Surprise Benefit

I think it is spreading. I was sitting in the stands at a high school football game with an F4S in hand and a kid maybe 13-14 years old came up and gave me the exact same real camera line. He was truly impressed. I've updated some digital gear but I've added much more film gear to my tool box and several manual focus lenses. I'm enjoying them more than the digital process. Yesterday I hung two new/old safelights in my darkroom. Now if I can just find some developing trays....

Rick H.

Yes, the TLR gets the attention for me too. Probably because it's so different from what people are used to seeing. I'm well into middle age but it's something I associate with previous generations since my Uncle had one. So even by my standards it's old.

Modern DSLRs and compacts often bare a passing resemblance to old SLRs and compacts. That classic look is also showing up again on modern cameras so I don't think old SLRs stand out quite as much, unless someone sees you focusing or advancing the film.

I gave my old Olympus to somebody who volunteered to take a family photo at Thanksgiving. I let her know that it needed to be focused manually. She told me not to worry, she remembered these from her high school photography class. She did just fine, until she had to take another picture. She looked puzzled for a minute and then it dawned on her that there was another step. ;)

Last summer, I was hiking with my Vest Pocket Kodak down a trail, and a Japanese guy, who might not speak English, took a picture of me and my camera with his iPhone.

My usual description of a DSLR is a camera that you can't use to make phone calls.

Yeah, I love it that film is making a come-back. Reminds me of vinyl LPs. It just won't go gentle into that good night.

I tend to get smiles and nods from people when I'm out shooting with one of my film rigs. But I get other reactions, too. I was at a Civil War Re-enactment a few years ago, carrying my Bronica ETRSi outfit. I have a prism finder and a speed grip for it, so it handles like a big 35mm. I'll never forget one guy who was all decked out with his digital gear, and who looked at my ETRSi and said, paraphrasing, "Now that's a camera!" I wonder what he would have said if I'd been carrying my Pentax 67, cuz that, my friends, is a camera and a half. Or maybe even two. I also recall being on a photo shoot, again a few years back, where I brought my old Canon F-1 with Winder F to the event. Except for one guy with a home-built 4x5 who used it quite sparingly, I was the only one there with a film camera. Every time I fired off a shot, the Winder F went grrrr-grrrr-grrrr as it advanced the film at a leisurely 2fps. And every time I took a shot, the model would look up at me with a somewhat surprised look on her face. She'd never heard the noises that film cameras with motors attached make! It made me feel a little self-conscious since all the DSLRs there barely made any sound at all. But I got over it.

So, my question...is photography the camera or the photographer? Can a good photographer use an iPhone camera and still be considered a real photographer?

You can't be much of a photographer without a camera so I'd say that for now it's both. When we have intelligent drones flying around taking pictures that match their profile of what is pleasing then maybe you can have photography without photographers. I suppose in some ways we have that already.

Phone cameras are getting more and more sophisticated but they have their limitations. They are also extremely convenient. Anyway I'd say yes, absolutely a real photographer can use an iPhone. Again, you have to work within their limitations but that is true of any camera.

I was in camera sales when that came out --BIG / cool! I can't imagine being thrown out of a place -- politely asked to leave, possibly. I think a bit of it is presentation and blending with the place you're shooting, or being a harmless character / tourist.

AS soon as they see that monster come up, Im tagged as a Pro. In NYC the cops automatically jump on you looking for permits. I explain Im not a pro but they dont want to hear it. I had 10 cops surround me on a public beach while taking pix of an egret. Little did I know the nude section of the beach was off to my right and one of the cop's girlfriend called accusing me of taking their pictures... which isn't illegal BTW. I insisted they arrest me for taking pictures on the beach but instead I got a ticket for not following the direction of an officer. The bum never showed up in court and it was dismissed. BUT I had to sit in court all day before my case came up. I did write a letter to the PBA civilian review about this officer and his girlfriend and the treatment I got from the lot of them. All I ever got was a make believe apology saying it was a misunderstanding.

