RE: [Leica] Darkroom

["bdcolen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

To start at the end, John, the bottom line is that those who want film
will be able to get film for many years to come - so go with what makes
you happy. BUT...

You wrote...."First and primary is the quality of the viewfinder in
digital cameras. 
I do not want an LCD screen, I want a crystal clear viewfinder like the 
one in my M cameras. The M finder is the closest thing to not having 
anything in my way when photographing. I already see the photo and 
squinty finders or LCDs where I cannot see everything (and I am not 
even looking at the subject) just get in the way."

The only digital cameras with the kind of viewfinders you describe are
digital point and shoots - be they high-end, like the Digilux and Canon
G3, or low end, like any number of cameras. Their viewfinders do
basically suck. So if you insist on looking through a window, rather
than through the lens, you're stuck. But what you're saying hardly
applies to the pro Nikon and Canon digitals, which are SLRs, and to a
couple of prosumer digitals.

- -

Then you wrote - "Second I want a simple manual camera. I do not want
umpteen dozen 
programs, special effects and what not. I already know how light works 
and I already know what I want. So I just want a camera that does not 
get in the way. One that does not require me to carry a 200 page manual 
to adjust #%&$ aperture."

JHC, John, turn off what you don't want. I do it all the time on my
Nikon F-100. I put it on manual exposure and I don't have to carry
manuals, memorize anything, or deal with a bunch of technocrap - unless
I want to.

Next you opined..."Third I want manual focus. I dislike noise and I do
not care for auto 
focus. In a fast moving situation I can quickly set the focus and go. I 
do not want to find out afterwards that my camera found something more 
interesting to focus on and I do not want to wait for it to get around 
to focusing!"

Turn off the autofocus. End of story.


And then you laughingly went off on this riff - "Fourth I need a film
recorder that can print positives that look as 
good as my projected slides. I am sorry but the file size necessary to 
make a 4 foot by 6 foot projected image look good is too expensive to 
handle for an amateur. I get my present positives cheap. They last a 
long time. They do not require frequent backing up. They are easy to 
transport and inexpensive to project. I can project a 500 slides at a 
sitting with ease and no waiting between images."

Oh, goody! Slide night! That's really convenient: get out the projector,
get out the slide trays, move the sofa, set up the slide screen - and
then force people to sit as captive audience staring at your gorgeous
slide. Hello? Can you say Nineteen-fifty-four? ROFLOL!! :-)


But then you very rationally and sensibly concluded..."Do I think that
the rest of the world wants what I want? NO. But until 
it comes along, I will stick with my M cameras and slide film. When it 
does come along, I will switch with no qualms or regrets. I am not 
sentimentally attached to my cameras, lenses and films. They are just 
tools to get a job done."

If the tools work for you, stick with them till the creek rises and hell
freezes over!

B. D.





On Thursday, May 1, 2003, at 10:50 AM, Lew wrote:

> Much as we may hate to admit it, the future is clearly digital. There 
> are too many pluses.

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