How do you use your cameras?

[DadDadDaddyo]

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Oh dear, let me gather my thoughts....

M11M is the first thing I reach for in most situations; the combination of its sensor and its rangefinder DNA means it's simply superb for scratching my oldest, most fundamental, photographic itches. 

The M11 is what I use if I've gotta have color. 

The SL2 is what I use if I've just gotta have a zoom lens. 

The M4 is what I reach for if I've just gotta have a 35mm film negative. For pure nostalgia I'll sometimes reach for the IIIc of the IIIg, but their Vulcanite is in such terrible shape it's practically flaking off if you simply look at it. Gotta deal with that one of these days...

The Hasselblad 503CX is what I use if I've just gotta have medium format film and a square negative. If I need medium format film, a square negative, and to wallow in nostalgia for my immediate post-college days, I'll grab the Mamiya C330. If it's medium format film in the 6x9 cm format I'm after, I'll just use the Fujifilm GSW690iii, or sometimes, the Toyo 6x9 film holder for one of my 4x5s.

If it's a 4x5 film negative I'm after, there's no substitute for my beloved Toyo VX125, paired with one of my Fujifilm large format lenses. 

If I want to produce an 8x10 film negative I'll reach for the exquisite Ritter 8x10. I also have a 5x7 back for the Ritter, built for me by Mr. Ritter a few years ago. 5x7 is the largest negative I can feed into my Imacon Precision II film scanner. 

Have I left anything out? Oh yeah: there's a Fujifilm XT-5 I'll grab sometimes simply because I still love several of those XF-series lenses. There's also an X-Pro2 for when I prefer an optical viewfinder combined with auto focus.

Almost done!

But I have to mention the ZWO ASI1600MC Pro, a cooled, one-shot color astrophotography camera I'll pair with either my 8" or 11" Schmitt Cassegrain telescope if I want to chase after Messier objects. I'm fond of galaxies, and am (very) slowly working my way through the Messier catalog, though I'm also guided by the magnificent Arp Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. Astrophotography of this sort is a kind of affliction that can visit itself upon the incautious amateur astronomer. There's a cadre of us in the local astronomy club who support each other, sharing, as they say, "our experience, strength, and hope" as we wrestle with this dreadful disease. 

I guess that's enough for now. I try to find time for all this as a gainfully retired person, alongside my half-century-long pursuit of multitrack music production. 

 

[Jon Warwick]

M11 for pretty much everything, including travel, family, architecture, landscapes. I appreciate its ability to use native mount lenses that have very different rendering characteristics, from modern APO look to gentler lenses like my 50mm v5 Summicron.

GFX100S on a tripod for landscapes if I think I’m printing to a whopping 60”. So now just a camera for resolution. It took over from my 5x4 film camera. Otherwise, up to (say) 45” wide prints, the resolution difference off the M11 is so remarkably similar, to my eyes, that I prefer to use the Leica, especially given I often prefer the rendering of its output over the Fuji.

 

 

[Steadimann]

GFX100II for work related stuff

M11P for my own pleasure taking pictures

[PaulJohn]

Sony A1 and Sony A7C2 for church services and events with various GM primes and zooms. Also use these for occasional pro work / occasional wedding. A7C2 gives excellent results in low light and incredible AF tracking but I don't like using it. 

Q3 or M11 + 35mm 1.4ii Nokton for walks / hiking

Q3 and/or M11 + 50mm lux ii and/or 90mm APO for family events

M11 + 50mm lux ii for wedding guest

Q3 for city breaks

A mixture of any of the above for grandkids

M11 + 35mm 1.4ii Nokton is my favourite choice

[BillCB]

Phase One XF camera with IQ4-150 back for serious tripod work, usually when I'm on my own and have time for contemplation.

M11 and M11-P for travel and walking around, usually one with the Apo 35 and the other with the Macro-Elmar 90mm. As I get older I'm using the light, compact Leicas more and more!

[FlashGordonPhotography]

X2D for everything I can and GFX100II if I need zooms.

For fast moving and long stuff an A1 and A7R5 and CR as backups. Hopefully the latter two are replaced by the SL3.

M11, M11M, Q2 or Q2M for when I just want a camera and 1 lens over the shoulder although sometimes, I take an X1DII or 907x instead.

Gordon