back alley
IMAGES
I am starting to entertain thoughts of selling my CV gear, but can't quite come to terms with the idea yet.
If I ever do sell, I am sure I will stick around on RFF.
nice looking kit!
willie_901
Veteran
I own two RF cameras.
One is my grandfather's Argus C3. The other is a Yahica GN Electo 35. I will never sell the former. It sits on display with my retired Mamiya-Sekor 500TL SLR. The later needs an CLA and probably needs a new pad. I really should list it in the RFF classifieds.
One is my grandfather's Argus C3. The other is a Yahica GN Electo 35. I will never sell the former. It sits on display with my retired Mamiya-Sekor 500TL SLR. The later needs an CLA and probably needs a new pad. I really should list it in the RFF classifieds.
RichC
Well-known
I sold my Leica M8 and all the lenses. I bought an SLR, a digital one at that - a Nikon D800E (a truly stunning camera). I'm doing a master's degree in photography, and needed an efficient, workhorse camera.
However, to mitigate my defection, I do use film now as well as digital, and own a medium-format film camera - albeit another SLR. (I did own a few 35mm film cameras, but sold them too - the Nikon D800E destroys 35mm film totally, and I will never use 35mm film again as its quality is too poor: so, digital or medium format for me... )
However, to mitigate my defection, I do use film now as well as digital, and own a medium-format film camera - albeit another SLR. (I did own a few 35mm film cameras, but sold them too - the Nikon D800E destroys 35mm film totally, and I will never use 35mm film again as its quality is too poor: so, digital or medium format for me... )
Lax Jought
Well-known
I entertained the idea of signing up for a photography postgrad degree a couple of times, I would've go in there and done everything with my Leica M8.2 (or the new M, hypothetically).
Did your university recommend you get rid of the M8 or did you feel it couldn't do what you needed it to do and if so what couldn't it do?
Al Patterson
Ferroequinologist
Several of our moderators
Now that is funny. I admit that when I was between jobs I shot a lot less than usual, but I still have every camera I ever bought. I do need to sell a few though. Time to dowsize my life.
Laviolette
Established
It's exactly the same for me. I started with digital, but right now 95% of what I shoot is film. This forum is really the nicest place about photography that I know!
I got a deal on my first rangefinder last month : a black paint M4. Gerry Smith from Kindermann is working on it at the moment. Can't wait to have it back!
hepcat
Former PH, USN
I am starting to entertain thoughts of selling my CV gear, but can't quite come to terms with the idea yet.
If I ever do sell, I am sure I will stick around on RFF.
Let me give you a tip. Sell the bodies if you must. PUt the glass away in a safe place. In a few years, you'll be glad you kept it. Voice of experience here. I wish I'd kept all MY m-mount glass. The price of admission to buy it all again just continues to climb.
And trust me, if you sell, you'll be buying it back again one day.
hepcat
Former PH, USN
Your D7k actually hides you from needing to BECOME a photographer. Photography is about the capture of light and presenting it the way YOU want it presented. The way you're shooting now, you're presenting it the way the guy who programmed your camera thinks it ought to be seen. You may be doing the framing, but the programmer is doing everything else, and framing is only a small part of making a photograph.
There's quite a divergence in concept between the two perpectives. Yes the learning curve can be daunting, but the sense of accomplishment when you nail an image just the way you 'saw' it in your mind's eye is worth it all.
Learn the nuances of making your images with that M3 sing. You'll be glad you did!
emasterphoto
Established
What you say is true as long as he stays in Auto. As soon as he steps into the PASM modes (well, actually just ASM) then his D7000 is the same as any other camera out there, film or digital. And one thing that digital really does excel at is immediate feedback plus the recording of metadata like exposure settings and the like. Much better than taking notes like before and you can progress infinitely faster in most cases. That said, if you don't learn to read the light it doesn't matter what camera you own, you're gonna be sunk.
biomed
Veteran
Thanks Joe. Not pictured is a CV 50/2.5 I picked up after the photo was taken. The Nokton 50/1.5 and Color Heliar 75/2.5 see regular use on my MFD bodies.
Mike
biomed
Veteran
Let me give you a tip. Sell the bodies if you must. PUt the glass away in a safe place. In a few years, you'll be glad you kept it. Voice of experience here. I wish I'd kept all MY m-mount glass. The price of admission to buy it all again just continues to climb.
And trust me, if you sell, you'll be buying it back again one day.
