Film seems to cure my GAS

andre mueller

andre mueller

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In the last couple of weeks we have seen some spectacular camera announcements.

  • Sony RX1R
  • Sony A7/A7R
  • Olympus EM1
  • Nikon DF

And you could speculate that Fuji would also release something new in full frame.
All very exiting, right? ;)

I'm happy to share with you that for the first time in long while these announcements have left me completely cold.

The only thing that matters to me at the moment is how I improve my lighting, exposure, composition, directing and my process.
The camera that enables me to do all of this is roughly 60 years old.

At last it seems I don't have to spend my last cent on the latest and greatest.

And for that I'm truly grateful!


... by Andre Mueller, on Flickr
 
I didn't have to spend my last cent, but I did buy an Olympus E-M1. Superb camera, well worth the money. Sold my Bessa III to fund another Panasonic-Leica lens for it.

Buying film isn't cheap either: just ordered $300 worth of Polaroid film. That was more of the money out of the Bessa III.

Photography always costs money. :-\

G
 
Godfrey said:
I didn't have to spend my last cent, but I did buy an Olympus E-M1. Superb camera, well worth the money. Sold my Bessa III to fund another Panasonic-Leica lens for it.

Buying film isn't cheap either: just ordered $300 worth of Polaroid film. That was more of the money out of the Bessa III.

Photography always costs money. :-\

G
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I just bought a batch of Fuji Pro 400H to feed to my M4-P and M lens kit. At $8 USD per roll, Pro 400H is a helluva lot more affordable than a Leica M240 or a M Monochrom - and it produces some beautiful and outstanding images.

Photography always costs money.
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Very true; in fact, it seems to be one of the immutable laws of the universe.
 
Just make sure you don't catch FHS (Film Hoarding Syndrome).

I often look at what new digital cameras are coming out, but as of yet nothing has moved me enough to move up from my aging Canon Rebel XT yet. On the other hand I try new films whenever I can.
 
Strangely, fim has probably caused me to spend more money that I should ever have done. I just love film gear. Conversely, I tend to keep hold of DSLRs for a while longer and use them less.
 
tunalegs said:
Just make sure you don't catch FHS (Film Hoarding Syndrome).

I often look at what new digital cameras are coming out, but as of yet nothing has moved me enough to move up from my aging Canon Rebel XT yet. On the other hand I try new films whenever I can.
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Film Hording Syndrome? What is this? I've never heard of such a thing... ;) (He says with a freezer filled with film and a never-ending need to buy more)

Seriously though, if you shoot film, why not stock up? Esp if you run across good film that you know is no longer available? Stick it in the freezer and use it later. If you get out of film, you can sell it to someone else. But you at least know you've got film if you need it. I'd rather have a freezer full of film and my choice of what to shoot when I want it then have 10 rolls of black and white and 5 of color on hand and that is it :D

To the OP... film sometimes will stop or pause my GAS but most of the time I need actual gear to placate that feeling. I buy cheaper vintage cameras to fill this urge, usually something under $50. We have a small resell/flea market type of place here with a pretty nice selection of film gear I can go browse and play with it that also helps. If I buy one of his, it's usually a good GAS stopper. Or I use what I learned from handling his cameras to then buy something on eBay.

Unfortunately, GAS is like any addiction. At first, a $50 purchase fits the bill. But soon enough, you need a $100 piece of gear then $400, then $800 and so on.

For me, it's not uncommon to have 3-6 boxes arrive in a week, each with photography related stuff, be it film, developer, camera bits, etc.

I don't have a problem unless it's not having enough money to buy more gear. :D
 
Paul Jenkin said:
Strangely, fim has probably caused me to spend more money that I should ever have done. I just love film gear. Conversely, I tend to keep hold of DSLRs for a while longer and use them less.
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Same here.

We have lost too many emulsions to extinction and film prices are rather salty - E6 in particular. But there are benefits to the current situation, too.
Nowadays, film cameras can be had for a song - what an outstanding situation for we who love film photography!!

Many years ago (pre-digital era), I recall paying right at $3000 USD for a Hasselblad 501c kit: Body, chimney viewfinder, one 120 film back and an 80mm f/2.8 Zeiss T* lens. That same kit - used but in "9" condition - can now be had for around 1/3 what I paid for mine.

The same holds true for the Nikon F3hp. Very nice used copies are going for 1/3 or less of what new ones were selling for back in the day when the F3hp was Nikon's top gun.

Not everyone likes the 6x6 'blad system or the F3hp; the fact remains that there are damn few SLR cameras in the world that are the equal of these two outstanding machines.
 
eh, what kills me with my GAS is more the topic of size and portability. To get my MF juices flowing I went with an RB67, an amazing camera really. Superb negs... but the thing is a freaking tank. So then GAS kicks in and now it's well, "I'd like to keep shooting MF but I need something smaller... oh look, a 1400 dollar Rolleiflex!" and then GAS kicks up again and again.
 
alienmeatsack said:
Film Hording Syndrome? What is this? I've never heard of such a thing... ;) (He says with a freezer filled with film and a never-ending need to buy more)

Seriously though, if you shoot film, why not stock up? Esp if you run across good film that you know is no longer available? Stick it in the freezer and use it later. If you get out of film, you can sell it to someone else. But you at least know you've got film if you need it. I'd rather have a freezer full of film and my choice of what to shoot when I want it then have 10 rolls of black and white and 5 of color on hand and that is it :D

To the OP... film sometimes will stop or pause my GAS but most of the time I need actual gear to placate that feeling. I buy cheaper vintage cameras to fill this urge, usually something under $50. We have a small resell/flea market type of place here with a pretty nice selection of film gear I can go browse and play with it that also helps. If I buy one of his, it's usually a good GAS stopper. Or I use what I learned from handling his cameras to then buy something on eBay.

Unfortunately, GAS is like any addiction. At first, a $50 purchase fits the bill. But soon enough, you need a $100 piece of gear then $400, then $800 and so on.

For me, it's not uncommon to have 3-6 boxes arrive in a week, each with photography related stuff, be it film, developer, camera bits, etc.

I don't have a problem unless it's not having enough money to buy more gear. :D
Click to expand...

I am at a point now where my gas has hit a wall... with an M6 which I absolutely love the only place to go with it is Leica glass, which at this point in my life I simply can't afford. Not like, "oh I'll just throw it on a card and pay it off later" I just can't see myself actually spending 3500 bucks on a 35mm lens.
 
I remember that when I was shooting film in large bulk (up until about 2011), I always felt immunized against new digital gear GAS.
 
There has to be an element of the hunt that is involved. Looking for that special model or low serial number. It's boring just strolling into your local shop and spending 3 grand on a new digital camera
 
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