An experience to share

[Wolfgang]

Hello fellow Clubsnappers.

I just had a truly unique and enjoyable experience today and i thought i would share with everyone.

As you all know, i have never seriously used an SLR before so one fine day, YSLee and myself were having a discussion when we hit upon the novel idea that we should both exchange our cameras and head into town for some street/candid shots.

So, today, we met up in town and he handed my his F100 and a 50mm, F1.8 lense (used a roll of Ilford HP5 400) while i passed him my S602Z with a 32Mb smart-media card. (Giving the digital user some semblance of limitation and he was disciplined enough not to delete any shots.)

It was a whole new experience for me, with the faster AF, heavier camera, different handling and the limitations of film the film as well as the lense.

Since the lense was fixed, i had no "zoom" to speak of, so i had to get really up close and personal and more than once, i had to ask the subject if he/she minded if i took a shot of them. At the same time, getting used to the way a SLR works and of course, really had to make my shots count.

It was a refreshing experience and i honestly think that everyone should try it out, if only for experience sake.

Cheers!

 

[Goondu]

I'm sure you must be thrilled to do so.

Er, any plans for a DSLR or a SLR? ;p

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by Wolfgang
Hello fellow Clubsnappers.

I just had a truly unique and enjoyable experience today and i thought i would share with everyone.

As you all know, i have never seriously used an SLR before so one fine day, YSLee and myself were having a discussion when we hit upon the novel idea that we should both exchange our cameras and head into town for some street/candid shots.

So, today, we met up in town and he handed my his F100 and a 50mm, F1.8 lense (used a roll of Ilford HP5 400) while i passed him my S602Z with a 32Mb smart-media card. (Giving the digital user some semblance of limitation and he was disciplined enough not to delete any shots.)

It was a whole new experience for me, with the faster AF, heavier camera, different handling and the limitations of film the film as well as the lense.

Since the lense was fixed, i had no "zoom" to speak of, so i had to get really up close and personal and more than once, i had to ask the subject if he/she minded if i took a shot of them. At the same time, getting used to the way a SLR works and of course, really had to make my shots count.

It was a refreshing experience and i honestly think that everyone should try it out, if only for experience sake.

Cheers!

Not fair, your S602 has zoom! ;p

So how do you like the F100? :devil:



Regards
CK

 

[GeEkMaN]

Sounds to me like someone might get the D100 - the best of both worlds.

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by GeEkMaN
Sounds to me like someone might get the D100 - the best of both worlds.

But unless you buy the up and coming 12-24mm, wide angles are going to be a problem on the D100/S2 Pro.

Regards
CK

 

[MaGixShOe]

yeah! good for u Wolfgang

i used BS's D30 for quite some time during the Marina south outing
the feel was great! but he says that most of the shots turned out blur:dunno: thnx BS for letting me use his cam

and yeah... i was stucked with a 50mm f1.8 at that time too, it doesnt feel good w/o zoom

 

[Wolfgang]

Wait wait wait... this isn't the start of my switching to an SLR system or upgrading to a DSLR.

More than anything, i cherish my S602Z more although i do gripe when my AF starts to go all wonky on me. :cry:

For instance, i kept wanting to review my shots after taking them and then realise that i couldn't do so. :cry:

But all in all, i found the experience to be thoroughly enjoyable. Alot of lessons learnt today.

PS: Ckiang, i think the F100 rocks. And well, he had the advantage of zoom but i had the advantage of a F1.8 aperture and a faster AF.

PPS: Magixshoe, i also felt weird without being able to zoom but it also trains you as a photographer by going up close, talking to your subjects, are learning how to strike up a conversation etc etc...

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by MaGixShOe
yeah! good for u Wolfgang

i used BS's D30 for quite some time during the Marina south outing
the feel was great! but he says that most of the shots turned out blur:dunno: thnx BS for letting me use his cam

and yeah... i was stucked with a 50mm f1.8 at that time too, it doesnt feel good w/o zoom

Using a prime lens is good discipline actually. Forces you to think and walk more instead of standing there and zoom in/out. ;p For events, a zoom is indispensable tho.

Regards
CK

 

[Wolfgang]

Originally posted by ckiang


Using a prime lens is good discipline actually. Forces you to think and walk more instead of standing there and zoom in/out. ;p

Fully agree.

 

[ckiang]

Another thing to try.

1. Go borrow a fully manual body like the Nikon FM2.
2. Choose a single lens, e.g. 35mm, 50mm, your choice
3. Shoot one roll of film.

Regards
CK

 

[Wolfgang]

Originally posted by ckiang
Another thing to try.

1. Go borrow a fully manual body like the Nikon FM2.
2. Choose a single lens, e.g. 35mm, 50mm, your choice
3. Shoot one roll of film.

Regards
CK

I would love to but i have a few questions.

1. Anyone has a Nikon FM2 to lend?
2. Shoot a roll of film. Colour? B&W? Slides?
3. What is the rationale of using a manual cam? (This might sound silly but i really need to b enlightened regarding this aspect)



:dunno:

 

[MaGixShOe]

Originally posted by Wolfgang


I would love to but i have a few questions.

