Who Knew?

[scorpius73]

I was out shooting a lunch time concert given by Lonnie Liston Smith no less for fun. I had 2 other photographers come up to me and ask about the Zeiss Ikon ZI. I couldn't get some shoots for giving a tutorial on the camera. It was fun though. Then when I got on the bus to go back to work. The bus driver stopped me and asked about my camera and who did I shoot for. Who knew the Ikon ZI was such a conversation starter?

 

[Paddy C]

Had a similar experience at a gallery opening last week. From other photographers as well.

Seems like a lot of people have never heard of it.

 

[angeloks]

Somebody smelled by Leica M6 with its Luigi case... "Wow, this is real leather." "It sure is, sir."

 

[jonmanjiro]

I've had the opposite happen a few times - someone comes up close to get a better look at my camera, and then backs off with a look of indignation when they realise its not a Leica. I prefer the low-key look of the Zeiss Ikon so that works for me.

 

[bmattock]

Speaking of leather cases, I had someone inform me (unrequested) that he always discarded the leather cases of his vintage cameras because he is a vegetarian. I asked him how he dealt with using film, since the emulsion is made of boiled horse and cow bones. He laughed and said film emulsion was 'artificial' nowadays, no more animals were used to make it.

Well, if he wants to believe that, fine with me. But film is still made from boiled dead animal cartilage. Always made me wonder how vegans could stand to use it.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

-> Philosophical mode on

As vegetarians, we live with a certain amount of ambiguity. None of us are completely consistent to our presuppositions. That's not an excuse to abandon the ethical ideals we ascribe to, though. Technology makes it increasingly easier, though, to not violate those ideals.

->Philosophical mode off

 

[bmattock]

-> Philosophical mode on

As vegetarians, we live with a certain amount of ambiguity. None of us are completely consistent to our presuppositions. That's not an excuse to abandon the ethical ideals we ascribe to, though. Technology makes it increasingly easier, though, to not violate those ideals.

->Philosophical mode off

Ambiguous? Yeah, we had another word for it in my day. I believe it was called hypocrisy. But what do I know? I'm a meat-eater.

Just another amusing observation. Some people will refuse to eat meat, wear fur or leather, and some become quite militant about making their personal choices known to others who don't share those views. Yet film? Well, that's different. Somehow it is "ambiguous." Sure it is.

 

[arseniii]

Everybody wants to be a Vegan these days, or a Buddist and of course everybody is an artist already - it's very cool nowadays! Probably even cooler than owning an M8 ;-)

 

[amateriat]

Speaking of leather cases, I had someone inform me (unrequested) that he always discarded the leather cases of his vintage cameras because he is a vegetarian. I asked him how he dealt with using film, since the emulsion is made of boiled horse and cow bones. He laughed and said film emulsion was 'artificial' nowadays, no more animals were used to make it.

Well, if he wants to believe that, fine with me. But film is still made from boiled dead animal cartilage. Always made me wonder how vegans could stand to use it.

And you didn't even get around to asking him about gassing up his car, assuming he drives...

(Yeah, those animals have been dead a long time, but still...)


- Barrett

 

[kshapero]

I was in NYC once a few years back. I went into a gallery showing photography. They were having a PETA affair. They said I could look around which I did. The caterer was serving those little hot dogs in the bun and small skewers with chicken. Anyway this middle aged lady was devouring a skewer when she say what I think was a grasshopper on the floor. She went absolutely and totally berserk. Screaming for someone to catch the grasshopper safely so they could take it to Central Park. As the fellow was holding the bug and leaving, I noticed the lady licking the skewer clean.

 

[scorpius73]

How did this turn into the vegan/anti vegan bowl? oh well.

 

[ZeissFan]

That's a hilarious story about the gallery, the skewer and the grasshopper.

Personally, I limit my intake of meat, but it's for health reasons. Anyone catch the baby chick story? And I thought eggs were safe.

The latest thing is to "be green." The concern for the environment seems to stop when it comes to personal technology: Latest cell phones, MP3 players, laptops, etc. Old technology is sent to Asia or Africa, where it's unceremoniously dumped and left to pollute someone else's country.

And there's the issue of clothing made in sweat shops in Bangladesh and elsewhere.

At some point, I simply gave up. I just decided that I would try not to be a prick all of the time and try not to f* up the world too much before I check out. I'm moderately successful on both of those goals.

 

[ZeissFan]

And oh yeah, I had one guy ask me about the Zeiss Ikon. He works for a financial firm, and then he paused, opened his briefcase and pulled out a Rollei 35S. Cool.

 

[arseniii]

I think to produce a digital camera and then to recycle it is much much more harm for nature as some gelatin film alloy.

Anyway, back to the subject, I do hear sometimes whispers behind my back "uhh Leica, uhhh" and I do not like it. I would so like to see somebody photographing with Zeiss ikon ZM in Toronto that I'd even buy them a Pint... I have been waiting to see the camera for a long long time...

 

[Pickett Wilson]

bmattock, all of us, not just vegetarians, live ambiguous lives. It's that human being thing. 🙂

arseniii, I've been a vegetarian for almost 40 years, so it's good to know that I'm now "cool" in my beliefs! 😉 Used to be, I was just "weird."

 

[bmattock]

bmattock, all of us, not just vegetarians, live ambiguous lives. It's that human being thing. 🙂

I will grant you that human beings are capricious and self-serving creatures, much given to rationalizing their personal choices so that they can continue practicing whatever it is they say they're against.

But I don't think 'ambiguous' is the word, really. If I were to announce to all and sundry that I won't eat meat or wear products made of animals, and then use film, that's not really ambiguous. If you would like to say we're all hypocrites in one way or another, I'd agree. Ambiguous would seem to indicate that there is some question as to whether or not film is actually made from animals. It is, there is no question about it, so it is not really ambiguous.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

No question about film. Kodak has actually tried to find alternatives to animal based emulsions over the years, but wasn't successful. And now, of course, there is no incentive as film is in its latter days.

It's our belief systems that we are ambiguous toward. Hypocrisy is pretending to believe things you don't actually believe. It's hard to say that someone who truly doesn't eat any meat and calls themselves vegetarian is a hypocrite even if they are not completely consistent with their presuppositions.

But enough of philosophy. Lets talk about camera bags. 🙂

 

[scorpius73]

Nice! The ZI is certainly a sharp camera - especially dressed up in fine Italian leather. People might realize it's not a Leica - but Zeiss certainly has enough caché on its own.

As for being a vegan/vegetarian - screw that. I'll take a filet mignon, medium rare, any day of the week! My camera is wrapped in leather, I'm wrapped in leather and I got a gut full of meat. Life's good.

And yes, I do have mine in a fine black leather Luigi case.

 

[Al Kaplan]

We live in a culture where eating meat is the norm and the meat comes pre-packaged in the skin used to make leather. I can understand the feelings of those people who think that furs, such as mink, should be avoided, or even banned. Those animals are raised and killed just for their fur. On the other hand cow hide is essentially a waste product. Those cows would get killed anyway. Perhaps using their skins for shoes and belts, camera cases and neck straps, is a way of honoring them.

 

[wlewisiii]

That reminds me, I need to go buy my hunting licenses for this fall. Squirrel & bunny season opens on the 12th. Maybe go zero the rifle this weekend...

<WEG>

William