new generation of RF users

[John]

My brother said I am the only person he knows that bought a film camera in the last two years. 😱
I told him I was beginning construction of a tube guitar amp. There are lots of people doing both - he just doesn't know them. 😀

 

[ghost]

the more esoteric and obscure the better.

leica is bling-bling, too.

 

[photogdave]

I'm disappointed this interesting discussion got a littel off track with some of the younger members being insulted by the "hipness" mention. Notice I didn't say "label" because I don't think that was the intention.
Older people find it easier to spot trends because they have been around longer and can see what's hapenning from a more objective point of view. "Trendy" has a negative connotation to it these days but it's not supposed to. I think (and of course I could be totatlly wrong) that the OP didn't mean to use "hip" to imply people thoughtlessy following a fad, but illustrate that a lot of younger people who may already be cool or fashionable (in a positive way) have taken up film and RF photography. This is how I interpret it, and it's an observation I share.
No insults or stereotyping intended!
For the record, I'm 33.

 

[40oz]

I'm disappointed this interesting discussion got a littel off track with some of the younger members being insulted by the "hipness" mention. Notice I didn't say "label" because I don't think that was the intention.
Older people find it easier to spot trends because they have been around longer and can see what's hapenning from a more objective point of view. "Trendy" has a negative connotation to it these days but it's not supposed to. I think (and of course I could be totatlly wrong) that the OP didn't mean to use "hip" to imply people thoughtlessy following a fad, but illustrate that a lot of younger people who may already be cool or fashionable (in a positive way) have taken up film and RF photography. This is how I interpret it, and it's an observation I share.
No insults or stereotyping intended!
For the record, I'm 33.

I agree. Never heard people protest they were insulted by being called hip before LOL.

 

[colyn]

I agree. Never heard people protest they were insulted by being called hip before LOL.

I remember when being hip meant you were a hippie...

 

[Adam Muir]

I think that there are always poeple wanting to be different, RF film shooting is different, stopped being the norm in the 60's ???
why do what everyone else is ( DSLR )???

I love the feel and look of my RF cams, this may be a **** reason but it still gets me shooting.

 

[FrankS]

I have an anti-establishment/anti-normality/anti-herd streak in me that RF film camera shooting satisfies. If this becomes too trendy, I'll have to find something else! 🙁

 

[colyn]

Everyone knows that I fall into this demographic. Everyone also knows that I don't like to be labeled something and then put into a corner. I use film because I love the process of shoot/develop/print. I use rangefinders because I love how simple and easy to use they are. There is no counter culture, 'hipness' reason to my choice.

Simple answer to a complex question.

You sound so much like my eldest daughter. She is somewhat independant and hates to be labeled based on her age (21)

 

[IGMeanwell]

I don't prefer one thing to another ... there are days that I feel I want to shoot with my DSLR get that immediate feedback, have a greater understanding of what the camera can do or if I just want to use a certain lens

Then there are days where I just want to take out my Electro and snap whatever, or sometimes I just want to see how film would look in a certain setting

and often I will take both film and my DSLR out with me

it has nothing to do with being different since just carrying a camera with me makes me different than most people I meet in the course of a day

 

[Tim Gray]

I really wish I could be called hip. My girlfriend would be ecstatic.

I think it's sad that rangefinders are totally non existant in this digital market. It's such a brilliant idea that really has some nice uses, and this site has really shown me that 35mm film is really still viable. Crap, you can develop in coffee or other home made developers! As a result, the rangefinder in its current form is attractive to me.

I'd love to pick up a digital rangefinder at some point, but right now I can afford a film one. It's just a hobby for me so I have a hard time justifying the really expensive cameras and lenses... like $1000 isn't expensive.

Not to say that SLR's don't have their uses. I love mine.

Same goes for digital. I think digital is awesome: digital audio, digital video, digital photo. It's all great. So's film.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

I have an anti-establishment/anti-normality/anti-herd streak in me that RF film camera shooting satisfies. If this becomes too trendy, I'll have to find something else! 🙁

Now I am disillusioned!! I thought the real reason you shoot RF film cameras was because they are chick magnets.

Wayne

 

[IGMeanwell]

If using RF film camera was a chick magnet.... well I don't think I would be posting as much as I have been 🙂

 

[thelovecollect]

If using RF film camera was a chick magnet.... well I don't think I would be posting as much as I have been 🙂

your english bulldog probably works better than all your cameras combined..😎

 

[gigyas]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here. I just thought I would chime in on this subject, seeing as I fit into this category. I have been shooting film for at least 5 years. First a 110 toy camera my parents got, then a few 35mm P&S that belonged to my parents. My first "real" camera was a Canon A-1. From that point I was hooked. I took a photography class in high school a few years ago and knew immediately that I would forever (or as long as it was available) be processing my own b&w film. The only cameras I have bought for myself are a Yashica D tlr a couple years ago, and just recently an Electro 35 GSN, based on much lurking here. I use film because I find the digital process to be to sterile. I prefer older cameras because I like the way they are built and the way they operate. I also love the process, from pressing the shutter button, to pulling the print out of the wash, it is just too much not to do. I got the rangefinder bug because they are inexpensive, which is something to be valued by a poor college student. So, a long answer to a short question, hope you all dont mind.

