I have this Friend ..........

[Gid]

Lets say that I have this friend who feels encumbered by all of the cameras and lenses he has acquired 😉 . He feels that having too many choices is detracting from just going out and taking photographs. He is considering "liquidating" all (nearly all) of his current gear and starting from scratch with the aim of putting together a set that will meet his requirements for the forseeable future.

He loves film and develops his own B&W, but has no darkroom. He is very much at home with digital and has PS CS2. He loves the immediacy of digital, but loves the film process and the options that gives him, but does find scanning a chore.

He will be keeping a good film SLR (and selection of lenses) for sentimental reasons.

He loves RF cameras for their portability, low light capability and quietness. He shoots 40% landscape, 40% street/candid, 10% portrait and 10% macro and other. He rarely uses a tripod and prefers hand held.

He has no illusions about becoming "well known", being a "great" photographer or making a living from photography. He rarely prints above A3. He does like quality equipment, but has no problem with second hand. He is not a collector and not flash.

If he liquidates all of his current photographic assets he could raise a little over £8000 ($14,000). If he keeps his current RF lenses he could raise around £6,000 ($10,500).

His current RF lens lineup is,

tri-elmar (latest)
35 'cron (iv)
50 'cron (latest)
50 CV nokton
50 summarit.

So, the question is what would you recommend within my friend's budget given his desire to simplify, at least in terms of camera choice.

My friend will be very grateful for any advice given.

 

[markinlondon]

I find this impossible to answer as I have a friend with a similar problem 😉

 

[rover]

Everyone needs an M3.

🙂

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

He feels that having too many choices is detracting from just going out and taking photographs. He is considering "liquidating" all (nearly all) of his current gear and starting from scratch with the aim of putting together a set that will meet his requirements for the forseeable future.

Hopefully, the full or nearly full liquidation does not lead to another cycle of buying 😉

But since he finds too many choices distracting, why not sell all but one lens and one camera of the highest value. In this case, keep the modern summicron, it is the standard by which most 50's are judged. It is easier to remain faithful to the costliest item, if nothing else, simply because it took the hugest bite out of your hide/wallet.

But more practically, and perhaps more useful, he really should just sell everything, buy a Hexar AF and be done with any choices whatsoever. One great lens, one great camera. Take it out with him everyday and shoot, that is where the real discipline kicks in.

 

[Ash]

Or buy an M-8....

 

[gregg]

My friend had almost the same problem last year (minus the tri-elmar...)

It sounds like your friend could really use an M6 body. He could also pick up a Nikon Coolscan 5000 with the SA-30 roll feeder. This virtually eliminates the pain of scanning home developed film. These purchases should run around $2500-3000 - with the other $7500 you can take 4-5 great photo vacations, buy/process a bunch of film and give some money to a good cause.

I second the option to sell the spare 50s and keep the summacron - adding a 75 or 90 with the proceeds would compliment the tri-elmar and 35/50 setup.

 

[telenous]

I have this stunningly beautiful friend - she always complains that she cannot make up her mind who she wants to be with. 'Too many options...' she says wistfully and with a vague sadness in her voice. 'Too many options, that's where the problem is'. True story.

Gid, your friend has many excellent lenses, small surprise he is so encumbered by indecision. I would let the Tri-Elmar, the Cron 35 v4. the Nokton 50 and the Summarit 50 go. In their place I would get the Lux 35 Asph. for low light and mild wide angle. The Cron 50 can then do what it does best during the day. That's it. Two lenses and two rf bodies. An SLR will also be useful for what a rangefinder cannot do.

 

[Ash]

I dont have any friends 🙁 Haha.


I'm lucky to be quite limited on my camera selection 😀

-I take the Kiev/Contax when I want great photo's, and size of the camera isn't an issue.
-I take the Fed-2 when I want great photo's but I can put it in my pocket
-I take the Zorki.....rarely. 🙁 I love it but it's SO loud. Maybe I'll get it CLA'd and see if it becomes quite enough to go unnoticed in a noisy city. It's basically my backup camera now.

I don't really use the Fed-4, it's there for when every other camera just isn't good enough, and I need something special 😀

I'll use an SLR when I need precision, or I want a change.


My GAS isn't that bad, because my budget is appalling. This means I can cycle through my cameras and use a different one each time I go out,, and not worry about lens choice, because they're all using 50mm! That way if one ever breaks down, I still have some others to use. I wouldn't dare limit myself to fewer cameras.

 

[Crasis]

I have this stunningly beautiful friend - she always complains that she cannot make up her mind who she wants to be with. 'Too many options...' she says wistfully and with a vague sadness in her voice. 'Too many options, that's where the problem is'. True story.

Gid, your friend has many excellent lenses, small surprise he is so encumbered by indecision. I would let the Tri-Elmar, the Cron 35 v4. the Nokton 50 and the Summarit 50 go. In their place I would get the Lux 35 Asph. for low light and mild wide angle. The Cron 50 can then do what it does best during the day. That's it. Two lenses and two rf bodies. An SLR will also be useful for what a rangefinder cannot do.

