2013 Tiny Marsh Stream

Bronica + Kodak Film + Marsh Stream + Len Marriott = ( white is white, black is black ) in a very fine toned + very fine detailed capture.

Thanks for the vote of confidence on this, my last shot taken with my Bronica SQ Ai.  I sold that whole system a couple of weeks ago.  I'll certainly miss the quality of the end result but not the weight of the camera and the post processing required to obtain that quality.  It's also tough to get decent 120 processing these days, C41 or B&W.  Perhaps with the money from the sale of my old cameras I'll be able to leap into the 21st century with a state-of-the-art digital camera.  These old eyes will appreciate the auto focus abilities and minimal post processing of the images along with the lighter mass of the newer camera and lenses.  Stay tuned!  Best, LM.

I agree with you Len, the big camera is a troublesome and same with digital. If I want to buy a camera in the next few days, certainly I will not consider more than a serious compact camera just like:

Sony RX 100, Nikon P7700 or Canon G1 X .

This is more than enough for old eyes. Just one thing bad, loss the fun of viewfinder. Best regards

Wow! Impressive B & W.

 

I'm really not sure any digital system could match it.

I do have a nice bit of software called Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, and one of its processing features emulates all kinds of film finishes. Though for quaIity, I think this is A1, and I really don't think it can be copied 100% with a digital alternative.........but I'd love to know if I'm wrong.

I love the crispness and life like tones, and the little meandering stream through the woodland is a well chosen scene to demonstrate the light / shadow extremes to great effect.

I have recently purchased the Nikon D800 and although I hear what you are saying about the processing of film, but the D800 brings a new set of challenges.

The huge 75 MB files sizes being just one of them, and the software thats needed to recognise the files, is another.

I'll bet there was a tear in your eye when you seen the Bronica go Len, you must have shared some precious times together.

Compliments & Best Regards

 

Alf

Thanks for the encouraging words.  Perhaps I should have waited for your comment BEFORE I sold my Bronica.  :-)  In truth I seldom used it (couple of times a year) and I felt it was the right thing for me to do.  The time was right for both of us.  It went to a new good home I think, a person who's enthusiasm for it matched his energy level.  Oh, great!  75mb files!  Now I'll probably have to get a new computer to handle my photos. (reminds me of the old movie, " The Long Long Trailer", where one new acquisition required another upgrade, and so on).  The largest print I've had made in the last 10 years is 12"x18" so the potential of the camera was wasted on me anyway.  Perhaps if I was into 30"x30" and larger prints there would have been some hesitation in selling it.  So, no tears, no regrets.  When I've sold off my remaining 35mm equipment (2-Minolta XG-M's and one 135mm lens) I'll throw myself fully into the 21st Century with a new DSLR perhaps.  (these old eyes will be happy to embrace Auto Focus) Until then I still have use of the Canon A540 P&S which has done me proud at times.   As I said to Museeb, 'Stay tuned'!  Best, LM.

For me it is not important how it  was photographed ( film or digital),for me  the final result is what counts.... ( another search in your shoe box?....;-))

I t is a very nice B/W, ( SnowWhite story.. comes to mind!...) as well as the beautiful light , angle ,and DOF!

Living in the Middle East, I have to' travel'   to Len M. in Canada to enjoy that kind of a winter scene...;-)) 

Yes, in the end it's the final result that counts and I am satisfied with this one.  Back lighting gets much of the credit.  This is a very recent shot (March 2013) but the negatives will indeed be finding a home in my old shoe box.  :-)  Traveling to Canada via PN gives you the benefit of the beauty of it without having to suffer the cold.  Always a pleasure to experience your visits.  Thanks for taking the time.  Best, LM.

Excellent image, Len! It has 3D look with perfectly pronounced details on snow, and well balanced between dark and bright areas. As for equipment, I recently bought Sony Nex-6 and more than happy with it. Printed 18 x 24 with great quality and the files size is "just" 18 - 20 megs. Pity that you already sold your minolta gear, otherwise you could use your excellent rokkors with an inexpensive adaptor and focus peaking feature! Cheers, Vlad.

Thanks for the upbeat comment.  The lion's share of the credit for details in the snow and the shadows goes to Portra film.  Not that I'll be using much of it in the future as I've sold all of my MF gear and most of my 35mm film gear.  Guess I'll have to enter the digital age fully now.  Got my eye on a D7000.  Stay tuned!  Best, LM.

Just as I discovered the excitement of film & MF photography in particular (Mamiya), you have given up on it, Len... (Although I understand the weight issue, the camera can be heavy on the neck indeed...)

I'm often impressed by the tonal range of B&W film-prints, and in particular of greens & foliage... & I seem to have a particularly hard time getting the tones right when converting color (greens) to B&W, from dig files somehow...

Wonder though if you converted this to B&W in PP by any chance...?

I really appreciate the overall tonal range -- very subtle, with great details in the snow, and dark water.