My brother said I am the only person he knows that bought a film camera in the last two years. 😱
I told him I was beginning construction of a tube guitar amp. There are lots of people doing both - he just doesn't know them. 😀

Thats scary John, we must be twins or something. Aside from the sources, my two stereo systems and a guitar amp use tubes and are hand built. 😀

 

[IGMeanwell]

your english bulldog probably works better than all your cameras combined..😎

LOL ... yeah he's quite good in that respect!! I actually took some portraits of him this morning but I haven't developed the film yet

 

[telenous]

I'm disappointed this interesting discussion got a littel off track with some of the younger members being insulted by the "hipness" mention. Notice I didn't say "label" because I don't think that was the intention.
Older people find it easier to spot trends because they have been around longer and can see what's hapenning from a more objective point of view. "Trendy" has a negative connotation to it these days but it's not supposed to. I think (and of course I could be totatlly wrong) that the OP didn't mean to use "hip" to imply people thoughtlessy following a fad, but illustrate that a lot of younger people who may already be cool or fashionable (in a positive way) have taken up film and RF photography. This is how I interpret it, and it's an observation I share.
No insults or stereotyping intended!
For the record, I'm 33.

You 're absolutely right Photogdave - I had absolutely no intention to make the younger members appear thoughtless fad followers and I didn't for a moment expect them to take my comment this way. The excellent comments by Jocko, FrankS and all the others explored the same issue in a way with which I am in complete agreement and which, I still think, affords a reading that is not in the slightest patronising or disrespectful to the younger members (heck, at 36 I am not that old myself). For I never said they were trying to be hip by simply totting a weird camera but I implied the converse, i.e. that cameras and film are getting hip because they are being discovered as the wonderful image mediums they are. I accept though that the term 'hip' may be loaded for some (nothing more unhip than trying to be hip) and I am willing to replace it with any other suitable term :angel:

So, one can still uphold the conjunctive statement that rangefinders (and film!) are (how should I put it without stirring the pot) different and yet the proper tools for certain photographic applications. Their 'difference' is something that may (or may not) appeal to all of us, irrespective of age, although I would venture to say that it may be found to be a lesser factor with advancing age. This is not the result of some deep statistical analysis, hence it does have many exceptions, but an observation, the general veracity of which is open to dispute, but not seriously I would think.

 

[IGMeanwell]

Well I can agree there are many who go from Digital back to Film out of curiosity

but some who grew up (like me) still in the height of film use took photography classes in highschool or college where it was all about using a manual camera and using film as the only medium.

To be honest around my parts I rarely see younger folks with cameras and if I do there typical P&S digitals for snapshots ... though from time to time I will see someone my age carrying around an old Olympus OM or Pentax K or a newer Canon Rebel

I have rarely come across another DSLR user even at the touristy Lake George... maybe were just a bit behind in these parts

 

[ghost]

let's be honest, there are many reasons for liking rangefinders. some are technical, some are personal, some are social. so what if trend-following is a part of the rangefinder renaissance?

 

[pachuco]

Newer member here but I almost fall into the "young" age range 🙂

I was drawn to my rangefinder for quite work where my SLR would sound like a frikin clap of thunder. My RF is more personal and more of an extention of me than any other camera I own. Digital is great, but I don't get the same organic feel with it. Clients almost always require it but for personal long term projects I almost always use film and if I can, my beat up old Canonet.

 

[FrankS]

I really wish I could be called hip. My girlfriend would be ecstatic.
I think it's sad that rangefinders are totally non existant in this digital market. It's such a brilliant idea that really has some nice uses, and this site has really shown me that 35mm film is really still viable. Crap, you can develop in coffee or other home made developers! As a result, the rangefinder in its current form is attractive to me.

I'd love to pick up a digital rangefinder at some point, but right now I can afford a film one. It's just a hobby for me so I have a hard time justifying the really expensive cameras and lenses... like $1000 isn't expensive.

Not to say that SLR's don't have their uses. I love mine.

Same goes for digital. I think digital is awesome: digital audio, digital video, digital photo. It's all great. So's film.

This is a retelling of a story someone here once posted:

I took my wife for the very first time to a photo gear show/flea market. We went our own way for a short while and when we met up again, my wife looked at me in horror and said, "Oh my God, everyone here is a ... geek!"