Takkun
Ian M.
Backstory:
I've been shooting with rangefinders, Bessas in particular, on and off since high school, but this summer, I finally decided to ditch the beastly Nikons left over from my press days and dive headfirst into RFs for urban photography. I treated myself to a gently used M5 to build my kit around.
Now, when I'd be out with a D3 and 85mm lens, my subjects would run for cover when I'd point that on them. Alternately, I'd get people coming up to talk shop, particularly the 'well let me tell you about my Canon, and why it's clearly the better camera' sort of conversations I don't particularly enjoy having.
But mostly I'd get the former reaction.
While there's a lot I could say about interacting with subjects on the street and the difficulties of doing so, I've noticed something very peculiar these days.
Just today alone, on three separate occasions, people struck up conversation with me. Starting with 'hey, is that really an M5?' The sort of sentence that makes me a little more inclined to respond than the ubiquitous 'hey, nice camera!'. These weren't just aspiring Leica fanatics or gearheads, but some very interesting people--a retired foreign correspondent, a former Leica distributor, a museum employee. Now this happens probably once a week, it so seems. Always fascinating conversation.
I just find it ironic that a camera I use specifically not to draw attention seems to be the cause of so many (delightful) chance introductions.
I've been shooting with rangefinders, Bessas in particular, on and off since high school, but this summer, I finally decided to ditch the beastly Nikons left over from my press days and dive headfirst into RFs for urban photography. I treated myself to a gently used M5 to build my kit around.
Now, when I'd be out with a D3 and 85mm lens, my subjects would run for cover when I'd point that on them. Alternately, I'd get people coming up to talk shop, particularly the 'well let me tell you about my Canon, and why it's clearly the better camera' sort of conversations I don't particularly enjoy having.
But mostly I'd get the former reaction.
While there's a lot I could say about interacting with subjects on the street and the difficulties of doing so, I've noticed something very peculiar these days.
Just today alone, on three separate occasions, people struck up conversation with me. Starting with 'hey, is that really an M5?' The sort of sentence that makes me a little more inclined to respond than the ubiquitous 'hey, nice camera!'. These weren't just aspiring Leica fanatics or gearheads, but some very interesting people--a retired foreign correspondent, a former Leica distributor, a museum employee. Now this happens probably once a week, it so seems. Always fascinating conversation.
I just find it ironic that a camera I use specifically not to draw attention seems to be the cause of so many (delightful) chance introductions.
OurManInTangier
An Undesirable
I've had many similar conversations and encounters myself. A delightful older lady who'd spent her years working in Fleet St and across the world in the 30s' and 40s' recognized my M6 as an old RF and she regaled me with stories that made me wish I'd been born sixty or seventy years earlier. Even the gear-head types tend to be a little more polite and interested in you ( as with you, my experience of the DSLR chatters when I'm working with mine tends a little more toward the 'measuring tape' variety) and how you use it.
This extends to my Fuji X Pro and X100 too, the old fashioned styling catches out many who remember the original RF cameras and simply makes other modern (semi)RF users want to chat about how good they are.
Very occasionally this type of encounter may make me miss what I was hoping to photograph but 99% of the time I end up a little bit richer for it. Whilst I love my DSLRs for their workhorse nature and ability to enrich my bank account they never enrich my life in the same way my odd looking little cameras do.
This extends to my Fuji X Pro and X100 too, the old fashioned styling catches out many who remember the original RF cameras and simply makes other modern (semi)RF users want to chat about how good they are.
Very occasionally this type of encounter may make me miss what I was hoping to photograph but 99% of the time I end up a little bit richer for it. Whilst I love my DSLRs for their workhorse nature and ability to enrich my bank account they never enrich my life in the same way my odd looking little cameras do.
peterm1
Veteran
I often get this kind of admiring attention with my Leica M8 as well. Usually along the lines of wow I love that old camera (followed by me explaining that its not old - its digital and a bit about Leica's history). The interesting thing is that a lot of attention comes from young women who are often studying art or some such.
Sparrow
Veteran
I must scare folk off, no one ever approaches me ...
Rayt
Nonplayer Character
I get a lot of young ladies in short pants coming up to me when I set up my 4x5 in China. No kidding. Old people on the other hand gawk at my Leica and ask me where on earth do I get film anymore!
sjgslack
Established
I had a guy in a gallery come up to me last year when I was carrying my M2 and say "Wow, is that one of those new Fujis?"!
Imitation is clearly the highest form of flattery
Imitation is clearly the highest form of flattery
YYV_146
Well-known
Don't get much attention when I'm using the Bessa, obviously the design looks too much like one of Canon's OVF point&shoots.
I will talk to anyone using an m6 or m7 on the street, though
I will talk to anyone using an m6 or m7 on the street, though
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Another camera that attracts a lot of attention is Alpa, especially in China. The funniest occasion, though, was when Frances and I were wandering around Zurich and went into a camera store to look at the second hand department (as you do). There's a Cornish saying, "eyes like chapel hat-pegs" (= eyes popping, eyes on stalks) and that's what happened when the shop assistant saw we were carrying brand-new his'n'hers Alpas (we were Alpa's guests in Zurich...)
Cheers,
R.
valdas
Veteran
My M6 does not get half of the attention Rolleiflex gets...
The hunched back and third eye has that effect on people.
EdwardKaraa
Well-known
On a couple of occasions, German tourists recognized my M9 and complimented me for my good taste in German manufacturing Otherwise I don't get much interest in my camera here in Bangkok.
Otherwise I don't get much interest in my camera here in Bangkok.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
OddE
Recovering GAS addict.
-I had a similar thing happen a while ago - someone comes up to me as I am shooting with my M4, stating that Fuji really got the retro design wave going with their new cameras - what kind of camera was I carrying?
valdas
Veteran
Oh yes... And then I am instantaneously reminded (by someone next to me) that my camera can get damaged if I start enjoying this attention...
pvdhaar
Peter
With the cameras mentioned so far, people have at least a basic grasp of the idea that it's a camera. But try to pull a vomit yellow/green Lomo Supersampler out of your pockets, and virtually everyone who sees you goes "what the heck is that??", followed by a discussion about the what, why and how it does what it does..
I've even had people come back a while later for a second chat when it dawned upon them that it's doing all that whirring and clicking without batteries..
I've even had people come back a while later for a second chat when it dawned upon them that it's doing all that whirring and clicking without batteries..
Sparrow
Veteran
ray*j*gun
Veteran
daveleo
what?
The X100 gets me the same kind of reaction.
One guy in a train station would not stop yapping about how much he wanted one like mine.
Another guy whom (who?) I handed the camera to take my picture was trying to use the thumb rest to advance the film ! ! and that started yet another funny conversation.
Another guy using his large DSLR to take tourist pictures stopped me to admire the X100.
One guy in a train station would not stop yapping about how much he wanted one like mine.
Another guy whom (who?) I handed the camera to take my picture was trying to use the thumb rest to advance the film ! ! and that started yet another funny conversation.
Another guy using his large DSLR to take tourist pictures stopped me to admire the X100.
Paul Jenkin
Well-known
I've had a few interesting people come up and start talking to me when using a tripod. I have absolutely no idea why they had a fascination with the tripod or whether it was the fact that there was (variously) a Hasselblad 500c/m or a Mamiya 7 sat on it. However, I've had zero reaction to carrying a Nikon (or any other) SLR.
I've had the same Fujis mistaken for Leicas... usually by old military types and young women.