I second the motion. 2 lenses, 2 camera bodies. The 50/2 will have slow film, the 35/1.4 body will have fast film. The SLR will have a 90mm lens as it is far more fun to use telephotos on SLRs.

That extra money? Put it into something that will acrue interest and continue doing that until you make enough in a month from your invested money to retire.

I mean.. umm.. your friend, not you.

 

[Gid]

My friend is very grateful for your contibutions🙂 .

He already has an M6, so the idea of ditching the tri-elmar, 35 'cron, nokton and summarit and getting a 35 1.4 and a 75 or 90 and maybe an MP (or another M6) is appealing. Two nice complementary (manual) bodies and a reasonable selection of lenses (maybe add a 21mm for fun). The coolscan 5000 and roll feeder is also a very good idea.

Now lets see, that comes to ................ just about do-able.

He'll keep his Canon F1 for SLR stuff.

This all fits quite well with my friends thinking. I may be selling some stuff on his behalf very soon 😉

 

[Crasis]

My friend is very grateful for your contibutions🙂 .

He already has an M6, so the idea of ditching the tri-elmar, 35 'cron, nokton and summarit and getting a 35 1.4 and a 75 or 90 and maybe an MP (or another M6) is appealing. Two nice complementary (manual) bodies and a reasonable selection of lenses (maybe add a 21mm for fun). The coolscan 5000 and roll feeder is also a very good idea.

Now lets see, that comes to ................ just about do-able.

He'll keep his Canon F1 for SLR stuff.

This all fits quite well with my friends thinking. I may be selling some stuff on his behalf very soon 😉

If your friend has an M6 classic, and is looking to get an MP, your friend will probably want either an M6 TTL or newer to replace the M6 classic or your friend may get confused by the shutter dial going in a different direction on the MP vs the M6 classic.

If your friend is able to have two MPs, your friend would be in heaven 🙂

 

[JoeFriday]

I also have a stunningly beautiful friend, but much to my amazement, she always chooses to be with me 🙂

as for camera gear, I'd suggest either an M2 or an M6.. you can find excellent deals on either these days.. you might also want to consider a ZI.. I can't vouch for them personally as I've never seen one in the flesh.. but rumor has it they are an economical option with many features that will serve you well in the future

as for glass.. well, it doesn't make much sense to me to have an m-mount and only one lens.. I'd keep the 50 'Cron and find something wide to complement the 'Cron

then, I'd find a nice fixed-lens camera in the 35-40mm range.. a Contax T2, Canonet.. or possibly a Ricoh GR Digital, if you have any inclination to go that direction

 

[Gid]

If your friend has an M6 classic, and is looking to get an MP, your friend will probably want either an M6 TTL or newer to replace the M6 classic or your friend may get confused by the shutter dial going in a different direction on the MP vs the M6 classic.

If your friend is able to have two MPs, your friend would be in heaven 🙂

No, I think my friend would either be in debtors prison or have two MPs and no lenses😀

 

[back alley]

i have a friend that constantly wonders if having a 28 makes sense when he also has a great 25.

your frind sounds like he would be very happy with his m6 and an mp along with a fast 35 and a 75.

 

[Gid]

i have a friend that constantly wonders if having a 28 makes sense when he also has a great 25.

your frind sounds like he would be very happy with his m6 and an mp along with a fast 35 and a 75.

I think my friend would probably be happy with one black and one chrome camera - two M6s, two MPs or even two ZIs😉 I think my friend would avoid having lenses too close in terms of FOV as this would transfer his problem from cameras to lenses🙂

My friend says that he is very grateful for the input from the wise ones at RFF and that he is setting his sights on two RFs of similar ilk, a 21 or 24/25, a fast 35, a reasonably fast 50 and a 75 or 90.

If your friend does want a 28 he should give the CV Ultron a try (but I do hear the call of Zeiss in the distance🙂 )

 

[Marc-A.]

If your friend has too many options, maybe he can meet my friend and offers him some options 😀
Marc

 

[back alley]

my friend already has a 28 and a 25 and most of the time can see a need for what is a big enough difference in focal lengths.
but then sometimes it seems silly to have the 28.

our friends need alot of help...😉

 

[Goodyear]

Everyone needs an M3.

🙂

That's the position I'm coming back to, but SWMBO would probably rather object to a third M body, given that the last one was to be the last major gear purchase for a very long time. I think I;ve already talked her into a 40 nokton against that...

 

[rover]

Flowers, candy.... sneak it in the back door, will she ever know?

 

[Gid]

If your friend has too many options, maybe he can meet my friend and offers him some options 😀
Marc

The concept is not that silly. Exchanging gear with a fellow RFFer for say 3 to 6 months would allow both to experience "new" gear without the sale or purchase remorse normally associated with this process. My friend asks if anyone wants to swap an RD1 or a Bronica RF for an M6 classic for a few months🙂