Olympus OM-D E-M5: 1/125 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 1000
Fujifilm FinePix X100: 1/125 sec @ f/3.6, ISO 1000
Leica X1: 1/125 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 1000
Leica M9: 1/125 sec @ f/3.5. ISO 1000
Olympus OM-D E-M5: 1/60 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400
Fujifilm FinePix X100: 1/60 sec @ f/3.6, ISO 400
Leica X1: 1/60 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400
Leica M9: 1/60 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400
Thanks to Ken K. for helping out with this comparison post!
The first shot was taken on a highway on the way to Pudong Airport near Shanghai. The boy in the truck smiled and waved after the shot was taken. The second shot was taken in Hong Kong near the Happy Valley race course.
Having recently learned about Elger Esser through reading “Dusseldorf School of Photography” I decided to buy the photo book of Esser’s exhibition “Eigenzeit” which means “proper time” in German. The term refers to the physical phenomenon of time dilation which is put forward in Einstein’s theory of general relativity. The most famous example of time dilation is the hypothetical one of the twins, where one stays on earth and the other one rockets into space at the speed of light. When the space travelling twin returns to earth he finds his brother aged considerably while he himself has aged very little. Each experiences time differently and lives according to their own clocks.
The forward written by Groos and Schimpf effectively describes Esser’s photography in relation to the time dilation principle as does the various essays in the book. In summary, the authors’ views is that Esser’s photos of historical landmarks and scenes evoke a sense of timelessness so that the viewer is unsure whether the photos are taken yesterday or hundreds of years ago. According to the text this feeling is enhanced by the special processing technique that Esser employs. This is made all the more interesting and subtle when you look very closely at the “Combray” and “Vedutas” photos to find clues of modernity. A power line over an old bridge or the a very distant sky scrapper along an otherwise historic view of the Seine River in Paris.
The book is divided into six sections with each part being comprised of an essay followed by one fold out double spread photo which starts the series of photos under the same theme. This format is very well thought out since Esser’s photos really benefit from the larger printing. Too bad there are only six of these spreads in the book. The photos in the “Wrecks” section portrays hand colored black and white photos of ships run aground. Personally, I find the “Wrecks” photos a little too contrived. In contrast the “Views” photos are also hand colored but feel less contrived and more authentic. The photos are blown up to such a large size that the grain in the film become like pointillist dots. It would be amazing to see these photos as larger prints.
Photography is like a puzzle. Images can be taken days, weeks, months, years apart yet fit together. The first image was taken from the Old Bank of China building with City Hall (the short modernist structure) in the foreground on the right. Second image was taken from the waterfront side of City Hall with a glimpse of the bamboo-like New Bank of China building in the top left hand corner.
The two images contrast the new with the old, openness with closure. It’s about the interplay between space and memory and how one can change the other through time. Hope to add more photos to this series in future posts.
This series is focused on getting hands on with photography by going back to the basics of manual focusing, manual exposure, black and white film processing and archiving. It’s a guide for those who are considering making or have already made an investment in a film camera and the associated gear and want to make the best use of it.
Black and white film development gear in action: final rinse with photoflo waiting to go!
First off, let’s try to answer the question why would anyone want to use a film camera in the age of the ubiquitous and ultra convenient iPhone. The simple answer is that a film camera slows you down and lets you appreciate the actual process of taking a picture. There are only 36-38 shots per a 35mm roll of film (less if you are using medium format) and the fact that you need to develop it yourself or take it to get processed means you’re going to think more before you click. This allows you to see in a different way which is not necessarily better, just different. The most unique thing about film photography is that the physical film becomes an artifact from the same time the image was captured.
The Gear
Contrary to popular belief, film and film cameras are very much alive and kicking. In fact the resurgence might ironically have something to do with all those iPhone photo apps that mimic the look and feel of different types of film. Currently there are about 21 small format and 17 medium format film cameras being produced and sold in quantity. There are three primary types of cameras: rangefinder, single lens reflex, and twin lens reflex. The brands are mainly Japanese and European and in some cases like Voigtlander collaborations between these two camera producing regions.
Here is a comprehensive but by no means exhaustive list of the film cameras being produced today:
35 mm Rangefinders
Personally I find rangefinders of all different formats to be the most beautiful cameras. There’s something about their simplicity and elegance that just beckons you to pick them up and start taking photos. Haptic perception when using rangefinders seems to be a lot higher than other camera types. The viewfinder lets you keep your eye constantly on the scene unlike single lens reflex cameras that block your view when the mirror flaps up. The popularity of micro 4/3 cameras and mirror-less digital cameras are directly inspired by these beauties. There are currently only three brands mass producing film rangefinders:
The M7 was my first rangefinder camera which I picked up in a used camera store in Tokyo. Tokyo has the largest collection of well preserved second hand Leica cameras in the world. It’s this respect for tradition that has enabled Japanese camera manufacturers to dominate the digital camera market and continue their innovations. I picked the M7 because it’s the most advanced film rangefinder produced to date. The aperture priority on the M7 is accurate and quite reliable when used in conjunction with the EV compensation dial. Some images on this blog taken with the M7 can be found here.
Leica MP
Voigtlander R2M
Voigtlander R2A
Voigtlander R3M
Voigtlander R3A
I also bought the R4M in Tokyo after trading in my Nikon SP. I found the SP too finicky to use and wanted something simple and light weight. More importantly, I wanted a camera to learn manual exposure so I picked the R4M. This camera can be used in fully manual mode by taking out the batteries to disable the internal +/- 2 stops light meter. Another equally unique feature is its internal viewfinder that supports 21mm wide angle lenses. These wide angle lenses usually require an external viewfinder. The R4M’s light weight and small form factor really enables the user to get into the nooks and crannies of buildings to capture photos with dramatic perspectives.
Voigtlander R4A
Voigtlander R2S / R2C
Carl Zeiss Zeiss Ikon
Carl Zeiss Zeiss Ikon SW
Please share your personal experiences with these cameras in the comments section! Thanks in advance for any and all contributions.
