Irrational wants

Probably a 4x5 of some kind, maybe a Walker. At the moment, I'd never use it, but when I move to Australia next year, I should have more time on my hands.

To those wanting an Alpa or Hasselblad SWC, check out Fotoman 69 and Dmini, much the same thing, but more affordable and easier to come by. I wanted an Alpa, but the Fotoman really scratched the itch. I got the 69, but if I had my time again, I'd consider the Dmini.
 
thegman said:
Probably a 4x5 of some kind, maybe a Walker. At the moment, I'd never use it, but when I move to Australia next year, I should have more time on my hands.

To those wanting an Alpa or Hasselblad SWC, check out Fotoman 69 and Dmini, much the same thing, but more affordable and easier to come by. I wanted an Alpa, but the Fotoman really scratched the itch. I got the 69, but if I had my time again, I'd consider the Dmini.
Click to expand...
Only in the sense that a Ford is much the same thing as a Rolls Royce.

Cheers,

R.
 
Tom A said:
Probably my desire to get a Hasselblad SWC again - haven't had one for close to 30 years. I am quite sure that if I got one - I would still prefer the Bessa Wide!
Also, now and then, I get this urge to go back to 4x5 or 8x10 - and get a Sinar P2 and a humongous tripod again. There is something about 8x10 bl/w negatives - and contact prints that is very addictive.
Truly irrational want is an ALPA with the 6x9 cm roll film back and either a Schneidar 58mm XL or a 72mm XL.
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What's irrational about it? Oh... You mean it would be more rational to have the 35/5.6 Apo Grandagon (Frances's favourite on 6x9 on her Alpa).

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Only in the sense that a Ford is much the same thing as a Rolls Royce.

Cheers,

R.
Click to expand...

I've never used a real Alpa, so I'll have to defer to you on that one. However, the Fotoman was enough like an Alpa to remove the GAS for me. Perhaps if I used an Alpa, the condition would be further inflamed.

I will say that the Alpa I'd like, the TC, I understand has no moving parts other than the clips to hold on the film back and the lens mount, same as the Fotoman. So does not the "Rolls Royce" factor come from parts such as the lens, backs, finder etc.? Not camera itself, which is just a really nice bit of metal (and I'm sure it is lovely)? I ask because I really don't know, I've never even seen an Alpa in a shop window.
 
thegman said:
I've never used a real Alpa, so I'll have to defer to you on that one. However, the Fotoman was enough like an Alpa to remove the GAS for me. Perhaps if I used an Alpa, the condition would be further inflamed.

I will say that the Alpa I'd like, the TC, I understand has no moving parts other than the clips to hold on the film back and the lens mount, same as the Fotoman. So does not the "Rolls Royce" factor come from parts such as the lens, backs, finder etc.? Not camera itself, which is just a really nice bit of metal (and I'm sure it is lovely)? I ask because I really don't know, I've never even seen an Alpa in a shop window.
Click to expand...
Put it this way: I had an Alpa before I ever tried a Fotoman, so I'm heavily biased (though I had tried Horseman and Linhof 612 cameras before).

It's 'fit and finish'. Even such apparently trivial stuff as the clips are simply made better. To borrow a (perhaps inappropriate) example, my wife inherited her father's original 1930s Colt National Match .45. It's as perfectly standard Colt .45 -- except that it was factory blueprinted, so that every tolerance is as close as it can possibly be. And the difference is impressive.

If you're ever in this part of France, drop in and you can try a 12WA, though not the TC. I can understand the appeal of the TC, but the WA is... I don't know... even more luxurious, and the (modest) saving in size and weight seems too modest to me, so I prefer the WA.

What I WOULD like, though (and can't afford) is a high-end digital back for the Alpas as well as our film backs.

EDIT: Come to think of it, the Alpa's ergonomics are a lot better too. I tried the revived Fotomans at photokina, and although they're much better finished than the originals (though nowhere near Alpa standard) they just don't sit in the hand as well.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger,
Thanks for the explanation, I guess it's a hundred improvements that add up to a sum greater than it's parts then. Certainly the Fotoman is not luxurious, and ergonomics are only so-so. Actually, it's the Horseman back which is a pain, less than the camera. The finder it came with was tragically bad, but I replaced it with a Leica one, which is obviously a lot nicer.

It's probably best I don't try it though, or I'll end up a lot poorer. The Alpas very appealing, and perhaps I'm lucky that I have no desire to have a digital back, so they are somewhat in reach with a film back.

Cheers

Garry
 
thegman said:
Roger,
Thanks for the explanation, I guess it's a hundred improvements that add up to a sum greater than it's parts then. Certainly the Fotoman is not luxurious, and ergonomics are only so-so. Actually, it's the Horseman back which is a pain, less than the camera. The finder it came with was tragically bad, but I replaced it with a Leica one, which is obviously a lot nicer.

It's probably best I don't try it though, or I'll end up a lot poorer. The Alpas very appealing, and perhaps I'm lucky that I have no desire to have a digital back, so they are somewhat in reach with a film back.

Cheers

Garry
Click to expand...
Dear Garry,

Highlight 1: I don't think anyone could sum it up better.

Highlight 2: You may be right!

Cheers,

R.
 
Right now my longest standing irrational want is a nice Contax IIA, irrational because I am very content with my M2, and IIIc, and have no real reason to need an entirely new mount to buy.
 
thegman said:
Probably a 4x5 of some kind, maybe a Walker. At the moment, I'd never use it, but when I move to Australia next year, I should have more time on my hands.

To those wanting an Alpa or Hasselblad SWC, check out Fotoman 69 and Dmini, much the same thing, but more affordable and easier to come by. I wanted an Alpa, but the Fotoman really scratched the itch. I got the 69, but if I had my time again, I'd consider the Dmini.
Click to expand...
Whereabouts are you planning to call home?
Regards
Brett
 
I doubt many "wants" are anything other than irrational when compared to "needs" - assuming one has been rational about assessing "needs".

My irrational want is a Nikon F2SB. I bought one a couple of years ago without having researched the subject in sufficient depth. A couple of months later when I found out that it had the wrong head on it and was an F2S, I was not very happy, to say the least. I didn't tackle the dealer as I actually like and trust them and have had a few good deals from them and I don't believe, for one moment, that they sold it to me knowing it wasn't as described. I actually blame Nikon as, aside from the F2AS, there's no way of telling the heads apart (unless you know the look of them) without detaching them from the body and you know which head = which camera designation. Same with the FM2 / FM2n unless you know that only the serial numbers starting with "N" are FM2n's. Why should we have to know this? Why not just put it on the front of the bloody camera?

Anyway, as it wasn't what I wanted, I lived with it begrudgingly and sold it (as an F2S) after a few months.

I now want a "proper" F2SB as I have a few nice Nikkor Ai and AiS lenses.

Irrational? Yes, as I have a lovely Nikon F3HP and I don't do a lot of 35mm shooting other than digital. I just want to experience what many suggest is Nikon's crowning glory when it comes to metered manual cameras.
 
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