A little lame, but I think I found my Fantastic Four and I just had to make a shout out. I have been shooting with Rangefinders since Oct 2010. Starting out with a Leica M6 Classic together with a Summicron 50mm Version 3, it brought me to begin developing my own film too.
Though I first started photography with a Nikon FM2 with a zoom lens back in Feb 2006, it never crossed my mind to begin developing my own film. I thought it was too troublesome, too cumbersome to do it myself. Alas! I would have saved myself tonnes of cash and gained much more skill and self-confidence if I started it out in the very beginning!
The lust for black and white photography led me to begin this journey, and I must say it is extremely satisfying.
I love the grains.
I love the contrast.
I love the grey tones.
I love the feel of loading the film.
I love the rolling of the film negatives into the canister as I bulk load my own film.
I love removing the negatives from the reel as they are exposed to the light after fixing.
Okay, I digress!
Back to the Fantastic Four.
I have found my favourite focal lengths and lens combination! For those not into this hobby, this is equivilant to finding Noah's Ark in the hobby of photography.
The lenses are - (pictures coming soon!)
I mate them up either with a Leica M2 or M3, after having sold my M6 to fund for (get this)......frames for oil paintings in my living room. I had no choice, something had to give!
Anyway, I shoot with alot of estimation when I use my M3 with the 25mm Zeiss, but it works.
This Fantastic Four set, gives me a variety of options in terms of image output and quality. Though I must admit that sometimes I am hard pressed to siphon out which lens shot what image. With the 25, its a little easier to gauge, but with the 35/50, that needs a little more effort, especially when they are shot with the same film/scene.
Regardless, I hope this finding will press me to shoot more, and buy less. I think this is by far the most important factor. We spend too much time sourcing for gear, and when we find it, we are over-rawed with its technical aspect, and ignore the true art, the art of seeing.
In my recent trip to Europe, I brought with me everything except the little speed demon of the Voigtlander. I shot mainly with the 35 as it offered a perfect 35mm viewfinder that the M2 offers. If there was a Leica M that comes with a 25mm viewfinder, oh my! Would I so have to get that!
No matter how hard I try, I cant seem to bring myself to sell off the 25mm. I have owned prior to this Fan'Four, these lenses -
All of which, have left the stable. In return, I use my Fan'Four in conjuncture with my trusty speed demon, the Ricoh GRD4.
To find out more about the individual lens review, please stay tuned for another detailed post :)