Tag Archives: 15mm Heliar

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January 15th, 2014 ….. Fuji XP1 and 35mm 1.4 brought me home …..again

January 15, 2014 streetshooter 12 Comments

Well, time to go to the VA Hospital (Veterans Administration) once again so that they can tell me all the things that they want to fix so I can live longer and maybe find my way home. I appreciate everything they do and any issues are inside me and not because of them. You must know that they do the best they can with what they have to work with.

Now we all know that going thru Center City on the bus and the elevated train, well….it might just be an inspiring event. hmmmm, for me it certainly is. So I loaded a roll of TRI-x into the Fuji XP1…c’mon, we all know that it’s a digicam….darn good and ya know…I gotta, it’s one of the best I ever used.

It’s got the 35mm 1.4 on because I committed to finding my way with a 50mm FOV. I don’t push things but I do strive to get things done and I will. On the way back I decided to do my standard 3.5 mile walk and find these pesky photos that are hiding from us. I said to Andre’, “We gotta find something out here”. He agreed….oh…sorry, Andre’ is my XP1 and Ding is my XE1. I know that you also name your cameras and also talk to them….no question ….. right? We walked for about 2 hours and truthfully< I wasn’t seeing anything that floated my boat.

I was thinking all last night in bed and all this morning about Minor White. When I get into this brain using procedure, everything except auto functions disconnects. I remember sitting in a field of all this beautiful grass that I would never see again and Minor said to me….“Don, it will always be right in front of you. You may search far and wide but in the end, it will be right there, right there in front of your heart.” Ya see, I had another man give me insight to life also….his name was Dr Murray Banks.

Dr Banks said this….“As you go throughout your life, brother, whatever be your goal….keep your eye upon the donut and not upon the hole”.”

Photography SHOOTER….PHOTOGRAPHY! See, I walked all over town on the path I’ve taken and loved for well over 45 years. I really didn’t see anything that could break the thoughts going thru my mind. I finally got on the bus to ge home and just think about Minor and Ding because they are alive in my heart and my mind.

I’m sitting on the bus….just glancing and then…all the sudden, Andre’ (Andre’ Kertesz) started heating up….he was just trying to get my concentration…….I looked at the door at the rear of the bus and thought, ain’t no life nowhere….. I changed the f/stop and the shutter speed without looking at Andre’ and slowly raised the XP1 up and on the rear screen,

behold…a photo that has awaken my concentration and said to me…..

press the shutter stupid!

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January 14th, 2014 ….. Some Memories about Photography & Ding McNulty

January 14, 2014 streetshooter

When I was younger, I would go out and shoot with the goal being 5 rolls. See, my developing tank at the time held 5 rolls. If I actually made the 5 rolls I felt as if I achieved my daily goal. I mean shooting 3 rolls meant that I was wasting chemicals because the tank held 5 rolls anyway.

I would process the film and make contact prints and search for that photo that made the experience even more memorable.

So one day Ding, (Ding McNulty (Curator of Prints and Pictures at the Philadelphia Museum of Art) asked me to bring in my months contact prints so he could see how I was thinking. A few days later, I did just that. I think I had about 70 sheets all nice and printed very well and shiny and looking so fine.

I handed Ding the box and he kinda gasped…..in disbelief. I instantly got nervous and realized that the darkroom secrets meant only for me was now naked in front of a real important curator at a museum. After 5 minutes, Ding asked me what I was doing, my method of working.

I explained about the 5 roll rule I set for myself and I was sure every master adhered to this kind of rule.

He took a magic marker, I remember yellow but I’m a B&W guy so yellow could be wrong and he boxed 3 images and told me to print them and come back.

When I returned in about a week, Ding looked at the prints. He once again used that marker and made shapes on the photos and made little notes. He told me to print the way he made the marks. This was the most exciting thing to me but I really didn’t get any of this yet. I returned in about a week once again and hold on…..(look, I was a Nam vet, poor upbringing in many ways, never went to college and this man was mentoring me without me even understanding why)….. so I showed the prints to Ding. He sat back and just studied each print as if he were looking at something so valuable that it would hurt to remove his eyes from them. That was the most important lesson I ever learned or would ever learn.

