Life is Good

[FrankS]

I'm bulk loading HP5+, developing film in Diafine, my M6 is coming any day now, and the negs from the Indian wedding I was at look good. I got the last of the old vulcanite off the back door of the M3, and this month's Rangefinder magazine is actually not bad. Photographically, what more could you ask for? Life is good!

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Frank,

What more can you ask for? Lower taxes! (One of the drawbacks of living in France...)

But my wife and I have just come back from 4 weeks in Central and Eastern Europe (Austria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic) and we have 86 rolls of film to process, shot with Leicas (MP and M4P) and Voigtlanders (T and R3) and yup, apart from the taxes, life is indeed pretty good...

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)

 

[ErnestoJL]

You´re right Frank, life is good!
and yet uncomplicated !!!!!

There are a lot of nice little things that make it everyday... scratching one´s dog´s back (he´s smiling too - believe me!), listening tango music in the radio... planning some new ways to do things... geting back to life a tiny Yashica Mimy.... a handfull of good friends... what else does anyone need?

I´ve just bought a New canonet QL17 (a gift for a friend of mine) (and it makes me feel even better) ... the (new) wet darkroom its on it´s way... simple things that make the life damn good in any way...

I´m going to take some more pictures today before picking up my wife at the bus station... all this will make the day even better!!

Best regards!
Ernesto

 

[FrankS]

Hey Roger, welcome back! We missed you. Are the films you and Francis took a mix of B+W and colour? Do you process yourself or send out? Can't wait to see some posted here!

(If pressed, I would have to say that I'd still wish for some pretty, nude models.)

Ernesto, you are so right about the little things in life we should be aware of and thankful for!

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Frank, everytime I see that camera I get a little pang of envy. I want to hold it, hear the shutter click.

Sheesh it's almost like wanting another guy's woman. I need to get out more.

 

[FrankS]

I'd lend you my camera, but as for my wife, I'd have to see yours first. 😉 (Just kidding! Humour is another one of life's little pleasures.)

 

[vincentbenoit]

Photographically, what more could you ask for?

An all-digital workflow?




(Just kidding).

Cheers
Vincent

 

[FrankS]

An all-digital workflow?

Not for me, buddy!

 

[rbiemer]

An all-digital workflow?




(Just kidding).

Cheers
Vincent

Only if thumbs count as digits...
Rob

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Frank,

Thanks for the welcome back. Nice to be back, too.

40+ rolls of slide
20+ rolls of C41 (colour and XP2)
20+ rolls of 'real' B+W

All to be home processed. This will take severql weeks... I'll try to post some ASAP.

Romania has the friendliest people of any country I have ever visited -- qnd possibly the worst roads!

And after being turned over by German customs (who were impeccably polite) I now know that cigarettes are very cheap there too...

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Roger Hicks]

Oh, yeah: and 3/4 gig digi too...

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Bertram2]

Dear Frank,

Thanks for the welcome back. Nice to be back, too.

40+ rolls of slide
20+ rolls of C41 (colour and XP2)
20+ rolls of 'real' B+W

Roger

Roger,
may I ask you how much of it you will scan and which scanner you will use for this "mass-production" ? Scanner speed is a decisive thing for you I could imagine ?

best,
Bertram

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

I'd lend you my camera, but as for my wife, I'd have to see yours first. 😉 (Just kidding! Humour is another one of life's little pleasures.)

Next to a very nice Leica, humor is good.

 

[vha]

Absolutely, life ain´t so bad at the moment, goes to Montevideo tomorrow to get some stamps in my passport (renewing the visa), Brings my M6, some film and a toothbrush 😉

Soon 2nd week with the M6, and I like it !, can spot some urge for a 50mm in half a year from now or so, but thats not important now. Hopefully its nice weather in Montevideo, can definitive imagine having some nice coffee, some italian style ice-cream and some slowly walking around in centro, and a M6 ready for use in the top of my bag.

vha

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Bertram2,

The slide and colour C41 will be scanned on an 'as needed' basis using a Konica Minolta Dimage 5400-II. The sequence after processing is as follows:

Slides: sort and mount (Gepe). Throw out failures: keep 'overs' and doubtfuls for another sort later (weeks, months or years). Store mounted slides in hanging files. Scan as needed.

C41 colour. Sleeve in Print File sleeves; scan whole sleeve (in two bites, stitched together in Photoshop) using Epson 1680 to create 'contact sheet'. Scan as needed.

C41 mono and 'real' B+W: 'contact sheet' as for C41 colour but print conventionally as needed using Ilford MG WT.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[FrankS]

Life is really good! My M6 arrived at the post office this morning and I was able to pick it up before leaving on a little family holiday up near Georgian Bay. The M6 came in it's original clamshell case, original cardboard box, and papers including instruction book. The camera is in great shape with not dents or scratches, just wear on the top deck edges. The white paint in the LEICA M6 engraving on the front has been removed so it looks blacked-out and like a serious machine. Love the meter!

Did I say life was good? Well the hotel we're staying at has a computer with internet access in the lobby and my wife just gave me 20min. of free time! I just had to say hi to you guys!

 

[back alley]

who was that masked man?

it's leica man!
good shootin' with your m6 frank!

joe

 

[Fred]

Well done Frank, sounds like you've got a good one there. Make sure that the others still get used. 😀 How's that recovered one doing? 🙂

And welcome back Roger, thought you might have deserted us. 😱
Interesting that you print the B&W stuff first, do you scan the negs or the final print. My scanner (Coolscan IV) does not work too well with B&W, (probably me) so I scan the print instead on a flat bed.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Good to see you're back, Roger!

And, Frank... yes, life is good when your gear is in good shape.

As you may see in my signature, all my photos from Costa Rica arrived between Friday and today. Now, I'm a happy man.

Nope, they're not great. There are decent shots and some duds, but it's been a long time since I saw myself as a "photographer" and now I only shoot the images I want to remember. Nothing goes as artsy no more... The attempts at art were taking away my enjoyment of photography! 🙁

So, life is good. Even if one of my Leicas is at DAG now, but I know it's nothing terrible: a misaligned RF only.

 

[Trius]

FranK: Yeah! Even if you hadn't gotten the M6 in time, a holiday on Georgian Bay means life IS good! Cools one off just being there, and there is no shortage of photo subjects to boot.

My wife, neighbour and I were at Hillebrand's "Jazz in the Vineyard" yesterday, and boy, life is GOOD! We brought our own shade, plenty of eats, and Oly 35SP and OM-1n. APX 125 loaded up in the SP, Elitechrome and then K64 loaded up in the OM-1n. I have to admit I shot more with the OM (am I forgiven?) and I didn't get up and move a lot. I just did a lot of grab shots from my lawn chair, mostly with the 100mm silver nose. Gotta love that OM viewfinder! Again... am I forgiven? :angel:

Share photos and details when you return, Frank ... If I'm not on Georgian Bay, I wanna see the pics!

Trius