Thoughts – April 27, 2015

If I remember well my first serious camera and SLR was a Praktica. My mother got it for me when I started photography school. I was 16 and a very troubled youngster. Not only was I struggling with myself, I guess we have this in common, but I found it also very difficult to coop with the loss of my father, my god, my everything,  3 years earlier.

I loved the East German and cheap SLR but in a school, a class, where Minolta, Olympus, Canon and, God forbid, even medium format camera’s were daily routine, I felt like an outsider. Today I would embrace being an outsider but back then it felt awkward.

During summer holiday after the first year I did a summer job and bought a Nikkormat. But I was not happy as I felt there was a distinction to be made between Nikkormat and Nikon. My end goal was a Nikon.

Why Nikon? Well, I am a film freak and most photographers in movies use Nikon.

After my second year I did a summer job and sold my Praktica and Nikkormat and bought a Nikon F2 Photomic. The year was 1978 and the camera was my proud and my pleasure.
It was stolen out of the trunk of my car with all my other gear somewhere in the mid nineties.

In the eighties, when my sister went to art school she choose for an Olympus OM-10.

Until 2000 I used only Nikon cameras and then came the digital era. My very first one was an Olympus Camedia C-21 2 megapixel point and shoot and costed a whopping 1100 Euro.

My second one was an Olympus E-10 (4 MP) and a terrific camera. I still have it but it is broken.

Then I switched back to Nikon with D100, D70s, D200, D300 and secondhand D2h. I still have the D300 and D2h and some glass. Most of the better gear I had to sell after divorcing in order to pay the bills and the lawyer. That time, fortunately, lays way behind me.

In 2009 I got a Canon G10 as a more stealth and portable camera. It served me well but eventually broke down. I replaced it with an Olympus E-PM1 micro four thirds mirror less and I was able to get some high quality glass with it like the 45mm f1,7.

The image quality blew me away. Crisp, sharp and with loads of overhead in the RAW-files. The very cheap Fujian 35mm f1,7 CCTV-lens is one of my favourites for macro.

Soon the E-PM1 was replaced with the OM-D M10, an even better camera.

Then, October, November, I needed a new challenge and inspired by the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (did I mention I am a movie freak?) I returned to analogue.

There was the Bronica ETRSi and some lenses I already owned, and an Yashica Mat.

I got a Nikon F100 to replace my broken one and then I bought a Nikon F90x. In between, being very curious, I got my very first rangefinder, a Yashica Electro 35 GSN.

And then I got an Olympus OM-1n and everything fell into place.
It seems strange but without being aware of it ever since I have been collecting Olympus gear and now own a few good Zuiko primes, a few f4 Zuiko Zooms, a flash (T-20) and so on.

 

I really love the OM-1n and now there is a contender, a new mistress… the OM-2n.

 

Bottom line?
A camera is nothing more than a tool that translates your vision into images. But I find it extremely important to feel that tool as an extension of my eyes and mind.

 

 

Nikon F100

Whenever I open my cupboard and see my dead Nikon F100 I feel sad. I really liked that camera.
Maybe it was not the best one in the world but for me it came close. It felt perfect in my hands, an extension of my eyes. Quick and reliable until it died unexpectedly (RIP 2007) on a beach in France minutes after I changed film.

I have always been a Nikon man. Yes, it is only a brand, a system, but I am a loyal person. I used to have a huge collection of excellent Nikon glass. Nowadays I have only a few left. I sold most of them when I started a new life. Just to pay the bills.

I don’t throw things away that easily and in this case, well, I am still hoping aliens will visit me and repair that camera.

Yesterday I thought something like what the heck and I visited one of the better websites offering second hand stuff.

There were a few F100 for sale but I did not want to spend 250$/200Euro for a used camera. Even with the MB-15 battery pack/motor drive.

I made a bid (150 Euro/183 $) on a F100 with MB-15 because the seller did not live far from my place. Yeah, lazy me, I know.

Half an hour later I was overbid and I had no desire to engage in some bidding war.

So I checked other offerings and then just like that I offered 150 Euro for a F100 with MB-15 where the asking price was 250 Euro.

I forgot my bid and Little A. and I watched The Maze Runner. After seeing the movie I noticed my bidding was accepted. Apparently the money was needed and the guy had nothing but positive references.
Wow!

So after work I drove to and checked the material and went home with a mint Nikon F100.
I am curious to see what this camera will bring me.

Nikon F100
Digital capture

Thoughts – The Opal Coast Part 1

What does one do on a grey and cold Wednesday when the day is all yours? Hours free to spend.
Watching a movie for example and I enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s Memento very much.

But I scanned some film too. Images I took during my brief love affair with analogue film between 2007 and 2008.

I had forgotten I shot a few rolls during my numerous visits to the French Opal Coast. It is a region between Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer and maybe even further like Le Touquet-Paris-Plage.

The Opal Coast changed so much for me but mostly my photography, the way I look when I’m away shooting.

For now I will content myself with posting a few analogue film images. I think I should do a whole post on this topic. This region has helped me become the person and the photographer I am today.

I know more about inspiration and motivational drive. I lost a muse and found a new one. Sweetheart took away and gave back new things.

Creativity is fueled by so many different forms of input.