Cameras I saw on my trip

[erikhaugsby]

14 days into one helluva wonderful European trip, 5 to go.

I have noticed, though, that I have become almost as interested in cameras others are carrying as I have in taking pictures. It kind of stinks, but ohwell. Here we go:

2x Leica M7
2x Leica M6
4x Leica D-Lux 2
1x Rolleiflex
1x Yashica GTN
1x Canon Canonet QL-17 (something near that...they all look alike)
1x Mamiya 7
1x Bronica 645RF
1x Zorki-4
1x Smena-8
1x Holga
1x Lomo Kompakt LC-A
1x Zenit something


Thats about all that I can remember. Meeting the lady with the Mamiya was nice--it was in Florence, and she was from America like me. She would not humor me on a even-up trade for my M2 and 50DR cron. It was worth a try, though.

The guy with the Rolleiflex was pretty cool too, though I only was able to converse in my relatively poor high school French (I saw him in Pere Lachaise, Paris and he only spoke French).



There are waaay too many AF SLRs in this world. It is almost disgusting.



Ohwell, my 16 rolls of FP4, 5 rolls of Tri-X, and 2 rolls of Kodak Elite Chrome 100 have held up so far. I do wish I would have bought more bulk film cartriges so I could have rolled myself additional film to allow more than the current 1-roll-a-day rate that I have been shooting at. C'est la vie.

 

[KoNickon]

Of course, we will want to see some pictures when you get back!

I take it you are simply not mentioning the digital cameras you've seen -- I have to believe that at this point, those far outnumber film cameras, including AF SLRs.

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

You saw far more RFs than I did on my last trip to the continent. Mostly, folks had the latest digicams or DSLR. The only film cameras were SLRs.

Looking forward to seeing your vacation shots 🙂

 

[anandi]

Yes it is sad to see so many DSLRs over film cameras. But to me it's not that they're digital it's that so few people know how to use them to any potential. Not that I'm anymore than an okay hack at taking pictures, but too many people equate buying expensive DSLR gear with taking great pictures. I have a friend, a good friend, that thinks this way. We went to a lantern festival over the weekend and when he was disappointed by the 100 shots he took with his new D200, he started blaming the lens. I was trying to convince him to shoot film with film SLRs at least to get used to some basics about exposure before going down this path. What can you do?

 

[rbiemer]

.....We went to a lantern festival over the weekend and when he was disappointed by the 100 shots he took with his new D200, he started blaming the lens. I was trying to convince him to shoot film with film SLRs at least to get used to some basics about exposure before going down this path. What can you do?

Feel his pain and offer to take the offensive/dissapointing gear away from him
(at a healthy depreciation)😀
Or, just borrow it for a while and "forget" to erase some good stuff off of the memory card. And then offer to tutor him. For some nice dinner or libation of your choice.
Actually, since you said he was a good friend, then when he asks how did you get such good shots, the answer should be something like "I dunno. It is auto everything , afterall..."😀 (where is the devil smilie when I need it?)
Rob

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

I was trying to convince him to shoot film with film SLRs at least to get used to some basics about exposure before going down this path. What can you do?

Make him a bet that he can't get good photos with a canonet for one week. See if he learns anything 😉

 

[FrankS]

On my vacation to the Maritimes, I saw like 100 P+S digitals, 20 DSLR's, and 4 film SLR's. No rangefinders or TLR's other than mine.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

The guy with the Rolleiflex was pretty cool too, though I only was able to converse in my relatively poor high school French (I saw him in Pere Lachaise, Paris and he only spoke French).

You rock! You have done at your age what I wanted to do for just as long and finally did over two years ago. Pere Lachaise is quite the place; I forgot my map before I got on the Metro to get there, and I didn't want to pay the insane price from that coffee shop (forgot the name). I decided to "get lost" and find my way through. I found all but two that I wanted to see, and found Chopin's "by accident" (I went by memory, but the map means nothing if you've never been there before). The cloudy and rainy day messed up my inner compass.

I only saw one film user in my whole trip; it was a guy donning a Nikon FM2, and a hyper-red baseball cap, and had to wait for over 45 minutes for him to be done so he'd be out of my shots (I was *not* going to Photoshop him out; a 45-minute wait well spent).

You *must* go and take a walk by the Seine by dusk. The bridges are gorgeously lit. Unfortunately, you're too young to be able to buy this, but next time, get a bottle or two of Jurançon (it's a white wine) from Nicolas or some other wine shop, and some Morbiere (it's a cheese). Su-poib.

Oh, and lots and lots of pictures. Lots.

BTW, you can get Ilford film at FNAC. It's virtually the same price as here in the U.S. (and sometimes cheaper)

 

[vrgard]

I agree with the other sentiments about the sadness of not seeing other film camera users. I just did a very quick trip to Disneyland and did not see one other film camera user there. Then, while waiting for my bags to come out on the carousel at the San Jose airport there stood a distinguished looking gentleman with a Leica M7 hung around his neck. I felt like going over to shake his hand!

 

[anandi]

I actually lent him a Canon AE-1P, while not quite my canonet would at least give him a feel for a solid film camera, unfortunately GAS can strike anyone, anywhere

 

[ray_g]

I think the only one I remember is a middle-aged German guy in Venice, with a Leica CM around his neck. And a lady from the midwest with a disposable kodak single-use camera.:bang:

 

[BrianShaw]

Wow, you are sure seeing a lot of cameras on your trip. Have you seen any interesting tourist attractions? 😉

 

[erikhaugsby]

Wow, you are sure seeing a lot of cameras on your trip. Have you seen any interesting tourist attractions? 😉

Almost anything that you can name between London and Rome--it really is incredible what the world has to offer.

 

[snowwalker]

I live in the UK and travel in Europe a lot but have never seen that much good gear, well done. Clearly I have to try a little harder!