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Author Topic: Alone Again, Naturally  (Read 2612 times)

James Clark

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #20 on: December 02, 2019, 01:39:43 pm »

Ditto.

And before anyone makes the accusation of jealousy, I could, if I had a mind to, go out tomorrow and buy a Rolex, IWC, Breitling...after all the cost would be similar to that of a decent trip to India.

Like Eric, I owned and wore a cheap (£5,bought in Lanzarote in 1980) digital watch for 30+ years and was sad when the display became unreadable.

But hey, each to their own.

Watches and cars - a guy's only real chance to enjoy jewelry ;).  I have to confess to loving both, but as I get older I've become much more appreciative of the classics in both, probably as I've become more tolerant of the shortcomings of "old" designs.  Come to think of it, I'm currently enjoying a nw Fujifilm XT3 system I got for travel, so this "classic" approach seems to be a thing for me now.
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Rob C

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #21 on: December 02, 2019, 02:41:03 pm »

There are many reasons why people like what they like. You could say that a cheap watch can tell you the time as well as can a Rolex - most of which I have had personal knowledge of have not been particularly good at keeping time, certainly not as good as the clock on the kitchen wall, for example, which as long as I remember to point the boiling kettle away from it, works well on its AA batteries. Like the Nikon F4s did, come to think of it, and had it loaded first time every time too, I might have kept it.

What is completely overlooked in these kinds of equations is appreciation of aesthetics: my first sight of the Submariner told me that it was the most beautiful watch I had ever seen. It cost me, back in '72, just short of a hundred quid: it was, I think, considered by Rolex to be a sports item, a watch for folks who liked the sea and getting very wet. I don't think they imagined it would also be thought of as jewellery later in its life. Today, the prices for that item on the Internet are in the region of euros 12,600. That is some appreciation, and when I had the thing serviced a couple of years ago, the agent remarked that it was probably of an age to be considered a collectible, loading the value even higher, as with those old new Leicas that live in display cabinets from the day of purchase.

Back to the aesthetics: there are Rolexes and there are Rolexes. The multi-coloured ones leave me cold, as do the gold ones. As for those covered with diamonds, I wouldn't want to be mistaken for a bookie or publican, a politician or even a Mafia capo.

That said, I discovered that my new cheapo replacement has another problem other than just being a substitute: turning the unidirectional bezel takes hands like pliers. I had filled out the online return document thinking of sending it straight back whence it had come, when something made me pause and go back online to check the experiences of others: the reality seems to be that it comes with the furniture. What's the point of returning it when the chances are the next one will be exactly the same? None. At the price, and as my swimming and snorkey days are but memory, it matters not a jot; even parking meters are unimportant now, and the cooker does have a tinger that tells me when the soup's ready.

So yeah, it's not all about the time at all. Why should it have to be?

Just struck me: at the time, my brand new Nikon F or F2 each cost me more than my brand new Rolex.
« Last Edit: December 02, 2019, 03:04:22 pm by Rob C »
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Ivo_B

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Re: Alone Again, Naturallynd
« Reply #22 on: December 02, 2019, 03:33:08 pm »

There are many reasons why people like what they like. You could say that a cheap watch can tell you the time as well as can a Rolex - most of which I have had personal knowledge of have not been particularly good at keeping time, certainly not as good as the clock on the kitchen wall, for example, which as long as I remember to point the boiling kettle away from it, works well on its AA batteries. Like the Nikon F4s did, come to think of it, and had it loaded first time every time too, I might have kept it.

What is completely overlooked in these kinds of equations is appreciation of aesthetics: my first sight of the Submariner told me that it was the most beautiful watch I had ever seen. It cost me, back in '72, just short of a hundred quid: it was, I think, considered by Rolex to be a sports item, a watch for folks who liked the sea and getting very wet. I don't think they imagined it would also be thought of as jewellery later in its life. Today, the prices for that item on the Internet are in the region of euros 12,600. That is some appreciation, and when I had the thing serviced a couple of years ago, the agent remarked that it was probably of an age to be considered a collectible, loading the value even higher, as with those old new Leicas that live in display cabinets from the day of purchase.

Back to the aesthetics: there are Rolexes and there are Rolexes. The multi-coloured ones leave me cold, as do the gold ones. As for those covered with diamonds, I wouldn't want to be mistaken for a bookie or publican, a politician or even a Mafia capo.

