I just bought an FM2...I guess mine is the somewhat rare non-N version which was only made for a couple years. It has a titanium shutter and Nikon was later able to use an aluminum shutter in the later N models and still retain the 1/4000 sec shutter speed. Amazing camera...Steve McCurry took the famous Afghan girl cover shot on National Geographic in 1984 with an FM2 and 105mm 2.5 lens. It's iconic.
You hit the nail on the head when you said "Because I'm starting out and I'm new to this and I do not know what I want to do, or what do I want to shoot. Finding these cameras, and experiencing them and shooting with them, actually helped me, because it shown me what different camera can do, what different lens can do...". This is a really important sentiment, especially for people just getting into photography (or really, any other hobby). It is really hard to get the information you need, ESPECIALLY if you do not know what exactly you want to in this hobby. Each branch of photography looks to outsiders like a convoluted mess, even more so if you start researching things online and experience a lot of contradictory claims and inconsistent information. I know, because that's how I felt after getting back to shooting film (after about 20+ year hiatus). There was just too much info, too many youtube channels, too many books to read - information overload. It might not be true to everyone, but I tend to pick up things the best while messing with them, so that's what I did - I've got a large lot of Minolta bodies and few lenses for a decent price and started from there. Now few years later I'm still learning new things every day and I have a laundry list of gear I'd love to try or own one day. I haven't used those minolta cameras in a while, but they allowed me to experiment just enough to know what route should I take going forwards. Gear might not matter to people who has been shooting for a wile, know what they want and what sort of gear they need to achieve their desirable results. Gear might also not matter for a beginner, who just want to try and see if this thole analog photography thing works for them. But once you want to delve a bit deeper, you need to spend some money (and probably lose some money along the way too - wasted film, cameras that do not really work for you ect.), it's like with any hobby. The money you put in is not really that important (as long as you are responsible and do not starve yourself to get a new lens or whatever) as the things you are getting out of it (satisfaction, validation ect.). You are doing it for yourself after all. And in my case whenever I hit the slag and do not feel like shooting, I switch to reading and learning new things this way - waiting for inspiration to come back. I found that for me photo books help with that a LOT.
Hi Radek, thank you for taking the time to comment and leave some great food for thought. Yeah hitting the lack of inspiration wall can be very frustrating at times, especially as I can come out of know where, that is when a good car boot hunt put a smile back on my face and as its still photography related I still feel close to it :) Very much yes, it is a VERY expensive hobby, especially both camera collecting and wanting to try new formats, my next being wet plate photography.... but shhh that's coming to channel near you soon ;) What made you stop for 20 years? and what was your biggest challenge coming back to it? I might actually do an episode called something like "My advice to myself if I was just starting out" or a series of me doing things for the first time and the challenges I faced, thanks for the inspiration :)
Hey Richard! It only gets expensive when you do not know what you are looking for - and need to purchase bunch of stuff to figure out if you really need it or not. And that goes to your earlier point on getting into hobby without enough info, but at the same time, it's pretty much impossible to know what you will need. Unless you know someone who can mentor you in, or that can answer some of your questions. So consider spending money (in moderation of course) as part of the learning process. Just like purchasing books, magazines, taking seminars, ect. :D Investment should pay dividend sometime in the future, but do not expect to make the money back. It's a really weird thing that is happening in our (capitalist) society, that everyone (at least in my case) expects you to make your invested money back at some point, maybe even turning a profit. I think that's a mistake, you are investing in yourself and the end result hopefully will be more knowledge, more skills, or perhaps better eye for composition, or maybe some combination of those things. That should be your goal. You invest in a hobby, it's a hobby after all ;) But if you are able to profit from your hobby - more power to you! As for why I stopped shooting - back in high school times we only had film cameras and there was a school trip that I packed my dad's Minolta X700 on, shoot a roll of film and once I've got home rewound it back into cassette and realized that I never loaded the camera in the first place :D Being angsty teenager, as you usually are, I swore not to shoot film again. I used Canon G compacts for a while in my early 20s and liked them a lot. But few years back my friend brought his Fuji X-E2 and something about that camera made me research X system. Ended up getting XT-1, and shooting it in manual mode pretty much all the time (recalling what I knew from film days, relearning a lot of stuff and enjoying it greatly).Then I remembered my mom shooting mine and my sister's childhood on slides with her East Germany made Praktica KW with amazing Biotar 2/58 (that she still has and I might grab it next time I visit her in Poland). That lead to a bit of research as to what Minolta my dad used to own, getting it and then shooting more film. My wife at the same time got into TLRs and we've been shooting film together since. Still use digital to shoot shows or super low light situations, but all my daily shooting is made pretty much on film. It's super fun. I saw your proto darkroom video and you seemed like you were having a blast! Maybe just going thru your old negatives and getting better at printing will get you out of the photography block? Who knows... In any case enjoy your time with cameras and enlargers. It's fun and while you're having fun, hopefully inspiration will come back at some point.
Gear does indeed matter. Not necessarily in the creative process - one can do magic with an iPhone - but in pretty much all other aspects as you said. A vintage car racer would never say his cars don't matter to him. The cars have nothing to do with his/her talent. The collecting aspect is such motivation for me. Ever heard of a racer not collecting race cars or a wine lover not having a cellar and getting excited about old vintages? Anyway, gear DOES indeed matter in many ways! Great video. I like the b&W, your voice, your style. Please do keep it up!
Hi Steph, thank you for your comment and feedback, it is nice that people feel the same. Although the iPhone is still gear technically, but I agree creatively and artistically in the thought process the camera plays a minor role, but it plays a major role once its time to actually capture that image and having the right tool for the right job make so much difference. So this is where I am a firm believer in gear does matter. It is also like therapy for me, there is something that I soothing to the soul about the whole process from the hunt to holding and shooting with it, each new piece of kit brings challenges and rewards. And whether we just present them on screen, print them or even make a book or zine, yet again 'gear' i.e. the computer, the enlarger plays a major role in the process. Thank you for the kind word and encouragement, it is very much appreciated as it actually helps with my lack of confidence issues so thank you :)
Holly crap! I just checked out your work and I am blown away. I think it's because you are so humble in your videos. I thought you were just a passionate amateur, but it turns out you are a master! Your use of light is impressive to say the least. I am more into candid portraits, mainly because I often find posed work very forced and soulless, but I must say the way you do it is quite inspiring. I have never found women's bodies inspiring (like at all), but the way you capture their warmth and inner light... As for the first portrait in your portrait section... I hope you won't mind but I screen shot it :) Black and Wine is definitely back! :)
steph Blafr haha I am far far from master, I tend to fumble along most of the time. I do enjoy doing different shoots to broaden my skills and also challenge myself. Yes natural non staged shots are fantastic, that is one of the things I like about helping my friends second shoot wedding as I love capturing spontaneous moments. I do still feel a bit self conscious doing street photography, I guess if I stuck at it I would maybe get better. One thing I want to capture or have a feeling with my work is calm and a quiet moment, I would love the viewer to feel the peaceful connection. It would be awesome to see some of your work, do you have a website, Instagram or folio site?? Haha thank you for the complement, yes Jamie is a great person to work with and he is in great shape, I really like the sun & shadow portraits I got of him in my personal work. Where in the world are you based?
