Photography > Equipment

What photography means to me

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Eric Hardy:
My first camera was a box brownie, which I got in 1945. You could even make your own prints by putting the negative in a frame with the paper and leaving it in the sun!! This went everywhere with me and I used it a lot in Germany just after the war as a member of the BAOR. I was at HQ Rhine Army in Bad Oeynhausen. We had cigarette rations, which in those days, if they were not smoked, were used as currency. I used my cigarettes to get a German photographer to develop and enlarge my photos to full plate and half plate size.
I was amazed how much detail I could get, even with a box camera. I was hooked!

My first real camera was a Braun Paxette 35 mm which I got in the late 1950s



This was followed by about three different versions of the Pentax Spotmatic SLR

By the mid 1970s I was taking things really seriously, built my own dark room, developed my own films and prints and even tried my hand at developing coloured prints, which was VERY time consuming. I bought myself a Mamiya twin lens reflex which gave 2 ¼ inch square negatives.



In the late 1990s came the digital revolution and I went digital! I sold all my dark room equipment and Mamiya camera (getting exactly what I paid for them twenty five years later, much to my surprise). I progressed through a couple of Olympus cameras, a couple of Fuji cameras until now I use the Canon EOS 450D DSLR. My lenses are a 12mm – 24mm Tokina wide angle zoom for church interiors, an 18mm – 55mm Canon lens for general use, a 55mm – 250mm Canon lens for telephotos and a 50mm Canon prime lens. (You have to multiply by 1.6 to get their 35 mm equivalents).



I am keen on photographing churches and a little group of us get together to visit and record them. In fact we are getting together tomorrow to visit three churches in Oxfordshire.

Here is a picture of me in action taken by a fellow enthusiast!



I have had no formal training whatsoever but I have learned a lot from experience and reading round the subject.

In the end, it just boils down to getting a lot of enjoyment from an interesting hobby.

Eric H

NightHawk:
A very fascinating and detailed piece of your photographic history there Eric - thank you for sharing it with us.

Our older cameras certainly bring back some memories don't they.  :D


--- Quote from: Eric Hardy on March 15, 2009, 08:31:38 AM ---.......... I used it a lot in Germany just after the war as a member of the BAOR. I was at HQ Rhine Army in Bad Oeynhausen.
--- End quote ---
Small world Eric.  Kathy used to live in Bad Oeynhausen around 1967.  Her dad was in the Army (Royal Signals), stationed at BFPO Herford.

Have a great time in Oxfordshire.  ;D

Laurie.

I've moved the thread from this point onwards to http://www.flowergenie.co.uk/ideas/forum/index.php/topic,986.0.html as it has moved off topic slightly and doesn't detract from this current thread.

Laurie.

greenfinger:
I am a church afficionado too, Eric. Especially the oldest Roman churches in Burgundy. I understand what you mean by learning by experiment: a lot of trial and sometimes (often? :) ) error. My camera is a very compact Panasonic DMC-TZ2: it's rather basic, but all I need at the moment.

Eric Hardy:
I have just been overcome by lens lust ::) !!!

I read a review of the Tokina 100 mm macro lens and this sold it for me "Regardless of the great optical performance of this macro lens, technical proficiency is a prerequisite for sharp images at high magnification. I made over 250 images with the Tokina AT-X 100mm f/2.8 PRO D and feel it is suitable for both serious nature photography and as a conventional short telephoto. This multi-platform lens is a very fine performer. Quite affordable for a 100mm macro with the latest multilayered coating technology, it offers exceptional value."

I have ordered one from Amazon and just can't wait for it to arrive  :D

I have the Tokina 12 mm - 24 mm lens and I know what that can do. Here is one of Fingest Church, near us, taken with it two days ago



I will be shooting bugs and flowers like mad.

Eric H

NightHawk:
Nice one Eric - "boys and their toys"   ::) :D

It's great to hear you still get a buzz of excitement for new equipment.

Waiting expectantly for it to arrive for you, and then seeing your 'super close-up' shots.

Laurie.

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