1. Anyone has a Nikon FM2 to lend?
2. Shoot a roll of film. Colour? B&W? Slides?
3. What is the rationale of using a manual cam? (This might sound silly but i really need to b enlightened regarding this aspect)



:dunno:

i have used before my fren's MF cam
it was on load from my school's club

all i can say is that..... it really canot make it
catching moving objects using MF is really hard, and u will realise how fast ur AF is

and with large lens like 75-300
its VERY hard to focus and handheld the camera altogether

 

[Wolfgang]

Originally posted by MaGixShOe
i have used before my fren's MF cam
it was on load from my school's club

all i can say is that..... it really canot make it
catching moving objects using MF is really hard, and u will realise how fast ur AF is

and with large lens like 75-300
its VERY hard to focus and handheld the camera altogether

That is why i needed Ckiang to explain to me why MF. How owuld that "improve" or enhance my experience in photography and at the same time, develope skills that will make me a better photographer? :dunno: (Like i previosuly mentioned, i am a utter SLR/MF camera newbie so any explaination would be quite appreciated.)

And Magixshoe, i think he meant for me to use either a 35mm or 50mm lense... not the large/long zoom lenses.

 

[FOOXX]

Originally posted by ckiang
Another thing to try.

1. Go borrow a fully manual body like the Nikon FM2.
2. Choose a single lens, e.g. 35mm, 50mm, your choice
3. Shoot one roll of film.

Regards
CK

hmmm ..............

me am still learning how to take good shotz with my F55 .................

been uzing manual mode n MF mozt of the time ...............

n me noe a lot of CS-erz r uzing digitalz ................ ( hmmm ............ soundz like me a bit odd-one-out ) ................ me not uzing digitalz coz me feel that me will learn more frm uzing conventional camz ................. done noe abt the rezt of u ...........

so maybe one day me can try the opporzite ............. n shoot uzing a digital ............

hahahahaha ...............

 

[FOOXX]

Originally posted by Wolfgang


That is why i needed Ckiang to explain to me why MF. How owuld that "improve" or enhance my experience in photography and at the same time, develope skills that will make me a better photographer? :dunno: (Like i previosuly mentioned, i am a utter SLR/MF camera newbie so any explaination would be quite appreciated.)

And Magixshoe, i think he meant for me to use either a 35mm or 50mm lense... not the large/long zoom lenses.

errrhhhhh ............ maybe can experience how itz like b4 all thoze AF came abt ................

 

[roygoh]

Originally posted by ckiang


Using a prime lens is good discipline actually. Forces you to think and walk more instead of standing there and zoom in/out. ;p For events, a zoom is indispensable tho.

Regards
CK

You can practice some good discipline with Zooms also.

I normally look at a scene with my eyes first, move around until I get the perspective I am visualising, then look through the view finder and zoom to the appropriate magnification/cropping.

I believe the key is to think before you zoom.

- Roy

 

[togu]

* togu starts to pay attention to which CS'ers are using SLR, preferably a good one....

 

[Larry]

Originally posted by Wolfgang
That is why i needed Ckiang to explain to me why MF. How owuld that "improve" or enhance my experience in photography and at the same time, develope skills that will make me a better photographer? :dunno:

i started with a MF long long looooong time ago, and i remember that it really drums into you the fundamentals of photography, like how aperture/shutter speed/focusing/etc etc, work. it's really back to basics of sorts. i always liken it to learning to drive with a manual clutch instead of auto gear. people who are taught to drive with auto cars only (not in Singapore, i mean places like US and AU where there are auto licenses) will not really appreciate how the gear system works.

recently for some strange reason though, i've been having thoughts of dumping my Nikon AF system and getting a F3HP with AIS lenses... but then i've always had a thing for classic stuff (like old cars, old toys, old collectibles, that sorta thing). but i think i'm too lazy now to switch back to MF...

 

[denizenx]

I like AF systems for the flash and metering... FM2's - o + is quite useful though for spot metering... iirc >o< is spot on for 18%

well woofie once u get the FM2, b/w film, you can like digipix sport a ponytail, shades (when NOT shooting) and a goatee. That's the complete set ;p

FM2, or manual cam is more fun I guess, the nostalgic feeling of being a serious photog... but for me I set ISO manually, focus manually sometimes, aperture priority, AEL mostly... LOL I almost manual mode already...

me would prefer a 50E + 50mm f1.4 FTM with tcn400... ;p goatee and ponytail optional... c5050 (c for canon LOL)

 

[denizenx]

Originally posted by Larry
recently for some strange reason though, i've been having thoughts of dumping my Nikon AF system and getting a F3HP with AIS lenses... but then i've always had a thing for classic stuff (like old cars, old toys, old collectibles, that sorta thing). but i think i'm too lazy now to switch back to MF...

Larry Enthuses In Camera Alternative?