I am in Bordeaux France. I've always been a visual person. I'm the kind of idiot who can cry at a sunset :) I'd rather lose both arms and both legs before I lost my sight! I've been serious about photography for several years now. I had heart bypass surgery a few years back and decided life was way too short to not do what you love. I started with food photography and one thing leading to another fell crazy in love with portraiture. I now shoot weddings here and there and I intend to make it my full time job in 2018. I find wedding photography so meaningful and exciting... I got back into film photography for my personal projects two years ago. Medium format mostly with a Mamiya c330 and a Hasselblad 500c/m. That's what brought me to your channel in the first place. I do have a blog and a website, but I am in the process of updating both. I will send you a link in a few days when I deem them worthy of your interest :) We're all self conscious about our heart you know...
steph Blafr wow! And thank you for sharing your story, sorry you had to go through that tough time :/ OMG that sounds idillic and I bet your just being modest and your work is stunning. I haven't been to France, but from what I have seen in movies and photographs it look really beautiful and to get to capture such a romantic occasion in such a setting, wow I could only imagine. I have not tried the C330, I did have the C3, but gave it to my now ex to sell as I didn't have the money at the time, so she could buy a dress makers dummy for her own photography projects. I hope to one day own a Hasselblad as they seem a joy to use and the designer in me loves industrial design and form. The one thing that amazes me is hope great the film community is and since doing this channel the people it has brought into my life and I get to connect with 😊 Yes do send over your links, i am interested to see more beauty in this world 😊
Great video, thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks. Genuine down to earth, honest review of a truely great camera. I owned one of these for over 10 years (late 80's - 2002), best SLR I owned and/or used. These days I use a 1962 Leica M3 with a 1960 Summicron 50mm, which is an absolute joy to use. If you get chance to try one out then I thoroughly recommend trying out an old analogue Leica. Once again many thanks, i might just have to search for a good Nikon FM2 after watching this. Cheers :-)
For most types of amateur photography ' gear ' matters the least, so long as it functions as it should. I have a large selection of 35mm cameras with exotic glass and shot hand held I am not able to tell whether it was shot with a £100.00 Nikon lens or a £3000.00 Leitz. Only when tripod mounted and using high resolution films the differences begin to show. What matters most and above all else, is the eye and talent of the photographer. Quite good photos BTW. Thanks.
This is why everyone is different and we all have different ideas on what is important. My only problem with people who say get doesn't matter is, no matter how talented you are, how many years you have been shooting, not one photographer on the planet could take a photo without gear. I think we need to remember that we are not the only element in the process. You can but you wouldn't shoot fast moving sports with a 100asa disposable point and shoot, same as you wouldn't shoot wildlife with a 50mm lens on a medium format Hasselblad. As photographers we are not magical, even the new range of cameras (digital) can take a awesome image in full auto used by my mum. Learning technique, composition, use of light etc and a camera are all important IMHO :)
Hi Richard, I think we've all had this creative rut moment I sometimes think I've still got mine, as far as (GAS) is concerned join the club, I just recently picked up 2 cameras up in Perth Scotland an Olympus muji ii for £3 worth up to £150 and a Agfa Solinar iii rangefinder for £20 also worth up to £ 60 upwards, both a steal really.But what I think is that, by having (GAS) it makes you go out to see if your newly acquired gear is any good and secondly when your creative juices are drying up you have to make the effort to go out and shoot even if you don't feel like it, you may not even take a shot but it feels good to have a camera in your hand, and you never know it only takes one shot to make it worthwhile. Great channel and love your'e black & white.The images you showed in this video were good, when you think about it us digital chaps (I also shoot film) especially me try to replicate this in Lightroom or PS, I think all the dust & scratches add to it, so keep up the good work and enjoy, and if you get in another creative rut just go out and buy another camera. cheers Mick
Haha thanks Mick, its great to have a someone who feels the same. I am not sure why but people saying I shouldn't go out and buy cameras and should shoot more grinds my gears. Why shouldn't I go an buy a camera with my own money if it brings me happiness and as you say you might find that cool little gem that I may end up using as my main camera like the FM2n is at the moment for 35mm. Thank you for the comments and feedback, really helps me to feel I am not alone and that the film community is so supportive it is amazing. Congratulations on the new cameras, yes I too am a hybrid shooter so any new camera is a bonus, but film just pushes my buttons at the moment :)
Hi Richard. It's very honest of you, too include the scratched roll of film. A,lot of people wouldn't have The Guts, to have bothered to do so?! As , for your Nikon FM2n, well done to you, I've been a Nikon Man, for many years and every time i go out for a day's photography, this is My first Camera i choose, along with 3 prime lenses......A 50mm f/1.4 or 1.8 depending upon the elements, a 28mm f/2.8 and either a 135mm f/2.8 or my 85mm f/2 all AIS. Took, me a while to save the money but, it's a great kit. Your, camera was still in production until 2002! So, treat her well (their preety much bomb proof) and she will last you.....A Lifetime! Also, well done to you, with Your Photos. Ilford HP5 is a great film, as is HP4 . Gear does matter! I'm 67 years young, and i still learn every time i go out for a day's photography, been at it since i was 19 years old. Only problem is, now i need to take my time, isn't that what photography is...All About. Nice to see a New Face. A, very honest and very good video. All the best too you. Kindest regards Colyn.
Hi Colyn, thank you for your feedback and actually taking the time to share your story :) I bet you have some amazing stories and i envy the knowledge you must have for this craft. Nice lens line up too :) Yeah i got into film photography a couple of years ago, shooting digital first, but i wanted to know more and where it came from. I am teaching myself some of the old alternative processes and i am booking on a course to teach me wet plate photography. Thank you for spotting my mistake HP4+ lol, that should be FP4+ oops. These videos as much as it is amazing that people want to watch them, they were started as a visual diary for me to look back at and see where i failed, succeeded and where i need to focus some learning. Like the video and video editing, until i started this channel i have never done a video before. Its is strange, coming from digital i have been a Canon guy and i have a few Canon film cameras, but i am loving the trio of Nikons i have. I would like to collect more, so far i have the FM2n, the F3 and the F100
Hi Richard, I watched this video and liked it when you first shared it. I was inspired by it. Today I re-watched this video, and was inspired by it again. Thumbs up!
Yep, FP4 is grainier than HP5, however, you can make that grain smaller if developed in say Ildord's Perceptol or Kodak's D23 developer, especially if you pull the film down to ISO 200. And by the way, what matters about the gear is that it WORKS as intended, that's about it...
Just try and buy anything you can, especially in film! There is no such thing as, the 'one' camera that can do it all, so it's up to you to find out what will work for you and your photography, if you end up with a point-and-shoot, range-finder, or large format, who cares... whatever makes the picture work, and makes you feel happy working with. Also you will gain experience shooting the different type of camera / formats. Pictures you take are pictures for yourself, not for someone else, so by all means check what other people do / did to get inspired for your own shooting i.e. we all do/did that i think everyone looked up the classic masters Adams, Lange, Steiglitz, Weston et al, but best is to find out what you really want to shoot, and what makes you happy, - only you can decide and find that. Keep shooting, and collect stuff it does not matter; you will slink it down eventually to your useful collection; don't overthink what you do or have done, that is what kills creativity, and keeps you from being inspired.
Thank you, you have put into words what I have been thinking about and am slowly coming to realise. I have just started shooting models again this past week and it brought back why I gave up because of the hassle. I have a few things I want to do as personal projects, so will focus on those Thank you for the encouragement as you say we all get the down times and I think I am coming out of mine. The new studio space is helping fire the creativity :)
Have you thought about getting a daylight loading developing tank? I’ve used an Agfa Rondinax 35U since 1996 and I have the Rondinax 60 tank too. I only use my Patterson tank for stand development.
Hi Ian, I have been talking to a few people and I think I am going to get some kind of changing tent, as I also want to try wet plate I think it will be useful for that too :) Will have a look at those tanks though, may be an alternative :)
Thank you Carlos and thank you for the words of encouragement, I still find it hard making these videos and being infant of the camera but not letting that stop me :) If you have any suggest or tip for content or things I am doing wrong then all greatly appreciated
Nikon are backwards compatible not like Canon which ditched their EF lenses when they started with the EOS system. I use an old Ai 28mm with my D300s. It gives a great vintage look to colour shots.