Very nice composition too -- one you can be proud of for sure.

In any event, digital or film, both have merit of course & the final result really depends on the person behind the camera :-)

Best to you, Marjolein

 

Great to have another visit from you.  The weight of the camera & accessories (heavy lenses & heavy tripod required for it) was a major factor in selling off my MF system.  Plus, my aging eyes could use a little auto-focus help.  :-(  Had I kept the system I was prepared to switch entirely to B&W so I could easily process my own negatives.  Good C41 processing for 120 film is becoming a challenge in my neck of the woods.  Instead, I found a good home for it where I'm sure it will be appreciated. :-)  I converted this image to B&W in Photoshop using 'Channel Mixer' and used only the red channel at 100%.  (like taking a photo on B&W film using a red filter)  I may have to compromise by switching from film to digital but I just don't know.  Time will tell. I see much good B&W work from digital cameras here on PN.  Best, LM.

The sharpness is exquisite in this image.  I'll definitely "stay tuned" to see what camera you choose to buy.  No matter what you use, your style will show through.

 I used to own 5 cameras.  Now I am down to two and I plan to keep it that way.  The others weren't getting used anyway.

Good of you to join in on this discussion.  Your views are always appreciated.  Thanks, I too think I hit the sweet spot for sharpness with this image.  And, as Marjolein has pointed out, the details in the highlights and shadows.  Film was great!  Hope I can get results like this from any new digital camera I may eventually choose. I'm down to 2 film bodies and ONE lens between them. (135mm) so I'll have to do something about that in the near future.  Don't be a stranger.   Best, LM.

Len, The digital slr you mentioned is no longer available.  Could it be the   D 7100 that you are interested in?

 

I had to buy a new computer 3 months ago.  It is sooooo much faster than the old one!

 

 

The D7000 is still available in Canada but now that the D7100 is out it's definitely a strong contender.  Not counting on getting a new computer but with the increased size of the files I will have to deal with that is also a possibility.  Stay tuned!  :-)  Best, LM.

This has been a most interesting discussion. I wish I could add my two cents but I really have no experience with film cameras (even though I have three of my dad's old print cameras that I inherited when he passed away). I really do question whether it's possible to get the range of tones with digital that you can with film. At least it's been a continuing problem for me. I'm currently using a Nikon D-7000 and a Nikon-1 but there's a hell of a lot I don't know about the optimum use of either camera and that sometimes leaves me a little frustrated.. The tonal range in this picture is superb and a very nice sayonara shot for your recently sold camera.

I can not  add any more accolades to this image that has not already been stated.  So I will simply appreciate the classics of clarity, composition and tonal range. One day someone asked me to evaluate his photo but he did not want quantification - he wanted to know how it made me feel. This one gives me a pleasant feeling that Spring is just around the corner and that it is a bright sunny day, cheerful with some birds chirping loudly with pregnant expectations of joy.

  

What more can I say except that I have very good 645 format equipment sitting idly and soon it will be worth nothing unless I part with it soon.  I remember the day i gave up color and black & White darkroom processing - it was with regret but I soon moved on. I read in one of the popular photography magazines, and as quoted by a couple of professional photographers, that the best black and white image is from an excellent color digital file.

 

And that is all the verbiage I will excrete today, (*_*)

 

 

Good of you to weigh in here on this one.  Not to worry about not being familiar with film.  I think it's a medium which is quite naturally falling into, at best, a niche market.  And it sounds like you have your work cut out for you in attempting to get the most out of what you own.  You'll probably be more productive working on that.  The D7000 is on my radar screen so any observations you have about that camera will pique my interest.  Best, LM.

Thanks for your input.  How a photo makes one 'feel' is as important as it's technical qualities.  Maybe even more important.  What pleased me personally was the way the film handled the highlights.  Snow is difficult to render properly, often burning out.  Newer digital cameras supposedly offer the ability to merge 2 or more exposures right in the camera to produce a high dynamic range result.  I hope the one I eventually purchase has this ability.  Hopefully I should then be able to obtain results as satisfying as this film offering.  Stay tuned!  Best, LM.

Nice one old man ... !

Always a treat to get a visit from you.  Thanks for the 'thumbs up'.  Best, LM.

very nice composition and sharpness --- repeating all the previous accolades as this photo merits. nitpicking, still, i have a feeling that it lacks an animate being somewhere in the frame. compliments    ---koushik

Yes, a duck, squirrel, or human would have made this a less static scene.  But, since there was none, we'll have to be satisfied with it's own beauty.  Thanks for taking the time.  Your visits are always appreciated.  Best, LM.

 

I love photos with water in it. How are you? I have not visited PN for a while.

Have a greet day!

Yeh, it's been over a year.  Doing fine at this location thank you.   Try not to be a stranger.  :-)  Actually it's good to give things a rest once in a while.  Kind of recharges one's battery, so to speak.  I took this one while with another              PN friend earlier this year.   We get together a few times each year.  Best, LM.