Let's see your gear

I totally should have gotten in on that haul.

There will be more hauls to come.

The most important set of equipment I have are my photography books. They are my main source of inspiration.

After lending my copy of Sebastião Salgado's "Africa" to a friend (because I simply spent too much time looking through it), I've been enjoying Andre Kertesz's 'On Reading'. However, I'm extremely excited about the book that is making its way to me in the post.



Here's a NY Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/arts/design/14geft.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all

and a slide-show:
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/09/14/arts/20080914_PRAG_SLIDESHOW_index.html

The mere mention of the name Koudelka gives me goosebumps. Nobody can dethrone HCB in my heart and mind but after him, my favourites are Koudelka and Salgado.

Yah those are pretty great, can't wait to flip through it next time we have a coffee.

That shot of the watch over the street as the tanks are rolling in is the one I remember best. I've always loved that one.

I'm not sure when I'll get back to photographing again but when I do, I'll be using this film:


ADOX CMS 20 with Adotech developer

Apparently, a full-frame digital camera would need more than 500MP to out-resolve this film. Adox claims that print sizes up to 2.5 meters diagonally are possible without visible grain.

Ordered a 35mm f/2 Zeiss Biogon lens for my Bessa yesterday. Hopefully it doesn't take too long to come in. I wanted to have it before Christmas but eBay and PayPal f**ked that up on me.

Congratulations. Are you getting the hood for it?

Well I was waiting to see what else I got for xmas but I did pick up my Canon 70-200 2.8 non-IS last Friday. It was a gift, they didn't know there was an IS and non-IS version but either way the lens is freaking sweet.

So that's my big grab of the holiday season.

Nando wrote:Congratulations. Are you getting the hood for it?

Yeah, I decided to get it while he offered it at the lower price. It came in today and hopefully will be shipped out soon. I won't be able to order the filters from work until after New Years, though.

Cujo wrote:Well I was waiting to see what else I got for xmas but I did pick up my Canon 70-200 2.8 non-IS last Friday. It was a gift, they didn't know there was an IS and non-IS version but either way the lens is freaking sweet.

So that's my big grab of the holiday season.

My diagnosis is as follows: Patient is exhibiting early signs of L-fever.

I haven't been this excited in a long time. The wait was unbearable but the ZM Zeiss 35mm f/2 Biogon finally came in the mail today. The UV and Yellow filters should be coming in shortly after New Year.

The 35mm f/2 Biogon ZM is one of the best 35mm lenses ever made! Thoroughly modern but 'classic' wide-open. You'll do great work with it.

I can't overstate how much of a help you've been. Meeting you has been dangerous

I think I'm having a lot more fun with photography now. Getting back into the darkroom really has been a revelation for me. I wish I'd never stopped after college.

Dangerous, perhaps. The fact that this lens should be the last 35mm lens that you'll ever need to buy for the rest of your life should give you some comfort.

However, I did say the same thing when I purchased my 35mm Summicron-M ASPH and I've since purchased two more 35mm lenses! I have 6 in total (I think). 35mm is a really nice focal length. Not too wide for excessive foreground in landscapes, wide enough to be perfectly suited for environmental portraiture at a comfortable distance, and almost a normal enough in terms of viewing-angle and perspective to be used as a general purpose lens. Probably the most practical of all focal lengths but I still prefer a 50mm as it feels more natural and gives you a bit more distance from the subject. I got at least 11 of those.

BTW, how does the Zeiss build compare to that of the Voigtlanders?

It feels good to me. The click-stops at every 1/3 a stop is really nice. You'd be a better judge of quality, I really only have the CV 21mm f/4 to compare it to.

The occasion of a new lens is always a good reason for a gear fondling session.

In regards to the CV 21, the focusing ring is smooth but a bit stiffer than what I would consider normal. Not a big issue.

No new gear to report from me with exception of a new camera bag. I came to realize that the Tamrac bag I use for my Pentax MX kit is in really bad shape. I wouldn't trust the shoulder strap on a day trip. For a bag that is only 5-7 years old, I'm a bit disappointed and I will likely avoid Tamrac bags in the future. My friend has a really, really nice Artisan and Artist bag from Japan. It's about the ideal size for my Pentax kit but the bag probably costs more than what my kit is worth! So I bought a Chinese-copy for less than 1/4 of the price. Its on its way to me now from Hong Kong. Probably not up to the Artisan and Artist standards but I'm sure it will likely last longer than the Tamrac!

Photos of the Chinese copy:
http://www.fotop.net/explore339/M_Camera_Bag

and the real deal:
http://www.artisanandartist.com/bags/gcam7000.htm

That looks pretty nice. How's the inside?

I'm still waiting for my Domke bag. I ordered it on November 17th with a 2-week expected backorder. Last I heard it's now going to be mid-January. So 2 weeks has become 2 months at the very least.

I was going to cancel my order and upgrade to a Billingham L2 Alice, but that supplier was out of stock too. I decided I'll just wait for the Domke and ordered an extra filter for my Biogon.

The inside of a real Artisan and Artist bag is very nice. The padding is thicker than that of Billinghams but the material seems about the same. Soft cotton covering over the foam. The bright red colour makes your gear stand out more so its easier to find what you're looking for. As for the Chinese-made copy, I have no idea. From the photos, it looks about the same. I'm taking a chance here. I have ordered from this seller before - a leather camera strap for my Spotmatic and another one, a copy of an original and expensive Hasselblad strap, for my Arax. Certainly not of Luigi-caliber stuff but all very nice and strong. I've been satisfied so far and hopefully the bag won't disappoint.

