Camera for you decendants?

[wlewisiii]

Bill M's recent post of the essay from the gentleman about his father's barnack leica got me wondering - is there any camera, out of any that you own, that you would prefer to see a decendant of yours using?

Starting this off, of all the cameras that I own I would rather see my son using my Speed Graphic. First of all, it has a historical connection to this country that Leica can't hope to match and second of all, it uses film holders that would be very easy to convert to wet plates. So that even if commercial film did disappear tomorrow, he'd still be able to use my century old B&L Tessar & Rapid Rectilinear the way they were intended to be used.

The Leica, the Zeiss and the Canons are all good cameras with exquisite glass. But if push comes to shove, I'd rather that he wanted to transform silver halides rather than work with the photoelectic principle. While I don't mind digital, I think there will always be a need for people to keep using superceeded techniques - much as, say, Mr. Wyeth uses egg tempera rather than oil based paint. Hence my preference...

Anyone care to bite? 😀

William

 

[pvdhaar]

I've been thinking about this as well. Should I mothball two cameras, one for each of the kids? But I was recently pulled down to earth again. Stuff breaks, even a fairly new all mechanical camera (bessa-T) can and does break. And on top of that, something non-essential broke off the M4 just the other day as well. Would be no fun ceremoniously handing them a camera that falls apart with only the first roll of film in it, would it? So I decided to use the gear I have now, and worry about what to hand them in 10+ years time when that time comes.

Another thing that crossed my mind is that the infrastructure for film may no longer be so readily accessible. I don't think that you won't be able to shoot or process it, but the cost may be prohibitive for kids with moderate disposable income. And even if they should decide to take up photography in a serious way, the requirements set forth in courses may force them to use contemporary gear.

So, my RFs will probably end up as mantelpiece ornaments..

 

[RML]

I care to bite but I don't have anything I would feel a need to pass on, really. My negs, file sand prints, perhaps, but not gear.

 

[sf]

I am really not nearly old enough to talk about this, but 50 years from now, I'd like to see my own decendants - if only my brother's kids' kids' - pick something like a mechanical Leica up and use it. That sounds cliche,. but I say that because by that time rolls around, "mechanical" will be a word associated with antique, there won't be moving parts in cameras anymore.

Maybe even a Crown Graphic. I had one, but never used it so now someone here has it in . . .scrap shape.

A Leica will be a real trip for someone in that time, I'd guess. Like putting down the Twinkie and trying out a good old fashioned pastry. Maybe not quite like that.

I currently only own the RF645. That would be a nice one to pass down - especially for its rarity. Especially that 100mm lens. I'd like to see it stick around for a few hundred years.

 

[Oldprof]

It's all fantasy ... your descendants will never do what you want or expect them to do.

 

[Pherdinand]

Yep. The 70 y old Rolleiflex. Would really be nice to see it used by a grandson or granddaughter in, say, 70 more years 😀

I guess it is the camera I will never sell, only give away if there's a need for it.
Sorry, i know it's not a rangefinder. But i might hold on to my Super Ikonta as well!

 

[steamer]

It's kinda sad but you can see how it ends on oboy all the time:

My Uncle recently passed away and I received all his Camera equipment, he was an avid Photographer... I know nothing about Cameras ... sold as is

Steve

 

[RML]

It's kinda sad but you can see how it ends on oboy all the time:

My Uncle recently passed away and I received all his Camera equipment, he was an avid Photographer... I know nothing about Cameras ... sold as is

Steve

So far I can't even get my M2 sold! 😀

 

[Pherdinand]

maybe your daughter would like it, Remy.
OK, maybe not now but when she's a teenager.

 

[bmattock]

No kids, nothing to pass on to nieces or nephews anyway. Besides, anything I carefully salt away for future generations will end up at the local landfill five minutes after they cart my slobbering, adult-diaper-wearing butt to the local wrinkly hotel. Earth to earth, they say; ashes to ashes. Tempus fugit, and momento mori.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Will]

No kids, nothing to pass on to nieces or nephews anyway. Besides, anything I carefully salt away for future generations will end up at the local landfill five minutes after they cart my slobbering, adult-diaper-wearing butt to the local wrinkly hotel. Earth to earth, they say; ashes to ashes. Tempus fugit, and momento mori.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

>> Earth to earth, they say; ashes to ashes.

My M2 body should go into the coffin with me...


But I want to pass my lense to my child (someday). At least let them have a taste all the different kind of lense, that's why I get into classic cameras anyway.

Then they can sell it on Ebay as paper weights.

 

[Pherdinand]

Tempus fugit; memento mori.
Veni, vidi, vici. Eeeck!
😀
Many great people were, in fact, mice.

