Alfred Cartier-Adams Posted November 20, 2007 Share #1 Â Posted November 20, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) For any youngsters around, that subject line is a 1950's TV joke.... Â Howdy! Â First post here - plan to lurk mostly. Will chip in when it seems I've something to add. Rediscovering my Leica trove languishing while I underwent an immersive plunge into digital SLRs for, lo some four or five years (Canon - some nice lenses - pick the lens, then that decides the rest). Â The current thrust involves rediscovering the wonderful, familiar feel of good grey scale, using film negatives, but with hi-res scanning, reversal, and high-grade ink jet printing. Â I'm lately producing beautiful stuff, *very* characteristic of the classic optics I'm priviledged to own. T-Max developed the good old fashioned way, then an Epson scanner and Epson 2200 photo printer (pigment-based ink, not dye) on 100% rag paper - gorgeous! Â It's really nice to leave the monstrous 24-70mm f/2.8 constant aperture zoom behind (weighs more by itself than, I reckon, any of my Leica bodies and lenses combined). Â It's invigorating to rediscover the utter ease and comfort of coupled rangefinder focusing in low light settings, and hand held exposures of astonishing length, fascilitated by the lack of a massive mirror going CLACK-thwack! Â It's healthy to be reminded what the expression "built like a camera" used to mean. (hint: it didn't mean 'built like a microwave oven...') Â I've used these Leicas for so many exposures over so many years (Golly! more than forty years on the same stuff - not counting my hiatus - not bad, eh?)... it's almost spooky how natural and 'to hand' eveything feels - it really is like riding a bicycle - it comes back very quickly. Â Anyway - that's enough Howdy duty for now. Back to lurk mode - just wanted to say howdy. Great posts around here - a pleasure! Â Thanks and best wishes, Michael "Alfred Cartier-Adams" Â Equipment list in profile - I've got St. Ansel in my silly handle because I sometimes shoot medium format as well as 35mm, and besides, I seem to think clearest with a one degree spot meter. Please note: accuracy requires that I say 'clearest', not 'clearly'! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 20, 2007 Posted November 20, 2007 Hi Alfred Cartier-Adams, Take a look here Howdy Duty. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
rubenkok Posted November 20, 2007 Share #2 Â Posted November 20, 2007 Hi Michael, Welcome to the forum. We are looking forward to see your "beautiful stuff" pictures I think regards, Ruben Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted November 27, 2007 Share #3  Posted November 27, 2007 Hi and Welcome  I do so agree about the rangefinder "experience". It is very much, I find, a tactile thing. Those modern SLRs are (despite alloy whatever bodies) are lumps of plastic. But don't dismiss ALL SLRs. My 'blad is one you know and that does feel like a real camera. Also some Alpa's 6&7 have a great feel (some even have a rangefinder built in). You will find the Contax and I suspect Nikon F fans out there as well. I think it's those built around a computer that need the loathing targeted at not all those with a mirror.  BTW you may find more response posting in the film forum, the MP loving crowd over there really will welcome another film reverter. You may also get an urge to spend if you read the "love my MP" thead.  Read on - the whole forum is very addictive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted November 28, 2007 Share #4  Posted November 28, 2007 Hi and Welcome I do so agree about the rangefinder "experience". It is very much, I find, a tactile thing. Those modern SLRs are (despite alloy whatever bodies) are lumps of plastic. But don't dismiss ALL SLRs. My 'blad is one you know and that does feel like a real camera. Also some Alpa's 6&7 have a great feel (some even have a rangefinder built in). You will find the Contax and I suspect Nikon F fans out there as well. I think it's those built around a computer that need the loathing targeted at not all those with a mirror.  BTW you may find more response posting in the film forum, the MP loving crowd over there really will welcome another film reverter. You may also get an urge to spend if you read the "love my MP" thead.  Read on - the whole forum is very addictive.  Hey Chris ... on your quick considerations on SLRs you forgot my (2nd) passion... CONTAREX !!! have you ever tried to keep in your hand that panzer-styled piece of steel ? It makes some laughing that into a '69 or '70 ad, Zeiss bloated that the Contarex Super (my only SLR) "is built of over 1000 finely machined metal parts assembled with absolute precision"... they perfectly understood where manufacturing was going to ... 3 years after Zeiss-Ikon was closed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted November 28, 2007 Share #5 Â Posted November 28, 2007 Contarex Super (my only SLR) "is built of over 1000 finely machined metal parts assembled with absolute precision"... . Â Indeed there are other "classic" SLR's out there forgive me for me selection - it's what I own I wonder if the analogy should be to watches. The digital brigade cannot be beaten for accuracy or precision (or price) but the market for the hand made 'finely machined metal parts" watch is more than healthy. I see no dichotomy between using an M8 and enjoying using an MP each has its place. Rather I see the great advantage,in a digital world, of the M8 being those fantastically engineered lenses from all ages of the M series. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted November 28, 2007 Share #6 Â Posted November 28, 2007 Indeed there are other "classic" SLR's out there forgive me for me selection - it's what I own I wonder if the analogy should be to watches. The digital brigade cannot be beaten for accuracy or precision (or price) but the market for the hand made 'finely machined metal parts" watch is more than healthy. I see no dichotomy between using an M8 and enjoying using an MP each has its place. Rather I see the great advantage,in a digital world, of the M8 being those fantastically engineered lenses from all ages of the M series. Â You have Alpas ? They intrigue me... sometime I look at some offer... am tempted by models 9/10... my problem is that I love too much lenses in themselves... I know that would be that I buy an Alpa, then I'll fell the desperate need to catch a number of lenses for it... dangerous... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfred Cartier-Adams Posted December 3, 2007 Author Share #7 Â Posted December 3, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thanks for replies - I would never wish to appear to reject SLRs on principle. Several have been in my stable. The current digital SLR is surprisingly solid - but placed next to the IIIc or IIIg it seems like a bloated gagantuan. My medium format work has been virtually all with TLRs - again, nice to have the mechanical simplicity and ability to see the subject at the moment of exposure. I have some nice samples from the Leicas to post: some using the 90mm Elmar, some the 50mm Summitar, some with the 35mm Schneider Xenogon. Would these be more suitable here or in the film forum - there do appear to be a number of film reverters (nice phrase) there, and scanners appear to be accepted. Best wishes, Michael State College, PA Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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