really stretching to get out of the 3 territory). Knob wind, etc. Reflex "waist level" viewfinder.
The Ansco No. 2 -one shutter speed +time. Two apertures. Fixed focus. (has two viewfinders though - which makes it twice as good for composing)
Vote for your favorite. 🙂
Personally, the Exa is in the lead right now because of all of the cameras it is the best made and most precise, despite its limitations. The Ansco is second, primarily because I have no way to scan or print 6x9 negatives. Although if I really wanted to I'm sure I could figure out something. It's not quite as inane as it might seem at first, films like Tmax have extended the range of conditions under which a box camera is useful - and it's easier to pull a decent print out of a big poorly exposed negative than it is to pull one out of a 35mm poorly exposed negative.
The Argus is last because it is so boring. 😀
Oh and in case anybody suggests it, I decided to steer clear of cameras like the Holga because I find their aberrations distracting. Yes they are simple, but I want to see the image, not blur and vignetting. Maybe in the future though.
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