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Hipsters and hasselblads

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NB23

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Jul 26, 2009
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A young 25ish hipster, just a few moments ago in front of a Tattoo shop, to me:

-Is this a hasselblad
-No, it’s a Rolleiflex. You see, it has 2 lenses. A hasselblad has only one.
-Oh. Is it Old school? (With a now worried look on his face)
-Of course it is!
-(this brought a smile to his face, the worries disappeared instantly). Nod of approval.
—-

So there it is.
 
Did you let him look through the finder?
 
This should be on the "ITAH?" thread [Is That A Hasselblad?]
 
ITAH?

'No it's a Speed Graphic. I skipped the Hasselblad stage and went straight to the real deal'

'what?'

'Made in 'merica!'
 
Scout's honor, the whole truth: A couple of years ago I was out on a Sunday morning with my 5x7 Gundlach Korona and a guy in his 40s walks up and asks the same question. I just showed him the name plate (decal) on the front standard rather than try to explain the ways in which a wooden view camera and a Hassy are different.
 
Scout's honor, the whole truth: A couple of years ago I was out on a Sunday morning with my 5x7 Gundlach Korona and a guy in his 40s walks up and asks the same question. I just showed him the name plate (decal) on the front standard rather than try to explain the ways in which a wooden view camera and a Hassy are different.

Maybe that guy was thinking about Victor Hasselblad's Universal view cameras ( made by Szilárd Szabad ) :smile:
https://sites.google.com/site/prittsel/szilardszabad
 
Scout's honor, the whole truth: A couple of years ago I was out on a Sunday morning with my 5x7 Gundlach Korona and a guy in his 40s walks up and asks the same question. I just showed him the name plate (decal) on the front standard rather than try to explain the ways in which a wooden view camera and a Hassy are different.

On the positive side, I never get questioned about what I'm doing when I lug around a press camera.

Lovable lunatic instead of threatening wacko.
 
So far I’ve never been called a pedophile with my rolleiflex. Just yesterday I was shooting in a park filled with kids. I could point anywhere. I was “creating” and people let me “create”.

With my Leica? Forget it. Would have been into at least 2 fights.

On the positive side, I never get questioned about what I'm doing when I lug around a press camera.

Lovable lunatic instead of threatening wacko.
 
Hipsters like anything old and retro. Not a bad thing.
 
A young 25ish hipster, just a few moments ago in front of a Tattoo shop, to me:

-Is this a hasselblad
-No, it’s a Rolleiflex. You see, it has 2 lenses. A hasselblad has only one.
-Oh. Is it Old school? (With a now worried look on his face)
-Of course it is!
-(this brought a smile to his face, the worries disappeared instantly). Nod of approval.
—-

So there it is.

it was nice meeting you.
 
To be fair, for every one who approaches with a "what's THAAAAAT?" I get ten who show genuine interest and ask intelligent questions. And a few who have shot large format or know someone who has. I had a long and pleasant conversation about lens technology and bellows extension last week with a guy who designs software. At the least, my Korona is a great conversation-piece. And a camera!
 
Round 'ere it's much more likely to be the pierced and inked carrying a film camera, than the chronologically challenged. They'll tell you chapter and verse on your Leica history. Oldies carry hernia inducing DSLRs, for the most part.
 
I like old and retro stuff, I'm not a hipster though. I recognize the shortcomings of old and retro stuff. It's not 'better' it's different.

I think like old stuff is not just about stuff. It's more about the processes involved with old stuff. New technology creates convenience and creates victims of convenience. How many photographers know how to focus and expose with a camera? Knowing makes you aware. This awareness makes you a better photographer.
 
A few months ago in the High Museum here in Atlanta I was shooting my Nikon S2, lovely box! A guy perhaps in his early 40s asked, "Is that the new mirrorless Nikon?" "No," I replied. "Its a film camera." He said "Oh," and walked away. Sad....
 
A few months ago while in the park with a Zeiss Ikon, a young man asked if it was a Leica. I explained that Leica did not make medium format cameras.

He was a "professional" with an opto-electrical doohickey, waiting for his client to show up. He did have some sort of stabilized, hand held mount that was admittedly quite cool.
 
A couple of years ago I asked the wife of a Japanese couple visiting Moab to a take picture of my family and me using my Bronica RF645. As I was briefly explaining the camera, her face lit and said, "Oh! A traditional camera."

I've had probably only a dozen questions about cameras when shooting film, but always pleasant. Sometimes knowledgeable. An a couple of times envious: they wanted my camera (Mamiya 7 II).
 
A couple of years ago I asked the wife of a Japanese couple visiting Moab to a take picture of my family and me using my Bronica RF645. As I was briefly explaining the camera, her face lit and said, "Oh! A traditional camera."

I've had probably only a dozen questions about cameras when shooting film, but always pleasant. Sometimes knowledgeable. An a couple of times envious: they wanted my camera (Mamiya 7 II).

I like that term, Traditional Camera. I'm going to start using it.
 
A few months ago in the High Museum here in Atlanta I was shooting my Nikon S2, lovely box! A guy perhaps in his early 40s asked, "Is that the new mirrorless Nikon?" "No," I replied. "Its a film camera." He said "Oh," and walked away. Sad....
... but the S2 is a mirrorless Nikon!
 
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