jhodges

An addition to my post...

 

I can of course get away with such things because my photography is only a hobby. If I were a pro, or selling any, I suppose I would have to use what would produce the best commercial results.

Up until recently I've shot with only a 50 'cron for a few years. It was a new experience for me and went along with a whole new outlook on photography. I don't know if my output has improved much as I don't get to spend the time I'd like shooting, but it has changed my understanding of photography in general. And rather than buying a lot of kit for my camera it allowed me to determine with clarity what I needed based on my prints. Now I plan on spending some time with my new addition, a 90 tele-elmarit.

Hi Dan. I'll send you an email and maybe we can all coordinate something. Today is my dad's birthday, so I'll send you my cell number and we can talk tomorrow if you have time.

Hi there John. Develop the shots from the Porsche Parade yet? Dan should still join us. He's part of the original group after all.

Yes, sorry, it's Dallas/Fort Worth.

 

Hi Jerry. If you're interested in meeting, send me an email. My address is jhodges@rennlist.com.

Don't know anyone remembers me, since it's been quite a while since

I've posted. Things are slowing down at work a little so I thought

I'd take the time to get back here and say hello.

 

I was wondering if anyone in the D/FW area would like to get together

either this weekend or next. I think the last time we got together

was for the Stock Show last year, and it's that time again. It's

going on through Feb. 6th. There are a couple of other places I've

been interested in going, such as the Log Cabin Village, South of Will

Rogers Memorial Center on University if anyone else would be

interested in going also.

 

My email address is the same as before, but I lost everyone else's

email addresses when the email server was changed last year.

 

http://www.fwstockshowrodeo.com/

http://www.logcabinvillage.org/

 

John

I guess that would make me a G7. :) M2 and only M2.

Well, my little sister goes to Brooks, and lives in Santa Barbara. I'll talk to her in just a bit and let you know what she says.

 

Cheers,

John

Thank you all for the welcome. It's good to be back. I'm looking at a new scaner so I can scan some of my slides to post. I hope I can share them with you all soon.

Hi John. I've missed the group outings. I'm free this weekend. Why don't I send an email out about this weekend. I'm really looking forward to testing out the range of this newly acquired lens. Would be a perfect opportunity.

I haven't been to this forum in quite some time. Got busy helping my

father move his office, and just never got back into posting here.

 

I went to the camera show in Grapevine this weekend, and finally

bought myself a 35mm lens for my M2. Got an old 35/3.5 Summaron.

Beautiful condition. No fungus, scrathes, or dents. Only thing

about it is someone's SSN engraved lightly on the underside. Haven't

shot with it yet, but I plan on shooting with it quite a bit over the

next couple of weeks.

 

Since I've been gone, my little sister has been attending the Brooks

Institute of Photography, and is in her third session.

 

I hope that everyone is doing well, and I'll try to drop in as often

as I can. Have a wonderful day.

 

Best Regards,

John Hodges

As soon as I saw this thread by Mr. Fulton, I decided to post it here. :) Guess I will now.

 

I don't like my portrait being taken. But, if I had to have it taken, I know who I wouldn't want to take it.

Chip,

 

You have some well thought out points of view. At that point it comes down to opinions. Over-thinking can be just as deadly as not thinking. That is what got this country into the politics of post WWII.

 

A very good point was made by a journalist whose name I have forgotten. Who elected the UN? Why should we be subservient to the UN. It was meant as a forum where the countries of the world could speak to one and other openly. It was not created to dictate what we can do, or when, or under what circumstances. If the UN does not care what happens to our citizens on our soil (and an embassy, ship, our post anywhere IS sovereign US soil), then why should we follow them to the deaths of American civilians? The rest of the world will always be against us, because it is their economies that will suffer. Their oil suppliees will suffer. The very things they accuse us of being concerned with.

 

David, you have an interesting question that was posed in Leica World (I believe) not long ago. They spoke of censor, and specifically at the Gulf War. I have nothing against the PJs. They are doing their job taking photos as you or I would. It is the context in which the editors and publishers place those photos. One photographer was recently speaking against going to war in Iraq because of all the horrible things he took pictures of in Desert Storm. However the worst photos he showed were actually of what the Iraqis running from Kuwait had done. Not us. It is one thing to take the photos and provide the truth and accurate information, and another thing entirely to take photos and provide false or misleading information.

