There is no future in retro®
Spring is coming and days are getting brighter. After using 400 speed films almost exclusively I have made the switch to 100, to see what it’s like. Not only that, I am trying out the Neopan SS film, which is only sold in Japan. After a raving review by a top Hawaiian wedding photographer, I thought I should test it out and see what comes out.
Anyone else with experience with that film?
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Q: Do you find that you are putting less in the frame now, with the new lens?GW: I don’t really know; I just take pictures, and they look almost the same to me. I really don’t know how to answer that question. The only real difference is, with a 28, racking it out as far as it’ll go, let’s say in terms of a face, there’s a lot less space, with a 35mm, left. It’s an interesting little difference. The minute you back up a little, then it becomes a question of how far you’ve got to back up. So with a 35 you’re probably going to back up more, usually. Or you’ll do things without feet… I really don’t want to look at contact sheets that are going to look the same as a 28. Even if I could do that with a 35, by changing the distance or whatever. It’s all about not being bored.
Q: Again, just to keep the problems interesting…
GW: Yeah. And the only way you can do that is finding out how much you can get away with, you know? It’s true.
“An interview with Garry Winogrand” (By Charles Hagen, published in Afterimage, Dec. 1977)
One of the things that I like about Garry Winogrand and makes me revisit him again and again are his plain and simple truths. No attempts to promote photography into the realms of philosophy and studied intellectuals, just plain observations accessible to anyone who can spare a few thoughts on the matter. A lot of people would disagree, of course, but I find this is rather suitable to certain types of photography and in a way to the mass-appeal of photography itself.
Before I bought my new lens I was struggling with the idea whether or not I should add another variable element to my way of working. I had a set of lenses for my Canon, and just sold most of them. More lenses, more choices… less simplicity, greater confusion and loss of focus on the task at hand. Then I realised that my considerations towards lens choice were not based on the right assumptions. A few days later I came across the above quote and it all made sense to me again.
In the past I based my choice of lens on something external - the subject. For example, the kind of subject, its size would dictate what equipment I would need to capture it. I started to really dislike changing lenses while facing a situation. It felt like an inappropriate burden, chasing after something, although I am not sure what. Standing there and trying to accommodate what is in front of the lens while juggling focal lengths does not seem the right thing to do. Unless you are a professional on an assignment of course, but that is a completely different set of deliverables compared to the amateur or artist.
So he is right: it is just about keeping things interesting, for yourself. It is a mind game after all, and this is just one of the cheap tricks. So what I do now is to pick a lens that I feel like working with for the day or so and let me work the situations I encounter with that setup. This is completely different, and surprisingly liberating.
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Entrance to Udon noodle shop, Kashiwa [ Leica M6, Zeiss Planar 2.0/50 ZM ]
The above was a comment on a French site linking to the last set of pictures I had here. Not that it changes the validity of that statement, but I have redone things and properly scanned a series of shots taken with the new 50mm last Saturday. Obviously the scans come out a lot better when you do things properly. Click here or on the picture above to see the whole set.
Looking good so far. Surprised about the number of what I think are decent “keepers” from just two rolls. Maybe the choice of film and developer is not right for the people who want to assess the lens. This is 2 years or more outdated Agfapan APX 400 in either Xtol 1:2 or Rodinal.
First time I used Rodinal. They’re not wrong when they say grain comes out with it, especially since APX 400 is known for that already as it is. I think there are some sharpening artifacts in the grain, even though I only applied 20% USM in PhotoShop and have the scanner (Epson 3200) set to medium.
Most of those were taken on a dull, overcast day, mostly at f5.6 and 1/250 or so. Those that have some sun sparkle quite nicely but are stopped down to f8 or f11. Overall, I am pleased.
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Broken toys of small and big boys
My matey Gary is a pretty sharp guy and always knows when there’s a bargain available. He sees things long term and seeks value for money. So I was quite surprised when he told me that his Sony digital camera broke after three years and he bought the follow-on model, an exact lookalike, but with updated innards.
Personally I find three years not a very long time. My Canon G2 is also starting to get a little funny after three years (original cost 75.000 yen). Me, I would have reservations buying the same manufacturer again after only three years. Then Gary says:
you’re right about the memory stick lock-in. Not sure about ‘only’ 3 years. I think that most consumer electronics are built for a shorter span than that. I was pretty happy to get 3 years use out of it, really…
Another surprise: low expectations! Then it dawned on me: digital cameras are no longer cameras, they are consumer electronics. Wow. So a whole generation of snappers, who probably never experienced a traditional, and usually well-built, camera may feel completely different about their digital kit.