Evening Richard. Your very welcome. If, it helps you.....I suffered A Nervous breakdown in 1981. Being the type of guy who, thought nothing of Fly fishing on my own until darkness, clambering up mountain's with my photographic gear,including a tripod, for timed exposures and sunsets, fearing nothing! However, when that illness stuck i couldn't go Anywhere, without My Dear Wife. With, the help of A very good friend who, suffered the same illness and, the NHS I got through it. My, passion for Photography, was nill, for almost two years but with a positive attitude and outlook, i picked up my gear, and ventured out. If, i hadn't well best not to go there. Just, watched your video in The Lake district, ah memories, camped on the banks of Lake Windermere, whilst travelling up from My Beloved Wales, too a Game Fair, in Penrith. Did quite well on the Fly casting and, on the Clay pigeon shooting. Took some lovely photography too. Anyway, referring to your photography ( Wet Plates) Richard, have a look on EBay, for a Book entitled.....The Ilford Manuel of Photography! One,of The Best Books on Photography in general. It's an Old book, but possibly The Best! Good luck with your venture into Proper Photography! Lastly, enjoy it and don't worry about making mistakes, we've All been there, and we've All made plenty of mistakes. My kind regards to you. All the best Colyn.
I am sorry to hear that, health, mental or physical can be crippling at times. I have let fear rule my life for so long and i do not know why :/ I am glad you have come through it now though and your wife sounds like someone to treasure. I try to think positive or turn things into a positive even when times are hard, especially with a lack of creativity, but as you say pushing through and hope to come out the other side with a wiser head on my shoulders. Again thanks you for sharing, talking to others and getting advice from this amazing community on here makes a huge difference in my life. Yes The Lake District is such an amazing place, if i could afford to i would move there. haha that is such a coincidence, my friend got me a present from an old book shop and it is that very book :) I am looking forward to reading it and many others to help broaden my photographic knowledge. And i am so looking forward to doing wet plate, i have wanted to try it for years. All the best to you to kind sir
I have both the Nikon F3 and Nikon FM2n. Is one better than the other? for me, not really. My FM2n actually compliments my F3. Beautiful cameras and yes, I totally agree with you, gear DOES matter. I feel more inspired and creative if I have either the F3 or the FM2n with me as opposed to having a p&s camera.
Hello Richard!If you were in the situation to choose between fm2 and f3 which one will you prefer?I know fm2 is mechanical and very durable but i've heard that the viewfinder is not that great.At the other hand the f3 has an electronically controlled shutter but that doesnt mean unrealiability,cause everybody says that this thing never breaks down.And of course the f3 has 100% viewfinder coverage and very smooth handling.Which one has a better meter?Are the handling and the viewfinder of fm2 that bad as alot of people say?Thanks!
haha yeah wasn't intentional as an attention grabber more of how I feel on the subject. I had to cut out a fair bit as I did have a little rant lol. Thanks for your comment, much appreciated :)
Amani Assalam yeah I am super happy with this camera and to say I got seriously lucky finding it for so cheap it is my go to and I’m a Canon digital shooter.
Hi Tom. Yeah this is one of the reasons why I was toying with the idea of just using a lab to develop my film, but as I am still new this way is much cheaper and allows me to experiment until I have more knowledge of film stock and what each camera gives me in terms of looks. At the moment I am using ilford LC29 at a dilution of 1:29 and both ilford stop bath and fixer. I also scan at home on an Epson v600 which is ok but the film holders are not the best. Thanks for the comments and feedback, if you have any examples of both FP4 and HP5 I would love to have a look and then I know what I am shooting for so to speak lol
I agree, developing is definitely cheaper and because you can experiment you have more control over how your film looks. Using stronger dilutions like LC29 at 1+19 for example might reduce grain, or something like ID-11 or D-76 look good with HP5 and really good with FP4 in my opinion :) there's also HC-110 and DDX but they're pretty expensive! If you use it my Instagram is @tomalogue
Cool will look at that 1:19 next time I develop as need to use my batch of chemicals up before the go off. I got these chemicals when I did a film project and it is actually what ilford sent out to my friend John. I love FP4, it is similar to may favourite film Fuji Across 100, but that is getting crazy expensive :( Cool thanks for the link will check it out
Richard Rollinson - My Analog Life I've never tried Acros but you're right, it's so much! FP4 is a firm favourite of mine but I turn to Tri-x or HP5 for shooting indoors or in bad weather :)
Hiya Richard, just stumbled upon your channel and I love it. The FM2n is a fantastic piece of kit. it's the same camera Steve McCurry used when he shot the Afghan girl (with a 105mm F2.5 - amazing lens, I highly recommend it). Don't sweat the creative valleys, if your stuck, try checking out Ted Forbes channel "the art of photography" He has a segment called photo assignments that are great for getting you motivated and challenging you creatively. Cheers!
Hi Joe, thank you for the complement and the advice. Yeah i have been down lately, but after some advice from fellow photographer i am trying to just go out and shoot. Doing this TH-cam channel is actually helping as it is making me shoot, not only for content but to spice things up and do something different like the landscapes. I tend to favour more portraits and model work, but got burnt out. Yeah Ted Forbes channel is great, i have been watching it for years, pity he doesn't do much film reviews now. I did enter one of his challenges and actually made it in to his video, which was cool :) Thanks for the heads up on the lens, for years i have been a Canon guy, but really liking the Nikon cameras at the moment. I only have the 50mm f/1.4 and the 85mm f/1.8d, so another lens to play with would be great :) Thank you for watching, I am going to be heading out with my other Nikon bodies soon, i have an f100 and an f3 :)
I think the "gear doesn’t matter" is saying you don’t need the best camera to go out, take an image and learn how to get a decent image. I know some of my best images have been taken on a Fuji hs50exr which is a bridge camera and my very favourite camera is my mint Zorki 4K with a Jupiter 8 lens which takes stunning images. Having said that, I shoot Canon when I shoot digital, I have a 5DII, 5DIII and a 7DII, which I was using today for wildlife with the 5DII in the bag with my 79-200 f4 IS lens on it. I think I have 4 L glass lenses and some decent 3rd party lenses. If gear doesn’t matter then why have I invested goodness knows how many thousand pounds in my kit? I know when shooting wildlife those 10fps matter, I know with landscapes having a full frame camera matters. So yes in a way kit is extremely important, but do you need a good camera to get a good image? Not always. But it does have to be gear you enjoy using and, especially with older cameras, kit you can trust for shutter speeds etc. I like both FP4 and HP5 but I tend to shoot both at box speed and although I have about 4 film developers at the moment I am a Rodinal fanboy I have to admit. I just love the contrast and it’s rendering of the tones. I’m far too much a control freak to let anyone else develop my film. To me it would be like when I was a chef getting all the ingredients putting them in a pan and the hoping someone else who I’ve never seen will cook it right. You don’t use those squeegee tongues to take the surplus water off your film do you? They are famous for scratching your images. The church in Azriel's video was built by one of his forefathers, which made it an even greater shame especially as it was arson. I really like his channel, even if he got the film I sent him wrong, his photography matters to him. I think we can put too much pressure on ourselves with photography, we’ve bought this gear and so we must use it. I know that no matter how much I love doing any activity once I feel I "must" do it, it puts my right off and then doing it becomes such a trudge. Use the cameras you enjoy using, or shoot the subjects you most enjoy shooting, take away the pressure and the desire might return. A great video, really enjoyed it, and Mary Ellen Mark is one of my favourite photographers. Somewhere on the Internet there’s a great interview of her and an ex model whose name I can’t recall but she too takes photos now.
That fault will bite you soon! What the leaver does in its closed position, is to switch your light meter off. If your meter is not switched off, then it is using up the battery power, and you'll be out of power before you know it. BUT having said that..... You said that you use an external meter.......... Then battery life isn't a problem :-)
gear does matter, for the photographer that is. Nobody else that interacts with your photograph cares what camera/film/settings were used. The photograph lives on its own and it's the photograph that ultimately matters. Take Michelangelo, nobody cares what brushes he used for the sistine chapel, or what chisels he used for his David. I bet they were fine tools for him but ultimately nobody cares except for him.
