Things on Their Own

Another day of not going anywhere, thanks to Covid-19.

Walked around and looked at nothing.

But there’s no such thing as nothing.

Everything speaks.

Our aspirations and joy.

Rules in many languages.

Things tell our lives.

Things arranged into sense.

Things in order.

The observer becomes a shadow.

Leica M6 with 50mm Summicron Rigid

According to the serial numbers, my Leica M6 was made in 1987 and lens in 1957.

IMG_20200721_0002 50

The lens has its distance scale in feet only. It’s a bit annoying for me as I think in metres. Oh well. This teaches me to check before buying. But there’s a broad depth of field to work with when zone focusing at f16 so that’s fine.

IMG_20200721_0004 50

The lens and camera were a good combined bargain way back in 2011. I remember walking into a shop in Singapore. It’s either at Peninsula Plaza or Peninsula Shopping Centre – my favorite place for vintage cameras and electric guitars. I asked for the lowest-priced Leica M6 and 50mm lens. Didn’t like the first option and so I went with the second. They came with a 6-month shop warranty.

The prices for both the camera and lens had increased over the years. Could you say the same for digital cameras? A digital camera is like a smartphone these days – there’s built-in obsolescence at work.

IMG_20200721_0030 20

There’s no such thing as a purely analog process anymore, especially if one is scanning the negatives and displaying the images on the Internet. I can’t help but tweak a little bit for contrast.

IMG_20200721_0031 15

Film photography is about slowing down and understanding the light. The Leica M6 has a meter I can check to ascertain the range I can work with.

Zone focus, decide between f8, f11 or f16 depending on whether the scene is in the sun or shade and snap. It’s pure poetry – camera and lens and the mind are one.

We all need to find a sense of calm in a time of Covid-19. (My second-hand Washburn HB35, a semi-hollow guitar, is also getting a regular workout: “Mama take this badge off of me … I can’t use it anymore … it’s getting dark, too dark to see…” )

Zone focusing is actually faster than auto focusing with my digital camera. I missed a few shots with the Canon M50 as the lens hesitates once in a while and takes a little too long to decide.

IMG_20200721_0034 15

Neat display.

IMG_20200721_0036 15In the midst of things.

IMG_20200721_0039 10

I aimed at the wall and waited for someone to walk past.

IMG_20200721_0040 10

Selfie on glass display. This was outside my go-to place for film development, lenses and cameras, where I got the film (Ilford XP2 400) processed right after this shot. It’s sunrisephotohk. You could find it on FB.

There’s a Leica M3 in there for a nice price. The ground rule is you put down the cash and go for a spin with the camera and develop the film right there to check for issues. If you don’t like what you see, you get your cash back.

There’re other pricier places in Hong Kong you could go to in Mongkok and Tsimshatsui and they generally give you a 6-month or 1-year shop warranty. But a Leica M is a simple mechanical thing, relatively speaking, and generally serviceable. They are built to last.

I could pair the current lens with the Leica M3, and the M6 will be a permanent home for my Voigtlander 35mm Nokton Classic. Hmm…

 

 

 

Behold the Fuji X70

Yes, I usually succeed in not buying another camera. But this time it’s different. Of course.

It was either the Fuji X70 or Ricoh GR II.

dscf0032-640

It was Eric Kim’s review that made me go for the Fuji X70. It’s “a Ricoh GR with Fujifilm colors”. Fantastic!

This time I have my wife’s blessing, as I’ve convinced her that I need a digital camera for street photography at night, as I have 3-4 hours to kill while waiting for my son (as his designated chauffeur) on various evenings.

dscf0035-640

Here’s the obligatory “me and my shadow” shot.

dscf0042-640

There’s a whole genre of cat photography to be found on the web.

dscf0045-640

I’m trying my best to resist taking another shot.

dscf0047-640

I’m still not instinctively comfortable with the 28mm focal length – I’m too close this time.

dscf0049-640

Here, I’m slightly further away than I realized – the 2 men should have filled out the whole image. I’m still thinking in terms of 35mm.

dscf0051-640

The articulated screen allows me to be more stealthy – I can’t imagine doing this even with my Leica M6. Raising it to the eye would make me feel too conspicuous. Not to mention that fact that my usual ISO 400 film would not be fast enough given the lighting conditions.

dscf0053-640

The Daido-inspired (poetic?) blurry shot. I think I can get away with it because of the wonderful film simulation colours from Fuji.

dscf0054-640

The touchscreen framing via LCD approach does allow for various angles.

dscf0055-640

I could do the “spray and pray approach” as well…

I sense a new book project in the horizon … maybe I can convince my wife … one book project, one camera …

Buy my book!

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Idiot-Proof Approaches to Street Photography with a Leica M6

So basically, I have 2 idiot-proof approaches.

IMG_20150427_0016 640

Approach 1, step 1: Set the camera to f/16 and 1/125s on a bright (or even slightly overcast) day, depending on your film ISO.

IMG_20150427_0021 640

Approach 1, step 2: adjust my 35mm lens such that the DOF scale allows for a distance of between 1.2m to infinity to be in focus.

IMG_20150427_0023 640

Approach 1, step 3: walk around and allow serendipity to do its work.

IMG_20150427_0005 640

Approach 2, step 1: focus on a brick wall.

IMG_20150427_0006 640

Approach 2, step 2: fumble with camera.

IMG_20150427_0008 640

Approach 2, step 3: allow serendipity to do its work.

Camera: Leica M6

Lens: Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 SC

Film: Ilford XP2 400

All that Labour

All that labour.

IMG_20150427_0012 640

Those goods on display.

IMG_20150427_0004 640

Yummy stuff.

IMG_20150427_0009 640

Sometimes we don’t see all the work that goes into work.

IMG_20150427_0007 640

We negotiate a life.

IMG_20150427_0019 640

And a city emerges.

IMG_20150427_0015 640

It’s bigger than us.

IMG_20150427_0020 640

The labour of thinking.

Camera: Leica M6

Lens: Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 SC

Film: Ilford XP2 400

From Place to Place It Must Mean Something

Today, we look at the act of pushing.

IMG_20150427_0001 640

All that work, all day, must mean something.

IMG_20150427_0002 640

This is us.

IMG_20150427_0003 640

We sort things out.

IMG_20150427_0022 640

We go from place to place.

IMG_20150427_0017 640

From place to place it must mean something.

IMG_20150427_0027 640

The pull of desire.

IMG_20150427_0032 640

All that pushing…

Camera: Leica M6

Lens: Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 SC

Film: Ilford XP2 400

What We’re Looking For

We’re all looking for something.

IMG_20150408_0004 640

There’s a gap in our lives.

IMG_20150408_0005 640

If only that gap could be filled, we’ll be happy.

IMG_20150408_0013 640

We all want something.

IMG_20150408_0016 640

Anything.

IMG_20150408_0017 640

A friend.

IMG_20150408_0018 640

A thing.

IMG_20150408_0019 640

To whet an appetite.

IMG_20150408_0021 640

After that, the world would make more sense.

Camera: Leica M6

Lens: Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 SC

Film: Kodak BW400CN