| Joined: | Mon Apr 2nd, 2012 |
| Location: | Carthew, Cornwall, United Kingdom |
| Posts: | 6874 |
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Fair comments.
There is no doubt that the quality of the Rollei stands the test of time, as I am sure will all serious professional equipment of that period. We are however spoilt with modern DSLRs.
Using the old cameras now feels awkward. They are heavier, less ergonomic and without previews, (ok you might still be able to get Polaroid film or even Digital backs ....assuming someone else is paying for it!) which means the user needs to be precise in set up to guarantee the result.
That's not a bad thing. But in the rush and bustle of modern day life we probably don't take as much time 'previsualising' as we used to do. Well I know I don't.
I am reminded of Ansel Adams' reply when asked his opinion on the 'new' 35mm format. He said something along the lines of... the capability of the smaller film was potentially still very good but “....the biggest obstacle to quality is the ease and speed of use (of the equipment)â€.
The other part of 'film photography' was the darkroom. I enjoyed developing and printing my own photos. In fact it was a significant part of the pleasure in taking photos. This had to be sidelined when working professionally in favour of commercial labs for speed and reproducibility. So when I switched to a DSLR for my work, it brought with it the added bonus of being able to reclaim the 'processing and darkroom' for myself.
In fact, with Photoshop, I was also able to carry out post shoot corrections and additions that to some extent reduced the amount of time spent setting up the scenes. For example, in hotel bedroom shoots I've 'digitally ironed' pillow creases and bedding misalignments rather than waiting for housekeeping to fix; I've put stock painting on walls to better compose and beautify the room (or hide wall defects) without having to carry props with me; I've retrospectively added images on projection screens when meeting room equipment failed. In kitchens, I've cleaned oven fronts, tiles and equipment....without getting my hands dirty.
Yes there is arguably a degree of laziness that creeps in at the time of taking the photograph when you know it can be adjusted later. But even Ansel Adams with his Previsualising and Zone system factored in necessary darkroom work back home ...for every one of his images.
So yes, the quality is there in medium /large format film ...but the taking and subsequent processing of the photos would never entice me back to it.
So many points here that are so true.
Great post Eric. Thanks for these reminders.
Sloppy and careless execution is the killer of quality.
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Still learning after all these years!
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