do YOU guys mind being bothered by others commenting on your cameras?

[Jamie123]

Sometimes it does annoy me a bit when I'm concentrated taking pictures and somebody approaches me asking about my camera. It's not that I mind camera talk but sometimes I'm just not in the mood for chatting with strangers. Wearing headphones usually does the trick, though.

What does annoy me a lot, though, is that most often when people ask me about a camera I'm using (e.g. a Hasselblad) they want a justification from me about why I'm using that camera. I don't mind someone saying 'nice camera' or 'is it old?' etc. but I kinda get annoyed when somebody asks me 'what's so great about this camera' or 'why are you using this instead of...'. Can't I use something just because I like it? I don't go around questioning other people about their decision about what they wear or what kind of mobile phone they use so why do I have to explain myself regarding my camera choice?

 

[daveleo]

I don't mind talking cameras at all. Actually, I love to, and often I'm the guy who starts up the conversation . . . "Hey I've been reading about that camera. How do you like it?"

However, if I sense from their body language that they are trying to be stealthy and grabbing street snaps, I leave them alone.


The only camera anyone ever asks me about is my red Leica Digilux-2 (actually my green Hexar too)
My black DSLR is way less conspicuous (as everyone and his cousin has one these days).

 

[damien.murphy]

See the black tape on Leicas being mentioned a bit, and remember doing it in the past with my black M6, sheerly so the camera would look like a black generic camera in the distance. Also so that slung against a dark or black jumper, that it would become quite unobtrusive and unnoticeable. Sure photographers or film shooters may still know it was a Leica just by the form factor, but the point was to make the camera unobtrusive to others. Kinda miss that black M6 for its invisibility factor, my chrome M3 feels a lot more noticeable, if even only in my mind.

 

[Mudman]

Depends on if I'm working or not. Just out shooting for myself, I'll spend some time. Working, not so much. Need to concentrate on the moment.

 

[doolittle]

"That's digital? I thought it was film. Can I check that out? How much does your camera cost?" "Sure. It's about $9k." "Wow, that's expensive (gently hands it back).

That's the one question that bugs me. Never sure to give a straight answer or a jokey reply.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

Only when I am at some tourist trap am I approached. It is with: "You have a real camera. Could you take a picture of us with our camera?" I did get approached once with a similar request of assistance from a young man. He was given a film camera for his trip my his father and did not know how to us it. He needed assistance.

 

[Bob Michaels]

How do you think folks in Harlem would react to a view camera mounted on a tripod?

Most folks on East 100th St. did not seem to mind Bruce Davidson. And that was over 40 years ago.

 

[malkmata]

Most people who had approached me had used or are familiar with Leicas themselves. They usually give me a thumbs up for still using an old film camera.
Last Saturday a non working photojournalist came over and asked why I still prefer film. I detected he was testing me with his question, so I gave him this speech about the different look of film which he nodded in agreement.

 

[nikon_sam]

I don't mind being asked about my camera.. I do find it funny how most people seem to think you can't buy film anymore..

Now I don't have to type a comment...it's been done...

I don't mind those five minute conversations when people see me out & about shooting...😀😎

 

[tic]

The only camera I shoot regularly that gets very much attention is the Hasselblad. People are really into the "old skool" camera, or they (or their father) were past owners of one. I've heard that much more often than I'd have predicted. Interestingly, a few that had owned one before are often surprised you can still get film.

And no, I don't mind discussing gear in the least. Isn't that 99% of what goes on here?

Even here in Sweden (Hasselblad comes from here) I sometimes get the comment, "oh, a Hasselblad", when I use any odd looking camera (TLR or medium format folder). I have never owned a Hasselblad. 🙂

The only thing that bothers me is when I have a tripod and people come stand in front of it to look at my camera...

 

[Paul Luscher]

Nah. If I'm using the Leicas, none seems to take any notice. If I use the SLRs, I'm often asked if I'm shooting for a newspaper.

Only comment I remember is some guy telling me my M3 was a POS, and I'd do better to get a REAL camera. I just had to laugh....

 

[umcelinho]

it's pretty rare so i dont bother much, really. also because i make comments on other people's cameras if theyre shooting with medium format or an analog camera... so it's only fair 🙂

 

[Lauffray]

No, it's actually a good way to make conversation. The funniest is when people seem disappointed when I tell them the M7 I'm carrying is not, in fact, the M9.
"Can you still get film for that?"
"Wow, it's heavier than it looks"
"I love the viewfinder"

usual comments 🙂

 

[Ronald_H]

I don't mind at all. Not even when people think I am stupid for using anything with film in it. Happened with the insufferable girlfriend from someone. Only strengthened my view that she was indeed insufferable.

And of course I had my M2 recovered in cobalt blue leather. Yes I AM asking for it 😀


Camera porn - Recovered Leica M2 w. Summicron DR by Ronald_H, on Flickr

Walking around a a photo fair with this beauty attracts more attention than walking around naked. Not that I have tried, but still ;-)

 

[aeturnum]

It's ok, but I always feel a little weird talking about gear. For the photographers I've met, they either don't want to talk gear because they don't care about it, or they care way too much. For non-photographers, it can be hard to explain the reason I like a particular camera. It often ends up with some platitude like, "well, I just like this kind of camera," or, "this offers me something other models don't." That's fine as long as it goes, but it's never my favorite part of the conversation.

I find the gear-related questions (film type, processing, format preference, etc) to be a lot more productive and interesting for everyone.

 

[DominikDUK]

I don't mind other people appreciating my photographic gear. In fact I often find it quiet interesting if some older woman/man tell their stories about how they've used a similar camera and how great it was.

Dominik

 

[richardhkirkando]

"Can you still get film for that?"

Next time someone says this to me, I'm going to tell them I have a digital camera but you can't get memory cards for it anymore.

Ooh, and now I can use "the digital version costs $8000" too!

 

[shadowfox]

Do you like film?
Do you want film to be around much longer?

(If you answer no to both, then don't read on 🙂 )

Then you'd better start to *like* chatting about your cameras when people are interested enough to make a comment or ask you. Because that's about the only way people nowadays could even realize that film photography is alive and well.

I don't get those who feel bothered by people asking. Most of us here don't feel that way.

 

[rbsinto]

The comments don't bother me at all.
Most of the time, those who take notice of what gear I'm using do so because they had SLRs or rangefinders of similar vintage many years ago. Often, when I see someone staring at a camera, I'll just hand it to them without saying a word, just to see their reaction, which is usually a big smile, followed by a discussion, and we go down memory lane with film Nikons.

 

[filmtwit]

The more common thing I have happen is that I'm starting to pull focus on a shot and my subject starts to lean in and you can watch their lips slowly say "L-i-e-c-a" and ruin the shot.