Cameras
2 February 2009, late evening
My first camera was a Pentax K1000. I still use it today; it’s at least 10 years old now. I got a Canon S30 near the end of University. Then I went through this phase where I was buying old busted cameras, and during that period I bought a Kiev 35 that got the Ring Virus and died, my light-leaking Electro, and a mysterious Argus / Cosina 35. Then my digital camera broke which was a mixed blessing as it got me to buy my Digital Rebel, which is an excellent camera. Then came the lenses: first a 50mm, then a 17-40mm L, then a 85mm. In between the lenses I was gifted with a Lomography Fisheye from Shima, and a Supersampler from Jana. And then one day I woke up and really wanted a rangefinder. I can’t imagine why, as all the rangefinders I own are old and busted. I found one used on craigslist, and so it came to pass that I now own a Bessa R2A. I bought a new 35mm f/2.5 lens for it. And then I bought a 28mm lens for my Rebel, because it didn’t feel right to ignore my fancy DSLR. And, then, against my better judgement, I bought a Leica M2. Oh hells yes, that felt good. I bought two more lenses for my rangefinders: a Jupiter 3, and a 35mm f/1.7 Ultron. It seemed decadent to own two different 35mm lenses for my rangefinders, so I sold one. And then not too long after, I bought another. I also bought a Vivitar Ultrawide and Slim and an Olympus XA2, for reasons I’m not totally sure I understand. And then I went to Flickr meet up and saw a GRD II and I was in love. So I paid way too much for one of those. To make up for buying that camera, I ended up selling my Olympus XA2, which I never really fell in love with, my Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim, that Argus/Cosina thing I barely ever used, and the Supersampler. Then, for reasons I’m not entirely sure, I bought not one, but two kind of busted Mamiya TLRs. The first was a C33, with a 80mm lens that sometimes didn’t work. The second was a C220, with two lenses in reasonable shape. I still haven’t really taken any photographs of note with the cameras. (One day!) I saw a used Hexannon-M 50mm f/2.0 show up on Craigslist, and thought, “How can I not buy this?” So I did, of course. After thinking own two lenses in the same focal length was decadent, I now have two 35mm lenses and two 50mm lenses for my Leica. And that is a brief history of me and my cameras.
Haha good job.
Now go get a TLR!
by Eric on February 3 2009, 1:25 am #
haha, I’ll second the TLR remark! That or medium format :)
but I think the obvious question at this point has gotta be which one you ended liking most (so far)?
by pirijan on February 4 2009, 12:16 am #
The M2 is the nicest camera. I like using it the most. It’s the best built. The only issue I have with it is the lack of a light meter, which makes using it indoors trickier. One day i’ll get a light meter, and i’ll be set. I see my Bessa and my M2 the most now. I use my rebel when I need to take photos with a flash. I hardly ever use it just to snap photos around town now. The rangefinders are smaller and more convenient I find. The Kiev took awesome photos, but it was also a piece of shit camera.
by ramanan on February 4 2009, 9:59 am #