Why I Am Glad RFF Exists

[dcsang]

There are a number of reasons but mainly it's because it brings like minded folk together to share in, what they believe to be, the experience and process of photography.

Tonight I stepped out to meet up with another RFF member in the greater Toronto area. I purchased a lens, the 50mm Elmar-M f2.8 collapsible (the new type), from "Thirteen". We sat and talked for a good little while about our various experiences wrt rangefinders, general gear talk, and the whole enjoyment of using film and shooting photos with these wonderful tools.

Many times during the conversation I nodded my head and smiled and said "yes, exactly! me too!!" and I have a feeling that "Thirteen" also did the same. It appears that there is a kindred feeling amongst those using these boxes that we load with film 🙂

The same feeling of nostalgia that I've discussed before; the feeling of joy that the whole process of photographing with this type of camera brings us and the feeling of taking our time with this hobby/passion was recognized by both of us.

I've had similar conversations with other local RFF members when we first meet as well. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is also happening around the U.S. and the rest of the world as well.

It's like we've got our own little "secret society" going on here... but without the secret handshakes/conspiracy theories and long flowing robes 😉

It's got all of the "good stuff" without any of the "bad stuff" per se..

Thanks RFF !! 🙂
Dave

 

[Rafael]

Well said Dave! By the way, that ELmar is going to match up nicely with your new M7. 🙂 Enjoy!

 

[VictorM.]

Nicely said.

 

[BudGreen]

I agree with you, Dave. I also think you'll love that M7/Elmar combo. That was my fist RF purchase way back in February, and as I remember, you were one of the first people to welcome me to this site. Thanks again.

 

[Trius]

What? There's no secret handshake? Rats, I thought there was just a really LONG initiation period and it would be revealed to me soon.

Let's fix that bit at the next GTA meet-up!

Earl

Oh wait ... my guess is that the secret handshake looks suspiciously like an elbow bending ...

 

[back alley]

there IS a secret handshake, we just haven't told dave what it is yet...😉

 

[Trius]

I'm way down on the totem pole, so I guess I'll be waiting ...

 

[emraphoto]

amen to that! and...

amen to that! and...

you know another reason i hang around this forum is generally the folks are damn nice and plenty helpful. i ask for advice or pose a question and generally the responses are helpful (with the odd injection of sacasm and/or just ODD humour). no leica is better than contax is better than canon is better than... and so on and so on. very few of the truly tiresome film vs digital WARS that seem to rage on in a mind numbingly endless fashion. just a bunch of folk sharing a passion for fine instruments.
now i'm off to p****.net to register as another name and claim my m6/35mm 'cron will produce better prints than any canon digital gear. man those folks just start foamin' at the mouth!

 

[Socke]

Ahja, the joys of a different camera. This year I was aproached by total strangers because they saw me changing lenses, we all know the Contax G IS better than a Leica but it does look like a digital P&S to the uninitiated, and we had a nice talk about photography, not cameras.

I even met someone with a Contax G but his wife was in a hurry, it was in a street with lots of shops, he was probably preparing the turf for a new lens 🙂

 

[dostacos]

well if all ya'll did not help me spend my money on GAS here I would be spending my money on women of questionable morals, booze and riotous living and frankly my wife would not like that......

 

[xayraa33]

ah, enjoy the new lens Dave.
the secret handshakes and the robes are not
that bad onces you get use to them.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Funny you should say that, Dave... Last weekend I had the pleasure of meeting our own William Lewis, aka wwlewisiii, at Madison, WI, where he lives and I had a very agreeable conversation in that secret language we've come to creat. Of course, we added some well-deserved focusing fluid and you guys can imagine... Two guys talking about glass and cameras, and showing each other their little treasures that came from their small gadget (and yet discreet) bags.

Let me add that William helped me a lot to choose a developer and a fixer at the nice, friendly store where we shopped. And later took me to a second hand general store, where I even found a nice zoom for my wife's camera.

So, I too am happy that RFF exists! And my experiences with Oscar and Andy have left very good memories and pics! 🙂

 

[dadsm3]

There's a reason they call us the 'Illuminati', Dave....problem is most of my shots are either under-illuminati or over-illuminati, that's why I don't know the damn handshake yet either....

 

[SolaresLarrave]

The handshake? Easy: you carry your RF camera on your right hand, and at the sight of another kindred spirit you lift it very smoothly and slowly, on a vertical straight line, to a bit below your chin. The other person replies with a slightly, yet less pronounced lifting of the camera.

Ooops! This was supposed to be secret! 😱

 

[Dougg]

Francisco, do the shutters click in mutual acknowledgment? Trying to get this secret stuff straight...

Dave, very well said; I agree. This is something special. 🙂

 

[jrong]

I like RFF because it is one forum website that my office has not yet put on their "banned from surfing at work" list. 😉
I wonder why. I guess its probably because I am the only one here who's on it...

Jin

 

[rover]

There are a number of reasons but mainly it's because it brings like minded folk together to share in, what they believe to be, the experience and process of photography.

More than like minded I actually think that despite our differences we have a common interest which helps us see our likeness. The diversity of personalities, nationalities and backgrounds here is great, that is the biggest benefit of hanging out here in my eyes.

you know another reason i hang around this forum is generally the folks are damn nice and plenty helpful.

Well, thank you. We have had our bumps in the road, but I think we all enjoy our hobby and are glad to share it, as Dave has stated. This is proof too that you don't have to be an obnoxious SOB to be someone on the internet. A little courtesy is a much stronger tool when dealing with people than a harsh word, I think that is how we communicate on RFF.

Francisco, do the shutters click in mutual acknowledgment? Trying to get this secret stuff straight...

Speaking of mutually clicking shutters when folks from different areas of the RFF world meet. There is something I have always wondered. Do shutters sound differently in the southern hemisphere than they do up north here? You know, travel left to right instead of right to left due to the Coriolis effect?