I agree in part, but by the same token being a designer/photographer and doing client work and also wedding work I do not think that they would be ok with me rocking up and saying it's ok I will just use my iPhone, it doesn't matter it's the image that counts. Some clients, especially certain AD agencies/fashion houses expect you to use medium format. Gear matters more to everyone than people care to except and being romantic about "its the image" only matters to the artist. We are using GEAR everyday, from computers to smart phones, even these people that come one TH-cam and bash on about gear doesn't matter and its the image or vision that counts. I am sorry, how did you take that image and how did you make and edit this video telling us that gear doesn't matter and why do you use a Leica or the latest Fuji and not a disposable camera. Just look at Facebook and Instagram, more people are so called photographers because then can snap an image with their phone and people eat up all the random crap they post, no matter which way you cut it people will like what they like but they use gear to consume it. Us artists can be romantic about the image all we want, but I bet for every one person who appreciates a Michelangelo, there will be 50 others who will be double tapping an image of a half naked women doing a toilet selfie on her smart phone. IMHO :)
I didnt know you were doing photography professionally, in that sense I agree gears matters 100%. You are hired based on your gear and the capacity to use to achieve a product/result. My comment was definitely meant for the photographers like me that do photography just for the sake of photography. Doing it for the art of it is a very fortunate place to be in indeed, and I know that my cameras only matter to me. keep up the good work!
There is nothing wrong with trying all kinds of gear and experimenting and figuring out what cameras are best for your preferred style of shooting. Nothing wrong with that. The problem is when it becomes a crutch or an excuse. There are so many people out there that just want some magical camera that does not exist that will magically make them a master photographer with no work. Like anything there are no quick fixes or short cuts. Bresson said your first 10 000 photos are your worst. Think about that for a second. He did not get as good as he was because a Leica had some magical properties. He got that good because he practiced and also he knew his camera so well it was an extension of who he was. People forget it is not just knowing your photography basics but you will also never get better if you are always shooting with new gear and constantly fumbling with controls on a camera you are unfamiliar with.
Daniel Stewart thank you for your feedback. Why is it Bresson in a yard stick by which all photography is judged? There have been many before and after him that produced much better work, even back in the late 1800's Alfred Stieglitz was a pioneer of photography techniques some very experimental, but even he knew the importance of advances in camera gear made things so much easier. I think too many 'photographers' are precious and have to justify their importance by saying gear isn't important or actually fundamental to the creation of ANYTHING. We also know that a better camera can produce better results in more challenging situations, ie low light or capturing action and some cameras are so good and easy to use that even a 5 year old can get a good shot. What we should be more concerned with is how we as creatives can use GEAR to set us apart from the uncle bobs or expand our own thinking instead of blaming our lack of it on GEAR. It's not gear that should be blamed, but rather our unwilliness to embrace gear and see how it can expand our creativity. In my latest outing I went to shoot landscapes, I'm not a landscape photographer, I don't have any filters, I just embraced my gear and what it could, without it I'd have been stuck. For me each new camera I try, gives me new results and a different view point, again for me I find this a plus not a negative and allows me endless creative possabilities
You make valid points. I only quoted Bresson because it is a good quote to illustrate that practice and learning with the gear you have is very very important. I think especially in the digital era with people getting bombarded with everything from youtubers to add campaigns telling them their photography will magically get better with a more expensive camera. And as it applies to digital tech that does have a grain of truth. With film that is much less the case because the camera itself is just a light tight box the lens attaches to. Different gear will only help you improve if you know first off what you are shooting, you know the limitations of your current setup like the back of your hand and you have the knowledge to use the new kit to improve on what you already know. You could hand someone a Leica or a Hasselblad but if they have no idea how to use it correctly they will just get a terrible image on an expensive camera.
Daniel Stewart I agree with you about film SLR's being light boxes and it is the lens and film that makes the biggest difference, but I also think that some of these light boxes either make it a nicer or lesser experience. Be it medium format, 35mm there are cameras that either fit us or make it harder for us, also some help us get the results we want due to a more advanced feature. Take the Nikon FM2n for instance, yes it's the inferior 35mm format, but features like the 1/4000th shutter speed make it so I can get a lower aperture if I need it than my Canon AE-1 with 1/1000th shutter speed. The fact it's all mechanical and doesn't require a battery to work is fantastic if you get caught short and your battery dies during a shoot. That's not knowing my camera, it's buying kit for features that will make my life easier getting the results I want. If you have the experience and are happy with one camera then all power to you, but for me I also like doing a shoot with mixed cameras as they give me differing results, but also make me look at the shoot in a different way as each camera requires a different way of shooting as does the different aspect ratio of 35mm, 645, 6x6, 6x7 etc. I defiantly agree to give someone a film camera with no photoshop to see if they are a photographer or digital artist, you can't polish a turd with a negative lol
I think we are saying much the same thing just differently. I totally agree with you about buying the right tool to get the results you want and often several different tools. I shoot with both 35mm and 120 (in all formats I even have a 120 half frame camera) and I even had a 4x5 at one point. I also agree with your example that things like a faster shutter speed is great. My point is simply if you have no idea how to use that to your advantage a top shutter speed of 1/4000 will not help you if you don't bother to learn how to use it. I remember when I started I went through tons of gear and alot of money and at the time I could barely get a picture in focus. lol
haha. Although my dad did film photography it was something that passed me by at that time, it wasn't till roughly 2 years ago I got into film. I have been shooting digital for a few years, but felt a bit lack lustre and sterile and all the shots I had saved and was attracted to turned out to be black & white film. I don't have a ton of money, I buy my stuff at charity shops, carrot sales and where I can get a good deal. I don't have the best stuff, like I would love to try a 500 series Hasselblad, but I do have a Rolleiflex TLR and if I am honest it is not a camera I get on with at all, but I am glad I got it and had the experience. Same with the Nikon FM2n, I am a Canon shooter mainly in both digital and film, but got the FM2n in a bargain bin for £5 and now it is my go to camera, if I never had the experience id still be shooting with the Canon A-1. Oh wow large format is something I really want to try next, been looking at camera and some them here are so expensive. Never even heard of a 120 half frame, how many shots do you get on a roll with that. That sounds like a strange aspect ratio
I live about 45 mins away from that place they have that 1940s show at. I’ve not been yet but I hear good things. I went to one in Lincoln which was great! Check it out here: th-cam.com/video/Ed8etUAIpUs/w-d-xo.html loving your HP5 shots of Inside the black car, I’m a fan of the grain you get from HP5
Anthony Aitman thanks for stopping by and the nice comments. You should check out the Woodhall Spa day, it's fantastic and I am looking forward to going next year. There is also some cool events on at Papplewick Pumping Station which you should check out, the WWII event was great to photograph. Do you live near Lincoln? I'm from Nottingham and it's always cool to meet fellow film photographers 😊👍
Richard Rollinson - My Analog Life ah nice I’ll check your video out! Ah thanks for that I’ll check those events out for sure. Love the WW2 and 1940s events. Yeah I live like 30 mins away from lincoln and like about 45 mins from Nottingham. I would be keen to do a photo video with ya. Could go out and shoot somewhere. You have some lovely film cameras.
Anthony Aitman that would be awesome it would be great to do some sort of collaboration. Possibly a camera challenge or something? I'm happy to travel as I love to find new places to visit and shoot, also love the challenge it brings and helps with my photography skills 😊 You have me thinking of trying a box brownie now, as your results were ace 👍😊
Yeah cool a camera challenge would be great! I am thinking more of doing around January as I am very busy until then. You should def try a box camera. I was very surprised how sharp the lens was and how they came out. Ill message you on Instagram to plan a video and meet up.
Well, at first I hope you overcame your creative down. But. No gear won’t make you more creative if it doesn‘t come out of you. I don’t collect cameras ‚cause of a lack of storage space, my cameras do have a special purpose and I love toycameras for their simplicity. (The FM2n is fantastic ❤️)
Lenses Lighting and looking.... invest in all three. Or collect film cameras. Just don't get hung up on upgrading digital camera bodies. The best camera to have is the one that is with you. Love and understand the one you're with.
I just bought an FM2...I guess mine is the somewhat rare non-N version which was only made for a couple years. It has a titanium shutter and Nikon was later able to use an aluminum shutter in the later N models and still retain the 1/4000 sec shutter speed. Amazing camera...Steve McCurry took the famous Afghan girl cover shot on National Geographic in 1984 with an FM2 and 105mm 2.5 lens. It's iconic.
You hit the nail on the head when you said "Because I'm starting out and I'm new to this and I do not know what I want to do, or what do I want to shoot. Finding these cameras, and experiencing them and shooting with them, actually helped me, because it shown me what different camera can do, what different lens can do...".
