Film is fringe

[ch1]

In regards to Bill's comments, that has reminded me of something.

A good female friend of mine, fellow student/artist/photographer has pretty bad money problems, and her cousin was bought a brand new 350D dslr. Her cousin uses it as a point and shoot, and admitted to not having any idea what aperture is. This enraged her, considering she would (hopefully) use it to a fuller extent.

The same happened with a girl in my photography class (before she dropped the subject). Her parents bought her a new dSLR, and she said "oh, I mainly use it for my MySpace photo's, but I have to hold it arms length to get my face in focus".

Turns out this is the same for a lot of 350D users. Its a new toy, and many don't have a clue about DoF or shutter speed or ISO.

It's a pity

Yes, for now, dSLRs have become the "camera of choice" amongst what we here in the US call "the suburban soccer mom" set. It is a "status symbol" even though few know how to use it other then by setting it on "Auto".

I believe that these folks are one of the key market target groups that Sony and the other EVF manufacturers are now pursuing.

 

[Laurence]

That's what we are, that's what it's come down to: we are living history displays!

(Great observation, Kmack!)

Speak for yourself Frank! 😎

 

[dmr]

Film is Retro, RFs are Retro ...

Film is Retro, RFs are Retro ...

If I may digress a minute, I'll cut-paste part of a conversation on "another network" regarding various once-high-tech items becoming retro. Some may know what network I am talking about ...

>So here we all are on Usenet,

Wow, I am getting old. Usenet is getting kinda retro in the Blog Age,
huh? 🙂

>looking at Annie's pictures shot on
>Kodachrome with a ... Pentax Spotmatic, was it?

Actually, those Kodachromes were done with a Canon QL17 GIII, even more
of a "retro" design than the Spotmatic. 🙂

>Does it get any more retro than this?

Actually, the combination of 21st. century film and 1970's glass is
very hard to beat. 🙂

And yes, I do notice others' cameras, and when I notice something that is obviously not the Latest And Greatest<tm> I'll take note, and sometimes say something, as have people to me when they see me shooting with the GIII or the Pentax.

However, I'll often not notice when somebody uses a film P&S that looks similar to a digital P&S, and I know I don't always recognize what's a newer film SLR and what's a DSLR unless I look closely.

Oh well, and they said that blue eyeshadow would never come back in style! 🙂 🙂

 

[bmattock]

Turns out this is the same for a lot of 350D users. Its a new toy, and many don't have a clue about DoF or shutter speed or ISO.

It's a pity

Canon is actively running television adverts here in the USA for the Digital Rebel XT (350D in the UK). They pitch it as a camera for the family to capture what was once called a "Kodak Moment" by Kodak pitchmen.

I miss the old James Garner / Marriette Hartley commercials.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[kbg32]

I miss the old James Garner / Marriette Hartley commercials.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

Those were wonderful commercials. People thought they were married.

 

[MikeCaine]

Andy, I take it you mean they ask to have you take their picture with their camera. Sounds like a compliment -- the guy with the old camera knows what he's doing; ask him to take it.

When I'm on holiday I'm normally toting a Canon 20D and/or a Canon 1nHS. I find people are always asking me to take a photo of them with their P&S cameras. I guess they think -

a) I know what I'm doing

b) I'm not going to run off with their camera

PS - Went for a walk today with my Canon IVsb. First time I've used film since the last millennium. Apparently I have to take this little canister to some bloke who can make pictures from it?

 

[bmattock]

When I'm on holiday I'm normally toting a Canon 20D and/or a Canon 1nHS. I find people are always asking me to take a photo of them with their camera P&S cameras. I guess they think -

a) I know what I'm doing

b) I'm not going to run off with their camera

Which makes it even more hilarious if you take their digital camera and then chuck it over the cliff or whatever natural scenic highlight you happen to be viewing at the time.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[StuartR]

I get the same thing with a Mamiya 7. It does not matter if it is film or digital, it is just if you have a pro looking camera that they have not seen before or don't really understand, they will assume you are a pro or big time camera user and ask you to take their picture. It happens all the time. I advise just rolling with it.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Film is in the fridge.

 

[boarini2003]

Bearing in mind the reputation of "The Fringe" in Edinburgh, I am quite happy to be considered on the fringe.

Kim

I totally agree! Us film users are fringe, in a cool fringe kind of way... ;-)

Interesting how the thread has turned out so far. It is weird, but using film IS associated with being knowledgeable. I agree, in the sense that a mechanical camera user at least knows what speed and aperture are, and their effect on images.

 

[back alley]

'film consultant'

i love that!

joe

 

[Andy K]

PS - Went for a walk today with my Canon IVsb. First time I've used film since the last millennium. Apparently I have to take this little canister to some bloke who can make pictures from it?

Well... he'll actually make pictures from the stuff inside the canister... but you're in the right ball park. Think of it as a cylindrical memory card being taken to the kiosk.

