Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/10/31
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Tom Abrahamsson, Vancouver, B.C., Canada 54 years old (or young, depends on viewpoint) I was born in Sweden but left in 1969 as I was too extroverted for Ingma= r Bergaman=92s native land. Married for 30 years last July, no kids, and our cat Norman died in 1990. Tuulikki, my Finnish wife (an economist, a rather good shooter) is my be= st friend and also the most avid supporter to whatever harebrained scheme I = come up with. Somewhat mixed educational background, BA in Journalism, a degree in Clin= ical Chemistry (only practical use so far is in mixing strange developers) and= a degree in Industrial Design (unfortunately the school was preoccupied wit= h water pitchers, no camera designs). Over the years I have been a journalist, a photographer, a photojournalis= t=20 (logical so far), an editor (I know, but I wanted to feel what omnipotenc= y felt like), a teacher, telephone cable plant designer, research photograp= her and test equipment designer for a concrete research institute, travel writer/shooter, technical writer, corporate communications manager, graph= ic designer, industrial photographer and the last ten years the manufacturer= of the Rapidwinder.=20 We, Tuulikki and I also managed to travel around the world in 1970/71(started of in a Land Rover, arrived back to Sweden in a 1949 Bent= ley (82cents and 1/2 tank of gas at the end of the trip, good planning). Took another Landrover across Canada to Alaska in 1974, did the =93square=94 i= n Australia in 1986/87 and lived in Paris 1982/83. At no time during this time was I without a Leica (there was a short period when I was using Nik= ons, but we are all allowed periods of insanity.) At the time of writing, we have lived in 7 countries on 3 continents and wherever we go I search for the perfect darkroom and the perfect cafe! Equipmentwise: I have probably used most photographic equipment manufactu= red, filmsizes ranging from Minox to 8x10 and most of the brands. At one time = I accumulated ALPA=92s ( only odd numbered models. 1,3,5,7,9,11=92s etc) bu= t that=92s all when it comes to collectibles. At the moment I have a rather large nu= mber of Leica M=92s, virtually every model except the M5 and the MP ( the firs= t one is too big, the 2nd one too expensive and I can make my own if I need it). Almost a complete set of M-lenses, some in multiples ( 6 35=92s! and 8 50= =92s), I do not have the 135/2,8 and the reason is that I dont like it! My Hologon= is chipped and dented and too slow. If I had to cut down to one camera/one l= ens it would have to be a M2 with a 35/2, but I would try to sneak my 21/3,4 along if at all possible. I have accumulated a dozen M2=92s and can now r= eveal the fact that I always praised the M3 so that people would buy that one a= nd leave the M2=92s for me!! Wherever we live I set out to build the perfect darkroom, they never get fully finished but always work. I use a Focomat 2c for my printing and al= so have a ELCAN 121 Point source enlarger ( built by Ernst Leitz Canada for = the US Navy in the 70=92s), this is a ultra high resolution enlarger, built o= n the 2Cchassi. According to Leitz specs, it can resolve up to 270 lines/mm on = the easel! Too bad the paper only can handle 40 lpm. Film, well I started with a M3 when I was 14 in 1957 and started with TR= I-X and in spite of having tried and used most of the other brands of film, that=92s the one I use. There are few international phrases as widely understood as =93 D-76, 1:1 for 10 min at 70 F=94. Aspirations for the future: There are many places we haven=92t been to, = many shots I haven=92t taken yet and I also need to clean the camera cabinet a= nd organize my neg files. I take pictures because I love photography, I use Leica=92s because they translate what I see in a way that satisfies me.=20 Happiness is a new place, a M camera and a 35, a pocket full of Tri-X an= d all the time you need!( actually, true happiness is the M2/35 and a M3/90= /2,8 and 2 pockets filled with Tri-X) I am not a collector of cameras, but I do have a somewhat fatal weakness= for photographic books, mostly photojournalism. The overflow pile would excee= d 8 feet if it was stacked in one pile, we live in a earthquake zone so it is= now divided in four 2 ft stacks. Need more bookshelves! I like the LUG, I am not alone in my =93M=94adness. I am not a great par= ticipant in groups etc, but I have stayed a member of the LHSA for 10 years and en= joy my annual treck to the meeting. The LHSA is slowly changing to a shooter/collector society and the late evening sessions at the bar can be truly fun. Philosophy of life: No car shall cost more than a 50 Summicron, current vehicle is a dented, unwashed and missing 1 hubcab 1978 Cadillac Seville.= I am waiting for Leica to raise the price on the S-cron so I can get more variety in vehicles. The $100 rebate really screwed up my selection! Tom A Tom Abrahamsson TTAbrahams@aol.com =93Life is not a dress-rehearsal