Analog film photography and cameras

Maybe all the rangefinders I've used have had overly stiff focus mechanisms, but I always found it difficult to quickly change between focus points at opposite ends of the scale, whereas the my olympus and pentax slrs can do this transition really rapidly.

I do find it slower to find perfect focus with an slr though, but I think this is just because of the way you focus. The slr prism method seems more precise, so I take more time to get it perfect, but in reality a slight error probably won't notice in the final photo if the aperture isn't wide open.

Are all rangefinders with decent lenses gurt big heavy things? I found the ones I used are so heavy that walking around the streets for more than a few mins without a strap gets very awkward. Maybe I just need to HTFU...

Just take Photos! The interminable this is better, no that is better, just stop you from taking pictures.
Find a camera you like and can use on the regular and take photos with it, whenever you can.

The rest apart from the inherent technicalities of photography is just so much subjective bullshit...

that's the equivalent of "just ride your bike" but it doesn't stop half a forum of chit chat about which and what and how. are you buying (that other) CB's camera tonight?

I am currently doing the photographic equivalent of not riding my bike, so just chatting shit. I am going to get in on photofusion's March membership discount though. now I'm going out on my bike...

Maybe all the rangefinders I've used have had overly stiff focus mechanisms, but I always found it difficult to quickly change between focus points at opposite ends of the scale, whereas the my olympus and pentax slrs can do this transition really rapidly.

Sounds like the focus barrels are gummed up. They should never move quickly but smoothly and without binding. Have 'em cleaned and freshly lubed with a good damping optical grease.

I do find it slower to find perfect focus with an slr though, but I think this is just because of the way you focus. The slr prism method seems more precise, so I take more time to get it perfect, but in reality a slight error probably won't notice in the final photo if the aperture isn't wide open.

Its false precision.. and its horribly slow.. That's why in motion picture cinematography one focuses with the barrel and not the eye-piece.

Are all rangefinders with decent lenses gurt big heavy things? I found the ones I used are so heavy that walking around the streets for more than a few mins without a strap gets very awkward. Maybe I just need to HTFU...

Rangefinders are not always heavy just some of the best ones were made with stainless steel, brass and chrome. I like Robot cameras but they've also been called a cross between a precision camera and heavy artillery. Given that they've been used for everything from air surveillance, gun cameras, bank security, traffic, instrumentation, science, espionage,... to... they were made to be tough.. and they are.. Leica M cameras too were sold for more than just affluent amateur photographers.. There are, however, a number of small lightweight rangefinders about.. the Vitessa I mentioned is pretty compact and light... It was after all sold as an elegant camera
http://farm1.staticflickr.com/112/287870327_1f4b5d465e_o.jpg with the accessories it ran for over $200 USD back in the early1950s so was clearly aimed at affuent status seekers.. but a great camera with one of the sharpest lenses ever made (double the line pairs of a Tessar).

Strap? Why not a strap.. I also use a wrist strap (chain screwed into tripod thread).

Hoefla, having a look at it tonight and if it's good probably buying..

There needs to be less chat about why this is better or that is worse and more doing. The chit chat is what infuriates me, because more often than not the equipment has no bearing on what you produce, it's your use of it which makes the difference.

So yeah ride your bike or use your camera, Or whatever...

^ Agreed, this thread never was one much for the chat you get on photography forums.

Been all over the place the last few weeks, was nice to get in the darkroom for a bit

Only ever seem to print landscape type stuff, even though I hardly ever shoot it.

lovely. are you printing colour at home?

^^ Nice!

Can anyone recommend a lightbox and loupe? Looking to get my own scanner so need something to check negs on before. Preferably something really small, maybe even battery driven?

One can also use a Voigtlander Kontur finder and keep both eyes open--- it works really well

Just ordered a Kontur for my new GXR, worst of both worlds, some would say. I know about the parallax issues, but would like to try it out regardless.

You do look through the viewfinder (near the left edge of the camera) with your left eye, right?
So the camera is basically right in front of your face, right?
What do you mean by "block your face much lessly"?

Left eye? You mad? Left eye shooters are wronguns and should be pointed at and ostracized.

