JMQ
Well-known
Interesting comment Helen. I acquired a bit of gear to deal with my mid-life crisis (though not as much as Cal...), and I bring some gear to the RFF meets, sometimes to show off, but mostly to share some of the more unusual finds, e.g. the Rolleimarin or the Simmons Bros Omega 120 ok, ok, I did bring the Super Elmar 21 to piss Cal off. I'd love to bring the Thornton Pickard Lewis Gun if I could, but that's another story. Point I'm trying to make is the gear is a means to an end. Wether you use a Leica, Oly, Nikon, praKtica, or Rollei is moot. It's the results that matter. Now I may not want to fondle someone's Oly XA because I have used one before or there are other more interesting gear to fondle -- like the FW Rollei.
I did enjoy looking at the books that John, Pramodh, Steve put together.
I did enjoy looking at the books that John, Pramodh, Steve put together.
Particular
a.k.a. CNNY, disassembler
Helen,
John has been remarking at meetups that the total $ value of what we are putting on the table has been declining since the '9x M9' days. So perhaps we are on a (long slow) path to recovery from our dependencies.
As for the AF debate, I'll get on board with it once I have figured out how to build a camera around it.
BTW, weren't Leica the first to patent an autofocus system? I think they didn't see the use in cameras, but did used it in their slide projectors.
John has been remarking at meetups that the total $ value of what we are putting on the table has been declining since the '9x M9' days. So perhaps we are on a (long slow) path to recovery from our dependencies.
As for the AF debate, I'll get on board with it once I have figured out how to build a camera around it.
BTW, weren't Leica the first to patent an autofocus system? I think they didn't see the use in cameras, but did used it in their slide projectors.
finguanzo
Well-known
helen.HH
To Light & Love ...
JMO: yes understood and Agree "gear is a means to an end" 
Well Christian, haha indeed about the value of the gear on the Table in Decline
Ok Smartass Fidel, haha on Me...thats a Good One, i suppose it does work well and makes good sense !
Well Christian, haha indeed about the value of the gear on the Table in Decline
Ok Smartass Fidel, haha on Me...thats a Good One, i suppose it does work well and makes good sense !
Range-rover
Veteran
Superiority of gear, heck I'm bringing $30.00 Camera to the meet that I fixed up.
Bob
Bob
Ah come on Helen, you are just as gear crazy as the next.
zauhar
Veteran
Cal, I understand and share this attitude. I have observed that people come in two orientations with respect to physical things,
i) those who form an emotional attachment to stuff - they will keep the same tools for many years, and develop an emotional attachment to them, conscious or unconscious
ii) those who take a utilitarian perspective - "I only care about the final result, not how it's achieved"
I think this can be observed in any job or profession, and it is a fascinating dicohotomy. You see it continually in discussions here on RFF. I myself have no strong interest in acquiring new gear at the moment, unless it is a completely new capability (like starting with medium format, as we discussed the other day). I have hesitated to get a digital camera, because I almost feel I will be 'betraying' my existing tools. When I finally take the plunge, it will have to be a camera I can build a relationship with.
Randy
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Well the main reason I stopped going to RFf meet ups
Its the subliminal vibe of Superiority...
one may have in their Perception of their Gear...
Its Subtle but there...
Its hardly ever about The Fun of Shooting, Catching The Moment, Creating a 'Look'
Or becoming absorbed in a Theme...
Helen,
I'm sorry because you are missed. I try to make the Meet-Ups a safe place for everyone, but I feel that perhaps a male group competitive enviornment is not what we need nor should we promote.
Know that in the spirit of lightening up on gear egos that I on purpose came up with the concept of the Annual Beauty Pagent, and also know that I recognized and saw some bullying that I found rather distasteful and mean.
Groups get complicated.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Randy,
I try to promote both schools of thought, even though I will strongly defend what is right for me. If we are to be a support group that nurtures each other that welcomes all and everyone to create a safe place there should not be arrogance, bullying and other aggressive behavior.
I strongly feel that meet-ups need to be about sharing, support and being generous to each other, otherwise what is the point.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Bob,
Sounds like you have a nice candidate for an Italian goat leather treatment. I'll bring a swatch and my old covering to the December Meet-Up.
Know that Tung will likely show up with his F5. I'll also have a DK-17 1.2 magnifier you should try. Also know that if you like the compact 45/2.8P AIS that KEH now has many in stock at nice prices, but they are chrome versions. Know that Nikon made twice as many chrome versions than the rarer black versions.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I just want to let everyone know that not only do I try to become a better photographer every day that I also try to be a better person every day.
