One camera and one lens (Page 2): Some very nice images William! Don...

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Some very nice images William!

Don

jrvinson45 Loc: Buckeye, AZ

I’m thinking back and coming to the realization that much of my fascination with photography came from discovery. Discovery of nature; physics, people, and time. Paul makes a lot of great points, particularly when we consider the marvels of technology that enable us to continue to enjoy photography when our vision gets poorer; our reflexes are slower and our thinking is…uh …I forget where I’m going with this. I use mostly Olympus and LUMIX cameras ever since the lat 1960’s when I fell in love with compact gear in the SLR genre, but I still wish I kept my pocketable Kodak Retina for sentimental reasons. That being said, I confess I really use my iPhone for most of my imaging because it’s there whenever I’m in need and not toting my “real” cameras. Additionally, I’m also toting a pocket full of apps that let me “play” with images and learn instantly if some are salvageable. Life is good… thanks for the memories. Technology is great; however, there are some things that are made a whole lot easier when a knowledge of the science of imaging is in your bags of tricks.

oldpsych Loc: Indianapolis

camerapapi wrote:

I have been photographing for more than 50 years. When I started I was perhaps 20 or 21 years old and what motivated me was a university assistant professor who invited me to see him working in the darkroom.
I cannot remember all of the details, but I think he was using a Kodak Retina or another German camera which were popular at the time, and I am talking about the mid 50’s. Exacta had a primitive SLR but that was not the camera he was using.

Every film at the time, at least where I was living, was monochrome.
Cameras did not have any electronics; they were all manual. Lenses were only single focal length, no zooms and obviously no AF. Yes, only handheld exposure meters and the Gossen and Weston Master with Selenium cells were the exposure meters we were using. The Pentax 1 degree spot meter was not available at the time, it was introduced around 1964 and had a Cadmium Sulfide cell.

Japanese cameras were not very popular then. I began using a Petri rangefinder, a type of camera we would be calling mirrorless today. It had a fixed lens and with it I had a second hand Weston Master that actually I did not know very well how to use it. No Internet at the time to learn how to use it. A horrible meter to use in low light. Readings, except in bright light were not very accurate.

I bought a Nikon 35mm f2 AIS in the early 80’s that has seen little use. I decided to give it a spin using my dSLR, a Nikon D610 in the manual mode. I was remembering the old times except for using the in camera meter. Let’s not talk about flash, they were manual, most had an electric bulb and using them was a nightmare. I shot the gallinule using fill-in flash a rather impossible shot at the time.

I went late in the evening to a local park to shoot once again like I did in the 50’s and it was a lesson in discipline and a great experience. Once again selecting apertures manually and once again using manual focus. I zoomed in and out with my legs. All that brought back many memories.
These are some of the images I made. I am sure that some of the old timers here will feel some of the nostalgia I felt. I hope you like these images.

I have been photographing for more than 50 years. ... (show quote)

Very nice.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Your pics capture the peace so well.

Dan' de Bourgogne

camerapapi wrote:

I have been photographing for more than 50 years. When I started I was perhaps 20 or 21 years old and what motivated me was a university assistant professor who invited me to see him working in the darkroom.
I cannot remember all of the details, but I think he was using a Kodak Retina or another German camera which were popular at the time, and I am talking about the mid 50’s. Exacta had a primitive SLR but that was not the camera he was using.

Every film at the time, at least where I was living, was monochrome.
Cameras did not have any electronics; they were all manual. Lenses were only single focal length, no zooms and obviously no AF. Yes, only handheld exposure meters and the Gossen and Weston Master with Selenium cells were the exposure meters we were using. The Pentax 1 degree spot meter was not available at the time, it was introduced around 1964 and had a Cadmium Sulfide cell.

Japanese cameras were not very popular then. I began using a Petri rangefinder, a type of camera we would be calling mirrorless today. It had a fixed lens and with it I had a second hand Weston Master that actually I did not know very well how to use it. No Internet at the time to learn how to use it. A horrible meter to use in low light. Readings, except in bright light were not very accurate.

I bought a Nikon 35mm f2 AIS in the early 80’s that has seen little use. I decided to give it a spin using my dSLR, a Nikon D610 in the manual mode. I was remembering the old times except for using the in camera meter. Let’s not talk about flash, they were manual, most had an electric bulb and using them was a nightmare. I shot the gallinule using fill-in flash a rather impossible shot at the time.