He sat back, placed the prints on top of my box and we started to talk. After a few minutes of I guess lecturing he asked me a crucial question. He said to me, “Don, do you see these 3 photographs?” Of course I see them, I made them, sheeeesh. “Don, do you see the 70 rolls of film here?” ( at this point I was elated because he saw the work, efforts and passion I had to get this 70 rolls of film.) He again asked me a question that the answer would rock my world for all eternity! What has more value to you, the 70 rolls or the 3 prints? I thought about for a few good minutes, sitting back in the chair like Ding always did. I inhaled thru my nostrils like Ding always did when he was deep in thought.

For some reason, even tho I breathed like Ding and had his posture in the chair, I kinda knew that his mind was in a place that I would work to achieve all my life. (I’m really good at what I do but truth be told, I’m not a pimple on Ding’s butt.)

So I answered when I really felt the answer. I said, I am sure that the 3 prints are the most important things to me. Then he said to me, “How many times can you get 3 good photos on a roll of film?” I answered 11 because I get 35 frames and this gives me 11 xs with 2 shots to spare or waste or whatever.

Don, why do you need 70 rolls of film that you can’t afford so easily to make 3 photos? Don’t answer! Just think about a possible answer.

Well, it’s been around 40 years since I was asked that question. Ding no doubt is curating the greatest most important exhibition of all time in HEAVEN. I’m really praying that at some point, no hurry either, that I may contribute to that exhibition.

I search for that answer every time I have my camera in hand, every time I sit and look at LightRoom, every time I look at my friends work on Flickr etc.

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January 13th, 2014 ….. Fuji XE1 and 27mm (The Fuji XE1 and 40mm teach an old shooter new tricks)

January 13, 2014 streetshooter 8 Comments

Let’s just get this straight from the get go. I don’t like to have fun with my cameras. I never did in over 50 years and I ain’t starting now. Well, The XE1 has a different way of looking at things and well….sometimes in our conversation, (you do talk to your cameras, right)…the XE1 tells me to just relax and we will work together to find the right images. Yo’ I ain’t no Fuji fanboy…in fact, I don’t know what that even is. What I am is a very serious shooter that needs a camera to be as serious as me and my work. The truth is, man I hate to say this and you didn’t get this from me….. I am having fun with this setup. There, I said it and hopefully it will not last for long. I know….but it’s fun nonetheless…..

So I had the 27mm on the camera. This lens is the sleeper of the line in Fuji glass. I was walking with Serge and we went into the portal, well tunnel for normal shooters but for me and my cameras, it’s an image portal. The light was just calling out and Ding, Ding McNulty, my XE1 is named after Ding McNulty who was the curator of Prints and Pictures at the Philadelphia Museum of Art….well, Ding started moving in my hand, he gets this nervous twitch and I must at that point be getting to the Here and Now because he’s ready.

So I stopped walking and got lost in the moment because this woman is standing there on the phone against the walls that have heard everything for over 150 years. I saw the walls get darker with those tones that just intoxicate you. I felt the presence of lives past echoing and bouncing around. Then I raised Ding to get position, I didn’t have to move very much at all because the XE1 named Ding has worked with me to find my stance. She didn’t know I was there and I knew that most shooters would wait for her to turn to them, it would be a good shot also BUT…..it’n not my shot. I framed the photo and just took a slow breath and the…CLICK!

See, I could do that with many cameras but I am using the Fuji’s because they work with me. No, not Fuji….because they don’t know me at all but I know them. I have spoken about the here and now and intrusions etc for centuries and most get it….some think I’m nuts, especially my shrink at the VA cause he sayz I should be using my Leica’s and he’s right for the past but the past is now the present and in the present, I’m happy with what I’m using.