This is a really important sentiment, especially for people just getting into photography (or really, any other hobby). It is really hard to get the information you need, ESPECIALLY if you do not know what exactly you want to in this hobby. Each branch of photography looks to outsiders like a convoluted mess, even more so if you start researching things online and experience a lot of contradictory claims and inconsistent information.
I know, because that's how I felt after getting back to shooting film (after about 20+ year hiatus). There was just too much info, too many youtube channels, too many books to read - information overload. It might not be true to everyone, but I tend to pick up things the best while messing with them, so that's what I did - I've got a large lot of Minolta bodies and few lenses for a decent price and started from there. Now few years later I'm still learning new things every day and I have a laundry list of gear I'd love to try or own one day. I haven't used those minolta cameras in a while, but they allowed me to experiment just enough to know what route should I take going forwards.
Gear might not matter to people who has been shooting for a wile, know what they want and what sort of gear they need to achieve their desirable results. Gear might also not matter for a beginner, who just want to try and see if this thole analog photography thing works for them. But once you want to delve a bit deeper, you need to spend some money (and probably lose some money along the way too - wasted film, cameras that do not really work for you ect.), it's like with any hobby. The money you put in is not really that important (as long as you are responsible and do not starve yourself to get a new lens or whatever) as the things you are getting out of it (satisfaction, validation ect.). You are doing it for yourself after all.
And in my case whenever I hit the slag and do not feel like shooting, I switch to reading and learning new things this way - waiting for inspiration to come back. I found that for me photo books help with that a LOT.
Hi Radek, thank you for taking the time to comment and leave some great food for thought. Yeah hitting the lack of inspiration wall can be very frustrating at times, especially as I can come out of know where, that is when a good car boot hunt put a smile back on my face and as its still photography related I still feel close to it :) Very much yes, it is a VERY expensive hobby, especially both camera collecting and wanting to try new formats, my next being wet plate photography.... but shhh that's coming to channel near you soon ;)
What made you stop for 20 years? and what was your biggest challenge coming back to it?
I might actually do an episode called something like "My advice to myself if I was just starting out" or a series of me doing things for the first time and the challenges I faced, thanks for the inspiration :)
Hey Richard! It only gets expensive when you do not know what you are looking for - and need to purchase bunch of stuff to figure out if you really need it or not. And that goes to your earlier point on getting into hobby without enough info, but at the same time, it's pretty much impossible to know what you will need. Unless you know someone who can mentor you in, or that can answer some of your questions. So consider spending money (in moderation of course) as part of the learning process. Just like purchasing books, magazines, taking seminars, ect. :D Investment should pay dividend sometime in the future, but do not expect to make the money back. It's a really weird thing that is happening in our (capitalist) society, that everyone (at least in my case) expects you to make your invested money back at some point, maybe even turning a profit. I think that's a mistake, you are investing in yourself and the end result hopefully will be more knowledge, more skills, or perhaps better eye for composition, or maybe some combination of those things. That should be your goal. You invest in a hobby, it's a hobby after all ;) But if you are able to profit from your hobby - more power to you!
As for why I stopped shooting - back in high school times we only had film cameras and there was a school trip that I packed my dad's Minolta X700 on, shoot a roll of film and once I've got home rewound it back into cassette and realized that I never loaded the camera in the first place :D Being angsty teenager, as you usually are, I swore not to shoot film again. I used Canon G compacts for a while in my early 20s and liked them a lot. But few years back my friend brought his Fuji X-E2 and something about that camera made me research X system. Ended up getting XT-1, and shooting it in manual mode pretty much all the time (recalling what I knew from film days, relearning a lot of stuff and enjoying it greatly).Then I remembered my mom shooting mine and my sister's childhood on slides with her East Germany made Praktica KW with amazing Biotar 2/58 (that she still has and I might grab it next time I visit her in Poland). That lead to a bit of research as to what Minolta my dad used to own, getting it and then shooting more film. My wife at the same time got into TLRs and we've been shooting film together since. Still use digital to shoot shows or super low light situations, but all my daily shooting is made pretty much on film. It's super fun.
I saw your proto darkroom video and you seemed like you were having a blast! Maybe just going thru your old negatives and getting better at printing will get you out of the photography block? Who knows...
In any case enjoy your time with cameras and enlargers. It's fun and while you're having fun, hopefully inspiration will come back at some point.
Gear does indeed matter. Not necessarily in the creative process - one can do magic with an iPhone - but in pretty much all other aspects as you said. A vintage car racer would never say his cars don't matter to him. The cars have nothing to do with his/her talent. The collecting aspect is such motivation for me. Ever heard of a racer not collecting race cars or a wine lover not having a cellar and getting excited about old vintages? Anyway, gear DOES indeed matter in many ways! Great video. I like the b&W, your voice, your style. Please do keep it up!
Hi Steph, thank you for your comment and feedback, it is nice that people feel the same. Although the iPhone is still gear technically, but I agree creatively and artistically in the thought process the camera plays a minor role, but it plays a major role once its time to actually capture that image and having the right tool for the right job make so much difference. So this is where I am a firm believer in gear does matter. It is also like therapy for me, there is something that I soothing to the soul about the whole process from the hunt to holding and shooting with it, each new piece of kit brings challenges and rewards. And whether we just present them on screen, print them or even make a book or zine, yet again 'gear' i.e. the computer, the enlarger plays a major role in the process. Thank you for the kind word and encouragement, it is very much appreciated as it actually helps with my lack of confidence issues so thank you :)
Holly crap! I just checked out your work and I am blown away. I think it's because you are so humble in your videos. I thought you were just a passionate amateur, but it turns out you are a master! Your use of light is impressive to say the least. I am more into candid portraits, mainly because I often find posed work very forced and soulless, but I must say the way you do it is quite inspiring. I have never found women's bodies inspiring (like at all), but the way you capture their warmth and inner light... As for the first portrait in your portrait section... I hope you won't mind but I screen shot it :) Black and Wine is definitely back! :)
steph Blafr haha I am far far from master, I tend to fumble along most of the time. I do enjoy doing different shoots to broaden my skills and also challenge myself. Yes natural non staged shots are fantastic, that is one of the things I like about helping my friends second shoot wedding as I love capturing spontaneous moments. I do still feel a bit self conscious doing street photography, I guess if I stuck at it I would maybe get better. One thing I want to capture or have a feeling with my work is calm and a quiet moment, I would love the viewer to feel the peaceful connection. It would be awesome to see some of your work, do you have a website, Instagram or folio site?? Haha thank you for the complement, yes Jamie is a great person to work with and he is in great shape, I really like the sun & shadow portraits I got of him in my personal work. Where in the world are you based?
I am in Bordeaux France. I've always been a visual person. I'm the kind of idiot who can cry at a sunset :) I'd rather lose both arms and both legs before I lost my sight! I've been serious about photography for several years now. I had heart bypass surgery a few years back and decided life was way too short to not do what you love. I started with food photography and one thing leading to another fell crazy in love with portraiture. I now shoot weddings here and there and I intend to make it my full time job in 2018. I find wedding photography so meaningful and exciting... I got back into film photography for my personal projects two years ago. Medium format mostly with a Mamiya c330 and a Hasselblad 500c/m. That's what brought me to your channel in the first place. I do have a blog and a website, but I am in the process of updating both. I will send you a link in a few days when I deem them worthy of your interest :) We're all self conscious about our heart you know...
steph Blafr wow! And thank you for sharing your story, sorry you had to go through that tough time :/ OMG that sounds idillic and I bet your just being modest and your work is stunning. I haven't been to France, but from what I have seen in movies and photographs it look really beautiful and to get to capture such a romantic occasion in such a setting, wow I could only imagine. I have not tried the C330, I did have the C3, but gave it to my now ex to sell as I didn't have the money at the time, so she could buy a dress makers dummy for her own photography projects. I hope to one day own a Hasselblad as they seem a joy to use and the designer in me loves industrial design and form. The one thing that amazes me is hope great the film community is and since doing this channel the people it has brought into my life and I get to connect with 😊 Yes do send over your links, i am interested to see more beauty in this world 😊
Great video, thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks. Genuine down to earth, honest review of a truely great camera. I owned one of these for over 10 years (late 80's - 2002), best SLR I owned and/or used. These days I use a 1962 Leica M3 with a 1960 Summicron 50mm, which is an absolute joy to use. If you get chance to try one out then I thoroughly recommend trying out an old analogue Leica. Once again many thanks, i might just have to search for a good Nikon FM2 after watching this. Cheers :-)
For most types of amateur photography ' gear ' matters the least, so long as it functions as it should. I have a large selection of 35mm cameras with exotic glass and shot hand held I am not able to tell whether it was shot with a £100.00 Nikon lens or a £3000.00 Leitz. Only when tripod mounted and using high resolution films the differences begin to show. What matters most and above all else, is the eye and talent of the photographer. Quite good photos BTW. Thanks.
