what war camera?

[melmoth]

Hallo,

In the December 2006 issue of National Geographic, is a rather fine, but harrowing article about surgery as practised by the army in Iraq and the follow up medical treatment back in the US. The photos are in black and white. The photographer is James Nachtwey.
Would anyone know what sort of camera would be used in such an environment by Nachtwey?
Just curious to see what people think. Incidentally, the photos are very impressive but very sad.

Mel.

 

[Curt]

Nikon F3hp drag it through the mud and back again camera.

 

[Bill Hahn]

In the docum,entary "War Photographer", I believe he is using an EOS 3 with a wide angle zoom lens. Since then he has appeared in an ad for Canon Digital SLRs (if I remember correctly), so I don't know what he's using now....

 

[André E.C.]

Nachtwey uses Canon EOS`s!

Cheers

André

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Actually, without knowing his personal shooting prefs, quite possibly a Nikon D2x or D2h. Even NatGeo is doing digi-work these days. Google him and see what he says on his website about what he shoots with.

Since others have pointed it out here that he's a canon shooter, possibly an EOS 1Ds Mk II. Heresy I know, but them's the breaks when doing journo- work in a war zone.

 

[Pinholemaster]

Frankly it doesn't really matter, Canon, Nikon, Leica, but as André reports correctly, James uses Canon.

 

[melmoth]

Fair enough,

But the Canon 1DS Mk11 is a little bulky, no?
If Canon supply him with free cameras etc. does this mean he is obliged to use Canon and nothing else?
There is no reference, at least as far as I can see, to equipment on his website. M.

 

[James Duncan]

IIRC, he uses a Canon EOS 1DS MkII with an EOS 3 for his film work.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

In the end, I think James has the right attitude on his website - what camera doesn't matter. What matters is the eye behind it directing where and when to point it.

Yes, the 1DS MkII is a big-ass monster. But the entire EOS1 /1D series is built like a tank to stand up to the kind of abuse it'll get in places like tropical jungles and war zones. Especially in a war zone, the bulk can be a good thing- the camera will take the bullet before you do. Most of the pro journalists I know here in DC are shooting the 1D/ 1DS, in part because that's what they get issued by the press agency. The agencies buy them not because the photographers want something the size and weight of two bricks around their neck, but because they know they'll have to replace the cameras at 1/3 the pace even at double the price, so it saves them money over supplying things like the D30/Eos3.

 

[Paul Howell]

In the late 70's AP and others attmpted to switch to Olympus from Nikon, the OM 1 and 2 are very good cameras, but they did not hold up as well as the F2 and later F3, you get what you pay for. I assume that the same holds true in the digital world as well.

 

[snegron]

IIRC, he uses a Canon EOS 1DS MkII with an EOS 3 for his film work.

True. I am looking at the DVD "War Photographer" right now. He uses Canon film gear, available light. Great documentary by the way.

 

[jstraw]

His work would be soooo much better if he'd ditch the d*gital gear, though. :rolleyes:

 

[James Duncan]

His work would be soooo much better if he'd ditch the d*gital gear, though. :rolleyes:

Sarcasm, I hope?
If anybody hasn't already, I highly recommend his book Inferno. Very compelling work.

 

[firecracker]

In the documentary piece I saw, he had a black-taped Canon SLR in his hand, but that was dated back to at least 2003.

 

[jstraw]

Sarcasm, I hope?
If anybody hasn't already, I highly recommend his book Inferno. Very compelling work.

Yes, sarcasm.

 

[jim atyeo]

I believe in the film War Photographer he is using a couple of Eos 1n's, the film covers 1999 and 2000,with a smidge in 2001. I too was wondering if he has gone digital since the movie. He seemed to use only Tri-X film before, I can't see digital fulfilling the feel or latitude of that film. I also noticed in the Canon ad, you really can't see what camera he is using. The other photographers seem to be showing us, but Jim's is laying on the table on its back.