Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
I too would love to see what the OP came back with.
I was independent-duty combat camera with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4. When I deployed to Iraq in August 2004, I took my M2 + Tom A Rapidwinder (3/300), with 3 lenses. After about 2 weeks I realized that I couldn't change lenses, so I called up KEH & bought the best M4 they had. I had them ship it in a small box packed inside a small refrigerator-sized box and then just said God willine, it will get here. It did and the big box was shaped a bit like a ball, but the camera was perfect.
I shot almost exclusively with a 28mm Kobalux on the M2 and 50 DR Summicron on the M4. Rarely touched my 90mm Elmar.
The light there was intense enough that Plus-X was my fast film & it would push my cameras to 1/1000 at f/16 easily. I was grateful for late October when it got cloudier and the season changed from boiling hot to frigid desert cold. I had 2 bricks of Pan-F there as well, 20 rolls of slide film and a few rolls of some faster emulsions.
While working outside camp in Al Anbar province in early October, I dove to the ground because of an incoming 122mm rocket. Stripped the M4 winder shaft and it was out for the count. I figured there's no Leica repair in Iraq and I wanted a 2nd camera body so with the help of one of our machinists I rebuilt the camera after having a few brass pieces turned and press fit.
After that I took both cameras into Fallujah in November right behind the 1/8 Marines. The cameras survived 1 week of constant urban combat, out on patrol, never getting a rest. It was coated with crap by the time I made it back to camp then two more weeks of constant patrols. The Navy issued Nikon D2h with 24-120 lens did not fare so well. (After only a month, that lens was no longer autofocus and I mostly used a 50mm f/1.8 AIS on the digital.)
On movement back to the states in 2005 I was in Spain for 2 weeks to work with AFRTS and compile all the visual data from our deployment. On one day off work I slipped off a jetty into the Bay of Cadiz and the M4 got soaked with seawater. That was it. 2 days later it locked up and when I got home it went off for repair and CLA. It's since been to Sherry K. for a quadruple bypass of sorts. New curtains, straps, springs, beamsplitter, CLA and M2 advance lever.
Still have the M4 and the DR Summicron but the M2 and winder got sold after I got home (yeah, I know that was a bad decision).
So, the M bodies in Iraq don't necessarily turn into junk. I took those cameras to hell for 6 months and they worked perfectly (until the incidents I described above.) You can trust that old M film camera to bring home the shots and keep working for sure, just keep one lens on it.
Phil Forrest
I was independent-duty combat camera with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4. When I deployed to Iraq in August 2004, I took my M2 + Tom A Rapidwinder (3/300), with 3 lenses. After about 2 weeks I realized that I couldn't change lenses, so I called up KEH & bought the best M4 they had. I had them ship it in a small box packed inside a small refrigerator-sized box and then just said God willine, it will get here. It did and the big box was shaped a bit like a ball, but the camera was perfect.
I shot almost exclusively with a 28mm Kobalux on the M2 and 50 DR Summicron on the M4. Rarely touched my 90mm Elmar.
The light there was intense enough that Plus-X was my fast film & it would push my cameras to 1/1000 at f/16 easily. I was grateful for late October when it got cloudier and the season changed from boiling hot to frigid desert cold. I had 2 bricks of Pan-F there as well, 20 rolls of slide film and a few rolls of some faster emulsions.
While working outside camp in Al Anbar province in early October, I dove to the ground because of an incoming 122mm rocket. Stripped the M4 winder shaft and it was out for the count. I figured there's no Leica repair in Iraq and I wanted a 2nd camera body so with the help of one of our machinists I rebuilt the camera after having a few brass pieces turned and press fit.
After that I took both cameras into Fallujah in November right behind the 1/8 Marines. The cameras survived 1 week of constant urban combat, out on patrol, never getting a rest. It was coated with crap by the time I made it back to camp then two more weeks of constant patrols. The Navy issued Nikon D2h with 24-120 lens did not fare so well. (After only a month, that lens was no longer autofocus and I mostly used a 50mm f/1.8 AIS on the digital.)
On movement back to the states in 2005 I was in Spain for 2 weeks to work with AFRTS and compile all the visual data from our deployment. On one day off work I slipped off a jetty into the Bay of Cadiz and the M4 got soaked with seawater. That was it. 2 days later it locked up and when I got home it went off for repair and CLA. It's since been to Sherry K. for a quadruple bypass of sorts. New curtains, straps, springs, beamsplitter, CLA and M2 advance lever.
