An "antique"

Zonan

Zonan

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I went to an artists' reception for a show featuring two Phoenix photographers who went to Japanese sister city and two from that city who came to Phoenix as part of an annual exchange "Through Each Others Eyes". Some interesting work.

It was held in an old industrial building in downtown Phoenix, so I took my M6. While taking some pictures of interesting artifacts in the building, a distinguished-looking Japanese gentleman (with a gargantuan Canon DSLR and big zoom slung over his shoulder) came over and said, "So I see you are using an antique camera?" I was more than a bit taken aback, but was able to respond it wasn't really all that old, and it recorded images on something called film.

First time I'd taken my first "new" old M6 to a social gathering- guess I'll have to get used to it! [Perhaps using an M6 even attracts members of the opposite sex like walking a dog is reputed to do?] What a kick!

Rick
 
M6=old=antique?????? This guy is not much of a thinking man (distinguished maybe but not discerning). I'm 66 and today I went out with my 1967 Rollei, someone (to me a girl) about 20-28 approached me and wanted to talk about my camera. Maybe an old camera isn't as good as a cute dog. But........................................
 
Don't sweat it. The same thing happened to me last week with my M7.

But I must admit that this person was surprised to hear that it was only a few years old and still in production...
 
Can you really blame them? Does an M6 really look that different/modern compared to, say, an M3, to the unsavvy eye?

And yeah, I've had similar comments about my M7 too.
 
I'm wondering how profound you could be if you approached this man and said something about his dSLR in Japanese. Certainly a RF is an antiquated camera design. I think he may have simply been attempting to begin a conversation with you in your language about your common interest. Japanese tend to be respectful of tradition.
 
I had even worse, during the last (Canadian) election I was covering an event with a DSLR in hand and one of the other photographers looked at the Bessa R2A around my neck and she asked "Now you're shooting toy cameras?"

I guess compared to an M it seems like a toy, but come on! 😀
 
I've used a few "modern" dSLRs and no one approached me to ask about my camera. A couple of weeks ago I started using my old RF camera and a pretty young thing came up to me and asked if it was a Leica.

Didn't know an 'antique' could be a chick-magnet. 🙂 And best of all, I was carrying a FED! 😛
 
Hah. I was doing my a few shots of my daughter's wedding last year and the professional photographer came over and remarked about my need retro antique M7. I told him I was using it because it was better than my brownie.
 
I've met lots of cute young chicks because of my Leicas. They're mostly college girls taking a photography course and they actually seem to enjoy using film and working in the darkroom. The guys seem to be the ones with the "why are you using that old thing"? attitude. "Get with it! Digital isn't the future, digital is NOW!" On the other hand the guys flip out when I say that I still have a turntable along with the Stones, the Dead, Pink Floyd, the Doors, Cream, etc. on the original vinyl. The chicks are happy enough just sticking a CD in the player.
 
FrankS said:
I'm wondering how profound you could be if you approached this man and said something about his dSLR in Japanese. Certainly a RF is an antiquated camera design. I think he may have simply been attempting to begin a conversation with you in your language about your common interest. Japanese tend to be respectful of tradition.
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I suspect you're right, Frank. The nuance of the term "antique" vs. "vintage", for example, might be totally lost on speakers of English as a second language.
 
It's all true...

It's all true...

I do a lot of weirdo events in the East Village using a baby Speed Graphic and Press 5 flashbulbs. After I pop the pic I hold the camera at arms length and stare at the back of the 23 Graphic back and say "oh, that's wonderful". The only people ever to question me (notice) are girls from Berlin and France. When this happens I hand them the camera and walk away. After a moment they come after me in disbelief.

Using a IIIf and Chico I have never been questioned.

It seems to me some of you are attending events that are jaded or you don't know how to handle an awkward moment.

Be creative... entertain yourself.

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Al Kaplan said:
I've met lots of cute young chicks because of my Leicas. They're mostly college girls taking a photography course and they actually seem to enjoy using film and working in the darkroom. The guys seem to be the ones with the "why are you using that old thing"? attitude. "Get with it! Digital isn't the future, digital is NOW!" On the other hand the guys flip out when I say that I still have a turntable along with the Stones, the Dead, Pink Floyd, the Doors, Cream, etc. on the original vinyl. The chicks are happy enough just sticking a CD in the player.
Click to expand...

as a member of the fairer sex who worked in audio most of her life (talk about a man's world!), i have to say that the turntable and your excellent selection of vinyl turns me on more! sigh... depending on what speaker system you have, you're tempting me to go to Florida and see, er, ummm, listen to your etchings 😛
 
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Repsonses to my M2 are ranging from: 'Oh, I'm seeing you are using an old Leica', to disbelief, inability to understand why I'd still use film, to awe.

And a chick magnet? Dunno. As a prop it works at least:

dorret_M2.jpg
 
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cam said:
as a member of the female sex who worked in audio most of here life (talk about a man's world!), i have to say that the turntable and your excellent selection of vinyl turns me on more! sigh... depending on what speaker system you have, you're tempting me to go to Florida and see, er, ummm, listen to your etchings 😛
Click to expand...

Al, how DO you do it?! 😉
 
@capitalK: Women theyx always find our weak spot....be sure she would have found somethink else. She also might have been attracted to you!

Bessa: "I see you use a nostalgic camera."

A bit more bothersome (time wassting) are those who ask "You still use film" as a rethorical question and mostly are not particulary interested in film. But that's life and sometimes I can tell them a thing or two.
 
I seem to recall someone in one of these threads on this site saying they were travelling in Asia with their M only to be asked when taking pictures and reloading film why he was "using a poor persons' camera?" Kinda underlines the fact that most people do not "get" film cameras these days and Leicas especially. I have occasionally had people compliment me on my nice camera but I swear that 9/10ths of them still think its a some strange kind of digital.
 
Hehe, and I'm the opposite in a way, I carry around a TLR on occassion and now mostly my M2 everywhere I go (I feel terrible if I see something and have no camera on me) and I'm the one who calls them antiques or look for me I'll be the one with antiques slung 'round my neck.

That said, despite many photographers who I work with being digital SLR based wondering how someone can get on in today's world with such a camera; I just let the results speak.

And they speak volumes.

That said I've had kids come up to me saying "Cool camera!" -- they call it retro, but then there is nothing like it in today's world of point and shoots. As for the M2, the best compliment it gets paid is when no one even notices it.

Vicky
 
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