Rusty on using my MP's

[joseph_barbano]

For the last 6-9 months or so, I've been using my D2 and D70. I'm

scheduled for a trip to Mexico and then Spain in the next few months

where I decided to bring my M stuff as the digital is nice but not

quite"it".

 

Well, I pulled out my MPs to shoot a few rolls to get back in the

groove and it was like handling an alien machine, i.e. totally

foreign. I expected it to be like riding a bike. Not so. I think

the biggest issue is relearnign the hand-eye-mind coordination in

being able to connect exposure, composition, and mechanics in a

graceful continuous movement. You don't need that with an auto

exposure, auto focus, auto everything camera--not that there's

anything wrong with that; it has it's place.

 

I have a friend who is a well known professional photographer who

used to shoot ten rolls of film before breakfast; just warming up.

Now this guy is NOT some hack who shoots thousands of exposures to

just get one picture relying strictly on statistics. In fact, he's

a member of Magnum. We agreed that shooting ten rolls before

breakfast was equivalent to a professional golfer who hits 500 balls

a day. That's what it takes to be good; maybe and if you're very

lucky and talented.

 

So I'd better figure out how to use these cameras again otherwise I

might miss that "decisive moments" on my travels.

[zapata_espinoza]

That is exactly the main problem I have with digicams: a new interface on every other model and upon upgrade the need to re-learn it. However, film bodies such as an F5 or EOS1V weren't any better. Almost three to four knobs and switches to change from aperture priority/spot metering/continous AF mode to all manual.

[icuneko]

Why not take your MP out every day and "shoot" several rolls of non-film, just for practice? In other words, shoot some pictures without film in the camera just for the feel, visualization, metering estimation and practice.

Cheap way to improve one's pics!

[chuck_t]

Leica M is solely for scenery, street and portrait photography. Anything moving faster than that, you better have the D2x ready in your hand.

 

You will miss many "decisive moments" if you are using a Leica M. The D2x can shoot at least 10 frames per second. The Leica is 1 frame per second. I am not sure what were you thinking.

[nels]

"I think the biggest issue is relearnign the hand-eye-mind coordination in being able to connect exposure, composition, and mechanics in a graceful continuous movement. You don't need that with an auto exposure, auto focus, auto everything camera..."

 

Has it occurred to you that this attitude could be the crux of the matter?

[billc1]

I agree with your friend, you need to practice because you don't want to be expeirmenting while on a trip. It is not like you can go back there and do it all over again because you were too lazy to practice first.

[al_kaplan1]

Even if you just "dry fire" it every day, no film, but practice focus, wind, release. As for the "advantage" of auto exposure/auto focus? You're the "automation". Decisive moments, correctly exposed and framed, filled books and magazines long before people became lazy. And your Leica fires RIGHT NOW, not when the camera decides everything is ready. Now THAT is what "decisive moment" means, Right Now! When your eye and brain see it.

 

The Wedding Forum is filled with questions about how to DEFEAT the automation, what "work arounds" will work with this camera and that flash in such and such a situation. Oft times it's just easier to make a reading and set the shutter speed and aperture yourself, simpler to focus where you want than to try and remember how to fool the autofocus into doing it for you.

[lee hamiel]

Joseph:

 

Classic problem when switching between Nikon & Leica as the aperture rings are opposite of each other - takes me a while whenever switching between an M6 & a Nikon F5.

 

Good Luck & simply fire off a few rolls to get back into the groove.

[nels]

That's it, Lee. It's the f*cking Nikon's fault.

[lee hamiel]

You said it Nels_

 

I tend to blame my Nikons more than the Leicas

[nels]

I never liked Nikon's digital color palette any way, and now you tell me their rings move in the wrong direction too. I see the connection. That does it for me.

[erikhaugsby]

<i>Leica M is solely for scenery, street and portrait photography. Anything moving faster than that, you better have the D2x ready in your hand.

<br>

You will miss many "decisive moments" if you are using a Leica M. The D2x can shoot at least 10 frames per second. The Leica is 1 frame per second. I am not sure what were you thinking.

</i><br><br>

Chuck--your ability to capture a decisive moment does should not rely on the number of frames your camera can shoot, but rather your ability to visualize what will happen and then wait for it to happen. <br>One frame is all that matters.

[charles_stobbs3]

When does your friend study those 10 rolls of film?

[35mmdelux]

"We agreed that shooting ten rolls before breakfast was equivalent to a professional golfer who hits 500 balls a day. That's what it takes to be good; maybe and if you're very lucky and talented."

