Gentlemen, and I refer to ALL of you. WW2 was MINE. Born in 1932, I grew up then and there worrying that my life as I knew it might change the next day. That Dad would be drafted, that Mom would be rolling bandages for Bundles for Russia. He wasn't, mom did. I listened to Roosevelt make his Pearl Harbor speech, and I walked beside Gen. Douglas Macarther (I really did!) holding my 4x5 SG, me in a trench coat (16 or so years of age) and McArthur in his gold-braid hat (even got photographed myself). Have read and watched TV much since. The war was about a madman with a mission (Hitler) who Putin is now attempting to better ! The world has endured, the madmen have come and gone, from PotPol, to Sadaam Hussein. A few more in-between and many more after. Our ownOval Office now has a seated self-ordained Emperer, who with the mere stroke of a pen thinks he will be able to obliterate what has historically been our Constitutional Rights.
I am writing this to say that the war has a history, and that each of us looks at it through our own eyes and our own long learned agendas. Myself as a Jew, and a Navy Veteran, with graduate degrees and friends from many walks of life.During my time as a civilian, I was behind the Iron Curtain helping to rescue a politically important family. I was called in by the Marine Corps to work in one of their sensitive departments in the Pentagon during the First Gulf War. It bothers me to hear that someone is ridiculed for bad spelling (I have that problem) and depicted as other than sane "wearing a tin foil hat". We are ALL smitten with our own agendas, but when putting our thoughts into a blog, we would have greater gravitas given to our writings if we ourselves refrained from personal attacks. And I am going to disclose who I am, as I have no reason for Cranepix to remain anonymous. I am an American, and I could never have had any reason to be a turncoat or to have left my post. .ARNOLD CRANE

And, in response to JPL, perhaps the really next big thing will be a 4x5 or if we are lucky enough, an 8x10/film camera. I am currently arguing with myself whether I should take my Leica D, a Leica R, a Nikon D, etc, and which lenses I would take. I am camera rich and dollar poor, but I love to have choices. I AM older ! It is a newer world for me-all the younger people out there who grew up with computers, etc. I have "almost" been able to keep up, but I'm trying. Travel kits are the hardest to figure out. Just today, I almost was "there"--a Fuji XT-1, with Zeiss glass (lenses). But alas, even then, though what I read, the color is wonderful, but the images are not super-sharp from ANY of the mirrorless cameras. Perhaps I just won't "go there" at all, and stick to my Leica Digilux 4, and a Leica D, with a lens or three. Nikons are a bit too heavy. Tough choices to make when large prints are one's norm.

It is the most important thing for you to know that what's his name is on second!

And--I AM NOT in hiding. I am Arnold Crane.

There is a type of "religious experience" when I lift my Leica to my eye, and make one of the photographs for which I am known. The iPhone will never be an option for me, though I have one. I talk on it.

If the reader of this post cannot afford a new Leica and lens, buy a used one. You will then understand.

I DO NOT work for Leica, and I pay for what I get.

let's end the puns-- or I will reply
" i have been married to the bag for 50 years, and she hasn't vibrated since the first week."

Now are all of you happy !

Apparently you are not a Leica user !

I'm between 3rd and home--
I wish I was on first.
Arnold

Pappa Joe: Yep, there are good days today. But I still love the technology of yesterday and I belong to a few groups that celebrate that technology. I use Nikon and Leica Digitals, and all things like that--but that is too easy. Back then we had to take what we got on Kodachrome--and crop in the camera. We learned what it was to come back with a picture. Today, if it isn't good, we can "fix it" in photoshop. Photoshop is good. Proper exposure and a good crop is better ! And we shot "full frame". A dozen holders at the most. We had to be good. Lots to say,,,but sometimes it is futile. I have to go out and shoot now !
best to you and anyone else reading this.

I am over 80. Will be 82 on July 17th: if all goes well. I still use Graflexes and SG's, Nikons, Leicas, Contaxes, Rolleis, and whatever else I can get my hands around. Try to use natural light, but will augment when necessary with whatever is available. I have a J.D., and still have a real Press Card. A friend or two here and there. One of my books, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAMERA is still available on Amazon. I know. That is where I can buy them; and still do if I need one. FYI if anyone cares, I still LOVE photography. My cameras are magic boxes! So that makes me not only a photographer, but also a Magician. However, I do not have a top hat or any doves. My body is failing me, but neither my brain nor my eyes are failing me. And yes, I Still shoot and rarely, occasionally even use flash. If I had a #5 right now, I would fire it off! Just for a bit of yesterday. I am Arnold Crane, and I AM A PHOTOGRAPHER !

I used #'s 5' & 22's quite often ! They were hot after you fired them. We also used 4x5's. They were Speed Graphics. That was just after Graflexes and Flash Powder.I never actually saw real flash powder used. They tell me that ite was dangerous. So was carrying a 4x5. One could get a hernia from that. I did. Camera, flash gun, bulbs and then an 18 lb portable strobe. But THOSE WERE THE REAL DAYS. That was what made us real photographers. We had equipment!. It was serious and it was heavy.. A lot of us had a radio in our cars tuned to the police calls in Chicago. I did. Steve Lasker did. Some of us had real press passes. I did. Got through police lines. We were real ! Not wanna-be's with iPhones anxious and willing to give our free pictures to anyone who would publish what we shot. We shot ! With real GUNS, Flash guns ! and we used FLASH BULBS. And they were good. And we also used something called film. And that was very good. The flash bulbs allowed us to get our film properly exposed when there was insufficient light. We all look at our past because it was better. Does that clarify why we still and will always call flashes, flashes or flash bulbs. I was a freelance press photographer.

I used #'s 5' & 22's quite often ! They were hot after you fired them. We also used 4x5's. They were Speed Graphics. That was just after Graflexes and Flash Powder.I never actually saw real flash powder used. They tell me that ite was dangerous. So was carrying a 4x5. One could get a hernia from that. I did. Camera, flash gun, bulbs and then an 18 lb portable strobe. But THOSE WERE THE REAL DAYS. That was what made us real photographers. We had equipment!. It was serious and it was heavy.. A lot of us had a radio in our cars tuned to the police calls in Chicago. I did. Steve Lasker did. Some of us had real press passes. I did. Got through police lines. We were real ! Not wanna-be's with iPhones anxious and willing to give our free pictures to anyone who would publish what we shot. We shot ! With real GUNS, Flash guns ! and we used FLASH BULBS. And they were good. And we also used something called film. And that was very good. The flash bulbs allowed us to get our film properly exposed when there was insufficient light. We all look at our past because it was better. Does that clarify why we still and will always call flashes, flashes or flash bulbs. I was a freelance press photographer.

Actually-6:17 PM CDST, June 5th, which falls between Lent and Rosh Hashannah, in any year ending with the number 7. On that date,and at the proscribed time, any Camera Shop in Karachi will be happy to give you an 18% discount off the MSRP.

Optech bags are really the way to go. I use their large lens bag--or one of their camera body covers. Depending on whether you leave a lens on or off the body when you travel.
They use a sort of neoprene..and your equipment will be safe when you "get there".

I still haven't found the perfect one !