This is why everyone is different and we all have different ideas on what is important. My only problem with people who say get doesn't matter is, no matter how talented you are, how many years you have been shooting, not one photographer on the planet could take a photo without gear. I think we need to remember that we are not the only element in the process. You can but you wouldn't shoot fast moving sports with a 100asa disposable point and shoot, same as you wouldn't shoot wildlife with a 50mm lens on a medium format Hasselblad. As photographers we are not magical, even the new range of cameras (digital) can take a awesome image in full auto used by my mum.
Learning technique, composition, use of light etc and a camera are all important IMHO :)
Hi Richard, I think we've all had this creative rut moment I sometimes think I've still got mine, as far as (GAS) is concerned join the club, I just recently picked up 2 cameras up in Perth Scotland an Olympus muji ii for £3 worth up to £150 and a Agfa Solinar iii rangefinder for £20 also worth up to £ 60 upwards, both a steal really.But what I think is that, by having (GAS) it makes you go out to see if your newly acquired gear is any good and secondly when your creative juices are drying up you have to make the effort to go out and shoot even if you don't feel like it, you may not even take a shot but it feels good to have a camera in your hand, and you never know it only takes one shot to make it worthwhile.
Great channel and love your'e black & white.The images you showed in this video were good, when you think about it us digital chaps (I also shoot film) especially me try to replicate this in Lightroom or PS, I think all the dust & scratches add to it, so keep up the good work and enjoy, and if you get in another creative rut just go out and buy another camera.
cheers Mick
Haha thanks Mick, its great to have a someone who feels the same. I am not sure why but people saying I shouldn't go out and buy cameras and should shoot more grinds my gears. Why shouldn't I go an buy a camera with my own money if it brings me happiness and as you say you might find that cool little gem that I may end up using as my main camera like the FM2n is at the moment for 35mm. Thank you for the comments and feedback, really helps me to feel I am not alone and that the film community is so supportive it is amazing. Congratulations on the new cameras, yes I too am a hybrid shooter so any new camera is a bonus, but film just pushes my buttons at the moment :)
Hi Richard. It's very honest of you, too include the scratched roll of film. A,lot of people wouldn't have The Guts, to have bothered to do so?! As , for your Nikon FM2n, well done to you, I've been a Nikon Man, for many years and every time i go out for a day's photography, this is My first Camera i choose, along with 3 prime lenses......A 50mm f/1.4 or 1.8 depending upon the elements, a 28mm f/2.8 and either a 135mm f/2.8 or my 85mm f/2 all AIS. Took, me a while to save the money but, it's a great kit. Your, camera was still in production until 2002! So, treat her well (their preety much bomb proof) and she will last you.....A Lifetime! Also, well done to you, with Your Photos. Ilford HP5 is a great film, as is HP4 . Gear does matter! I'm 67 years young, and i still learn every time i go out for a day's photography, been at it since i was 19 years old. Only problem is, now i need to take my time, isn't that what photography is...All About. Nice to see a New Face. A, very honest and very good video. All the best too you. Kindest regards Colyn.
Hi Colyn, thank you for your feedback and actually taking the time to share your story :) I bet you have some amazing stories and i envy the knowledge you must have for this craft. Nice lens line up too :)
Yeah i got into film photography a couple of years ago, shooting digital first, but i wanted to know more and where it came from. I am teaching myself some of the old alternative processes and i am booking on a course to teach me wet plate photography. Thank you for spotting my mistake HP4+ lol, that should be FP4+ oops.
These videos as much as it is amazing that people want to watch them, they were started as a visual diary for me to look back at and see where i failed, succeeded and where i need to focus some learning. Like the video and video editing, until i started this channel i have never done a video before.
Its is strange, coming from digital i have been a Canon guy and i have a few Canon film cameras, but i am loving the trio of Nikons i have. I would like to collect more, so far i have the FM2n, the F3 and the F100
Hi Richard, I watched this video and liked it when you first shared it. I was inspired by it. Today I re-watched this video, and was inspired by it again. Thumbs up!
Yep, FP4 is grainier than HP5, however, you can make that grain smaller if developed in say Ildord's Perceptol or Kodak's D23 developer, especially if you pull the film down to ISO 200.
And by the way, what matters about the gear is that it WORKS as intended, that's about it...
Just try and buy anything you can, especially in film!
There is no such thing as, the 'one' camera that can do it all, so it's up to you to find out what will work for you and your photography, if you end up with a point-and-shoot, range-finder, or large format, who cares... whatever makes the picture work, and makes you feel happy working with. Also you will gain experience shooting the different type of camera / formats.
Pictures you take are pictures for yourself, not for someone else, so by all means check what other people do / did to get inspired for your own shooting i.e. we all do/did that i think everyone looked up the classic masters Adams, Lange, Steiglitz, Weston et al, but best is to find out what you really want to shoot, and what makes you happy, - only you can decide and find that.
Keep shooting, and collect stuff it does not matter; you will slink it down eventually to your useful collection; don't overthink what you do or have done, that is what kills creativity, and keeps you from being inspired.
Thank you, you have put into words what I have been thinking about and am slowly coming to realise. I have just started shooting models again this past week and it brought back why I gave up because of the hassle.
I have a few things I want to do as personal projects, so will focus on those
Thank you for the encouragement as you say we all get the down times and I think I am coming out of mine. The new studio space is helping fire the creativity :)
Have you thought about getting a daylight loading developing tank? I’ve used an Agfa Rondinax 35U since 1996 and I have the Rondinax 60 tank too. I only use my Patterson tank for stand development.
Hi Ian, I have been talking to a few people and I think I am going to get some kind of changing tent, as I also want to try wet plate I think it will be useful for that too :) Will have a look at those tanks though, may be an alternative :)
@@RICHARDROLLINSONDESIGNPHOTOGRA good on you.
I had the honour of (contact) printing 12X16 inch collodian glass plates at the museum of New Zealand.
I cannot believe you got a FM2n for just 5 quid! What a steal!
Yes I couldn't believe my luck and now its my favourite 35mm camera I own :)
Very thoroughly described, I actually enjoyed watching the video 🙂 thanks for the info ☮️
Really nice photos!
Great video! Keep up the great work. Subscribed.
Thank you Carlos and thank you for the words of encouragement, I still find it hard making these videos and being infant of the camera but not letting that stop me :) If you have any suggest or tip for content or things I am doing wrong then all greatly appreciated
Nikon are backwards compatible not like Canon which ditched their EF lenses when they started with the EOS system.
I use an old Ai 28mm with my D300s. It gives a great vintage look to colour shots.