Tomorrow is another day and I’m out again for a spell.

The next issue of The Inspired Eye Magazine is in production and should be published shortly.If you would like to submit work, there’s the reader gallery and also send me a note if you have an interesting idea….thanks, later ….. don

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January 11th, 2014 ….. Fuji XE1 40mm ….. The Ricoh Shooters Dream ….. Part 1

January 11, 2014 streetshooter 5 Comments

Tanya and I went to Atlantic City to visit Joe and Mary. Well, par for the course….Joe and I went to the beach to get in touch with uh…uh..shhhhhh…a camera store because Joe wants to get the camera all Ricoh shooters ever born or ever will be….the XE1. No, not just the XE1 but the XE1 with the 27mm lens. See, here e go again…that mathematical head game that we all play because some execs and some engineers wanted to see what would happen. Ahhhh, heck…that was years ago anyway.

See, Ricoh makes about the best 28mm lens on their cameras, better than most. Now the issue……many if not all Ricoh shooters wanted a 40mm lens or even camera to go along with their 28mm GRD4 or GRD3 or GR thing, dust magnet that it is. Yeah, that’s right…I said it! Well Fujifilm found out about this from some FBICIASECRETSERVICEXCAMERAMAKERSORGANIZATIONTHAT’SNOLONGERSECRET and they made the 27mm lens that mathematically and optically and every other thingy equals 40.5mm. The ideal combination of course is 28mm & 40mm.

Anyway, back to the beach. Joe had some Russian Vodka under his blanket and insisted that we kinda do more than sip on it but not get to the point that the ladies…nah…the wifeys would suspect that we were drinking at the beach. Well, being the friend and standup guy that I am, I quickly acknowledged Joe and his good idea. I mean after all….with all due respect to da wifeys, bringing back 1/2 a bottle would prove disrespectful. Bringing back an empty bottle would do likewise but..AHHAAAA…finishing the bottle the way 2 Nam Vets would do and send the empty to the ocean but with a shot or two still in it is a show of deep respect to da wifeys and whoever finds this magic bottle.

Now to the important part……

Joe has found making photos a very interesting and positive way to spend time. I have introduced to him that it’s also a way to spend money, not just time. So while we were on the beach, I handed Joe my Fuji XE1 with the 27mm on it. It’s dark man, I mean real dark. Joe made the above photo with my camera. He fell in love very quickly when he saw this shot on the screen. Of course I am in the process of putting together a deal for him on the XE2 and 4 or so lenses. Mary, his wife called me this morning and was very happy. She said that Joe seemed to have found a new love. I told her not to worry because she would always be #1 and this ain’t about a new love, it’s about Joe finding a reason for himself to stay alive and not for her or anyone else. She thanked me for helping Joe finish the Russian Vodka.

The temp was 61F here in Philly today. As I walked up Market street, I could see many homeless out in the warm rain. Some were taking cover under facades and other things to stop the rain. This lady is about 45 and has no one or no place to go and won’t go to a shelter.

This is all this kid has for a home. He’s maybe 25-30 but is well worn from family etc. I asked if he wanted to go to a shelter and he said no. He was in a few and was attacked and his stuff taken and he was almost raped.

Sometimes I feel like I’m on the other side of life. I see things in my head as I release the shutter and when I get into LightRoom, I find my way.

Thanks for stopping by and I’ll do the best to keep my end going.

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January 8th, 2014 ….. 20F The Fuji XE1 Makes Me Warm

January 8, 2014 streetshooter 10 Comments

Don’t get things wrong now, 20f is cold. I know, I know…my wife Tanya laughs at the Americans and spoiled way of living. So as she walked outside to the garden, it was obvious that America has worked it’s way into her mind and heart. She comes back in and says….”You better dress warm because you can’t take the cold like me”. Well, of course she ran into the living room and got under a blanket to warm up. I smiled and just let her think she’s still a Russian Comrade that doesn’t flinch in the cold.