Good advice! I will probably sell all of my Canon EOS gear and other RF cameras. I think I'll be keeping my F2 and lenses and the CV kit.
Mike
Mablo
Well-known
I've had Leica M's and Canon P's because they were cool but at the end of the day I found out rangefinder cameras are not for me. Sold everything and bought a couple of film SLR's instead. I still have a Konica Auto S3 in the cupboard so you can't kick me outta here ;-)
RichC
Well-known
Personal choice. The course is intense, especially as I work full time too (luckily I can choose which days to work as I'm self-employed), and a rangefinder slowed me down too much (in a bad way). I need to get the image I expect, and a rangefinder is simply too inaccurate - the viewfinder doesn't show you what you will get. Doing projects for university means having to shoot to meet deadlines, so if your practice doesn't involve chance and randomness in the photograph, then a rangefinder is a poor choice of tool. University study is all about the image, so the camera must support that.
Ideally I would have kept the Leica or at least the lenses, but had to sell them to afford the Nikon D800E dSLR.
By the way, doing the master's is one of the best things I've done. I'm really enjoying it and it's improving my photography no end as well as my knowledge of art. It's an art photography degree, and, because it's a master's degree not an undergraduate course, they don't cover anything technical as they expect you to already be expert in how to use cameras and other gear like lights (if you want individual tuition in something, they do have technicians) - so, the course revolves around assessing my projects and learning about art and photography.
It's brilliant learning from talented photographers - the tutors are important practising photographers in their own right, such as Mark Power (who belongs to Magnum) and Aaron Schuman.
By the way, I'm not doing the degree to get a job in photography but simply to become a better photographer. If you're considering a degree in photography, I think an MA is better than a BA if you have experience - I got in on the strength of my portfolio as I have a degree in chemistry, never having studied art or photography formally, but as a mature student I think I would have found the BA too slow and basic - and expensive: in the UK, BAs cost about £30,000 (US $45,000) over 3 years, although the government will lend you the money, while my MA (one of the best in the country) cost a very reasonable £4000 ($6000) - thankfully, our government still subsidises further education, and pays most of my course fee!
This may be heresy: I seem to 'see' better with ground glass, thru the lens, than thru an RF viewfinder. Visualization of what's in focus and what's not as opposed to everything in focus. I still have RFs and like shooting them but I get fewer keepers with them.
Rick Waldroup
Well-known
I have not shot a rangefinder camera in years.
I shoot nothing but micro 4/3 now.
Still, I have been a member for a long time here and I enjoy this place.
I shoot nothing but micro 4/3 now.
Still, I have been a member for a long time here and I enjoy this place.
Spanik
Well-known
Came here to get more info on camera's, got a rangefinder (ok, more than one), found it isn't for me so I rarely use them. But I stayed. One of the better forums for general discussion about photography, not just gear.
There is also a good section on TLR's if you feel inclined.
There is also a good section on TLR's if you feel inclined.
AlwaysOnAuto
Well-known
Thank you both (hepcat too) for your comments. I feel like I should start another thread rather than clutter up this one. But, I think you've both hit the nail on the head as far as the 'problem' I've been trying to solve with me, myself and I and my cameras. I never felt like I could 'out think' the programmers as far as getting a correctly exposed picture, thus I'm 'stuck' in auto all the time with any of my digitals. I've never had a formal photography course, maybe it's about time I take one. I really like the immediate feedback I get from digital. Film is expensive, to me at least, in terms of both time (I'm not getting any younger) and money (I'm suddenly on a fixed income). I find I'm now the custodian of a great camera and lens (M3 w/Summilux 1.4) and want to learn how to use the instrument my forefathers have left in my care. Your comments are helping me see the light. Thank you.
Mcary
Well-known
Depends, does the non functioning rangefinder on my Crown Graphic count?
BNLee
Established
I really like where this is going, people are replying as well as reading the comments in this thread, and thus replying each other, instead of just posting their own comment and then leaving this thread for good- a more and more common practice we are seeing around other threads here...
DNG
Film Friendly
I have a had a few RFs over the years, a Bessa, Leica, and curently a Konica C35 I use occationally.
I use my Olympus E-M5 as my main camera, and a Nikon FE as my Film camera.
But, I like the disscustions here, more than other sites... always deeper and thought provoking.
I use my Olympus E-M5 as my main camera, and a Nikon FE as my Film camera.
But, I like the disscustions here, more than other sites... always deeper and thought provoking.