That said, I discovered that my new cheapo replacement has another problem other than just being a substitute: turning the unidirectional bezel takes hands like pliers. I had filled out the online return document thinking of sending it straight back whence it had come, when something made me pause and go back online to check the experiences of others: the reality seems to be that it comes with the furniture. What's the point of returning it when the chances are the next one will be exactly the same? None. At the price, and as my swimming and snorkey days are but memory, it matters not a jot; even parking meters are unimportant now, and the cooker does have a tinger that tells me when the soup's ready.

So yeah, it's not all about the time at all. Why should it have to be?

Just struck me: at the time, my brand new Nikon F or F2 each cost me more than my brand new Rolex.

I didn’t want to spoil your purchase pleasure, but I knew the bezel is merely a gimmick on the counterfeit watches.
A decent working and smooth clicking bezel cost probably more than the whole watch.
I also have a weak spot for mechanical time pieces and other fine mechanics. Because you had a 200$ max, I didn’t mention the bargain of the moment: Tissot Visodate. Beautiful automatic watch sporting the affordable caliber ETA 2836-2. Few (3) years ago it was for sale around 300€, now up to 550€. Reason why it’s a bargain: Tissot and ETA are part of the Swatch group. Tissot can buy the calibers at lower cost than watch makers not belonging to the Swatch group.

And yes, once you had the real thing, the rest is, well, just the rest. I had an nice collection fountain pens, until I got myself a Mont Blanc Meisterstück and the quest for fountain pens was over.

....

O, and don’t mention mechanical camera’s......  ;D
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Rob C

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Re: Alone Again, Naturallynd
« Reply #23 on: December 02, 2019, 04:13:14 pm »

I didn’t want to spoil your purchase pleasure, but I knew the bezel is merely a gimmick on the counterfeit watches.
A decent working and smooth clicking bezel cost probably more than the whole watch.
I also have a weak spot for mechanical time pieces and other fine mechanics. Because you had a 200$ max, I didn’t mention the bargain of the moment: Tissot Visodate. Beautiful automatic watch sporting the affordable caliber ETA 2836-2. Few (3) years ago it was for sale around 300€, now up to 550€. Reason why it’s a bargain: Tissot and ETA are part of the Swatch group. Tissot can buy the calibers at lower cost than watch makers not belonging to the Swatch group.

And yes, once you had the real thing, the rest is, well, just the rest. I had an nice collection fountain pens, until I got myself a Mont Blanc Meisterstück and the quest for fountain pens was over.

....

O, and don’t mention mechanical camera’s......  ;D


Yes, I'm fond of Tissot watches too; my grandfather had one and so did I; when my daughter was old enough, that's the brand we bought for her. She was quite pleased when, sitting in the dentist's chair, he told her it was a very nice watch for a little girl. She is more fortunate than our son: she got her Mum's Rolex when Ann died but our son won't get mine. Which makes me feel kinda sick at the injustice.

I have a very old Montblanc pen and propelling pencil set; I was able to get the pen serviced free: it was the company policy, apparently. I never use it. I tried writing a cheque with it once, and the poor quality of paper meant it just flooded; stuff today is designed for ballpoints.

Actually, and further to the other thread where Rolex has been discussed a bit, the truth is that if you can afford it, there is nothing more pleasing than having something you believe is the very best thing of its kind available. It's justification enough. Hence Ferrari, Bugatti et al.
« Last Edit: December 02, 2019, 04:22:39 pm by Rob C »
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KLaban

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #24 on: December 03, 2019, 04:03:29 am »

Many of these watches are indeed beautiful, until worn on the wrist, when they become bling.

Hell, I'm even embarrassed to be seen with a camera.

Rob C

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #25 on: December 03, 2019, 04:41:31 am »

Many of these watches are indeed beautiful, until worn on the wrist, when they become bling.

Hell, I'm even embarrassed to be seen with a camera.

I can sympathise about cameras - here, they mark one as a tourist. I can't think of anyone other than myself, expat or local, who uses them unless they be wedding snappers, another once-thriving business here that has been crippled by digital and self-catering snappers.

Thinking about this fact just makes it so obvious that photography as hobby is dead in the water.

Rob

KLaban

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #26 on: December 03, 2019, 08:50:14 am »

I can sympathise about cameras - here, they mark one as a tourist. I can't think of anyone other than myself, expat or local, who uses them unless they be wedding snappers, another once-thriving business here that has been crippled by digital and self-catering snappers.

Thinking about this fact just makes it so obvious that photography as hobby is dead in the water.

Rob

Pro, hobbyist, whatever, I'm driven by a compulsive need to create images, regardless of reward.

