Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: tokengirl on June 11, 2010, 11:46:24 am

Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: tokengirl on June 11, 2010, 11:46:24 am
I recently crossed paths with a "like new, hardly used" Leica M6 and decided to invite her home with me.  So for the past few weeks, I have been fooling around with a changing bag and a bottle of Rodinal.

I am noticing that I am taking pictures that I would not really have thought to take with the 5DMkII.  Could it be the rangefinder is causing me to "look" at the world differently?  In any case, I am enjoying myself.  It is giving me great pleasure to NOT look at the LCD panel on the back of the camera to see if I "got it".

Here is a bit of what I've been doing, I am interested to hear what you all think.

Tri-X
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3335/4617260190_0105e3f59a_o.jpg)

Rollei Retro 80S
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/4621612324_dc0f8cdc29_o.jpg)

Rollei Retro 80S
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4620741556_b6a5d2545f_o.jpg)

Tri-X
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/4621683804_2eab8ec353_o.jpg)

T-Max 100
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4637051167_6ca2739aec_o.jpg)

Ektar
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4666213266_7bd38ccf5c_b.jpg)

Fuji Reala
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4587115092_16410e8fb0_o.jpg)







Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: RSL on June 11, 2010, 12:51:08 pm
Toke, Some fun stuff in there. Yes, the film M is a joy to work with -- until it comes time to mix developer, stop, and fix, and set up a washing tank. I keep thinking I miss my M4 -- until I remember what it's like to develop film using a dark bag, tank, and the sink.
Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: John R Smith on June 11, 2010, 01:39:41 pm
Claire

Isn't it nice to see some proper grain? And you can't beat that beautiful Leitz glass. Nice pictures, all of them.

John
Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: seamus finn on June 11, 2010, 01:45:07 pm


Lovely stuff.
Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: tokengirl on June 11, 2010, 02:04:59 pm
Thanks all.

Quote from: John R Smith
Claire

Isn't it nice to see some proper grain? And you can't beat that beautiful Leitz glass. Nice pictures, all of them.

John

Yes!  Glorious grain!

Now about that beautiful Leitz glass... I'm going to tell you a little secret, but don't tell anyone, OK?

It's a Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f1.2.  Really excellent value for anyone who just can't spend the $$$$$$ for the real thing but wants the buttery bokeh of the 35 Lux.  The only problem is that it's HUGE, really intrudes in the viewfinder.

I also just got a Voigtlander 25mm Color Skopar (delightfully tiny little thing), I'm shooting the first roll with it now.
Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: wolfnowl on June 11, 2010, 03:49:35 pm
I tend to subconsciously link Leica and B&W... the colour images are fun, but I prefer the former in your post!

Mike.
Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: John R Smith on June 11, 2010, 04:04:54 pm
Quote from: tokengirl
Now about that beautiful Leitz glass... I'm going to tell you a little secret, but don't tell anyone, OK?

It's a Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f1.2.  Really excellent value for anyone who just can't spend the $$$$$$ for the real thing but wants the buttery bokeh of the 35 Lux.  The only problem is that it's HUGE, really intrudes in the viewfinder.

I also just got a Voigtlander 25mm Color Skopar (delightfully tiny little thing), I'm shooting the first roll with it now.

Nice one, Claire. You managed to deflate my fond (supposed) ability to detect Leitz or Zeiss lenses at thirty paces. Nothing wrong with the Voigtlander ones at all, though, they have been reviewed very positively by those who should know.

John
Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: Rob C on June 11, 2010, 05:04:33 pm
Quote from: tokengirl
I recently crossed paths with a "like new, hardly used" Leica M6 and decided to invite her home with me.  So for the past few weeks, I have been fooling around with a changing bag and a bottle of Rodinal.

I am noticing that I am taking pictures that I would not really have thought to take with the 5DMkII.  Could it be the rangefinder is causing me to "look" at the world differently?  In any case, I am enjoying myself.  It is giving me great pleasure to NOT look at the LCD panel on the back of the camera to see if I "got it".

Here is a bit of what I've been doing, I am interested to hear what you all think.



Claire, forgive me if I'm not too bright tonight - all today, in fact - but I can't decide if your shots are all from the Leica or if some are from a Rollei?

Perhaps a bit too cryptic for this time of day.

I assume that the 'chairs' one is a rangefinder shot...

Rob C
Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: jasonrandolph on June 11, 2010, 05:13:56 pm
You've got some nice stuff there.  I especially like "The View from 21".  Film or digital doesn't matter to me, as long as you have fun and make images that are the product of your creativity, and I would say you were quite successful in that respect.  Well done.
Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: tokengirl on June 11, 2010, 05:18:28 pm
Quote from: Rob C
Claire, forgive me if I'm not too bright tonight - all today, in fact - but I can't decide if your shots are all from the Leica or if some are from a Rollei?

Perhaps a bit too cryptic for this time of day.

I assume that the 'chairs' one is a rangefinder shot...

Rob C

Sorry if I wasn't clear, they are all taken with the M6 and Voigtlander Nokton 35mm.  The caption above each photo is the type of film used.  Rollei (Maco) is making some really nice B&W films these days, and the nice thing about them is that they are very flat.  I don't mean "lacking contrast", I mean physically flat, as opposed to T-Max 100 for example, which has a nasty curve across making it harder to get a good scan on a flatbed type scanner (I have the Epson V750).
Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: tokengirl on June 11, 2010, 05:21:59 pm
Quote from: wolfnowl
I tend to subconsciously link Leica and B&W... the colour images are fun, but I prefer the former in your post!

Mike.

I too prefer the B&W.  But  a little color once in a while is fun.  I'm not sure the umbrella would be worth shooting in B&W.
Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on June 11, 2010, 08:46:13 pm
Claire,

Those are all quite delightful!

But I must object to your terminology: Ever since I switched to digital I've been telling people that I "went over to the dark side." I mean, it's obviously not "real" photography if you're not ingesting or inhaling some toxic chemicals somewhere along the way.    

But do please show more of these as you have more fun with your "real" camera.

Eric

Title: Been Spending Time On The Dark Side
Post by: fredjeang on June 12, 2010, 05:08:17 pm
Now Claire, no more Silver Effex Pro but the real grain versions.
As I see that you are in testing different films, you might give a look at this: http://www.gigabitfilm.de/html/english/menu.htm (http://www.gigabitfilm.de/html/english/menu.htm)
If you want big big, I mean big (resolution), that's the one to get.

cheers.