As you know, I recently ordered a Domke insert for my M-Classics unpadded bag. I didn't buy it for the padding but for dividing up the large main compartment more effectively (and thereby eliminating the need for individual lens pouches). Anyway, I wasn't too impressed with the insert. The material is nylon over foam. There was no foam padding on the bottom but one advantage is that the foam from the sides can be completely removed and replaced if necessary. Eventually all foam will turn into a gooey mess. The foam itself is hard - almost feels like styrofoam. The nylon is very thin. The stitching job isn't too good and there were a few loose threads that I cut off with a pair scissors. I found it really cheap (as in crappy) for the price I paid - it was $40! A Billingham insert would have been more money but at least I would have got what I paid for. I don't know about Domke bags as I never had one and I can't remember ever handling one. However, many photographers swear by them.

One thing that I don't really like about both Domke and Billingham is that with many models, inserts are not included. With a Billingham, a shoulder pad is even extra! By the way, a Billingham shoulder pad is probably the best looking shoulder pad I've ever seen.

For an RF kit, I think that the BBB bag from Figital or the M-Classics bag are the ideal. The M-Classics is a copy of an orginal Leica canvas bag made in the 1970's. One can still find the original Leica bags and they're pretty cheap compared to a new M-Classics buts its hard to find a nice one that doesn't smell. These bags are unpadded and that may not sit well a lot of people. (And considering how fragile modern cameras and lenses are...) Of course, if money was no object, there are the Fogg bags from France. The ultimate, would be a custom creation by the infamous Luigi from Roma. I'd go for a Billingham Alice L2 or Hadley Small if I wanted some padding - black leather on black canvas probably. I think that the brown leather on green or tan canvas stand out too much. Either that or buy a Billingham padded insert and find a conventional or military surplus bag with the correct dimensions for it. My first camera bag that was exactly that. I got a Billingham insert that fit perfectly in my then-school-bag/now-work-bag and it worked out great. I only went onto other bags because my original solution was a bit heavy (approximately 6lbs without gear).

One bag that I really like, but rarely found, is the original system bag for the Minolta CLE. I usually see it on ebay a once or twice a year - usually a part of an entire kit and not by itself. It has a compartment at the top for the camera with a lens mounted and at the bottom, it has a separate compartment that divided into three - ideal for lenses, film, etc. It is extremely small too. Just enough room for a rangefinder with a wide, normal, telephoto and perhaps 6-9 rolls of film. The only problem is that it looks like a purse due to its shape, dark red leather and shiny brass fittings. Extremely well made though and the interior is lined in suede.

The Chinese Artisan-and-Artist copy will probably arrive soon. My experience is that shipping from China is actually faster than shipping from the United States! I'll let you know if its any good. The price is great - $62USD plus $16USD shipping. It may be suitable bag for you. A bit large but, on the other hand, you would be prepared for any future kit expansion.

There are also Chinese-made Domke copies that go by the name Safrotto. The bags look like straight copies of popular Domke models and they come with all the padded inserts as standard. You may want to look into those.

Oh I misunderstood and thought you had it already. My small Lowepro bag is running out of room now that I have the new lens. I may have to move the flash (which is only there for emergencies) into the front pocket, but that's where I keep film.

I looked at that BBB and it looks good and isn't too expensive. I really should buy the Alice as the price I can get it at is quite good. I should probably spend the extra money on film though

I knew that photo would end up on a pr0n site.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=39249&page=6

We should probably just email each other, I'm pretty sure no one else cares

The Chinese bag arrived a few days ago. Today, I had the opportunity to compare the bag to a real A&A "Sabastio" that it copies. The design itself is exactly the same! That said there were obvious cost-cutting measures and differences between the two bags. For starters, my Chinese copy has much smaller dimensions. It is about 2/3rds the size of the A&A. My bag is made with a rougher, stiffer and most likely cheaper, nylon material. The leather looked cheaper. The brass fittings on my bag were rougher and unfinished. And finally, the shoulder strap is of a simpler design and is unpadded. Despite all this, I feel that this bag was still a good deal for $70. It is much better than the Tamrac bag it replaces and it suits my Pentax MX kit perfectly.

I just saw the bag you mentionned, Sabastio... and it's a very nice camera bag... for someone who likes messenger bags like me... I could EASILY be tempted by this one!

I feel a bag thread coming on...

With A&A bags, I was hesitant in dealing with the distributor in the United States; Rich Pinto of Photo Village in New York. I had a bad experience with him - its a long story. A friend purchased his A&A Sabastio from Rich Pinto but arranged to have the bag sent it to a relative in Michigan to avoid the problems I encountered. However, now there is another option than dealing with a seller from the US since The Leica Boutique in Montreal started carrying A&A. I warn you however, the A&A bags seem a lot smaller in the online photos than they are in real life.

http://leicaboutique.com/ecommerce/os/catalog/index.php?cPath=75

Here's my current bag contents. 2 rolls of Velvia 100F, 3 rolls of TRI-X, 1 roll each of Kodak 400CN, Kodachrome 64 and Fuji NPZ 800. Usually I'd have PANF 50 as well, but I'm fresh out. HP5 is my usual B&W 400 film of choice but I am giving TRI-X a shot. I am fully expecting a religious experience using it.

The lens mounted on the Bessa is the Zeiss 35mm f/2 Biogon, the lens next to the camera is the CV 75mm f/2.5 Heliar. The camera in the background is my Olympus Stylus Epic loaded with Velvia.