 

[zuikologist]

Leave them some written journals and albums of photos, with your thoughts on your technique, how you felt about certain photographs and subjects, maybe even document some photo processes from start to finish, in ful detail, temperature, amount of chemicals, dodging/buring etc. Photograph your cameras and equipment (and you) - the story or image is much more important than things.

 

[bmattock]

Leave them some written journals and albums of potos, with your thoughts on your technique, how you felt about certain photographs and subjects, maybe even document some photo processes from start to finish, in ful detail, temperature, amount of chemicals, dodging/buring etc. Photograph your cameras and equipment (and you) - the story or image is much more important than things.

They can just go to the William Mattocks Memorial Big-Mouth Museum and pay the entrance fee like ever buddy else. There may even be an animatronic me there, dispensing wisdom on things I know nothing about and arguing with anyone who passes by. I know you guys will all go, right? Don't forget to check out my bigger-than-life-size stature in the Evil Zen Garden of Anger Management, and the Food Court will be serving microwaved frozen burritos and endless bottles of whichever beer is the cheapest that week.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[ruben]

Upon the trendy refusal of my daughter of using any of my cameras I ended buying her a digital. Ho God, what I could have down with those u$d 250 at ebay !!!. That's life. Besides before that digital went stolen, she used it a lot and had a lot of fun.

What will be the end of my analog arsenal ? First I have some two decades ahead to enjoy it. Afterwards we will see.

I have no prejudice about digital at all. But for myself I am reluctant to throw away my analog experience.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[oftheherd]

It's all fantasy ... your descendants will never do what you want or expect them to do.

A lot to that. My youngest daughter asked for a P&S before she went to Germany and I got her a nice Pentax. Since she has gone to a digital movie camera that also takes stills, or grabs my Toshiba P&S digital. Only sometimes does she still use the Pentax.

My oldest daughter decided never to give back my Fujica ST 801 I lent her to see if she liked having a camera of her own. I recently gave her a Fujica AZ-1 to try out also (so far I am keeping the ST 901 thank you). She enjoys both for use and for the interest she gets from friends and acquaintances. They seem to think she has a real camera when they see them. Go figure.

I hope one or both or a grandkid will wish to use some/all of my film gear someday. They can use it now or after; their choice. That's what I think now. After I am gone, it won't matter to me of course. I will really just be happy to see them keep an interest in photography, even if only for snapshots.

 

[Pherdinand]

Somewhat similar experience w my grandfather.

The old man was a very social and extremely entertaining guy. Always had a joke to say or to do, especially for the kids (we were always at least 5 around him); he took us to excursions, tried to teach us card tricks, made wooden build-it puzzles for us, etcetera.

Anyway. He also played chello. I can't tell how good he played; i was 13 when he died, but he loved to play it. He played in the local band of retired people (he was a taylor once), and kept his cello in a corner in the livingroom, so we used to see it alot and sometimes we played a bit with the chords. But noone else in the family could play it properly.
So at some moment he told us, he will give the cello to that grandchild that would learn to play the soonest. None of us did.
Now i can recognize a bit the situation. I tend to agree with Oldprof; it's all fantasy...
And it's not even his fault; he did try to make us interested and he did allow 10y old kids to touch the instrument...

There's still noone in the whole family who can play chello; and the old chello is long gone, disappeared somewhere when he died and the house was emptied and sold.

 

[micromontenegro]

Good time to get out of lurking. I got my Contax and my first Minox from my late dad many years ago. Thanks to that I have a lifelong addiction to old cameras and photography in general. Sometimes I even amuse myself by trying to recapture the same scenes with the same camera, say, 50 yeras apart. So, if fate alows, I'd like for at least one of my children to share this legacy. It's been good for me.

 

[SteveM(PA)]

I think they would have to be thinking of me fondly, and want to emulate me just a little bit, to suffer through the squinty finder in the year of my death, 2050. So I'm working hard on the "fondly thought of" part for now.

I have a dear childhood friend whose father recently passed away. He was an avid photographer. She never shared his interest, vacations were planned around, and/or interrupted by, photography. It became a wedge between them, while she adored the man otherwise, and savored every bit of attention she got from him. When he died, she could not wait to see all of the hated gear gobbled up by other family members.

To have loved others, and maybe gotten a little love back, is all I really hope for. This camera IS really cool though 🙂

 

[lushd]

It's my greatest wish that my two lovely children think that I was more than just an old fart when I'm gone - anything above that will do me. The cameras can go in the landfill or if they can sell them and have some fun with the money I will smile down from wherever and wish them well.