.......The interminable this is better, no that is better, just stop you from taking pictures......

The rest apart from the inherent technicalities of photography is just so much subjective bullshit...

.......There needs to be less chat about why this is better or that is worse and more doing. The chit chat is what infuriates me, because more often than not the equipment has no bearing on what you produce, it's your use of it which makes the difference....

"Infuriates" you? Really?

Corny, you mean to say that people should not disagree on technical aspects, or in any other aspects on this thread?

Photographers, like sportsmen, sometimes disagree. I don't think it happens too much on this thread, but maybe I've missed what you have witnessed. Still, I see not much wrong with some opposing views. I'm surprised that you are so easily infuriated actually.

^^ Nice!

Can anyone recommend a lightbox and loupe? Looking to get my own scanner so need something to check negs on before. Preferably something really small, maybe even battery driven?

The Kaiser Slimlites are quite nice.. can also make your own..
Loupe? EMO Macromax is by far the best 5x loupe--- its also known as the Leica 5x Loupe. They seem to fetch between 20-40 EUROs these days on the used market. If you need higher magnification and don't want to look at 24x36mm diapositives ("slides") there is also a nice 10x EMO loupe but its much rarer. The Schneider 6x is also pretty good.

Anyone know of a good place in Camden to develop B&W with a half-day turn around?

Kodak in Camden High Street? Just opposite Argos, but a little further down. 1 to 3 hour turnaround I think.

Not that I rate them for personal use, but bayeux is a 10 min bike ride from Camden

Thank you!

missus has ordered to get rid of the extra (and only film) camera so that I can have an extra bike :P Would anyone be interested in Contax G1 with 28mm zeiss f 2.8, has a nice mr. zhou leather cover, also have epson flatbed film scanner ..

^ How did you find the G1? Been meaning to ask you for a while

lovely! everything is perfect minus the manual focus, it feels solid, heavier than my X100 the focus is fast.

What model/price is the Epson scanner?

Hoefla, having a look at it tonight and if it's good probably buying..

There needs to be less chat about why this is better or that is worse and more doing. The chit chat is what infuriates me, because more often than not the equipment has no bearing on what you produce, it's your use of it which makes the difference.

So yeah ride your bike or use your camera, Or whatever...

The image capture interface (camera, objective) and capture technology (film) and its means of reproduction (wet darkroom, hybrid etc.) do have an impact on the produced work. Large format and KB are not just different negative sizes but define within their means of capture their own tempo and directly influence composition. Motors, reflex viewing, auto-focus and any of a number of "technical innovations" too were never neutral but left their fingerprint on the work produced using them.

Technology is hardy ever neutral but typically defines the work. This is not limited to photography but to pretty much all creative endevours.

An author, for example, writing with pen on paper will tend to be driven by the interface and produce differently than one using a typewritter, just as an author using a typewritter with its contraints on text manipulation will write differently from one using a word processor. That's why a number of authors (Nadine Gordimer, Frederick Forsyth and Don DeLillo being perhaps the most famous that quickly come to mind) insist on using typewriters.

Phillip Roth switched to computers.. Here is his take given in an interview with the LA Times.

What does this mean in terms of process?

The process has changed in part because the machinery has changed. Working on a computer is very different from working on a typewriter.

You typed? You didn't write longhand?

No, I typed. Doing that, I tended to write through. Write through a chapter. Write through the chapters. So I would have many drafts. Because the changes involved... there was only so much you could write in the margins. You had to retype the changes, and rewrite as you retyped. That's why, I think, everybody had many more drafts.

But beginning with "Sabbath's Theater," I guess, or maybe "Operation Shylock," I began to work on a computer. Now I’m doing so much changing as I go along that the drafts disappear, as it were, into the rewrites.

^ links to the Philip Roth thing?

^ links to the Philip Roth thing?

Link added in above... (forgot to link)

"So for me, writing is a performance. ." -- PR

Thanks!

What model/price is the Epson scanner?

Epson 4490 Photo Scanner with box and everything that came with it; £80 collected from SW London, can fit in a big messenger, roll top backpack.