user237428934
User deletion pending
I must be doing something completely wrong. I'm taking photos for about 25 years now and I was never ever asked anything by strangers when I was out taking photos.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
It's just occured to me that the expression "F OFF!" could esily be mistaken for 'f-stop' on a noisy city street! 
peterm1
Veteran
I quite often get asked about my M8. Usually along the lines of (as happened yesterday in a shopping centre) "Oh is that one of those old time SLRs?"
I doubt that he really wanted an explanation of the differences between SLRs and rangefinder cameras or why Leica go to the trouble of making a (relatively) new camera look like an "old" one, so I just smiled and said yes it is.
Most questions I get are about as informed as the above one, but at least they are always friendly and asked in a manner that at least evidences interest in what I am doing.
I suppose if someone was unfriendly and I really wanted to be a compete sh*t I could say "No this is my terrorist / peodophile camera" to pick up on other threads on this forum about how paranoid some people are about photography in public spaces
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Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
Actually, to be perfectly pedantic, the poll "question" didn't mention strangers. In the past, I've had some friends and acquaintances ask me something about "f-stops", in public, about a few fixed-lens cameras (the Hexar AF, notably).
Armoured
Well-known
Not exactly related, but I've noticed recently that if I hand someone one of my cameras - even a digital SLR - to take a picture with, they hold it arm's length from their face and wait for the screen to light up.
Meaning, people no longer know what a viewfinder is or to put it up to their eye.
Meaning, people no longer know what a viewfinder is or to put it up to their eye.
JamesFromSydney
James Morris
Digital technology has not caught up with the IIIf yet. Check back in 20 years.
user237428934
User deletion pending
Actually, to be perfectly pedantic, the poll "question" didn't mention strangers. In the past, I've had some friends and acquaintances ask me something about "f-stops", in public, about a few fixed-lens cameras (the Hexar AF, notably).
I read "in public" and related this with strangers. If I go out with some photo buddies we talk about "How do you shoot this" and this obviously involves f-stops.
Strangeluv
Christer Johansen
Don't laugh ... five or six years ago I wasn't sure what an f-stop was ... and I didn't really know what a prime lens was and how it related to focal length either ... I thought zooms were 'it!'
2 years ago for me.....I'm a slow learner
Matus
Well-known
Most cameras have f-stops. What makes people think only old cameras have f-stops? Anyone who has used a digital camera would still see f-stops. Makes no sense to me... If they know the word f-stop, they should know that. Unless they only use a phone to take photos (which probably doesn't show that info).
oftheherd
Veteran
Not that I can recall. I did ask my soon to be son-in-law what meter reading he was getting when I left mine in the car. We were asking each other a little later when I retrieved both of mine.
I was once asked if I could print a b/w photo as color.
I was once asked if I could print a b/w photo as color.
oftheherd
Veteran
... Took me forever, but I finally found out how to get all that cluttery printing off my viewscreen so I could see good.
umcelinho
Marcelo
Don't laugh ... five or six years ago I wasn't sure what an f-stop was ... and I didn't really know what a prime lens was and how it related to focal length either ... I thought zooms were 'it!'
same for me. but make it 2 years
ChipMcD
Well-known
I've gotten an equally astonishing question when shipping a Rolleiflex for CLA from a UPS store, where the teenaged clerk asked me what "that thing" was. I told him a camera. At least his response was "I kind of thought so." Sic transit gloria photographia.
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
I was thoroughly searched, and had security pad me down and tested for gunpowder/chemicals at O'Hare airport last year when a rent-a-cop saw my Rolleiflex. It's a good thing it didn't have any film inside, because she had me promptly open the "device". :bang:
No, I wasn't taking photos with it; yes, it was inside my luggage. I almost missed my connecting flight.
Richard G
Veteran
This thread on the worst words in photography went on for pages with a lot of the usual questions, but not the f stop question as I remember.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95524
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95524
raindog61
Established
Can't say anyone has asked me that question before. However in the mid 80's I was photographing in Old Montreal with a Zone VI 4x5 field camera. A tourist was walking by and asked me how old my camera was. (a reasonable question).
With a big grin I told him, "It was made about two years ago."
I don't remember his exact response, but he was a bit confused when he heard my answer.
Harry.
With a big grin I told him, "It was made about two years ago."
I don't remember his exact response, but he was a bit confused when he heard my answer.
Harry.
RanceEric
The name is Rance
Walking around Philadelphia with my Nikon RF's I always get asked by kids/teenagers, "Ohhh that's one of those old-time cameras, isn't it?"....
or, "How much does one of those things cost?" or, as someone else mentioned, "Can you still get film for that?"
or, "How much does one of those things cost?" or, as someone else mentioned, "Can you still get film for that?"
hexiplex
Well-known
The strangest thing I've had happen to me whilst out and about with a camera was an older gentleman, way past 70 who was angry I had taken a picture of him and asked me to delete the photograph... I promptly apologized and said that I can't delete it, because the camera isn't a digital camera, he refused to believe me even when I showed him the lack of display and the spare roll of film I carried in my pocket. Another moment I like to recall is when a hipster guy got shocked when I raised my Klasse W to take a picture of him at a party, and he promptly expressed his shock over the fact that the camera wasn't a decorative necklace.
Most questions I get in regards to my gear are often about my light meter - people seem to think it's a compass.
Most questions I get in regards to my gear are often about my light meter - people seem to think it's a compass.
Richard G
Veteran
"A light meter? What, to measure light....?"
"Yeah, to measure the light for the photograph."
"You're kidding, right?"
"Yeah, to measure the light for the photograph."
"You're kidding, right?"