...maybe take out the recycling. And while I'm out walking could I drop by the bank and beg for money deposit a check (yes, I know I can do that with my phone...). while I'm at it could I also write a couple of invoices? And maybe start getting the bookkeeping in shape for tax season. And drop by Trader Joe's for a few things my boss forgot. And, if I don't run out of time how about washing the boss's car? That studio floor could benefit from a good mopping as well. Hmmm.
WTF did I get out of bed?
Oh yeah, because I really did want to go out into the sunshine and play with my camera... Leica M240 (an ancient Leica digital camera that's still, in my opinion, relevant) and the Carl Zeiss Biogon 35mm f2.0.
I put leather half cases on both of my M240s. Sadly, you have to take the cases off to change batteries (not a frequent chore with the M240s...) or to extract the memory card but the cases act as insulators between my fingers and the frigid metal parts. In just a few months the leather half cases will provide insulation between my hands and the flaming/nova-esque heat of a sun-drenched camera chassis. Did I buy the $5,000 Leica cases? Not on your life. I bought the less than $50 ones that were all over Amazon.com. Are they perfect? Sure, why not. But then I'm not the kind of guy who demands leather seats and a heated steering wheel in my cars... So I'm probably not a good point of reference for the difference between luxury goods and pedestrian products.
Each of the Leica M240s in my care also have aftermarket thumbgrips attached onto the cameras via the hotshoes. This makes holding the cameras much surer and more comfortable. One thumb grip came with a used camera and it is the Match Technical brand which, at $149 sits halfway between the Leica version at $230 and the cheaper versions scattered across Amazon.com for about $50. The Match Technical is black paint over brass which I like a lot. Its black finish deteriorates luxuriously into black with golden edges over time. The other camera is outfitted with one of the budget thumbgrips that I sourced online and, even though it is made of aluminum and won't age in the same way as the Match Technical, if my eyes are closed it does its job as well as the luxe version. And I saved enough in the process to pay for ten or fifteen cups of really nice coffee. So.... there it is.
I really enjoyed the walk and the photography today. It's been gray and glum here lately and we got cheated out of promised sunshine all day yesterday. Today was glorious. The temperature was in the high 40s when I left the house in a t-shirt covered with an old, ratty green sweatshirt and a pair of utility pants. It was breezy so still a bit chilly but so refreshing to be walking in full sun without the real need for a coat or jacket. Photographing in gray weather is inevitable but it makes the high drama of collimated, contrasty and color saturated from the sun so much more exciting. And fun to shoot in.
The one camera in the studio that is sadly neglected these days is the medium format Fuji GFX. I really wanted to try one. Now I have. And it's really, really good but it's not nearly as much fun to photograph with as the 35mm style rangefinders. I'm pretty sure the Fuji GFX will be the first camera in the collection to exit and find a new home this year. Replaced in short order, I am sure, with a few more Leica M lenses. I already have a couple in mind.
I've been hearing a lot of "influencers", and actual photographers with YouTube channels, that specs and resolution and frame rates and such no longer matter and that they are directing their attention to "how much fun" a camera is to use. "How much joy a camera gives when you use it and have it in your hands." The through line for many is that all the big improvements that we thought we wanted have already been delivered. Across most product lines. Now users are looking for that elusive magic which is a camera that "just feels right." Well, welcome to the club. It sure took a while for them to figure it out.
An amateur photographer I met before Christmas when we both happened to be walking around downtown taking photographs sent me a note today. He was going to upgrade from camera X to camera X+1 and went into a camera store to check on an upgrade path in his current (non-Leica) system. He was writing to me because while in the camera store he handled a Leica Q3. He wants to get together and pick my brain about Leicas. But here's the deal, even though I know he can afford one and not blink I have no way of knowing if the camera is right for him. I only know which cameras I like. I'll meet with the guy but other than showing him how stuff works I'm not sure I'd ever be a good camera guru. I think my tastes are both too eclectic and at the same time too idiosyncratic. And I can't make up my own mind...
Here are today's snaps. Some with captions. Tomorrow? Something different.
4 comments:
When does the new to you M Monochrome land? Can't wait to see the images from that. Looks like you had a great walk but grass fed Mexicans and Greeks? Darn things must be tough.
Eric
The BRZ looks like a fun car. Not much room for light stands and equipment cases. That might be a good way to further edge into retirement, at least from location work.
That truck was a gift, with its near-complementary acid orange building in the background. The photo vibrates so hard I can feel it in my teeth.
Hi Kirk, Just catching up with your posts today and I noticed you are thinking of retiring the GFX. While I think getting more Leica lenses is always a good idea, and since I notice that we seem to have similar tastes in cameras, I thought I would share what happened to me.
I use to have a Phase One. One day I realized that, although the images I was getting were stunning, I was just not using it. So I thought it was just because it was too big and bulky. When the GFX100s came out I thought that would be the solution. So I did the trade (and also got a Leica into the bargain). While I enjoyed the GFX, I found that it was sitting on the shelf too.
To cut along story short, I traded the GFX 100s in for the new GFX 100ii. Somehow, all the various little improvements they have made, has caused to me to pick this camera out first now. I don't quite know what it is that has made it my favourite, but I think the new 1.0 viewfinder has lot to do with it. Somehow, even though it still quite big, it feels "just right". YMMV
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