Classic photojournalist cameras

<p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1173687/">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1173687/</a><br>

"The Bang bang Club"<br>

A drama based on the true-life experiences of four combat photographers capturing the final days of apartheid in South Africa.<br>

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Lots of F3s and Leicas and a nostalgic look at how newsrooms worked not so long ago. Or not so long ago to me, anyway. My mum was a journalist and it was at the newspaper I first saw a darkroom.<br>

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<p>Which do you want? The movie version or reality? Reality used my Pentaxes..cheaper to replace. Leicas were not as expensive as now! How would i know? Because i shot with some of them but mostly at different venues. After the death of one, i re-considered my life, my duties to my kids and wife. Adios Africa. Most used Nikon was the Nikon-F, followed by the Nikon F2. The photo editor at "The Star" was Barry Von Below. A real nice guy.</p>

...add to Netflix instant queue...click! Thanks, irvine.

<p>Wow Jason. I think you made the right decision.<br>

Of the 4 in the Bang-Bang club, Ken Oosterbroek was killed in action, Kevin Carter, who took the Pulitzer pic of the little girl being stalked by the vulture, killed himself and more recently Joao Silva had his legs blown off in Afghanistan. <br>

I never expected anyone involved with that scene to be on here, it's a small world.</p>

<p>I went to an exhibition 4 years ago that featured Ken Oosterbroek's last few frames.</p>

<p>Anyways, better off in a different PNet forum from here I reckon.</p>

 

<p>Very very gripping. Thanks for your perspective Jason.</p>

<p>We can keep it on-topic for this forum by asking Jason, what Pentaxes were you shooting? And what lenses?</p>

<p>i used mostly a few Spotmatics ( one part of original group to land in South Africa). That camera saw action! It was also lent to others for their shoots! Peter Magubane used Leica and i think Nikon SLR. Ken shot originally on i think,Canon Ae series, later Nikons and then of course Leica. Smaller cameras were safer than long lenses! The danger was not only Rioters, distinct from demonstrators, but also the police. i am not really sure if it was suicide of Ken Carter.. fact many Black photographers felt they were ignored, by a White media. Possibly true. This i learnt a few trips ago, it mentions it briefly in the movie.Go see, go see.<br>

Carter hung himself, before morning rush, off a bridge, over main freeway into downtown. Please note Johannesburg and Soweto are all part of a very large city. South Africa not to be compared to rest of Africa.Very industrialized, huge technical skills, and mining every rare mineral required. Was a Nuclear power with ICBM capability..<br>

i found the Pentaxes small, quick to reload and not as noticed as Nikons. i used Leica when it was not "under fire". I was involved in teaching photo workshops, paid for by the apartheid Government, towards a NEW South Africa. Most students were paid for by Department of Manpower(Labor). Nearly all my students were Black. i was one of a few nominees asked to join "Concerned Photographers Group S.A." Originally only for Black and Colored shooters, but with Apartheid crumbling, only right to invite those that helped.<br>

While doing a photo work shop in Downtown, Saturday afternoon, we noticed a lot of Police. One Flat bed truck with mounted machine gun stopped near my group. I told everybody,"Put away your cameras, it's time for coffee,cokes and cake!" We trotted off. We learnt later a "State of Emergency" had been declared.<br>

While sitting and having cokes, we got some photos..<br>

Most pix were with 50/55mm, the 35mm Super Takumar f2.0, the 85mm f1.9, the 135mm f2.5.<br>

I later used Nikon-F. never carried the 200mm Takumar f3.5 modified for Ian Berry of Magnum.<br>

Thanks for allowing me a lil detail..</p>

<p>Thanks for the information!</p>

<p>I just placed this film in the number one position of my Netflix queue.</p>

<p>Words and pix here.</p>

<p>Warning: these are not stills from the movie:<br>

<a href="http://digitalfilmmaker.net/Bang/chapter1.html">http://digitalfilmmaker.net/Bang/chapter1.html</a><br>

The sharp-eyed may identify a few more cameras.</p>

<p>About a week before Ken was killed, we met at a photo-fair held by Kameraz. Ken got a book i wanted and i got one he wanted. Said we would swap at next meet. It was not to be..Literally hours later he was dead.<br>

Ken told me he was not going back to Soweto. A few days before, he had a kid run into him, making clicking sounds. He looked down and saw the kid was firing a pistol, that didn't go off! The editor at "The Star" told Ken,"You are going in with Police and Army, it's with the UN. Safe as houses!". Guess not. </p>

<p>Fascinating, Jason. Thank you for sharing. </p>

<p>I am going to watch it now as Netflick is supposed to strip out many movies next Wednesday. So if there is something you want to see you better do it now. </p>

<p>I just finished watching <em>The Bang Bang Club</em>.</p>

<p>The casting, acting, cinematography, photography, storyline, and realism were excellent.<br>

I gave it a 5-star rating on NetFlix.</p>

<p>The last time I have been so moved by a photography movie was the 1966 Michelangelo Antonioni film, <em>Blow Up</em>.</p>

<p>I only have two complaints:<br />1. The movie was so moving that I had to watch it in segments because its intensity was too much for me to handle all at once.<br />2. The movie was so good that I will have to buy it to add to my collection of favorites.</p>