 

As for the political leanings of the PJs, being anti-war, pro-war, or neutral, I will tell you what I have learned from being in combat. There are no neutral parties in war. And the only innocents are children. And I don't know anyone that is "pro-war." Then there are those who are there simply because it's an assignment.

 

John

Some of my friends can answer that better than I can. The journalists have to be cleared for certain things just as we do. Some of it has to do with trust. Some of it doesn't.

 

My point is that just because Mr. Brokaw says it on the news doesn't make it the truth. I do not beleive that the reproters and camera crews are bad people. I also know that they beleive they are protecting the people. That does not mean their methods are sound our just. The media will always cry foul when it comes to the military. These reporters that are going through training at Benning still have minds of their own, and I'm sure they are quite capable of intelligent thought. So why must it be assumed that the military can and will control them? The military is no some big ominous giant. We are individuals. And we individuals in the field do make the final decision. Nobody I have been with has a problem with reporters being with us. We do have a problem when they step on our toes. This is why they are going to BASIC at Benning. So they can be given a better understanding of the troops they will come in to contact with.

 

I saw a clip of one journalist who looked like he was having a real tough time throwing his weight around. I myself went to Sand Hill (Ft. Benning) for BASIC training. It is the best BASIC training post in the Army. But don't think that because they are going through BASIC that they will be soldiers or mindless drones. Anyone who has ever been enlisted will tell you that you are not really a soldier until after AIT. BASIC training is just an introduction for everyone. So you know what to do and what to expect. That's it. And the most important thing for these journalist, NBC (Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical) training , is taught at BASIC.

 

Also from a soldiers stand point, it should help the journalist fit in and be accepted by the soldiers on the ground. I do not think this is a bad idea. The media does belong there. Not to keep an eye on the military, but to show the world what is going on.

 

If you want to talk about controlling the media, look to the communists. In the late nineties, Milosevic would not allow journalists into Bosnia or Kosova. Why? There is no proof, from the media, to the rest of the world, of the horrors that he caused. That is controlling the media.

 

John

I have been in Army Special Operations for four years now, and seen quite a bit.

 

Sorry to burst some people's bubble, but the media doesn't give **** about you. They are there for entertainment only. It's their self-righteous attitude that has caused more problems for those of us on the ground. No one wants to fight. And no one wants to die. But once we're on the ground, let us do our job. No liberal is not a bad thing. The problem is that the liberals of this country in the government and the media are spouting the same crap that communists have for the past half century. Why is that so difficult for some people to grasp?

 

Let me tell you about the "beloved" media. Those rules are there to protect them, and us. Do you think that our enemies really care about our journalists? They don't even care about their own people. When I was on my last tour, we nearly shot what turned out to be a BBC reporter. Because he was supposed to be with an escort. Instead he was walking around with his camera crew, and going into the homes that we were clearing while looking for guerrillas. Their fault not ours. It was one of my best friends who saved this guy. We heard that a few weeks after we left he had been killed by the guerrillas.

 

Most people can't even fathom that we are just about the only country that follows the Geneva Convention to the letter. It is so bad that we can't even shoot back to defend ourselves unless we can actually see the person who is shooting at us. What will save lives is the support of the people, and I have not personally met one person in the past year that doesn't support the military. Some people seem to forget that we are Americans too. We have families as well.

 

To those who say we shouldn't put Americans lives at risk, and kill innocent Iraqis, I say that American lives are already at risk. They have been taken for the past decade while President Clinton would launch a couple of missles at radar installations. Quite a sharp reply to the loss of hundreds of Americans lives.

 

And it is not the DUTY of the press to PROTECT the people from the government. That is our job theough the electoral process. It IS the DUTY of the MILITARY to protect the Constitution of the United States. You do not pay the press. You do not elect the press. They force feed everything to you.

 

I too come from a VERY long line of Americans, who have fought and died for this country. My family goes back to James Wilson who signed the Declaration of Independence. Had people not given their lives then or much more recently. None of the people who are against the government or military would be allowed to say so. Remember where your freedoms come from. It is not the press. It is the Constitution of the United States and it's sworn gaurdians, the United States Armed Services.

