Digital-envy? Not me!

[vrgard]

My wife and I went away for the holiday weekend. Spent a few nights in Sausalito (just across the Golden Gate bridge from San Francisco). And I'm enjoying wandering around with my M6 and newly obtained 35 Cron 4th. Of course, I keep an eye out yet can't locate any other film shooter anywhere. Anyways, I sit down inside the front door of this women's clothing store (hey, they had nice comfy chairs and it was out of the direct sun) to change rolls of film. And as I'm finishing loading, this other guy wanders in and sits down in the chair opposite me. He's carrying a very fancy looking Canon digital camera with a lens that, as they say, would choke a horse. He spies my camera and says, "hey, nice camera. Wish I still had the M3 that I sold years ago. Haven't enjoyed shooting nearly as much since I sold it." About this time his wife wanders in and he says to her, "look at the nice size of that camera. That would be so much easier to carry around than this thing." I just smile and say, "thanks. Yeah, I really enjoy using it and it is easy to carry around all the time." Okay, no big news or revelation here. But after carrying my camera around for 3 days and seeing nothing but digital this and giant zoom that it was sure nice to hear reinforcement of my camera choice. Gee, maybe I'm just insecure with my lil bitty lens? 😱

Regardless, I'm happy with the results. Here's a few (low res from Walgreen's scan - and that last one is my attempt at a shoot from the hip and guess about composition shot - pretty happy with how it came out):

 

[peter_n]

Nice pics! Yep, an RF with a lens is all you need. I have my own scanner so I'm digital too! 🙂

 

[photogdave]

I agree with Peter. Get your own scanner and enjoy the best of both worlds.
Nice shots!

 

[lifevicarious]

I'm just stepping into the world of RF with a R3A (Debated long and hard about the Leica) from digital. I made the move for the exact reasons you describe. I will shoot digital as well on my trip, but very much looking forward to a small camera instead of a 5D and 2.8.

Great pictures by the way. My favorite is the first one. Il ove the slight angle to it and the look he is giving. Nice work!

 

[vrgard]

Thanks, guys, for the compliments on the images. And yeah, I definitely do scan my images so I can play in the digital world. I start off with a 1 hour photo scanned CD and then, if I need something higher quality, I scan it myself. And welcome, lifevicarious, to the world of rangefinders. You're gonna love it.

-Randy

P.S. Funny thing about that first image. I shot it when my wife went back to the room to rest while I walked around town. I actually thought it might be "a keeper" when I took it (as opposed to most of my shots where I'm surprised later when one image out of a whole roll turns out decent - I'm sure you know what I mean). Even told my wife when I got back to the room that "if that one picture comes out then it was worth it for that entire roll." Felt really good when I got the film developed and it was as I had mentally pictured it. Nice to feel like I have some control over an image occassionally, as opposed to just taking a bunch of pictures hoping there's something decent in there somehwere.

 

[RayPA]

Great shots, Randy! I saw two film shooters the other day in dwontown San Francisco. He had the same SLR I have: a Nikon FM3A. She had an older Nikon F series. I've no problem "lugging" around my M camera. The rest of the world can have their camera phones and bracelet cameras!

🙂

 

[vrgard]

Great shots, Randy! I saw two film shooters the other day in dwontown San Francisco. He had the same SLR I have: a Nikon FM3A. She had an older Nikon F series. I've no problem "lugging" around my M camera. The rest of the world can have their camera phones and bracelet cameras!

🙂

Thanks, Ray. As for "lugging around my M camera," my wife has taken to calling my Domke f5xb my purse. For example, as we were leaving the hotel room and she's grabbing her purse, she says to me, "are you bringing your purse?" I answered with, "hey, if you can carry yours then I can carry mine..." 🙄 Of course, later as we're sitting in a cafe and I pull out my camera to take a shot, my wife casually comments, "you know, I really like the look of that camera. It's kinda retro looking." 😱 Yeah! Maybe I'm winning her over after all! 😀

 

[trev2401]

Great shots, Randy! I saw two film shooters the other day in dwontown San Francisco. He had the same SLR I have: a Nikon FM3A. She had an older Nikon F series. I've no problem "lugging" around my M camera. The rest of the world can have their camera phones and bracelet cameras!

🙂

ahaha.... speaking of lugging around, the nice GA i bought from you has been strapped to my side permanently for the past 3 months, drawing stares from people wondering what the HECK i'm shooting with after hearing the loud rewind noise.

But i do agree, it's getting increasingly hard to find film shooters now adays... i wander around downtown weekly and often see more giant zooms mounted on "disposable" canon digital cameras. (2 yr lifespan, you know it.) than i see homeless people. 🙁

I was doing some shots of a building in Chinatown for a project using a 4x5 monorail, and Lo and behold, i attracted a little crowd behind me. Shortly after, this young gentleman approached me, holding a 1dsMkII with a HUGE zoom mounted on, and asked: can you do digital on that thing? After explaining to him how scan backs worked, and how a simple RVP E6ed and scanned on a 400$ flatbed would make his 1ds RAWs look puny, he kinda got the picture..🙂

Great pictures!!! wow.. i like the 1st one of the old dude...

