Current Cameras, and Why They Don’t Matter

The internet is full of camera talk. Everywhere you look, someone is trying to tell you why X camera is better than Y - or why film is better than digital. And don’t get me wrong - I love to nerd out on cameras as much as anyone. I truly love cameras. But…..

…Your camera only needs to matter to you. If what you’re using makes sense for what you do, who cares how much it costs or what it looks like. I have come to learn that some of my favorite photographers use cameras I used to turn my nose up to because they “weren’t as good as others.” This clearly was naive thinking on my part. And a great example of this would be Tod Papageorge and the Fuji 6x9. I have always thought that was such a goofy camera. It’s a bit awkward to grip, the rangefinder patch is quite dim, and now you’re down to 8 shots on a roll. Come to find out, Papageorge shot one of my favorite photographic series on it - ‘At The Beach.’

Now, with all that said - it's time for some camera talk.

With film, I really enjoy a two camera setup for 90% of my images. On occasions I might bring out a third camera that has access to different lenses, or a point-and-shoot, but it's usually just the two cameras in my bag

For years this has been the Leica M6. Of course, nothing comes close to the build quality, bright viewfinder, and styling of a film M camera. Not to mention, M-mount Leica glass is incredible. And over the years of using various M cameras, I have grown accustomed to their operation - and their quirks. 

The M6 (and personally, this could easily be substituted for basically any of the film M cameras) is now second nature to me. I can operate this camera with my eyes closed. I even have the focus distance on the 35mm Summicron memorized in relation to where the focus tab is on the barrel of the lens. Because of this, I believe I can nail focus just as quickly as autofocus would when using the wider lenses and smaller apertures I do. 

However, it does have some quirks… First off, my particular M6 has been back and forth to a local repair shop that can’t seem to fix a shutter speed issue. This has left me so frustrated as it has ruined dozens of images. I bought into the M-system because they were repairable and it was supposed to be simple to fix - and I know this is just a one off case where I’m running into bad luck with this repair shop but it has left me reconsidering the Leica system, considering how much I have invested into it.

So, after giving a Nikon FM2 a shot, only to realize I can't get over the fact that Nikon’s focusing direction is opposite to every other camera I own, I thought the perfect pair to my 120 setup would be a point-and-shoot.

Enter the Contax G2.

A glorified point-and-shoot. With autofocus, auto film-advance, aperture priority, and TTL flash, this camera can truly be operated with one hand. Of course, I can take control of these settings when needed, however I do plan on keeping the camera in these modes 99% of the time. 

I have been focusing a lot of my time recently on medium format work, and the Leica demanded too much user input to be a seamless pair for me. It was either focus all my attention on one camera or the other, and I really wanted to put 90% of my focus on the 120 camera and just take snapshots on the 35mm camera. 

Now, I haven’t even put a single roll though the G2, so I’ll have to report back here once I get some time with it under my belt. But there are a couple other factors surrounding the G2 that I can’t skip over. 

First is the cost. Sure, compared to most old SLRs, the G2 is quite expensive, but if you’re coming from the Leica world this thing is dirt cheap! I picked up my copy with the 28mm Zeiss Biogon lens, and the TLA200 flash for less than the cost of my one Leica 35mm Summicron. And the Zeiss glass for the G system is great. I used to have the 28mm Biogon in M-mount and loved it, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy all these lenses as well.

However, there is one rather large question mark with the Contax, and that is its reliability. The camera is completely electronic, and that means repairing it can be quite difficult. One day this camera could very well brick on me and become unusable. But after talking with others who have used one for years without problem, this is just something you need to accept. It could very well last forever without issue, you just don’t really know. On the bright side, for the price of my M system, I could replace the body three times!

The medium-format camera I’ve recently been loving is the Mamiya 7. Yes, this is the epitome of a hyped, film bro stuff, but it really is that good. Previously, I was using the RB67 for medium format, and I ultimately abandoned that camera because I just couldn’t be bothered to lug it around (although I now kind of want another for close-focus stuff). 

The Mamiya 7 is small for a 120 camera and the 80mm f/4 lens is second to none. Because of this, I actually use it and bring it with me quite often. The viewfinder is also a joy to use. 

Viewfinders can make or break a camera for me. Compared to other film rangefinders, the Mamiya and Leica viewfinders blow everything else out of the water. In terms of everything from viewing clarity, to frameline and rangefinder patch brightness these cameras have spoiled me. The Contax gets a lot of bad reviews for the small viewfinder, so I was quite hesitant to pick one up. But after getting one in my hands, I can certainly confirm it is small, but looking through it isn’t terrible. The focus/exposure reading at the bottom is nice and sharp and because it's an autofocus camera I just need to compose and shoot.

Other 120 rangefinders I’ve used do not match up. Take the Fuji medium format rangefinders for example. They certainly get the job done, but they are nowhere near as bright or clear to look through. But of course they are far less expensive, so don’t forget to include this factor into your which you might use. 

Ultimately the pairing of these cameras is important to me, but only to me. Every camera (with exception) is going to work for someone, for some style of photography. That doesn’t necessarily mean it will work well for another style of photography, though.

I’m also someone who enjoys trying out new cameras. I buy and sell cameras often. I do not collect them, can’t afford to. So, when I get an itch to try something new, I sell one to fund the next. It’s also not uncommon for me to sell a camera only for me to buy the same one a year later…who knows how long I’ll keep these for.