But she did set the course for the day. See, I am told that I am not the sharpest pencil in the box…(yeah right)….but I know when it’s cold. I also know that film will reticulated in cold but sensors aren’t as sensitive to weather conditions. So I headed out with the XE1 and 21mm Skopar to just take a nice walk in the more than brisk cold.

I was on Market Street and I have to admit…it was cold and then…this young woman walked by me and for some strange reason, the sun came out and I felt warm…well warm all over. Funny how things like that can stir your day. Obviously beings the elder gentleman that I am I wouldn’t even look at her…..my camera, well….that’s another story.

I gotta be frank now. The Fuji’s are excellent to work with but using a good lens like the Skopar or Heliar or Summicron etc, brings the camera to life. Using a DOF scale is the joy that can’t be matched by Auto Focus lenses, no matter how good that may be. Tomorrow I’ll be on the streets with the XP1 and 35mm 1.4 because I promised to get that 50mm FOV under control.

Till then…stay warm and if your in OZ where it’s like 66F…sheeeesh……

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January 5th, 2014 ….. Fuji XE1 & XP1 do the Mummers Parade … Part 3

January 5, 2014 streetshooter 4 Comments

I think I need to explain why I am using the Fuji XP1 and XE1. For me and what I do photographically, it’s like a ZEN experience without being a ZEN experience. What I’m trying to say is that I must feel connected to my subject matter, the light, air camera, breathing etc. I have been known to call this, The Here and Now. So the act of making photos for me is about being fully aware of time, space and myself.

What the heck are you talking about shooter and how is this relating to Fuji cameras? I’m glad you asked. If I’m working and totally in the here and now of the photographic moment, one thing that could be a big issue is….camera intrusion. That’s a big no no. If you were working and seeing photos and getting ready to raise the camera and make a photo…would you like to be assaulted by the camera making sounds, flashing lights, not focusing, focusing but not fast enough etc? Another major issue that Fuji has dealt with is the UI between cameras. On the XP1 & XE1 the interface is so similar that it’s never an issue going between cameras…..and…..even if your using AF on one and MF legacy lens on the other….no sweat.

It’s early Sunday morning and I have to get going in the physical world. This is the last post for the Mummers stuff and tomorrow I will be back to my normal street stuff….normal, ain’t that a joke…..?

have a great day……later…….

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January 4th, 2014 ….. Fuji XE1 & XP1 do the Mummers Parade … Part 2

January 4, 2014 streetshooter Leave a comment

With the shots from the 35mm 1.4, all were made with the XP1 and I used the OVF. On this post, the ones with that Mr Bokeh are the ones from the 35mm. The guy above is MR. BOKEH and I found him wondering around with those glasses on to fool people. He’s the guy responsible for all that Bokeh stuff that was and will ever be.

Anyway, my Queen photo has gone viral and is on explore at Flickr. Well deserved and it once again shows that the Flickr editors do have eyes. I used the XP1 with the strap I saw when Ray, Pete and I met in Sept or something. Ray is my front man on new products. I think he knows that but at any rate, he has a talent for spotting a product that has quality and more importantly, that works. He had this slider strap on and I watched as he pulled this ring and the strap changed length in a second. I didn’t say anything but shortly after our meet, I ordered on and it came from Pop Flash…Tony Rose http://www.popflash.com/index.php?p=catalog&mode=search&search_in=all&search_str=slider+strap because he has it in stock and it was the best price. For many years, decades I have resisted a strap like that, you know…the sling thing. This strap changes my way of thinking and I use it all the time. I have installed the “LeHook Cady” http://www.lehook.co.uk/index.html and this makes changing to a wrist or different camera a very elegant task. I hope the links work.

Battery power is quite remarkable for both cameras. I have the cameras to never sleep and to have the screen always on. I’ll just say that I might be in disagreement with a few that say the power management is not good.