 

I think the legends, such as Kertesz and HCB, would disagree w/ this thesis. In fact it was Andre Kertesz who stated that Americans shoot too much film. Wasn't HCB that stated that a photograph was only good when the "geometry came into place." That is alot of geometry shooting 10 rolls in the morning. Elliott Erwitt recently stated that photography was "easy" and that all that was required was simply "observation."

 

different strokes for different folks I guess.

[wmwhee]

I got lucky the other day when shooting the passing scene--nothing special. Then, as I was framing the shot, a flock of pigeons in flight filled the viewfinder for just a second, in and out, and I snapped the picture without fully registering what I was doing. I usually pre-set aperture and shutter for the prevailing light when out and about--just in case. I hung around for a bit, watching the pigeons comes and go and observing the way in which they appear to hover momentarily before landing, and I took a few more pictures, but without the spontaneity of the first one. I hope I got it.

[paul_neuthaler]

First of all, I think if you use a nice wide lens, ie. a 28 or wider, you won't have to worry about focusing in most situations (pre-focus at 12 feet) -- 400 ISO, 1:8, 1/125 & be there!

[robert_haller]

... very very simply guys ...! The more the camera does - the less the photographer can do ! Doing less does not satisfy everyone - it does not satisfy me !!! I take pictures not just because of the pictures - I do it also because I enjoy using, setting and maintaining a nice machinery ... simple as it is ...

Loading battaries and watching the battary-meter is NOT fun at all - it�s to passive and especially nerving.

[Allen Herbert]

I take pictures not just because of the pictures - I do it also because I enjoy using, setting and maintaining a nice machinery ... simple as it is .

 

Everyone to their own i suppose.A nice old clock will do the same and go click clock;) Some have little birds that jump out...cool or what.

 

Personally i prefer to polish my car when i can be bothered.

[billsr]

I used to drink a case of beer a day, but it did nothing for my photography. You must take out your MP and practice....starting NOW!

When you go to Mexico, take along a digital P&S so you don't blow EVERY shot. ;<)) Best wishes, Bill

[robert_haller]

ok... digital is like drinking japanese tea out of a plasic cup ... - more practical yes ... and it cant break ... but on the other hand very low and trashy ... better use bone ... china bone if av.

[Alex_Es]

Joseph: A fundamental question. What are you shooting in Mexico and aren't your digital cameras quite "it"? What do you expect your MPs to do that your digital equipment won't do for you?

 

Next, what lenses to plan to take with you? That's important. Are you a wide angle or telephoto or normal lens sort of guy?

 

Consider this and let's begin from there.

[rj]

Practice is always good, always needed and fun.

 

I feel like this when I switch back to my Cambo 4x5. It takes some getting used to, actually it takes a lot of practice to get used to it. I don't think that to be good you have to shoot ten rolls before breakfast, this seems like bragging before a car race. I do think you have to practice your mechanical skills, but the actual act of visualization can be done without a camera, just takes some concentration, and is an important skill to keep honed.

[joseph_barbano]

Bringing two MPs, 28 Elmarit, 35 Cron Asph, 50 Cron latest, and 90 Elmarit. Will take people pics, some landscape, etc. I usually shoot slides 100F, 400F, and/or 100G.

 

In Mexico, I'll visit some of the towns around the Yucatan mostly on day trips. While in Spain, I'll be traveling by car for about a week going to Madrid, Segovia, Salamonca, Cuidad Rodrigo, Toledo and back to Madrid.

 

For some reason whenever I shoot digital, the pictures are more of a documentation of events and not as aesthetic. It sounds ridiculous but when I shoot with film the results have "soul" while on digital they just have less significance. I still consider capturing a good photo on film a personal achievement while in digital it's a good use of PS or some other program. Yeah I hear all of the comparisons between film darkroom and digital darkrooms. I don't buy it.

[tekkie]

Another worthless thread.

[wmwhee]

Another worthless thread?

 

Perhaps. Still, the idea of its being worthless did not occur to me until you mentioned it. I did return to the thread to catch up on the discussion. So, it holds some interest for me.

 

Bill

[35mmdelux]

this holds interest for me as well, as a continuing discussion of what/not to take along from those that have been there.

 

"I used to drink a case of beer a day, but it did nothing for my photography. You must take out your MP and practice....starting NOW! When you go to Mexico, take along a digital P&S so you don't blow EVERY shot. "

 

I'm a believer. But instead of the beer, try the Chivas VG. WoW.