 

John

I have an M2 and am looking at getting a 90 for it. I haven't

decided on the 'cron or elmarit yet. That's a decision I'll make

when I decide to pull the trigger. My only question is, what is

prefered? The 48mm version or the 55mm version? Is there a

difference in optics or was it just the barrel design that changed?

Would the 55mm diameter cut into the viewfinder of my M2

significantly? Thank you in advance for any help.

 

John

The Gossen Digisix is great. For just over $100 you get the smallest digital, reflected and incident exposure meter. It works like a charm. The best thing is that it confirms that my father's old Gossen N100 is dead on. Congrats on the IID. Enjoy it.

 

John

After months of trying to get my hands on a NOS Gossen N100 like my

father's, I gave in and bought a new Gossen Digisix. I had wanted to

stay away from it because I could have had a N100 for $20-25, but I

was hooked when I heard that it had better abilities in lower light

situations. Just came in today, and I'm impressed so far. Now I can

give my father his N100 back. I'm sure he'll be very happy.

 

On a little different note, I'm going to try not to stay away for so

long again. It's almost impossible trying to catch up on all the

posts I missed.

 

John

1. M2, 50 cron, Sensia 100.

 

2. F3HP, 24/2.8, Agfa APX400.

 

Now for a little spin. Those are what I own. How about what we don't own?

 

Same order.

 

3. M4-P, 90/2.8, Sensia 100.

 

4. Kiev 88CM, 30mm Fisheye, Tri-X.

Mine shrank too. I thought that was odd. I guess it doesn't matter to me so much since I subscribe to it. On the shelf it was always easy to see because of the size. What can you do?

 

John

I think it makes lots of sense. When the first digital camera was introduced, everyone said it would take over in five years. Well, it's been considerably longer than that. I don't think digital is going to replace film any more than APS replaced 35mm. APS is on it's last leg. There are so many formats out there to choose from. Digital is just another format. Another tool. To put things in perspective, I'm 23 and have never owned a digital camera. I have no need for one. I believe that digital only makes sense if you are posting on the internet. The best use of digital imaging, IMHO, is repairing old photographs whose negatives have long been lost or destroyed. Now we have a way of preserving our past. What will be developed to preserve digital images? Technology always makes itself obsolite. We can always view slides. It doesn't require a computer, batteries, electricity, or anything else.

 

Following John Fulton's recommendation, I started shooting slides about a month ago. Don't know that I'll really look back. They results I can achieve with slide film really are impressive (not that my skills are anything special).

 

Having said all of that, I think it is what you make with it that counts. It's all about capturing light anyway. Use what is most useful to you, but don't pronounce the death of film yet.

 

By the way, I really like your work. Very nice website. I look forward to looking through it more this evening. Have a wonderful day.

 

John

I've been looking at two different cameras lately. A Fuji GA645Zi and a Rolleiflex TLR. The Fuji is an autofocus rangefinder with a zoom lens. Decent looking cameras and they can be had for good prices on eBay or KEH. And you don't have to worry about buying more lenses. Then there is my anti-technology side (Leica M2, '74 914) that says the Rolleiflex would be the best bet. So I'm stuck for now, content to use my M2.

 

John

I have been thinking over the past week about getting a 50mm f1.5

Summarit for my M2. The prices are very decent it seems. I don't

imagine that the difference between 1.4 and 1.5 is going to show. Is

there any reason why I shouldn't get one?

 

I hope everyone had a Happy New Year.

 

John

That's a really cool picture. Thanks for sharing. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. Happy New Year.

 

John

About three weeks ago, I posted a question about Nikkor PC lenses.

The idea was to buy one for my father for Christmas. I found a

cherry 35mm PC-Nikkor on the Bay. Received it on Monday with the

original box, leather case, instructions, warranty, and sales

receipt. I'm so amazed. I've never had a new lens or camera ever.

None even came with the original packaging. I won't post the

gentleman's name, but if he's here I'd like to thank him. I'd love

to take it out and try it on my F3, but that wouldn't be right.

 

I also wanted to thank everyone here who responded to my questions.

I'm sure my father will love it. Have a wonderful evening.

 

John