Nature's Pencil: Equipment: What I use
Discussion about cameras, lenses, and all the other technical paraphernalia of our profession is inevitable when photographers get together and talk. But none of that is really half so interesting as what we do with it. [Joe Cornish. First Light, 2002]
What I used to use
Over the years I have owned and used dozens of cameras, lenses, and other pieces of equipment. At one point I owned eight different film cameras of various types and formats, along with lenses, extenders, bellows, filters, motors, and other paraphernalia. Did all that equipment and technical capability make me a better photographer? Not at all. The huge choice was more a hindrance than a help to effective photography. In 2004 I sold all my film cameras to experiment with digital image capture. Finally I have come full circle to a minimal outfit using film. That has meant replacing some of the items that I foolishly sold a few years ago.
What I use now and Why
I have kept a digital bridge camera (Minolta Dinage A2) for utilitarian stuff, but for photographing streets, people, events, and the natural world, my core outfit now comprises a Leica M6 rangefinder with a 35mm Summicron (Leica-speak for f/2) lens.
Using a completely manual rangefinder in what is supposed to be a dead format (35mm film) might seem like a crazy choice, but I feel comfortable with a Leica. Its advantages outweigh its many quirks and limitations. I could go on forever about those advantages but the main ones are: its unobtrusive nature; the accuracy of rangefinder focussing with wide angle lenses; the directness and simplicity of the controls (it is a camera that is totally obedient, and never tries to second guess you); and the almost instant shutter response.
The 35mm lens is the 4th version of the Summicron - the last made before it was replaced with an aspherical version. The 35mm f/2 Aspherical is sharper and resolves more detail, but I prefer the older lens for its more pleasing rendition of out of focus areas (bokeh). I also have a 75mm Summilux (f/1.4) for portraits and for picking details out of a scene. That lens too has outstanding bokeh when used at wide apertures. These two lenses cover almost all my photographic needs and render my 50mm f/2 almost redundant. Of course if your main subjects are distant birds or insect close-ups this outfit would not suit you at all.
Flash
I carry a small (GN18) flash unit but as flash destroys the atmosphere of natural light I use it only when there just isn't enough available light to get a picture any other way.
Filters
I used to carry every imaginable filter in several sizes. Now I use very few and then sparingly: polarizing filters to eliminate unwanted reflections and to enhance colour by removing scattered light and yellow filters to avoid washed out skies with Black and White film.
Metering
The M6 has a perfectly good built-in meter that is somewhere between spot and centre weighted, but I also use a refurbished Weston Master IV with a detachable invercone to take incident light readings.
Film and other media
I use black and white films from Ilford: Pan 100, Pan 400, Delta 3200, and XP2, and Fuji Superia colour negative film in 100 and 200 ASA speeds. It is much easier to get good digital scans from negatives rather than my old favourite Fuji Velvia slide film though I still use that too, from time to time.
Odds and Ends
Other useful bits and pieces that pack up small and weigh little include: a small notebook and pencil, blower brush,lens cleaning tissue, insulation tape, small torch, scissors, remote cable, hot shoe spirit-level, flash cable, and a spare battery.
Camera Support
Truly sharp images come from using a tripod, but a rangefinder camera lends itself more naturally to being used hand held. I get sharp results with a Leica M by using high shutter speeds to minimise camera shake. And I mean high. Conventional wisdom is that (1/focal-length) seconds is sufficient, so for example with a 50mm lens you would shoot at 1/50s or 1/60s. That is nonsense! You need some luck to get a sharp result at 1/60 with a 50mm lens. I have very steady hands, and there is little wrong with my technique yet, even with a 35mm lens and a rangefinder camera, though I might get lucky and get a usable image with a shutter speed of 1/8 or 1/15, I need to shoot at 1/125 to guarantee an adequately sharp image from a single shot. The anti-shake feature of many modern cameras and lenses is one of the few pieces of recent technology that is really worth having.
When a high enough speed isn’t possible I use a tripod. A tripod is also essential when precise framing is needed. A Gitzo carbon-fibre tripod would be ideal, but my ancient Linhof tripod still does everything I ask of it. The original pan-tilt head has been replaced with a Benbo ball and socket head.
Carrying it
The entire outfit is light enough to carry all day with no problems at all. The whole lot, apart from the tripod, fits in a small and non-descript Domke F-6 bag that just happens to be the only survivor from a cupboard full of camera bags. In fact there is plenty of room to spare for a backup camera body and a pack of sandwiches. The tripod goes in a Domke Tripod Bag that fits comfortably over the shoulder. If I want even less encumbrance then I stuff the Leica M body in one big pocket and one of its lenses and some film in another.
Post Processing
I develop Black and White film in Rodinal and have colour print films processed at a minilab. The best images are scanned on an Epson 4990 flat bed scanner with film adapter which gives better results than I used to get with a Nikon Coolscan film scanner. The original film is then indexed and archived - a big advantage over digital images - no worries over deterioration of CDs and DVDs or changing hardware, software, and file formats.
Digital files, both scans and originals are processed minimally in Photoshop on a G4 Mac and stored at native resolution in a non-compressed format. For publishing they are resized, with interpolation as necesssary, to anything from 640x480 screen images (or even smaller thumbnails) up to 7200x4800 for 24" x 16" prints. I get genuine photographic prints made from digital files by a professional printer after proofing with a Canon ix4000 A3 inkjet.
Now and again I set up my old Philips enlarger and make some old fashioned B&W prints. For speed I use Ilford RC Multigrade but for the most beautiful results I use Ilford Galerie fibre based paper which is then Selenium toned for permanence.