Evening Richard. Your very welcome. If, it helps you.....I suffered A Nervous breakdown in 1981. Being the type of guy who, thought nothing of Fly fishing on my own until darkness, clambering up mountain's with my photographic gear,including a tripod, for timed exposures and sunsets, fearing nothing! However, when that illness stuck i couldn't go Anywhere, without My Dear Wife. With, the help of A very good friend who, suffered the same illness and, the NHS I got through it. My, passion for Photography, was nill, for almost two years but with a positive attitude and outlook, i picked up my gear, and ventured out. If, i hadn't well best not to go there. Just, watched your video in The Lake district, ah memories, camped on the banks of Lake Windermere, whilst travelling up from My Beloved Wales, too a Game Fair, in Penrith. Did quite well on the Fly casting and, on the Clay pigeon shooting. Took some lovely photography too. Anyway, referring to your photography ( Wet Plates) Richard, have a look on EBay, for a Book entitled.....The Ilford Manuel of Photography! One,of The Best Books on Photography in general. It's an Old book, but possibly The Best! Good luck with your venture into Proper Photography! Lastly, enjoy it and don't worry about making mistakes, we've All been there, and we've All made plenty of mistakes. My kind regards to you. All the best Colyn.
I am sorry to hear that, health, mental or physical can be crippling at times. I have let fear rule my life for so long and i do not know why :/ I am glad you have come through it now though and your wife sounds like someone to treasure. I try to think positive or turn things into a positive even when times are hard, especially with a lack of creativity, but as you say pushing through and hope to come out the other side with a wiser head on my shoulders. Again thanks you for sharing, talking to others and getting advice from this amazing community on here makes a huge difference in my life.
Yes The Lake District is such an amazing place, if i could afford to i would move there.
haha that is such a coincidence, my friend got me a present from an old book shop and it is that very book :) I am looking forward to reading it and many others to help broaden my photographic knowledge. And i am so looking forward to doing wet plate, i have wanted to try it for years.
All the best to you to kind sir
FM2n is the go to camera for high altitude expeditions.
I have both the Nikon F3 and Nikon FM2n. Is one better than the other? for me, not really. My FM2n actually compliments my F3. Beautiful cameras and yes, I totally agree with you, gear DOES matter. I feel more inspired and creative if I have either the F3 or the FM2n with me as opposed to having a p&s camera.
Hello Richard!If you were in the situation to choose between fm2 and f3 which one will you prefer?I know fm2 is mechanical and very durable but i've heard that the viewfinder is not that great.At the other hand the f3 has an electronically controlled shutter but that doesnt mean unrealiability,cause everybody says that this thing never breaks down.And of course the f3 has 100% viewfinder coverage and very smooth handling.Which one has a better meter?Are the handling and the viewfinder of fm2 that bad as alot of people say?Thanks!
That's a provocative headline!
haha yeah wasn't intentional as an attention grabber more of how I feel on the subject. I had to cut out a fair bit as I did have a little rant lol. Thanks for your comment, much appreciated :)
Came out really good even with the scratched film!
Amani Assalam yeah I am super happy with this camera and to say I got seriously lucky finding it for so cheap it is my go to and I’m a Canon digital shooter.
Both the HP5 and FP4 look grainier than they should to my eye, it could just be me though, what developer do you use?
Hi Tom. Yeah this is one of the reasons why I was toying with the idea of just using a lab to develop my film, but as I am still new this way is much cheaper and allows me to experiment until I have more knowledge of film stock and what each camera gives me in terms of looks. At the moment I am using ilford LC29 at a dilution of 1:29 and both ilford stop bath and fixer. I also scan at home on an Epson v600 which is ok but the film holders are not the best. Thanks for the comments and feedback, if you have any examples of both FP4 and HP5 I would love to have a look and then I know what I am shooting for so to speak lol
I agree, developing is definitely cheaper and because you can experiment you have more control over how your film looks. Using stronger dilutions like LC29 at 1+19 for example might reduce grain, or something like ID-11 or D-76 look good with HP5 and really good with FP4 in my opinion :) there's also HC-110 and DDX but they're pretty expensive! If you use it my Instagram is @tomalogue
Cool will look at that 1:19 next time I develop as need to use my batch of chemicals up before the go off. I got these chemicals when I did a film project and it is actually what ilford sent out to my friend John. I love FP4, it is similar to may favourite film Fuji Across 100, but that is getting crazy expensive :( Cool thanks for the link will check it out
Richard Rollinson - My Analog Life I've never tried Acros but you're right, it's so much! FP4 is a firm favourite of mine but I turn to Tri-x or HP5 for shooting indoors or in bad weather :)
Hiya Richard, just stumbled upon your channel and I love it.
The FM2n is a fantastic piece of kit. it's the same camera Steve McCurry used when he shot the Afghan girl (with a 105mm F2.5 - amazing lens, I highly recommend it). Don't sweat the creative valleys, if your stuck, try checking out Ted Forbes channel "the art of photography" He has a segment called photo assignments that are great for getting you motivated and challenging you creatively.
Cheers!
Hi Joe, thank you for the complement and the advice. Yeah i have been down lately, but after some advice from fellow photographer i am trying to just go out and shoot. Doing this TH-cam channel is actually helping as it is making me shoot, not only for content but to spice things up and do something different like the landscapes. I tend to favour more portraits and model work, but got burnt out.
Yeah Ted Forbes channel is great, i have been watching it for years, pity he doesn't do much film reviews now. I did enter one of his challenges and actually made it in to his video, which was cool :)
Thanks for the heads up on the lens, for years i have been a Canon guy, but really liking the Nikon cameras at the moment. I only have the 50mm f/1.4 and the 85mm f/1.8d, so another lens to play with would be great :)
Thank you for watching, I am going to be heading out with my other Nikon bodies soon, i have an f100 and an f3 :)
I think the "gear doesn’t matter" is saying you don’t need the best camera to go out, take an image and learn how to get a decent image. I know some of my best images have been taken on a Fuji hs50exr which is a bridge camera and my very favourite camera is my mint Zorki 4K with a Jupiter 8 lens which takes stunning images. Having said that, I shoot Canon when I shoot digital, I have a 5DII, 5DIII and a 7DII, which I was using today for wildlife with the 5DII in the bag with my 79-200 f4 IS lens on it. I think I have 4 L glass lenses and some decent 3rd party lenses. If gear doesn’t matter then why have I invested goodness knows how many thousand pounds in my kit? I know when shooting wildlife those 10fps matter, I know with landscapes having a full frame camera matters. So yes in a way kit is extremely important, but do you need a good camera to get a good image? Not always. But it does have to be gear you enjoy using and, especially with older cameras, kit you can trust for shutter speeds etc.
I like both FP4 and HP5 but I tend to shoot both at box speed and although I have about 4 film developers at the moment I am a Rodinal fanboy I have to admit. I just love the contrast and it’s rendering of the tones. I’m far too much a control freak to let anyone else develop my film. To me it would be like when I was a chef getting all the ingredients putting them in a pan and the hoping someone else who I’ve never seen will cook it right. You don’t use those squeegee tongues to take the surplus water off your film do you? They are famous for scratching your images.
The church in Azriel's video was built by one of his forefathers, which made it an even greater shame especially as it was arson. I really like his channel, even if he got the film I sent him wrong, his photography matters to him.
I think we can put too much pressure on ourselves with photography, we’ve bought this gear and so we must use it. I know that no matter how much I love doing any activity once I feel I "must" do it, it puts my right off and then doing it becomes such a trudge. Use the cameras you enjoy using, or shoot the subjects you most enjoy shooting, take away the pressure and the desire might return.
A great video, really enjoyed it, and Mary Ellen Mark is one of my favourite photographers. Somewhere on the Internet there’s a great interview of her and an ex model whose name I can’t recall but she too takes photos now.
That fault will bite you soon! What the leaver does in its closed position, is to switch your light meter off. If your meter is not switched off, then it is using up the battery power, and you'll be out of power before you know it. BUT having said that..... You said that you use an external meter.......... Then battery life isn't a problem :-)
you did a good job in this video
While the scratches may have set you back emotionally, I feel then add a true authenticity to your photos. So, a couple weeks of pouting was worth it.
gear does matter, for the photographer that is. Nobody else that interacts with your photograph cares what camera/film/settings were used. The photograph lives on its own and it's the photograph that ultimately matters. Take Michelangelo, nobody cares what brushes he used for the sistine chapel, or what chisels he used for his David. I bet they were fine tools for him but ultimately nobody cares except for him.