I went late in the evening to a local park to shoot once again like I did in the 50’s and it was a lesson in discipline and a great experience. Once again selecting apertures manually and once again using manual focus. I zoomed in and out with my legs. All that brought back many memories.
These are some of the images I made. I am sure that some of the old timers here will feel some of the nostalgia I felt. I hope you like these images.

I have been photographing for more than 50 years. ... (show quote)

Peaceful...serenity...are the words coming immediatly to mind

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I spent many years using those legacy lenses, that I still use today. My 105mm f2.5, single coated, was bought in Japan in 1967. I used it to photograph professors and students at the University of Miami on assignment. It is an excellent optic for portraits and doubles as a medium tele.
I still use periodically the 80-200mm f4.5 zoom of the early 70's, most probably one of the sharpest Nikon lenses I ever used. I have the 24mm f2.8 that Galen Rowell always took with him when hiking. I bought the 35mm f2 at a bargain price to shoot a wedding. I regret I have neglected the lens for so long but I will use it more from now on. I like the field of view of the lens.

Modern lenses have lots of technologies and excellent coatings. They are also better corrected optically. I have always been satisfied with the performance of my Nikon lenses, when I did my part the lens performed flawlessly.
Once again, I want to thank you all for your nice and interesting comments.

tcthome Loc: NJ

I only go back to a light meter in the camera. Didn't even know the effects of Aperture had on a photo. Just shot my AE-1P /50 f1.8 on auto unless I couldn't get the in-camera light meter to zero out. Then I would turn the aperture ring until I could. You took some great photos here. Enjoy your walk down memory lane.

W9OD Loc: Wisconsin

These are wonderful images. You have brought back some nostalgia, I am going to give it a try.

charlienow Loc: Hershey, PA

Very good set of photos.

My first 35mm camera was a Petri 7s which I bought from a guy on ship in 1968. He had just purchased an slr and wanted to buy another lens. I used that camera for the rest of the cruise. Next cruise first stop in Japan I bought a minolta srt 101 slr with a 50mm 1.4 lens.

And as they say. The rest is history.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

I’m thinking old reliable and your legs have served you well. Well done….

sundar Loc: Charlotte, NC

Superb shots ! Thanks for sharing !

Carl1024 Loc: Kaneohe, HI 96744

mvetrano2 wrote:

nice

you did well

alvin3232 Loc: Houston, TX

Very nice work.

Al

francosp Loc: Arizona

camerapapi wrote:

I have been photographing for more than 50 years. When I started I was perhaps 20 or 21 years old and what motivated me was a university assistant professor who invited me to see him working in the darkroom.
I cannot remember all of the details, but I think he was using a Kodak Retina or another German camera which were popular at the time, and I am talking about the mid 50’s. Exacta had a primitive SLR but that was not the camera he was using.

Every film at the time, at least where I was living, was monochrome.
Cameras did not have any electronics; they were all manual. Lenses were only single focal length, no zooms and obviously no AF. Yes, only handheld exposure meters and the Gossen and Weston Master with Selenium cells were the exposure meters we were using. The Pentax 1 degree spot meter was not available at the time, it was introduced around 1964 and had a Cadmium Sulfide cell.

Japanese cameras were not very popular then. I began using a Petri rangefinder, a type of camera we would be calling mirrorless today. It had a fixed lens and with it I had a second hand Weston Master that actually I did not know very well how to use it. No Internet at the time to learn how to use it. A horrible meter to use in low light. Readings, except in bright light were not very accurate.

I bought a Nikon 35mm f2 AIS in the early 80’s that has seen little use. I decided to give it a spin using my dSLR, a Nikon D610 in the manual mode. I was remembering the old times except for using the in camera meter. Let’s not talk about flash, they were manual, most had an electric bulb and using them was a nightmare. I shot the gallinule using fill-in flash a rather impossible shot at the time.

I went late in the evening to a local park to shoot once again like I did in the 50’s and it was a lesson in discipline and a great experience. Once again selecting apertures manually and once again using manual focus. I zoomed in and out with my legs. All that brought back many memories.
These are some of the images I made. I am sure that some of the old timers here will feel some of the nostalgia I felt. I hope you like these images.

I have been photographing for more than 50 years. ... (show quote)

Great!