"Now That's A REAL Camera!"

[Ric Trexell]

I tell them my camera can be a digital.

I have a Mamiya RB67 Pro-S and have never had any one question me about it being a digital except my own family. If they ask is it a digital, I tell them...it can be. That really peaks their interest. A few weeks ago I was asked by one of my sisters to bring the slide projector to entertain my other sisters that were visiting. They enjoyed being able to watch all the old slides and the newer ones that they had not seen that I took with my 35mm equipment over the years. Since my sister doesn't own a computer, and I don't have a laptop, nor are all my slides scanned, that was the only option. It was nice to have all three of my sisters able to see family shots at once, and on a large screen too. When I do have someone ask me about using my RB67 I have a statement already for them. I'm going to say, I really don't know if my pictures will turn out as I don't have any batteries in my camera. I'm curious to see what they say about that.

 

[Sjixxxy]

I have a Mamiya RB67 Pro-S and have never had any one question me about it being a digital except my own family.

I've once had someone assume my RB67 was digital, only, I didn't realize they were making that assumption as I talked to them. The resulting conversation was pretty funny. I have a blow-by-blow of it here on my blog.

 

[mwdake]

When out with my Graflex Super or RB I show people the film holders and tell them they they are memory cards for the camera.

 

[Moopheus]

But on the other side, if I see someone with a vintage Nikon or even a Graflex (it happens!) I can say: I have one at home just like it!

 

[Pumal]

Today I was out taking pictures with my Rolleiflex, when a woman; passing by, told me: 'Oh...what a nice camera'; 'Oh... what a very pretty camera' I told her while leaving: '48 years!'

 

[DWThomas]

Someone made a positive comment about my Ercona II yesterday, can't remember the exact words, but the surroundings were a community park in Boyertown, PA, celebrating "Duryea Day" with nearly 600 autos - antiques, classics, street rods, a few motorcycles and even some pretty wild pedal powered stuff ... so I suppose there would be more respect for old folders there.

 

[jss]

Oh, and I HATE being referred to as an ENTHUSIAST! If you are walking around with your plastic little D40 and 16-580/6.8-11 or whatever, YOU are the ENTHUSIAST! THAT pisses me off more than anything!

I would be proud. I am always enthusiastic when shooting film!

 

[Paul Green]

Once on seeing my yashica 124g someone said "Where do you put the coal"...

 

[Worker 11811]

But Yashicas only burn wood... Don't they?

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Not that many of us shoot daguerreotypes, but recently I saw in an article about daguerreotypes the statistic that a whole plate (6.5x8.5 inch) dag has the equivalent resolution to 140 Gigapixels. With a 30x stereo microscope you could read the numbers on a clock face that was 1mm in diameter in the image. There's a statistic the pixel pushers can put in their pipe and smoke.

 

[mopar_guy]

One time I was out at a park with a Graflex Super D. An older couple was out walking around and the lady commented that it was the kind of camera that a their friend might have had. On the one hand, this camera was made in 1947 and it could be considered an antique. On the other hand, it still works and can be used to make photos.

If somebody is giving me a hard time, I just smile and tell them that it is an American made camera. They usually get my point and leave me alone.

 

[michaelbsc]

Even better is when people comment on how amazingly clear the "display" is on my 4x5, but "why is it upside down?"

Just tell them that you've got a neurological disorder that inverts your eyesight. And it makes ti *VERY* difficult to drive.

 

[fschifano]

Nah. They're modern enough to be oil or gas fired. Personally, I'd prefer the petrol burning model. More stored BTU's in a smaller space with greater safety and no need for a pressure vessel.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I was taking photographs of covered bridges in Virginia and West Virginia with my Speed Graphic on a tripod. Several people stopped to tell me where there were more bridges. Most made comments that it was good to that see people were still using film. When I put the Speed away, as started using the Hasselblad, a man shooting digital said, "Is that a Hasselblad?" When I said it was he said that he had never seen one before. He was impressed that although digital backs are made for Hasselblad, that I still shot film. He said that he developed his own film in the past. Just before he left, he said that he was feeling guilty because he had two F3s at home and he said that they really did take better photographs than the digital camera.

Steve

 

[Worker 11811]

Nah. They're modern enough to be oil or gas fired. Personally, I'd prefer the petrol burning model. More stored BTU's in a smaller space with greater safety and no need for a pressure vessel.