No, this is not going to be another Red L reference; just think about other, relatively contemporary cameras. I bought my Canon EOS 5 in 1996 for around 400 pounds - used. It still works the same today. And isn’t it ironic that in the much praised age of “no moving parts” such a device breaks down even faster?
Puzzled I am!
It must be months since I last bought a photo magazine, and this is the first time I bought a Japanese one. I saw Natural Glow mentioned on the web somewhere and decided to check it out. It is a bi-monthly, well-printed and well-designed publication, completely dedicated to black-and-white photography.
There isn’t much talk - and no ads. Some intro from the editor and then it is mostly pictures plus some words from the featured photographer, who this time is Herbie Yamaguchi. In the end they feature what seem to be reader submissions, all very nicely done.
As for Yamaguchi, I have seen some books of him in the library and wasn’t too impressed. I changed my mind; I quite like his work, it is gentle and quiet, at least the more recent work. I am struggling with reading (and understanding) the Japanese a little, but I get the essence more or less. Leicas feature prominently in images and text. He mentions that he bought his first Leica when 32 years old, “felt deep love” and decided to “re-take” all his photographs with it. It seemed a revelation to him, and while I am aware that a lot of baggage comes with this camera - your first challenge is to rise above it, which is best done on your own -, I can completely relate to it as I had the same experience last year. Of course this is not the magic Leica touch, but just the consequence of finding an environment or tool that one feels entirely comfortable working with.
Well, too bad it is just a bi-monthly. I see if I can find some back issues, although the previous one featuring Henri Cartier-Bresson is already sold out. I was thinking of including the mag in the shop, but it seems too much work really. I think I will keep this one for myself.
By the way, I have noticed great increase in the number of visitors to this page. Surprising. I don’t know where y’all coming from, but I am surely happy to have you here - unless it is automated bots or similar, who knows?
I went to Kashiwa today to try out the new lens and to have a look at the Bic Camera shop which has opened there this week.
I was contemplating about a new 50 for a while, since I had sold the 50/1.4 USM for the Canon which I used for Two Sundays a long time ago. So when I saw the new Zeiss in the shop after just having read about it in a magazine, even under list price and at the same price of a used Summicron and double of a used Hexanon, I thought “why not?”.
The lens handles very nicely indeed. Very solid build. 3rd stop clicks very smooth and quiet. The focus “bulge” is a very nice compromise for tab lovers -myself included- and haters. I also bought the hood, even though it is the 10th of the price of the lens itself, but it is metal and has a spring-action bayonet mechanism, so again “why not?”. I was pleased to notice that the lens cap can be put on and off while the shade is on, which is unusual. Good thinking on design.
The box comes with a thick instruction manual in all languages for the whole range of lenses. Fun to see the final QA inspection report in English and German, signed by a Japanese. I enjoy reading Zeiss and Made in Japan on those boxes somehow. This is how it should be - the best of all worlds. Warranty is covered by Cosina by the way, according to certificate.
Diversity is my motto for this year, by the way. Last year it was control. I always wanted to write something about that, but just thinking about how long that would take to explain always puts me off.
The Bic in Kashiwa is very big, taking over a large chunk of a part of the Sogo department store. It changes the Station Plaza completely, to my disappointment. It looks less interesting now, more standard suburban town than the eccentric Kashiwa I have grown to like so much to photograph. Especially since the plaza is my favourite turf and it is now very hard to keep the shop out of the picture. Fortunately I have plenty of material from the pre-Bic era to use. Even so, Kashiwa will always be Kashiwa and the countryside boys and girls are still cruising as they always have. I shot two rolls of APX 400 and was a little uncomfortable with the restricted angle of view when compared to my standard 35mm. After a while I had gotten used to it and realised the in frame/out of frame thing that everyone says about rangefinders. So let’s see what comes back from those.
Umbrella, a can of beer, rice cracker snacks, a magazine and the new Zeiss Planar T* 2,0/50 ZM with hood.I just couldn’t resist - now how to explain to the wife?
