Juan Valdenebro
Truth is beauty
Hi Lobo,
I've followed this thread since your first post came...
So far, I've had great success at not talking about my personal preferences...
I think the most important words you've used to tell us forum members what you want to do with your camera, were:
“Different Pitcures should be taken, but mostly non-moving objects outside, at daylight. perhaps still streetscenes.”
When I do that, I use an SLR because I don't need to care too much really about shutter sound, and because I like the high (1/4000 or 1/8000) shutter speeds... And sometimes, for the same situations I prefer the smaller size of my Bessas, with 1/2000 and the ability to use ND filters without affecting vision through lens (as on SLR's)... For lenses above 50mm I prefer SLR's in general if I'm not doing street shooting (people).
That's what I think you should get: a small RF or a small SLR you could use with different lenses...
If you pick a compact RF from the 70's you'll have a just slightly smaller camera (most of the times, not always), but that won't be free: it will mean serious compromises... If you pick one of the small ones, your lens won't be fast, and you won't be able to shoot in dim light or use selective focus easily... And with some of those small ones you won't have a meter, or you won't have high ISO's, or you won't have AE lock if you have AE, or your high shutter speeds will be very low... Finally, the great benefit of a small camera is not size or weight, but the way people perceive (or not) your camera, but you won't be shooting people, as you said...
It also looks like you want to be in control of the settings: that's nice... You should get a powerful tool for that: compact fixed lens RF's will limit you: depending on the light or place: sun, shade, interiors, you'll find yourself with a useless camera in your hands... If instead of using a camera with 1/250 top shutter speed, ISO800, and f/2.8 lens, you use one with 1/4000, ISO3200 and 1.4 lens, you'll be able to photograph with a totally different level of freedom, both to create images the way you prefer, and also to even be -at least- able to capture some of them...
Of course we all can use those small cameras for many photographs (I use the XA a lot, always at f/8 and f/11, prefocused) but I know it's not good for low light (because of its lens, RF and ISO), and so on every camera has limits, but if we talk about ONE camera to go out with and be able to photograph in different light situations, the truth is we need fast shutter speeds, a fast lens and high ISO's...
Just to name the two cameras I prefer as ONLY cameras to go out: Bessa R3A with 40 1.4 (1/2000 and ISO3200) and Nikon FE2 with 50 1.4 (1/4000 and ISO3200)... I prefer them with meter, and also with AE and AE lock, for the times AE can be well used...
Consider going indoors/low light with an RC: ISO800 and 2.8... That's 4 stops slower than cameras with ISO3200 and 1.4: it means with the RC you would be shooting at 1/4th of a second, while with the Nikon or Bessa you'd do it at 1/60th!
The Bessa+lens are above $1000, but the Nikon+lens are close to $200 (Keh, bargain): I just received my second FE2 some days ago... I adore that camera... It has a mechanical 1/250th shutter speed that's good for most lenses, in case batteries die (never happened to me in my life with any camera, though...)
So, consider if you really want to limit your photography...
If the case is saying “I only want to shoot in normal light, and I'm fine with a 35mm lens that's not especially fast”, I'd use an XA at f/8-f/11, prefocused at 6-8 feet, ISO400 film, and care about composition only. The XA is a superb camera for photographers doing street, and its RF and wide open lens are just for emergencies...
Or, thinking the other way, the Bessa or Nikon, to be able to go indoors anywhere anytime, or to use selective focus even in good light. Finally, it's nice to be the one deciding how to create the images... It's boring when light or gear decide the depth of field and the look of an image...
Or get for less than $300 both the XA and the Nikon+lens, and be ready for everything: fast unobtrussive street shooting, and controlled composition and low light shooting...
Cheers,
Juan
I've followed this thread since your first post came...
So far, I've had great success at not talking about my personal preferences...
I think the most important words you've used to tell us forum members what you want to do with your camera, were:
“Different Pitcures should be taken, but mostly non-moving objects outside, at daylight. perhaps still streetscenes.”
When I do that, I use an SLR because I don't need to care too much really about shutter sound, and because I like the high (1/4000 or 1/8000) shutter speeds... And sometimes, for the same situations I prefer the smaller size of my Bessas, with 1/2000 and the ability to use ND filters without affecting vision through lens (as on SLR's)... For lenses above 50mm I prefer SLR's in general if I'm not doing street shooting (people).
That's what I think you should get: a small RF or a small SLR you could use with different lenses...
If you pick a compact RF from the 70's you'll have a just slightly smaller camera (most of the times, not always), but that won't be free: it will mean serious compromises... If you pick one of the small ones, your lens won't be fast, and you won't be able to shoot in dim light or use selective focus easily... And with some of those small ones you won't have a meter, or you won't have high ISO's, or you won't have AE lock if you have AE, or your high shutter speeds will be very low... Finally, the great benefit of a small camera is not size or weight, but the way people perceive (or not) your camera, but you won't be shooting people, as you said...
It also looks like you want to be in control of the settings: that's nice... You should get a powerful tool for that: compact fixed lens RF's will limit you: depending on the light or place: sun, shade, interiors, you'll find yourself with a useless camera in your hands... If instead of using a camera with 1/250 top shutter speed, ISO800, and f/2.8 lens, you use one with 1/4000, ISO3200 and 1.4 lens, you'll be able to photograph with a totally different level of freedom, both to create images the way you prefer, and also to even be -at least- able to capture some of them...
Of course we all can use those small cameras for many photographs (I use the XA a lot, always at f/8 and f/11, prefocused) but I know it's not good for low light (because of its lens, RF and ISO), and so on every camera has limits, but if we talk about ONE camera to go out with and be able to photograph in different light situations, the truth is we need fast shutter speeds, a fast lens and high ISO's...
Just to name the two cameras I prefer as ONLY cameras to go out: Bessa R3A with 40 1.4 (1/2000 and ISO3200) and Nikon FE2 with 50 1.4 (1/4000 and ISO3200)... I prefer them with meter, and also with AE and AE lock, for the times AE can be well used...
Consider going indoors/low light with an RC: ISO800 and 2.8... That's 4 stops slower than cameras with ISO3200 and 1.4: it means with the RC you would be shooting at 1/4th of a second, while with the Nikon or Bessa you'd do it at 1/60th!
The Bessa+lens are above $1000, but the Nikon+lens are close to $200 (Keh, bargain): I just received my second FE2 some days ago... I adore that camera... It has a mechanical 1/250th shutter speed that's good for most lenses, in case batteries die (never happened to me in my life with any camera, though...)
So, consider if you really want to limit your photography...
If the case is saying “I only want to shoot in normal light, and I'm fine with a 35mm lens that's not especially fast”, I'd use an XA at f/8-f/11, prefocused at 6-8 feet, ISO400 film, and care about composition only. The XA is a superb camera for photographers doing street, and its RF and wide open lens are just for emergencies...
Or, thinking the other way, the Bessa or Nikon, to be able to go indoors anywhere anytime, or to use selective focus even in good light. Finally, it's nice to be the one deciding how to create the images... It's boring when light or gear decide the depth of field and the look of an image...
Or get for less than $300 both the XA and the Nikon+lens, and be ready for everything: fast unobtrussive street shooting, and controlled composition and low light shooting...
Cheers,
Juan