Can you still get spark plugs for those?

 

[lxdude]

Sure. And some Rolleis were diesel.

 

[tim k]

When out with my Graflex Super or RB I show people the film holders and tell them they they are memory cards for the camera.

Oh, I like that.

 

[j-dogg]

Was carrying my Nikkormat FTN in a Publix the other day, the sandwich guy behind the counter said "Nice camera!" He shoots a d300.

Most of the people that ask me about them get it, although I love to tell people my Maxxum 4 / Tamron 70-300 LD was 50 dollars in a pawn shop with bag and a 28-80 kit lens and with some pro film it takes better pictures than just about 95% of digital cameras on the market. I keep a couple prints in the bag for the naysayers

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Spent the day today at this vintage WWII-era aircraft show looking for some subject matter worthy of my last rolls of Kodachrome. And did I find it!

During the fly-over portion of the show I needed to change rolls. So between passes I hunkered down under the wing of a parked aircraft and quickly did the deed.

As I finished a nice fellow who had been watching from a distance walked over and whispered, "Whew! And I thought I was the only one here with a REAL camera..." I looked up and he was grinning and holding a Nikkormat FTN with a small Nikkor zoom.

The remaining photographers - in the hundreds - were all walking around holding some sort of strange, alien-looking, handheld, computerized gadget at arm's length. Many of them even missed some of the better passes as they stared transfixed down at their gadgets. Not really sure what was up with all of that...

I proudly showed him my Kodachrome 64 box top in its holder on the back of my Nikon F2. He smiled broadly and quietly nodded, then turned back to the flight line as the next aircraft* approached for its photo op.

Ken

* For the record, that next aircraft was this B-25D Mitchell medium bomber. I had never seen a B-25 in person, let alone one in flyable condition, let alone one actually airborne right over my head. Oh my. That is one impressive aircraft. How in the world Doolittle and those boys got even one of those things (the 'B' model, I believe?) off the short deck of a WWII-era carrier I can't even begin to imagine. But they did. Sixteen of 'em.

 

[wblynch]

I just tell them all my film cameras are SOLAR powered !!

Once on seeing my yashica 124g someone said "Where do you put the coal"...

Nah. They're modern enough to be oil or gas fired. Personally, I'd prefer the petrol burning model. More stored BTU's in a smaller space with greater safety and no need for a pressure vessel.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Sure. And some Rolleis were diesel.

My Rollei is steam powered!

Jeff

 

[magkelly]

My Fuji S7000 actually looks a lot like a DSLR upon casual glance but it's not. Most photography oriented people I meet just shrug and ignore what I've got. Not worth their attention, particularly in the 2 local photo clubs I meet up with. I never got much of any comment from any of the guys there until I brought my SLR's one day instead of my Fuji. That day for some reason I was suddenly seen as "getting serious" about my photography though I'd been going to those meetings for a year. Every time I go out with one of my film SLR's people comment, my Fuji, eh, whatever...

Truth be told I'm as serious as I ever was about it, I just happen to have a couple of SLR's and a few more lenses now but the attitude of the people I meet, far more respectful than it was previously. Some of them are a bit mystified as to why I am shooting analog when everyone else seems to be shooting with a DSLR, but I'm definitely in a whole other category than I was before somehow.

Usually what I get "Are you a photography student or a pro?"

Apparently around here only students and pros are still using film SLR's.

 

[Cliffy13]

ETRS a real camera you must be joking,when I photographed wedding years ago it was with an SQA and a Metz 45 that was a real camera
And you got a complete workout just carrying the dammed thing around

 

[Steve Smith]

My Rollei is steam powered!

Mine is hand cranked. Also known as handraulic.

I'm thinking about getting this attachment for it though: http://www.carisbrooke.shalfleet.net/images_carisbrooke_castle2/carisbrooke_castle_donkey2.jpg


Steve.

 

[daleeman]

Was out with the Hassy on Sunday, shooting a weak waterfall due to low rain when two young Italian women came upon my wife and I as I was shooting. They produced a happy "D" snap camera and asked me to take their picture. I did. Afterwards the one saw the hassy and asked in her best English if I was a professional. She asked if I would photograph her as she started to undo her blouse buttons... the wife gave me the look and "that" never happened. So it still is a good thing to shoot film.