Prowling my world, camera in hand

19 January 2007

Note about equipment

Filed under: — Administrator @ 12:28

Many people who post images on the web always include information about what equipment was used for each image. I used to do this too, as you can see when looking at my 2006 and earlier PAWs. But I later concluded that this information is not particularly relevant–after all, the image is much more important than the gear. So, beginning in 2007, I no longer include equipment info for each image.

Having said the above, I recognise that people may be curious about what was used. As a “compromise”, I therefore provide general information on my equipment on this page, and will note deviations from my “standard” on individual pages as needed.

In 2006 and most of 2007, I made most of my images with a Canon 1D Mark II and assorted Canon lenses. This had been my main outfit since 2005. But in the fall of 2007, I bought an Olympus E410 because I needed a light outfit for travelling by air. I really liked the Olympus, and so when the E3 came out, I decided to get one, which I did in January 2008. My basic outfit for most of 2008 was the E3 and the following 3 lenses: a 12-60mm Olympus for everyday shooting, a 1.4/25mm Leica Summilux (made by Panasonic) for low light, and a 100mm Leica Apo Macro when a long lens is needed. In late 2008, I returned to my favourite system of all times, Leica M (which is what I used when I was shooting film). But now it is the digital Leica M8. The majority of pictures from Week 52 in 2008 until about 2014 are made with the M8, although more recently, I supplemented my kit with a Pentax K5 outfit, a Fuji X100 for taking everywhere, and a micro 4/3 Panasonic GF-1 for travelling ultra-light. All these cameras are represented in these pages–if I find myself not using a piece of equipment, I do not hesitate to sell it. I think developing an emotional attachment to some metal and plastic is silly. Pictures are what matters. My current equipment consists mainly of a Fuji X-T2 with assorted Fuji lenses (and Leica lenses with adapter), and a Ricoh GRII, the best pocketable digital camera there is, if you can live with a fixed focal length (28mm equivalent) lens.

I do still own and occasionally use a couple of film cameras–a Cosina/Voigtlander Bessa R2M and a Leica M2. Both are fully mechanical bodies that take my Leica M lenses and will work without batteries if needed. I keep the R2M, loaded with HP5 or Tri-X, as a backup in my Domke 803 bag which is the home of my Leica M system. And for serious film photography, I also have a couple of Fuji medium format cameras. There is something about holding a 6×9 cm negative in one’s hand that cannot be duplicated in pixels.

1 Comment »

  1. hi nathan, was wondering where the panasonic m4/3 lenses came into play. you have now also the 7-14 mm if the b&h comments are valid ……….. what’s it like? b.

    Comment by bruce — 31 October 2010 @ 13:37

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