I agree in part, but by the same token being a designer/photographer and doing client work and also wedding work I do not think that they would be ok with me rocking up and saying it's ok I will just use my iPhone, it doesn't matter it's the image that counts. Some clients, especially certain AD agencies/fashion houses expect you to use medium format.
Gear matters more to everyone than people care to except and being romantic about "its the image" only matters to the artist. We are using GEAR everyday, from computers to smart phones, even these people that come one TH-cam and bash on about gear doesn't matter and its the image or vision that counts. I am sorry, how did you take that image and how did you make and edit this video telling us that gear doesn't matter and why do you use a Leica or the latest Fuji and not a disposable camera. Just look at Facebook and Instagram, more people are so called photographers because then can snap an image with their phone and people eat up all the random crap they post, no matter which way you cut it people will like what they like but they use gear to consume it. Us artists can be romantic about the image all we want, but I bet for every one person who appreciates a Michelangelo, there will be 50 others who will be double tapping an image of a half naked women doing a toilet selfie on her smart phone. IMHO :)
I didnt know you were doing photography professionally, in that sense I agree gears matters 100%. You are hired based on your gear and the capacity to use to achieve a product/result. My comment was definitely meant for the photographers like me that do photography just for the sake of photography. Doing it for the art of it is a very fortunate place to be in indeed, and I know that my cameras only matter to me. keep up the good work!
There is nothing wrong with trying all kinds of gear and experimenting and figuring out what cameras are best for your preferred style of shooting. Nothing wrong with that. The problem is when it becomes a crutch or an excuse. There are so many people out there that just want some magical camera that does not exist that will magically make them a master photographer with no work. Like anything there are no quick fixes or short cuts. Bresson said your first 10 000 photos are your worst. Think about that for a second. He did not get as good as he was because a Leica had some magical properties. He got that good because he practiced and also he knew his camera so well it was an extension of who he was. People forget it is not just knowing your photography basics but you will also never get better if you are always shooting with new gear and constantly fumbling with controls on a camera you are unfamiliar with.
Daniel Stewart thank you for your feedback. Why is it Bresson in a yard stick by which all photography is judged? There have been many before and after him that produced much better work, even back in the late 1800's Alfred Stieglitz was a pioneer of photography techniques some very experimental, but even he knew the importance of advances in camera gear made things so much easier. I think too many 'photographers' are precious and have to justify their importance by saying gear isn't important or actually fundamental to the creation of ANYTHING. We also know that a better camera can produce better results in more challenging situations, ie low light or capturing action and some cameras are so good and easy to use that even a 5 year old can get a good shot. What we should be more concerned with is how we as creatives can use GEAR to set us apart from the uncle bobs or expand our own thinking instead of blaming our lack of it on GEAR. It's not gear that should be blamed, but rather our unwilliness to embrace gear and see how it can expand our creativity. In my latest outing I went to shoot landscapes, I'm not a landscape photographer, I don't have any filters, I just embraced my gear and what it could, without it I'd have been stuck. For me each new camera I try, gives me new results and a different view point, again for me I find this a plus not a negative and allows me endless creative possabilities
You make valid points. I only quoted Bresson because it is a good quote to illustrate that practice and learning with the gear you have is very very important. I think especially in the digital era with people getting bombarded with everything from youtubers to add campaigns telling them their photography will magically get better with a more expensive camera. And as it applies to digital tech that does have a grain of truth. With film that is much less the case because the camera itself is just a light tight box the lens attaches to. Different gear will only help you improve if you know first off what you are shooting, you know the limitations of your current setup like the back of your hand and you have the knowledge to use the new kit to improve on what you already know. You could hand someone a Leica or a Hasselblad but if they have no idea how to use it correctly they will just get a terrible image on an expensive camera.
Daniel Stewart I agree with you about film SLR's being light boxes and it is the lens and film that makes the biggest difference, but I also think that some of these light boxes either make it a nicer or lesser experience. Be it medium format, 35mm there are cameras that either fit us or make it harder for us, also some help us get the results we want due to a more advanced feature. Take the Nikon FM2n for instance, yes it's the inferior 35mm format, but features like the 1/4000th shutter speed make it so I can get a lower aperture if I need it than my Canon AE-1 with 1/1000th shutter speed. The fact it's all mechanical and doesn't require a battery to work is fantastic if you get caught short and your battery dies during a shoot. That's not knowing my camera, it's buying kit for features that will make my life easier getting the results I want. If you have the experience and are happy with one camera then all power to you, but for me I also like doing a shoot with mixed cameras as they give me differing results, but also make me look at the shoot in a different way as each camera requires a different way of shooting as does the different aspect ratio of 35mm, 645, 6x6, 6x7 etc. I defiantly agree to give someone a film camera with no photoshop to see if they are a photographer or digital artist, you can't polish a turd with a negative lol
I think we are saying much the same thing just differently. I totally agree with you about buying the right tool to get the results you want and often several different tools. I shoot with both 35mm and 120 (in all formats I even have a 120 half frame camera) and I even had a 4x5 at one point. I also agree with your example that things like a faster shutter speed is great. My point is simply if you have no idea how to use that to your advantage a top shutter speed of 1/4000 will not help you if you don't bother to learn how to use it. I remember when I started I went through tons of gear and alot of money and at the time I could barely get a picture in focus. lol
haha. Although my dad did film photography it was something that passed me by at that time, it wasn't till roughly 2 years ago I got into film. I have been shooting digital for a few years, but felt a bit lack lustre and sterile and all the shots I had saved and was attracted to turned out to be black & white film. I don't have a ton of money, I buy my stuff at charity shops, carrot sales and where I can get a good deal. I don't have the best stuff, like I would love to try a 500 series Hasselblad, but I do have a Rolleiflex TLR and if I am honest it is not a camera I get on with at all, but I am glad I got it and had the experience. Same with the Nikon FM2n, I am a Canon shooter mainly in both digital and film, but got the FM2n in a bargain bin for £5 and now it is my go to camera, if I never had the experience id still be shooting with the Canon A-1. Oh wow large format is something I really want to try next, been looking at camera and some them here are so expensive.
Never even heard of a 120 half frame, how many shots do you get on a roll with that. That sounds like a strange aspect ratio
I live about 45 mins away from that place they have that 1940s show at. I’ve not been yet but I hear good things. I went to one in Lincoln which was great! Check it out here: th-cam.com/video/Ed8etUAIpUs/w-d-xo.html loving your HP5 shots of Inside the black car, I’m a fan of the grain you get from HP5
Anthony Aitman thanks for stopping by and the nice comments. You should check out the Woodhall Spa day, it's fantastic and I am looking forward to going next year. There is also some cool events on at Papplewick Pumping Station which you should check out, the WWII event was great to photograph.
Do you live near Lincoln? I'm from Nottingham and it's always cool to meet fellow film photographers 😊👍
Richard Rollinson - My Analog Life ah nice I’ll check your video out! Ah thanks for that I’ll check those events out for sure. Love the WW2 and 1940s events. Yeah I live like 30 mins away from lincoln and like about 45 mins from Nottingham. I would be keen to do a photo video with ya. Could go out and shoot somewhere. You have some lovely film cameras.
Anthony Aitman that would be awesome it would be great to do some sort of collaboration. Possibly a camera challenge or something? I'm happy to travel as I love to find new places to visit and shoot, also love the challenge it brings and helps with my photography skills 😊 You have me thinking of trying a box brownie now, as your results were ace 👍😊
Yeah cool a camera challenge would be great! I am thinking more of doing around January as I am very busy until then. You should def try a box camera. I was very surprised how sharp the lens was and how they came out. Ill message you on Instagram to plan a video and meet up.
Well, at first I hope you overcame your creative down.
But. No gear won’t make you more creative if it doesn‘t come out of you.
I don’t collect cameras ‚cause of a lack of storage space, my cameras do have a special purpose and I love toycameras for their simplicity.
(The FM2n is fantastic ❤️)
Lenses Lighting and looking.... invest in all three.
Or collect film cameras.
Just don't get hung up on upgrading digital camera bodies.
The best camera to have is the one that is with you.
Love and understand the one you're with.
Your a camera collector and not a photographer. There's nothing wrong with that. #keepfilmalive