RSL

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #27 on: December 03, 2019, 09:28:33 am »

So am I, Keith. Always have been, always will be.

And Rob, I think what you’re calling photography as a hobby has been dead in the water for a long time. What isn’t dead in the water is equipment fixation. The kind of hobbyists you’re talking about are equipment bugs. They love having the latest, greatest stuff. Feels good in their hands, and they love showing it off. I’ll never forget the guy who walked by me one night in St. Augustine with two large DSLRs clipped to one of those belt and suspender equipment belts, and a third in his hands. For a view of this approach to “photography,” check “Nikonians.”

What’s happened is that, as Brooks Jensen said in LensWork: with the onset of digital, anybody – just anybody – can produce a technically adequate picture. Two years ago I wrote an essay on the subject: http://www.russ-lewis.com/essays/TechnicalExcellence.htm, so I won't elaborate here.
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Rob C

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #28 on: December 04, 2019, 02:53:56 pm »

For Ivo.

Quickie in the office with D200 and 2.8/105 Micro Nikkor manual lens.

Sadly, I think my daughter's childhood Tissot vanished, as did my own once the swimming meister entered my life.

:-(

P.S.

No, it doesn't work; the crown pulls right out and is rusted... it was bought just after WW2.

James Clark

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #29 on: December 05, 2019, 05:27:13 pm »

For Ivo.

Quickie in the office with D200 and 2.8/105 Micro Nikkor manual lens.

Sadly, I think my daughter's childhood Tissot vanished, as did my own once the swimming meister entered my life.

:-(

P.S.

No, it doesn't work; the crown pulls right out and is rusted... it was bought just after WW2.

Wow, Rob.  That's really interesting - thanks for sharing :)
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Rob C

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #30 on: December 06, 2019, 04:10:46 am »

Wow, Rob.  That's really interesting - thanks for sharing :)

I find that lens to be a very good one; it has a locking screw that is smooth to use, and locks focus whenever you have nailed it, especially useful when the camera is pointing downwards. I think this was shot at f8.

There is a long throw though, that is or is not better for focussing - sometimes it feels that it's too easy to start winding in and out as your eye tries to make up its mind! This might well be a result of the digital camera focusing screens that are not so good for manual focussing as the old camera ones are. I am not sure why this should be the case, but it seems to be so. In the instance of the watch, a split-image centre area would have been pretty helpful!

It's also said that that kind of lens (micro/macro, whatever the different marques decide to label them) is not that great at normal or distance shots; John Shaw, the photographer and author, used the same Nikkor as this for some of his landscape work, and he did very well indeed with it. Since going digital, perhaps everything has changed for him, but I no longer buy that kind of book, so am not up to speed.

Rob

petermfiore

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #31 on: December 06, 2019, 06:45:26 am »


Hell, I'm even embarrassed to be seen with a camera.

You have Issues?  ;~) Lol Keeping it light...

Peter

KLaban

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #32 on: December 06, 2019, 08:15:11 am »

You have Issues?  ;~) Lol Keeping it light...

Peter

Believe me, Peter, I have issues.

;-)

RSL

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #33 on: December 06, 2019, 09:53:31 am »

Anyone on here without "issues," previously known as "problems?" If so, please tell us your secret of success.
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Rob C

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #34 on: December 06, 2019, 10:33:38 am »

Anyone on here without "issues," previously known as "problems?" If so, please tell us your secret of success.


It's quite simple: one just has to look on the bright side of everything. A guillotine with a highly polished blade is a wondrous sight to behold!

With a good stopwatch you can even measure the time remaing before you shake hands with St Peter! Isn't that progress?

Ivo_B

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #35 on: December 06, 2019, 01:41:34 pm »

For Ivo.

Quickie in the office with D200 and 2.8/105 Micro Nikkor manual lens.

Sadly, I think my daughter's childhood Tissot vanished, as did my own once the swimming meister entered my life.

:-(

P.S.



No, it doesn't work; the crown pulls right out and is rusted... it was bought just after WW2.

That’s a beautiful vintage time piece, Rob.
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rabanito

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Re: Alone Again, Naturally
« Reply #36 on: December 06, 2019, 03:03:15 pm »


It's quite simple: one just has to look on the bright side of everything. A guillotine with a highly polished blade is a wondrous sight to behold!

Haha.
In my "Manual of Survival at Sea" they make a reference to the magnificent view of a shark's dorsal fin while he's circling around you.
Enjoy  :(
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