karl101 Posted December 8, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 8, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello Steampunk: If the Victorians had today's technology, what machines would they of devised? I read about this exhibition at MHS - Museum of the History of Science, Oxford - Steampunk and it set me wondering. The M8 and M9 cameras are manual, mechanical cameras, although not Victorian, the process of taking a picture, the manual focus, the rangefinger mechanics, and the considerations you need to make when taking a photograph could be said to be from the steam age. Much more than with an DSLR camera. The punk aspect of the camera are the digital insides which have replaced the film. I'm not saying that Steampunk is a bad thing, the art created from it is very interesting. What do you think? am I right? Karl. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 8, 2009 Posted December 8, 2009 Hi karl101, Take a look here Are the M8 and M9 Steampunk cameras?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Nicoleica Posted December 8, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 8, 2009 Does that mean that the little door on the side of the camera is where you should shovel in the coal? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl101 Posted December 8, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted December 8, 2009 Does that mean that the little door on the side of the camera is where you should shovel in the coal? No. I think you'll find that it uses wood as the fuel, from renewable sources, which makes it very modern. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted December 8, 2009 Share #4 Posted December 8, 2009 What do you think? am I right? Funny you should mention this, I have recently had a similar thought myself. I suppose one would have to find a Steampunk and ask him. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicoleica Posted December 8, 2009 Share #5 Posted December 8, 2009 No. I think you'll find that it uses wood as the fuel, from renewable sources, which makes it very modern. But Coal, and Oil, are both renewable. You just have to wait a bit longer. Seriously though, I happen to like Victorian engineering, and found your article most interesting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted December 8, 2009 Share #6 Posted December 8, 2009 Have a look at this: The Steampunk Workshop | Technology and Romance - Sustainable Rebellion - click on the "projects" down the right hand side... Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted December 8, 2009 Share #7 Posted December 8, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Interesting question. "Retro styling" yes. But I don't think it qualifies as proper Steampunk. Too many electronics and too small. A glass-plate-fed, large-format view camera with mechanically automated features, perhaps wound up, and somewhat Rube Goldberg style, would qualify. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl101 Posted December 8, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted December 8, 2009 Interesting question. "Retro styling" yes. But I don't think it qualifies as proper Steampunk. Too many electronics and too small. A glass-plate-fed, large-format view camera with mechanically automated features, perhaps wound up, and somewhat Rube Goldberg style, would qualify. Then how about Modern or New-age Steampunk? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpattinson Posted December 8, 2009 Share #9 Posted December 8, 2009 definitely punk: The Scanner Photography Project Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knomad Posted December 8, 2009 Share #10 Posted December 8, 2009 Not sure about steampunk... although it's a creative thought However, as an ex-punk (late 70s/early 80s vintage... I was a writer and photographer for one of the early punk 'zines) and an M8 user: I think Leica M cameras in general fit within the punk mystique. Let the sheep have their DSLRs. We're not afraid to be different, to think for ourselves, and to take our elegant and stealthy little rangefinders into the streets. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mc_k Posted December 9, 2009 Share #11 Posted December 9, 2009 no, but the r-d1 with its round analog gauge is steampunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted December 9, 2009 Share #12 Posted December 9, 2009 no, but the r-d1 with its round analog gauge is steampunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottocrat Posted December 9, 2009 Share #13 Posted December 9, 2009 I see where the OP is going with this but the M8/M9 are too minimalist in their design to be steampunk. Needs more brass, leather and redundant decorative flourish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicoleica Posted December 9, 2009 Share #14 Posted December 9, 2009 I see where the OP is going with this but the M8/M9 are too minimalist in their design to be steampunk. Needs more brass, leather and redundant decorative flourish. How did you manage to get hold of these pre-release photographs of the M10? :D And when can I order one? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl101 Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share #15 Posted December 9, 2009 Perhaps the M8/9 could be said to be from the Bauhaus school of Steampunk? a Minimalist approach. I feel my argument may be falling apart :-) Karl. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yanidel Posted December 9, 2009 Share #16 Posted December 9, 2009 Perhaps the M8/9 could be said to be from the Bauhaus school of Steampunk? a Minimalist approach. I feel my argument may be falling apart :-) Karl. I would say there is also some cubism influence in there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted December 9, 2009 Share #17 Posted December 9, 2009 I see where the OP is going with this but the M8/M9 are too minimalist in their design to be steampunk. Needs more brass, leather and redundant decorative flourish. Dead on. Steam tank with valves. Complete with spring-loaded, wind-up style focusing and analog tubes to power the flashbulb. Excellent! I want one. Immediately. Pity it's a 3D model and not a real thing. (At first glance I thought it might be a working art prototype. Honestly. His rendering work is excellent.) Other cool stuff on his site, also: http://www.mgrote.com/steam.html Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamiji Posted December 9, 2009 Share #18 Posted December 9, 2009 I think perhaps Zen Steampunk... Especially with the Visoflex system... Bellows, hoods and all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted December 9, 2009 Share #19 Posted December 9, 2009 definitely punk:The Scanner Photography Project There's nothing punk about spending Leica money on a camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andit Posted December 13, 2009 Share #20 Posted December 13, 2009 Hi Karl, Interesting thought and idea. Does taking a step back involve loosing the ability to do a great job. Personally I would think not. As for the Leica M8/M9 in comparison to the modern marvels by Canon/Nikon/Sony etc. The Leica forces you to think again what it is that you want to show the viewer of the image. You end up creating the image, instead of just taking an image. Looking at some of the images that are posted here on the forum and at sites like LFI, you can see the Leica difference. This is not limited to Leica alone though. If you look at some of the images that were created using the Epson RD1, you could also see the human factor in the images. Remember that these camera's are extremely unforgiving - mostly. What that means is that if you get just one setting in the equation wrong, you loose the image. That's the challenge. It is far more satisfying creating an image that works on a manual camera, than if you took that same image on one of the computer marvels. But then, that's just my 2c worth. Regards Andreas Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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