 

[DougK]

I kinda like the nods of respect I get when I walk into a photo store and ask for 120 film. Well, it's either respect or they're humoring the crazy guy, don't know which for sure...

 

[planetjoe]

'film consultant'

i love that!

joe

Well, I'm not going to lie to you. I made him call me that. It has a certain "ring" to it, no?


--joe.

 

[clarence]

I kinda like the nods of respect I get when I walk into a photo store and ask for 120 film. Well, it's either respect or they're humoring the crazy guy, don't know which for sure...

For me it's definitely the latter. The Pro's and soccer moms (and dads) have all moved on to digital, so we all know who's using the 120 film, don't we.

Clarence

 

[MelanieC]

I just got an email announcement about some short course from B&H. It covers a number of topics, all related to digital photography. One of them was "how to make digital look like film."

I'm one of those people who doesn't know how to use my dSLR. When I bought it, using an equipment budget fortunately, I fully intended to get into more serious photography with it. But I started using film cameras (that weren't P&S) at about the same time, and got way more interested in those so I haven't invested the time necessary to figure out the D70s. And yes, with all those tiny menus, and the fact that it's the only SLR of any kind I've ever used, it'll take me some time. As of now, the D70s is basically a giant P&S and yes, it is sad.

My friends think it's kind of odd that I've discovered film photography and gotten so interested in it so fast, but we all grew up with film cameras (I'm 33) so I don't get the reactions from my friends that some of you have.

A couple of weeks ago I was at my brother's wedding, and used my Leica and my Rollleiflex to take portraits and candid shots. A couple of the younger guests tried looking at the back of the Leica and were puzzled that there was no screen there. The official photographer, who was using a giant Canon dSLR, asked me about the Rollei but had no idea how it worked. (That's OK, neither did I six months ago.) Most others didn't realize the Rollei was a camera at all.

The officiating judge, on the other hand, asked me about the Leica at the rehearsal dinner (I thought he was posing for a shot -- it turned out he was actually staring hard at my camera). He's judged some pretty high-profile cases, and mentioned that for these cases he only allowed Leicas in the courtroom -- no SLRs of any kind, film or digital -- because their shutters are so quiet.

My Leica gets two reactions from strangers. Many don't notice it, or dismiss it as just some old camera. The other reaction is this kind of weird religious awe.

 

[bmattock]

I kinda like the nods of respect I get when I walk into a photo store and ask for 120 film. Well, it's either respect or they're humoring the crazy guy, don't know which for sure...

I'll tell you the truth. I love to visit camera stores, and due to the fact that I used to travel for a living, I've been fortunate enough to have visited a number of the 'high end' and well-known shops. With the single exception of Houston Camera, where I met a kindred spirit, I have seldom met such a collection of ill-mannered snots. Sorry, but I mean that. One place in Albuquerque, the guy was so rude to my wife that I threatened to march down there and settle his hash (my wife stopped me) but I don't put up with people talking to my wife the way he did.

In fact, that brings up a bunch of ugly memories. Visiting B&H, which is amazing and I think everyone should do - I was admonished for approaching a counter before being invited to do so and told to step back. OK, get this, guy in the funny hat. I'm a customer. You want to see me leave, just say so. Order me around and that's what you get - me leaving. OK, nuff said - they're great to deal with via web, and very honest and I like them in general.

Well anyway, sorry to rain on anyone's parade.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[DougK]

Don't worry, Bill, you're not raining on my parade, you're pretty much correct. Many shops, not just camera stores, are staffed with rather non-customer-oriented folks. I avoid those stores once I identify them. I'm just lucky enough to have a couple of local camera shops where service is a priority.

I really miss the person at my local Ritz I referred to as Camera Girl. She understood film and it was very easy to explain what I wanted because she shoots film herself; although young, she tried digital and found she couldn't do what she wanted that way. She's since moved on to a custom print shop somewhere in the area. Someday I'll find out which one and send some business her way.

 

[StuartR]

My experience is that the guys at B&H are really rude. Not the guys working the floor (selling the cameras etc), but the ones at the checkout counters. On the other hand, the guys at Adorama have all been really nice to me. Nice to the extent that they closed the store down on a Friday afternoon while I was still there because they were trying to find something for me in the back. The guys at the counter were like: "Hey, don't worry about it, we still have time to get home (before sundown)." There is always the normal New York speed/briskness in the service, but the guys are really nice. I much prefer Adorama in person.

 

[kully]

... With the single exception of Houston Camera, where I met a kindred spirit, I have seldom met such a collection of ill-mannered snots....

Seems some things are the same all over the world... With the exception of a shop in Maidenhead which has since closed down (Focal Point) and one bloke in London Camera Exchange in Reading, all camera shops I've been to have been staffed by people who think/wish they were PhDs in cameras and photography.

Not something to be bothered with because you buy your stuff and leave but infuriating when their trying to wrench a lens off your camera without pressing the lever release in all the way or pretending you're asking for something they don't have because they don't know what it is.