TacTZilla Posted December 31, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 31, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi. I'm a recent switcher to rangefinder as I realized that I was getting interested in Street Photography above all else. Of course my chosen weapon is the M9 & I have 28mm, 50mm and 90mm lenses. I'm curious to know your opinions on what benefits the M9 gives you over SLRs and other rangefinders (if any) and what your methodology is when it comes to hunting your prey ;^) Many thanks in advance. Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 31, 2009 Posted December 31, 2009 Hi TacTZilla, Take a look here M9 & Street Photography.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
wilfredo Posted December 31, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 31, 2009 Since I don't "hunt for prey" using a rangefinder hasn't made much difference. I try not to draw attention even when I use a DSLR. People certainly pay less attention to the rangefinder which sometimes helps but I think the real advantage of the rangefinder is that it is small and light, and it looks like an old cheapo camera to most people. For some reason it also feels a bit more intimate to me when I use the rangefinder. BTW, I enjoyed your gallery. Please post your M9 work on the Photo section of this forum. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacTZilla Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted December 31, 2009 Cheers Wilfredo. The 'hunting for prey' thing was meant as a joke. I don't see it that way at all. I have only been out with my M9 once to do a little street photography. I'm not into sneaking about. I'm too big any way. I'm happy to be a photographer and don't feel I need to disguise what I'm doing like some (although I have no problem with that either). A couple of weeks ago I ended up getting arrested and 8 hours in the clink because of it It's a very long story and I got it all on film, but I can't just share it at the moment. The arresting copper even had the cheek to throw my brand new M9 and 50mm onto his passenger seat, quickly followed by my bag with the other lenses in. Luckily it seems ok. As soon as I have any more M9 shots I'll get them on my site in the 'latest' section, but I haven't felt like hitting the streets since then as I'm still on bail. The good news is that I did nothing wrong and, having taken specialist advice, looks like they will be paying for my M9 before too long. The first pic on my website with the inflatable Santa is with the M9 as is the lake with sunset. Otherwise they are all Nikon D3 or D60. Regards Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted December 31, 2009 Share #4 Posted December 31, 2009 It seems that rangefinder technique is not your greatest problem -- it is living in Iran West. Britain is essentially a pre-modern, pre-democratic state, a surviving fossil of the Ancien Régime. Get on with your 1789. The very old man from the Age of Civil Rights Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pophoto Posted December 31, 2009 Share #5 Posted December 31, 2009 Let me guess, Met Police? Anyways, the main advantage with the M9 over my D700 is weight, the reason I chose the D700 was weight. Yes I am slowly shredding off more weight! Camera-wise and myself With the DSLR set up, I actually find myself 'point and shooting' but with the M9, I find myself 'point and thinking', whether or not it's an advantage or not, it make me feel good inside, and why I enjoy photography. As for methodology, I'm not that experienced to share, but I can tell you what I try to do. I imitate some of the masters before me and some of my contemporaries, and since no picture is ever the same, I just follow my heart to what I shoot. I then go to forums like this and find more inspiration and go back out and shoot. Tonight we have a countdown celebration party to go to, nothing crazy, but will be lugging my D700 with 70-200VRII lens and 'wearing' my Leica M9 around me neck So in my case, I'm less of what one will call a switcher, but I've added a M9 to my arsenal! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
viramati Posted December 31, 2009 Share #6 Posted December 31, 2009 Hi Bob For me the main benefit is size and the fact that to most people it looks like some old camera from the 60's so seems to be less intimidating. Methodology changes all the time but all I can say that M9 is with me now nearly all the time and that if out with camera alone usually with 35mm cron on it. Now you arrest story sounds interesting especially if it is linked to recent problems that Photographers have had In London recently. I find this a real pain as I am London based and now always have this feeling in the back of my mind that some unfriendly copper or PCSO maybe lurking just around the corner useful info http://www.met.police.uk/about/photography.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pophoto Posted December 31, 2009 Share #7 Posted December 31, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Might I suggest title adjustment: Does my M9 look like a spy camera? I'm just kidding here, but it is a really sad case about what had happened to you. I'd be very upset in your shoes. Also reading the link 'viramati' posted is very concerning. Trying not to get political, this certainly adds to the problematic direction and mentality the UK is becoming in recent years, and as much love as I have, having been born and growing up there! By that I mean I will have to now fear taking a camera out in the streets of London, to not avoid a mugging but being harassed by police. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
viramati Posted December 31, 2009 Share #8 Posted December 31, 2009 I'm a Photographer, not a Terrorist Rally on the 23rd, Trafalger Sq Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pophoto Posted December 31, 2009 Share #9 Posted December 31, 2009 I'm a Photographer, not a Terrorist Rally on the 23rd, Trafalger Sq That is awesome, but sad at the same time, sad that it had to come to this! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfredo Posted December 31, 2009 Share #10 Posted December 31, 2009 Wow Bob, sounds like terrorism hysteria has really gotten out of control in the U.K. Is this a London thing or is it all over the U.K.? What is the point of all this hysteria against photographers? I always think of the British as perfectly rational people, but this defies logic. Ironically it seems that neither the U.K. or the U.S. is willing to deal with the root causes of terrorism, better to be brutal than to find something that really works, like justice for the oppressed or an end to occupation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacTZilla Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share #11 Posted December 31, 2009 Many thanks for all the tips, comments and links. I'm in the north west of England and I was in a small town centre at the time. I'm a very peaceful man who has done some research on these matters, but from a different perspective than perhaps most. I'm very interested in what is known as the 'Freeman movement'. There's tons of stuff on the web about it should you be interested. In a nutshell..... I took 5 pics in the sight of a cop and a pcso and my mate was doing the same. 3 were of Father Christmas, 