 

[nightlight]

vrgard, thanks for sharing the pictures. I am eagerly awaiting my first RF that will bring me back to film after 2 years of digital. I guess it's just a matter of preference.

anyway I like the 3rd shot best, for its composition maybe, I don't know - it's just nice.

 

[RayPA]

ahaha.... speaking of lugging around, the nice GA i bought from you has been strapped to my side permanently for the past 3 months, drawing stares from people wondering what the HECK i'm shooting with after hearing the loud rewind noise.

But i do agree, it's getting increasingly hard to find film shooters now adays... i wander around downtown weekly and often see more giant zooms mounted on "disposable" canon digital cameras. (2 yr lifespan, you know it.) than i see homeless people. 🙁

I was doing some shots of a building in Chinatown for a project using a 4x5 monorail, and Lo and behold, i attracted a little crowd behind me. Shortly after, this young gentleman approached me, holding a 1dsMkII with a HUGE zoom mounted on, and asked: can you do digital on that thing? After explaining to him how scan backs worked, and how a simple RVP E6ed and scanned on a 400$ flatbed would make his 1ds RAWs look puny, he kinda got the picture..🙂

Great pictures!!! wow.. i like the 1st one of the old dude...

That's the other extreme: the digital necktie. Glad to hear the GA is doing well. Weren't you looking for a M4 or M6 recently?

🙂

 

[Ash]

Really nice shots.

I only spotted about 2 other film shooters, both SLR's, on my week in Croatia and day in Venice.

People had huge camera bags and huge lenses, I had a fed2 on a wriststrap and on occasion my lightweight canvas 'man-bag' (shoulder bag). I got some stares, but its nice to be different 🙂

We are part of a special group, those who stare at rangefinders are secretly jealous 😀

 

[trev2401]

hey ray...

yup, the GA's earned its value back after 2 months of copy work down at the library + 1 aerial photography trip for the local flying club.. and it's never disappointed me once. 😀 In fact, i'm looking for another one, hopefully an "i" version or even better, a 45mm one.. ehehe..

yup, i got myself my first M4 a few wks back thanks to mike here on RF.. and recently got another M4-p from an elderly friend who wants me to sell it for him.

I was originally on the lookout for an M6 classic for around the sub 1k region, but gave up after i refound the joys of manual metering using a handheld (or the GA645 if i wanna cheat).

How's shooting been? any gatherings going on soon?

 

[vrgard]

Hey Roland, no need to get under cover (although I can't comment on the Canon look). I had commented somewhat the same to you offline that I was surprised about the less-than-magical bokeh of that shot given that I was shooting with... (drumroll please)... "the king of bokeh!" Guess I will have to do some comparison shots between the Ultron and the Cron.

And Ash, I agree that we are a special group. Self-serving to say, I realize, but still, there's something about taking your time with film, rangefinders, etc., that gets lost with the "take as many shots as you can and then delete the bad ones later" approach. I tried to convey some of that sentiment in my comment in the Rangefinder Book 2.

And Ray, I love that expression: "the digital necktie." That was definitely what the guy who wandered in, sat down and complimented my rig looked like. That monster zoom lens hung down past his belt just like a long necktie!

Lastly, nightlight, welcome to the rangefinder club. And thanks for the compliment on the composition of my last posted shot. Can't claim too much credit, however, as it was a hip-shot so I wasn't exactly peering through the viewfinder to carefully compose it. But I feel like I got pretty luck with that one so thanks nonetheless.

-Randy

 

[jkelly]

Great shots! Recently, my family and I took a trip to Hawaii. I spent the 10 days alternating between my M3, IIIa and Pentax K1000. Received several comments on the cameras (a couple of folks even recognized the M3), but if I saw one other person with a film camera, other than a disposable, I don't remember it. Both of these were shot with the M3, 1st one with a Summitar and the 2nd with an Elmar 9cm/f4.

 

[photogdave]

I love that second shot. Looks like a 1950s postcard! Which film did you use?

 

[jkelly]

I love that second shot. Looks like a 1950s postcard! Which film did you use?

Thanks, I assume you were addressing me - if not, never mind! I used Ilford XP2 Super, if I remember correctly. If not, it was Kodak T400 CN.

 

[photogdave]

Thanks, I assume you were addressing me - if not, never mind! I used Ilford XP2 Super, if I remember correctly. If not, it was Kodak T400 CN.

I'm talkin' to you all right! But it's the color shot I was talkin' about...

 

[jkelly]

Ah! On my screen, the color shot is the first pic. Well, that's just plain ol' Fuji Superia 400 ASA.