Still have the M4 and the DR Summicron but the M2 and winder got sold after I got home (yeah, I know that was a bad decision).
So, the M bodies in Iraq don't necessarily turn into junk. I took those cameras to hell for 6 months and they worked perfectly (until the incidents I described above.) You can trust that old M film camera to bring home the shots and keep working for sure, just keep one lens on it.
Phil Forrest
_goodtimez
Well-known
Hi Naos,
I've been in Africa (Tchad, Djibouti, Central Africa, Ivory coast)10 years with my M6, 35 classic and a 90 Tele elmarit, the first Gulf War with it too and to Afganistan. Never a single trouble.
Heavy sand winds were avoided with simple supermarket plastic bags and rubber bands. The UV fliter helps.
I've been in Africa (Tchad, Djibouti, Central Africa, Ivory coast)10 years with my M6, 35 classic and a 90 Tele elmarit, the first Gulf War with it too and to Afganistan. Never a single trouble.
Heavy sand winds were avoided with simple supermarket plastic bags and rubber bands. The UV fliter helps.
adamli629
Member
I will use MP+35.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
... Guess we will never know what the project was and what came from it. Anybody that can recall a series of film-shot photographs from Iraq published somewhere in the last year? I'd like to see how it turned out!
I checked Flickr for names with "Naos" in it, did not see anything.
At this point, it would just be nice to know that this RFF member made it back safely.
At this point, it would just be nice to know that this RFF member made it back safely.
Contarama
Well-known
A fascinating thread...
If I was going to war I would pick the 50....(if I had my druthers I would pick a telephoto lens and hide in some bulletproof tower somewhere)
I hope him and the camera and film made it back in one piece...
The latest Iraq War has generated some interesting photos to say the least. War in general makes for interesting photographs.
If I was going to war I would pick the 50....(if I had my druthers I would pick a telephoto lens and hide in some bulletproof tower somewhere)
I hope him and the camera and film made it back in one piece...
The latest Iraq War has generated some interesting photos to say the least. War in general makes for interesting photographs.
Last edited:
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
You're a moderator; can you see the e-mail addresss that he (or she) used to register with RFF? You could send an e-mail to that address and ask.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Just sent an email myself, OP had the 'receive email' option enabled in his profile.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Well just make sure that he doesn't get 1000 e-mails now. I guess now that a few of us have asked, him, it's OK and we can stop.
Mister E
Well-known
Statistically Mindanao in the Philippines or the Mexican border is far more dangerous for journalists than either Iraq or Afghanistan.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Statistically, Philadelphia in 2006 was more dangerous than Al Anbar province in 2004. No need to look abroad for danger, we have it right here in the US in our big and not-so-big cities.
Phil Forrest
kubilai
Established
Maybe both ?
Maybe both ?
I often have the camera in hands, and a second one of these tiny rangefinder lens in a pocket of vest or even trouser.
But I vote 50.
Maybe both ?
I often have the camera in hands, and a second one of these tiny rangefinder lens in a pocket of vest or even trouser.
But I vote 50.
Last edited:
Damaso
Photojournalist
I'd say take the fifty. there are going to be a lot of times when you can't get close enough to fill the frame with the 35, esp if you are US military. You can always back up with the 50 (unless you are in a humvee). Even with a minimalist rig taking an extra lens shouldn't be a big deal. If I had to choose though the 50 is the way to go...
filmfan
Well-known
Have you guys even read the thread? Stop recommending lenses to the guy. He has already shipped out like a year ago.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
t.s.k.
Hooked on philm
Is there any way to close the poll to keep this thread from popping up?
Am I alone in thinking we should just let the thread rest unless someone can add anything relevant?
Or am I the lone crumudgen?
Am I alone in thinking we should just let the thread rest unless someone can add anything relevant?
Or am I the lone crumudgen?
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
If you want the thread closed just start talking about 17 year olds not being any good at photography. :bang:
35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
Sadly, there will undoubtedly be a civil war in IRAQ. You might as well keep the post open for those PJ's.
My brother went there and took a pocket P/S.
My brother went there and took a pocket P/S.