1 of a woman in costume (not the copper) and 1 of a pipe band. I was approached and they offered to take my details. I kindly declined after establishing that I wasn't obliged to do so and that I was free to go. We were then followed and tackled again. Again we established that we were not obliged to give our details, no crime had been committed, they had no 'reasonable articulable suspicion' and we were free to go. They continued to follow us and they were joined by a sergeant in a van. He too tried to get us to contract with him. He quoted some statute appertaining to antisocial behavior and demanded my details. I politely declined hoping he would let us go about our lawful business, but he seemed intent on breaching the peace. I knew what was likely to happen and it did. I know loads of you will give me the old 'if you've done nothing wrong then you've nothing to hide', but I was duty bound to defend my rights and the rights of others, including the right to privacy. I was then assaulted and kidnapped, plus other stuff and had my fingerprints and DNA stolen. Every step of the way I made it known that I didn't consent. I was released at 11pm on a freezing Saturday night on to an industrial estate 6 miles from my car, with £10k+ worth of camera gear on my back. It was certainly an experience, but I'm not angry about it. There is more detail that I can't go into at the moment. Should I proceed with some action I have been told that it would likely have a serious effect on a national scale in terms of how the Police deal with photographers in future. Regards. B Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jklotz Posted December 31, 2009 Share #12 Posted December 31, 2009 That one hits home for me. I was shooting a building at sunset and had one tripod leg on the Equifax property by maybe 2 inches (other 2 were on the sidewalk). I was not shooting the eqifax building, but the one across the street. I couldn't move the tripod, as I was doing a sunset shot and intended to mix exposures in post. A security guard came up and told me to leave. I politely handed him a business card and told him I was on a job and gave him the number of the property manager of the building I was shooting. He took my information, went inside, and 5 minutes later a police car pulls up. I began my explanation to him, but before I could finish, he told me "hand on the car". He frisked me, put me in handcuffs and into the back of the car I went. Meanwhile, I've got a cambo, p25 and mac book sitting unattended on the sidewalk. He kept me in the car for 30 minutes while he played with my ID and his radio. He finally let me go (sunset had passed and I missed the shot), but told me that if I ever set foot on the eqifax property again, it would be straight to jail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacTZilla Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share #13 Posted December 31, 2009 That totally sucks especially since you complied in every way. These people are little more than bullies. Not tarring them all with the same brush though. I know some excellent Peace Officers. B Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfredo Posted December 31, 2009 Share #14 Posted December 31, 2009 Sounds like the Gestapo spirit is alive in the U.K., this stuff is ludicrous. It would appear that civil liberties are eroding. I wonder if this is also happening on the European continent? How is the media handling this stuff? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfredo Posted December 31, 2009 Share #15 Posted December 31, 2009 I'm a Photographer, not a Terrorist Rally on the 23rd, Trafalger Sq Perhaps you guys in the U.K. should have T-shirts or something you can wear that say on the back "Im a Photographer, Not a Terrorist." Perhaps a day of massive civil disobedience is called for? Get a few hundred photographers together for a photo shoot/protest at a particular place and time and overwhelm the cops with your cameras. Make sure the media is there to cover the event. This may get the public aroused and expose some of the absurdity of these Gestapo tactics. Just a thought... Imagine if some of the big camera companies would endorse something like this???? Just thinking out loud... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
viramati Posted December 31, 2009 Share #16 Posted December 31, 2009 Hi Bob What can you say. Outrageous. I hope you have the energy and will to follow it up. maybe you should contact the guardian as they have experience of reporting this. From snapshot to Special Branch: how my camera made me a terror suspect | UK news | guardian.co.uk Happy New year Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacTZilla Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share #17 Posted December 31, 2009 Perhaps you guys in the U.K. should have T-shirts or something you can wear that say on the back "Im a Photographer, Not a Terrorist." Like these? I think it's great that photographers are gathering to protest, but to me it seems like they are begging for rights they already have, it's just they aren't standing up for them because they know they will likely end up like I did, but that's what it's going to take, us growing up and taking responsibility for ourselves (I use the term growing up as, in law we are considered 'children of the state') and that means taking our cookie instead of asking nanny if we can have it. B Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted January 1, 2010 Share #18 Posted January 1, 2010 Good on you for standing up against the Man... I am not sure if I would do the same I am ashamed to say... a friend of mine- a small girl... had the temerity to question an officer of the law who was essentially assaulting someone in public for no good reason... the response was to smash her to the ground, break her glasses, hand cuff her, DNA her and lock her up. She had bruises all over her body and face... They charged her with 'assault police', a very serious offense, and these two very large men claimed they had felt threatened for their life when she 'bared her teeth' at them... Despite the many eye witness accounts that contradicted their outrageous statements, my friends legal advice was that it was better to plead guilty to a lesser charge, and have 'assault police' dropped, than it was to pursue the matter in the courts.... an expensive, lengthy and soul destroying process... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacTZilla Posted January 1, 2010 Author Share #19 Posted January 1, 2010 Again, a terrible story. The sad fact is that solicitors and lawyers are part of the same corporate system as the police and politicians. Have a look on Dun & Bradstreet You will see that governments, courts, police, political parties and the like are all listed as businesses/corporations. B Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsaxe Posted January 1, 2010 Share #20 Posted January 1, 2010 I have been getting hassled more and more these days. Its really disgusting, http://saxephoto.wordpress.com/2009/12/19/climate-of-fear/ For what its worth, rangefinders are quieter and smaller than DSLRs and thus less noticeable. Unfortunately, they still cannot protect you from the moron-in-the-street Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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