Cal
Cal
zauhar
Veteran
100 % correct. I don't think you will see bullying at physical meet ups, people generally reserve that for anonymous internet communication, where they don't risk getting punched.
I think I may also being missing something that's been going on in this thread?? I need to look more carefully!
Randy
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Randy,
The monthly Meet-Ups have been ongoing for about 5 Years. The NYC Meet-Up I think began in November five years ago, and in February there will be the Fifth Annual Camera Beauty Contest. A lot happens over 5 years, and with so many peoplew and so many meet-ups unfortunatly I have seen some things that I found negative and unkind.
It was unfortunate that I witnessed someone being mean and disrespectful to of all people my friend Helen Hill. Although this aggressive attack was not physical, I would call it the definition of bullying, and not only does this deeply disturbs me, it still really pisses me off.
The internet displays some of the conditions and group dynamic of the human condition, society and demographics, and perhaps the NYC Meet-Up represents a smaller sampling or cross section. Unfortunately stuff happens and some times bullying does occur.
MEAN PEOPLE SUCK.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Jean-Marc,
There is no way that I can monopolize all the great deals on the Internet, and I'm rather glad that you sniped that nicely priced 21 SEM because first of all I didn't really have the money, and I'd rather have a friend buy the lens than a stranger.
SMUT: I found a really good deal on a 21/3.4 Super Elmar at Pop Flash and was going to buy it with the plastic card with the magic numbers, but when Mike at Pop Flash went to the shelf to check the lens for me it somehow was already sold/gone. The world is not that big a place, and since I have a boring day-job I used my journalism skills to track down the person who sniped my lens. I PM'ed Jean-Marc and discover that my instinct was correct, and it was Jean-Marc who sniped my lens for my 1980 black MD-2 with TA Rapidgrip and TA Rapidwinder. LOL.
Cal
SuperUJ
Well-known
Nikon party in our next meeting up? I can bring my F6 and see if Tung gets GAS. Cal, do you still have the slide viewer? Perhaps, I can show some of the Velvia 50 taken by the F6. /John
stompyq
Well-known
Well the main reason I stopped going to RFf meet ups
Its the subliminal vibe of Superiority...
one may have in their Perception of their Gear...
Its Subtle but there...
Its hardly ever about The Fun of Shooting, Catching The Moment, Creating a 'Look'
Or becoming absorbed in a Theme...
Your missing all the franken cameras that christian is cooking up
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
John,
In the downsizing I did keep a slide viewer, but I also have a GePe light table that I think is much better for viewing pages of slides. A Nikon part of sorts sounds like fun.
I'll be bringing the F3HP that looks like it got a Prada uniform for that Italian look. I'll also bring my F3P that has been optimized for use with a Noct-Nikkor that features a Beattie Intenscreen. It is an eye opener to see the difference between the brighter screen and a Nikon Red-Dot "K" screen. While one screen is brighter, the other offers better snap and contrast. Also have the $390.00 black paint F2 with DE-1 eye-level prism. Effectively more magnification than a F3HP prism, but the DK-17 can add enough so that the additional magnification from a Noct-Nikkor allows for a 100% VF'er.
I'll also bring the materials for Bob to change the foam seals.
Cal
Wait, has my behavior been labeled bullying now?
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
John,
No. I do not promote labels because this can create tension that builds up over time. I'll be the first to say I own a lot of cameras, but I do not consider myself a collector, even though I have some many nice cameras. Calling my gear lined up on a shelf a "Camera Museum" is funny, but labeling or associating me as a collector is not. Collectors save their cameras, don't use them and hoard them as commodities. These associations I do not find flattering.
I just brought it up because I find the term collector to be derogatory when I consider myself a photographer, a serious photographer, who uses all his gear to do his work. Also you should know that I shoot both small and medium formats, 6x6, 6x7 and 6x9, so it would be natural and organic for me to have a big selection of cameras. Add onto that that I also now shoot digital.
But here again I find myself having to explain myself again... and to someone who has known me a long time...
I try to encourage sharing of creativity and passion among my friends. I try to acknowledge some very creative out of the box thinking by Phil so that it might help Tung, but it becomes a debate between manual focus vs auto-focus, when the original question that started all the arguing was why would anyone want to use a manual focus lens on a DSLR.
I'm really a very secure person. I'll be the first person to make fun of myself, but why do I feel that I have to defend myself again and again? Why do I feel compelled to have to explain myself? Why did Phil have to explain his position? Interesting to note the disregard to our explainations to why someone would want to use manual focus lenses on a DSLR.
Read through the thread again. For now I'm done explaining.
Cal