>
> But isn't that a little like saying "I'm not bogged down with motors,
> refrigeration, and lights now that I'm living among the Amish."
> You're simply making a virtue of necessity, aren't you?
>
Absolutely not! This is not an anti-technology rant, by any means. It's not
an argument of cars vs horses, but more of a cars vs trucks argument. Each
has certain strengths and weaknesses. Neither is "best" "all the time".
Am I making a virtue out of necessity? Hardly. I can choose to shoot a
film camera in reactionary mode. After all, I'll admit to doing just that
for most of my life. When one is reactionary in their shooting process,
then the latest/greatest technowonder is highly recommended as
Canon/Nikon/Olympus/Etc., have perfected interchangeable-lens
point-and-shoot camera systems. Give me more and better AF sensors and
greater dynamic range, and just maybe reactionary is able to keep up.
Maybe. But if the technology has "arrived" as it was claimed back around
1990 when AF systems were beginning to become a necessity, then why do we
continue to update our cameras and lenses with each new generation of
autofocus and sensor that comes along? The answer is obvious--when in
reactionary mode, your success as a photographer is dependant upon the
technology keeping up with you and not getting in your way.
What I am suggesting is that there are those who have developed a working
method which EXPLOITED certain features, functions and strengths of cameras
not represented by what is currently available, from all but a pair of
specialty manufacturers (Cosina, Leica). I have been learning these working
methods and seeing advantages to them which have directly addressed
limitations of the photographer and technology. I had been at a plateau for
a long long time, and by switching up technologies and methods, I've gotten
a whole new world of photography opened up to me.
Is it possible to use a modern-day wonderdigital in my alternative style?
Somewhat, yes. But focus screens are different and usually don't have any
form of focusing aid. Split-image or microprism? Nope. And when they do
have one, the angles are the wrong way and move against the ring direction.
How about aperture rings? I can completely operate the aperture ring by
feel. All I need to know is what my maximum aperture is, and for the bulk
of my lenses, that's F2.8. How about focus? Can you prefocus a lens to
approximately 10 feet by feel? Nope. Try racking the focus to the infinity
stop. What? No infinity stop--the ring just keeps turning. I won't even
get into metering systems as people seem to have totally forgotten what
multi-spot metering is all about.
Besides, when you consider that I'm using the OM-4T and OM-3Ti, these are
hardly "Amish" cameras. :)
AG
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