At the Winter Garden... I was talking pictures of a friend from Russia that wanted to send pix home to show her decadent life in the USA. She had on a nice evening gown, waking down the huge stairs. 3 cops came n told me to stop taking pictures unless I had a permit. I explained the woman was a guest in the USA and wanted nice pictures of her visit to show her family back home. NO NO NO! OUT! Again I insisted they arrest me as they escorted me out the door... but of course they cant since its a public area..... asked nicely?

In front of a hotel in NYC taking pictures of the main enterance. The security guys came out n told me I cant take picture of the building. I was taking the pix form the sidewalk. They insisted and called the cops. Think the cops would know the law? NOOOOooooooo they told me to move along or ELSE! I insisted on the OR ELSE but they wouldnt take me in. I got a ticket for blocking egress on the sidewalk, which they created by harassing me as a crowd grew... again, no show in court but I sat there all day. Complained to the PBA but no response.

wana her a few more?

hahahahahahah thrown out and dont come back no mo is how they do it here in the rotten apple.

wana her a few more?

Some folks are just remarkably gifted! :D

I was asked to leave the local Barnes & Noble because I was taking pictures with my Konica C35AF (the first commercial 35mm AF camera, BTW).

Before the courts nullified it, it was for a while illegal to take any picture of any police officer in Illinois.

I was also ejected from the local mall for taking pictures... I'm a terrible scofflaw I guess.

Normally (aside from the Stereo Realist), I don't get as much reaction to film cameras as I do from my Canon EF 100-400mm -"what's that, boy, a rocket launcher?"

AS soon as they see that monster come up, Im tagged as a Pro. In NYC the cops automatically jump on you looking for permits. I explain Im not a pro but they dont want to hear it. I had 10 cops surround me on a public beach while taking pix of an egret. Little did I know the nude section of the beach was off to my right and one of the cop's girlfriend called accusing me of taking their pictures... which isn't illegal BTW. I insisted they arrest me for taking pictures on the beach but instead I got a ticket for not following the direction of an officer. The bum never showed up in court and it was dismissed. BUT I had to sit in court all day before my case came up. I did write a letter to the PBA civilian review about this officer and his girlfriend and the treatment I got from the lot of them. All I ever got was a make believe apology saying it was a misunderstanding.

 

At the Winter Garden... I was talking pictures of a friend from Russia that wanted to send pix home to show her decadent life in the USA. She had on a nice evening gown, waking down the huge stairs. 3 cops came n told me to stop taking pictures unless I had a permit. I explained the woman was a guest in the USA and wanted nice pictures of her visit to show her family back home. NO NO NO! OUT! Again I insisted they arrest me as they escorted me out the door... but of course they cant since its a public area..... asked nicely?

 

In front of a hotel in NYC taking pictures of the main enterance. The security guys came out n told me I cant take picture of the building. I was taking the pix form the sidewalk. They insisted and called the cops. Think the cops would know the law? NOOOOooooooo they told me to move along or ELSE! I insisted on the OR ELSE but they wouldnt take me in. I got a ticket for blocking egress on the sidewalk, which they created by harassing me as a crowd grew... again, no show in court but I sat there all day. Complained to the PBA but no response.

 

wana her a few more?

 

hahahahahahah thrown out and dont come back no mo is how they do it here in the rotten apple.

I'm thinking in some cases, it might be security concerns. But, IMO, that's stupid because if I were with a terrorist organization, I wouldn't be using a big Pro-looking high end camera, I'd be using a phone or other "incognito" type camera. Honestly, it's ridiculous, because it really is NOT illegal to take photographs with ANY type of camera in a public place, unless it's a military base.

Didn't someone once say 'Home of the brave, Land of the Free !' - or did I just dream it ?

Still going strong, of course, it requires living in one of the free states. Try London - the small pocket knife I carry every day would be cause for arrest. Never have had problems with police and a camera in the US, nor for that matter in London, though that was long ago.