Jaroslav Ilnytskyi: Photography: Cameras

Disclaimer:
This page is intended to share personal views and opinions, that can be subjective and biased. Hence, by no means I do pretend on any kind of final truth or authoritative advising. If some useness is to be found here or the similariry of opinion, then I wish no more and the purpose of this page is fully justified.

General thoughts:
Camera is just a tool. For me - both yes and no. Perhaps rather some extension to our senses. Some kind of a big eye, often very quick eye, capable, in fact, to freeze the moment. A viewfinder frames our window into the world, or, perhaps, a keyhole into Creator's secrets? Camera itself becomes a part of your view, then.

One can proceed in a rational way by analyzing camera features, operability, easiness of use, size, weight, etc. (don't forget a cost, too). One can proceed irrationally: I just like to use this one and dislike that. The second way should not be underestimated: it already contains some of your experience (perhaps, on the level of subconcioness, or merging with the camera). If you are more pragmatic - you care about the quality of images only and relax about some quirks. However, special photography (candid, sport, birds/animals, etc.) do require special capabilities that cannot be ignored. If you love your camera - perhaps you look on the world with more love, too?

I belong to people that are fascinated with good old mechanical film cameras. Why is that and what is that for? Perhaps getting older and conservative, perhaps just a pose of extravagancy? I don't know. Some would argue that all mechanical is more robust and do not need a battery. Well, mechanical breaks less but still breaks (leaf shutter can stick especially if not used regularly, bellows can develop a hole in the corner, etc.). There is certainly some charm of using older cameras and some of it cannot be explained rationally.

I am sentimental about the cameras. Partly because each one is linked to certain story behind or to particular space-time-emotion period. Partly because many of these were cleaned and fixed by your own hands. However, whatever the sentiments could be, normally these are present only for cameras capable of producing good quality images! Pragmatic sentimentalism, isn't it? :-)

Not completely anti-progress guy, of course, I also use digital camera (which for me is more microprocessor scanner of the Nature) and like some features, especially the possibility to check an image straight after the shot.

35mm

Pentax LX

I am sure that any camera brand is capable of producing excellent results. It just happened that for the SLR system I went for Pentax and that was back in 1999. I read a lot about LX model at that time and was fascinated by its real-time exposure feature (CdS photo-resistor measures light reflected off the film or off the shutter curtains, see picture on the right). Jessops shop in Newcastle (UK) transfered one LX from somewhere in the South of UK for me and it turned out to have a dent on the prism with the consequence of no f-stops seen in the viewfinder. But, essential discount was given due to this fault, what turned the purchase into irresistable. In a few weaks I opened the prism, restored flatness of front metal and reglued loose mirror. That was it. Next repair - somewhere in 2000 - resistors block on exponometer dial.

What can I say - just an excelent camera, results - always top class, shooting - most of the pleasure. No need to relist the features as these are covered many times in detail. What do I like personally? Convenient holding, bright viewfinder, smooth film advance, mechanical faster shutter speeds in case of batteries failure in the field. As other people mentioned in many forums and web sites the things to wish would be: spot meter and exposure lock but, might be difficult to combine with real-time exposure, I guess.

Olympus 35RD

Hooked by rangefinders from 1970-s I bought Olympus 35RC first. Results (given so small size) were more that pleasing. Then, I was in a constant hunt for 35RD (lens with f1.7 and shutter with slow speeds down to 1/2s) and finally got one. Well, the shutter blades were sticky... One cleaning in 2002, few rolls including nice indoor shots inside St.Giles in Edinburgh (handheld at 1/8-1/4s), and ... jammed again in a hot weather of Palermo next year. Another clean in 2008, three rolls and ... jammed again in 2009. The problem, as explained in many sites - the helicoid grease getting onto the shutter blades. Perhaps, there is some new greese that is harmless, I don't know. Now, looking back again on toyish-looking (but flawlessly working) two-blades shutter of 35RC one thinks: it is not always the look that matters. Otherwise - I like this camera so much, especially the quietness of the shutter and the compact size. My son took shots during the evening on Samuel Pepys diaries (in 2003) where we played the period music with my friend and beforehand I got a special permission from the event organizers by demonstrating that there is no flash and how quiet the shutter is. What else would you wish? Anyway, I hope to get it fixed again!

Konica Auto S2