Yet another summer has flashed by, however, I do remember promising myself that I would get out and take more photographs. This year I have; the South Downs Way, Oxford and a number of local black and white photos to frame. I enjoy planning an 'expedition', deciding what to take and 'getting kitted up'. I usually find that my bag is too heavy to take a long way, so invariably I evict all but the essentials. That is one major advantage of a TLR, plus just a tripod, cable release and a few filters etc.
Having got something in my 'hunting bag', now that the days have become shorter, I will have the time to sort through, catalogue and scan the best of my images.
There definitely is something very rewarding about taking a film camera out for an airing; the fun of seeking out a suitable subject; positioning the camera to get the best composition and lighting; setting the correct exposure and finally pressing the release. The expectation of waiting for the result is part of the thrill of the hunt. Every time I look at my cameras, I think to myself, "I must go out with a camera more often..."
This week in Amateur Photographer, there was a supplement - "100 Greatest Cameras of all Time, as voted for by you". Where did any Rolleis fit into that list? Rolleiflex 3.5F at 68; Rollei 35 at 65 and Rolleiflex 2.8F at 29. The Hasselblad 500C was at 31 and the 500CM at 11. Leicas had a good following; the highest were the M9 at 5 and M3 at 2. The EOS 5D Mk II was number 1. I was surprised by the amount of digital cameras, but then on reflection, many amateur photographers now will have cut their teeth on digital.
I asked myself "how many of the voters had actually used the cameras that they voted for and how many just aspired to their dream camera". We are lucky now in that there are many film cameras on the second hand market, that we could only dream of owning in our days of enthusiastic productivity, whilst just making do with a meagre substitute. Now we can browse the dealers' shelves and pick off some fine bargains. I wonder if that opportunity will arise, in 50 years time, for those who now aspire to the best digital Canons or Nikons or Leicas; I guess those cameras will have become all but irreparable, just a doorstop. Our mechanical Rolleis (and Leicas et al - I am not discriminatory) will go on long after the digitals have ended up in the £5 bin at Photographica.
Get out and use your Rollei, so others can see what enjoyment we have whilst setting up, composing and evaluating exposure before releasing the shutter, rather than just blazing off 50 shots on a digital, hoping that the camera will have captured one 'goodie'.
Contents:
Front Cover: "One Man and his Rollei" by Michael Coles.
3 Welcome... from David Morgan
4 October Meeting 2011
6 Club Postal Competition 2011 judged by Brian Pearce F.R.P.S. 16 Agfa Rodinal - an Update
17 220 Film by John Wild L.R.P.S.
18 Rolleimarin Nr 504, Wanted, Denis Camp's Auction Results and more...
19 The Rolleiflex Optical Flat Glass by David Morgan
20 Holiday Snaps by Jim Graves
21 Your Forum
22 The Goodwood Revival 2011 by Tom Sherlock
24 Piazza Venezia by Raymund Livesey
25 Rolleiflex Hy6, Rollei Series 35 case by Peter Manley and iPhone Accessories 26 The Royal Church of St Mildred's by Michael Coles
28 Welcome to Santorini Part 2 by Denis Camp A.R.P.S.
30 Early Twin Lens Cameras by Ian Parker
Back Cover: "Garage at Amberley Museum" by John Wild L.R.P.
