BillBingham2
Registered User
Dave,
It sounds like you have the desire to slow down, but not all of the self-control to do it with much of our current equipment. Motors, AE, Program Mode, AF all make it easier to take a picture but can take us away from making a great picture. While for some they free them from the technical side and allow them to express themselves without burden (kind of like my wife only driving a car with an automatic). For others they empower speeding through the process and not enforcing a time to think.
TLRs do help slow you down, as do LF (e.g. 4x5). With an M7 or OM-2 yes you can put it to manual, but external metering, especially incident metering can make it even slower. Getting a camera from the 40s or 50s will slow you down. A IIIa and a collapsible 50 is a pocket camera and a fine choice. While not as pocketable a Nikon S2 would be better for the viewfinder, BIG step up from any of the Leica LTMs. This might keep you from sneaking extra glass in, big NO NO!
I love the Sekonic L-318/328 for metering incident, it’s my standard but lots of other good ones. Don’t do reflected metering, too fast, not accurate enough (mater of opinion there), just not with the idea of thinking.
Put the other equipment in box and lock it up. Carry only the one camera and one lens with you. Force yourself to see with the one lens. Your rental fee for a good user S2 with a 50/1.4 will be almost nothing. Their price is pretty stable. The odds of a IIIa and lens needing an LTM are pretty good where as Nikons stay pretty stable with less use.
Sticking with your TLR and upgrading to say a 2.8 might not be a bad idea, as your rolls are shorter (12 vs 24 or 36). If you go 35mm you need to have the one shot per scene approach for everything. Only shoot at the moment of impact.
I’m down to just my S3 now or I would loan you one.
Just a few thoughts.
B2 (;->
It sounds like you have the desire to slow down, but not all of the self-control to do it with much of our current equipment. Motors, AE, Program Mode, AF all make it easier to take a picture but can take us away from making a great picture. While for some they free them from the technical side and allow them to express themselves without burden (kind of like my wife only driving a car with an automatic). For others they empower speeding through the process and not enforcing a time to think.
TLRs do help slow you down, as do LF (e.g. 4x5). With an M7 or OM-2 yes you can put it to manual, but external metering, especially incident metering can make it even slower. Getting a camera from the 40s or 50s will slow you down. A IIIa and a collapsible 50 is a pocket camera and a fine choice. While not as pocketable a Nikon S2 would be better for the viewfinder, BIG step up from any of the Leica LTMs. This might keep you from sneaking extra glass in, big NO NO!
I love the Sekonic L-318/328 for metering incident, it’s my standard but lots of other good ones. Don’t do reflected metering, too fast, not accurate enough (mater of opinion there), just not with the idea of thinking.
Put the other equipment in box and lock it up. Carry only the one camera and one lens with you. Force yourself to see with the one lens. Your rental fee for a good user S2 with a 50/1.4 will be almost nothing. Their price is pretty stable. The odds of a IIIa and lens needing an LTM are pretty good where as Nikons stay pretty stable with less use.
Sticking with your TLR and upgrading to say a 2.8 might not be a bad idea, as your rolls are shorter (12 vs 24 or 36). If you go 35mm you need to have the one shot per scene approach for everything. Only shoot at the moment of impact.
I’m down to just my S3 now or I would loan you one.
Just a few thoughts.
B2 (;->