This was in front of the Urban League and it’s a place for the wealthy people to look at the commoners and feel like they are in touch with reality. Eh…once a year they can have the pleasure of seeing all the people that they crush financially act up and have a good time. I’m sure they get double showers when they get home. I’m sure all the ladies with their fancy mink coats get horny and when they get home, their husbands are sleeping because they had sex with the young parade goers…(male or female, I hear they don’t care).

The guy above has no idea that he’s in a bad spot but later he’ll find out because those guys on top can’t hold their drinks and the guy on the bottom s in direct line of fire. Obviously, he’s a Marine not Army……shhhhhhhhh!

See these guys….they are the crew that test Beer Can Camouflage. If they don’t get busted, the company that sponsors them will make millions of dollars because the company can sell beer can covers to all the beer drinkers in the world. I think these guys are off to a startling success.

Jimi was at the parade this year……

There’s more stuff sitting in a LR5 folder but I’ll post some of them tomorrow.

Tom, the Heliar is BRILLIANT. Most of those that have issues have used cheap adapters. I use the Fuji and never have any issues at all….

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January 3rd, 2014 ….. Fuji XE1 & XP1 do the Mummers Parade … Part 1

January 3, 2014 streetshooter 9 Comments

Don’t look for the traditional Mummers photos here. There are many good shooters that made those photos but I ain’t one. I have worked the parade bystanders and not the traditional shots of the participants for decades.

I used the Fuji XP1 with the 35mm 1.4 and the XE1 with the 15mm Heliar. No other lenses or cameras were used and more importantly needed. I gotta say first off….the XP1 is now the camera it was designed to be. I used the OVF only and I loved every second of it. The XE1 was a screen shooter except for one frame where I tried the finder. Works great but with the 15mm, you need to get the camera moving in space and not at the eye.

For me the screen is still where it’s at but the OVF in the XP1 is as close to working with a M camera as Fuji probably could get. This is not meant to compare at all, even tho I feel more than qualified to do so but more of an observation on how a camera works within the vision of the shooter. The XP1 is a joy to work with, especially since the new firmware. It’s amazing how accurate the frame lines have become.

When I’m working, I can’t tolerate a camera that fights my vision. If the camera intrudes on my vision even a little….eBay….bye. I’m not selling Fuji’s and certainly I’ve had major issues with them in the past but truth be told, credit should go where credit is due. Enough props for now.

I don’t want to write too much as I feel the photos will speak better than I can with those words. I’m not as a loss mind you, just paying respect to the images.

This photo will no doubt go to the Homeless Advocacy Group I work with. Of course all the Lawyers there are either wearing or their mates are wearing these fancy schmancy fur coats. There’s nothing wrong with that, don’t get me wrong. If a man has been hungry and cold for a while, what’s one more day? Am I being sarcastic, I donotcanknow……..

More tomorrow as I have many nice photos. Peace be with you….

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December 30st, 2013 ….. Fuji X-Pro1 & 35mm 1.4 ….. Some Thoughts

December 30, 2013 streetshooter 9 Comments

Yeah, yeah…just a dry practice run till tomorrow.

So since about 1985 I have been struggling with the idea of using the 50mm FOV as a main focal length. I mean of course I’ve used it in many occasions but I never felt that it was a real part of my vision. Well, the Leica’s are retired and no other camera has ever offered me the excitement of another focal length. I am or shall I say, I was always a 35mm FOV guy and never switched hit in anything. Hey, hey…married and anyway, there ain’t nuttin wrong with it anyways….

so I’m using the Fuji X PRO 1 and the X E1 and I have to say….I have the 35mm 1.4 for a good spell already and thought I’d sell it cause once again….50mm ain’t my thing. Well one day, don’t remember when I looked at my photos and my camera and low and behold…it was all working with 28mm. Oh, that’s just great….I mean let’s add fuel to the mental fire in me poor head…. So I use 28mm for many years, so much so that it went from an acquired FOV to a Natural FOV. Horrors, I thought!

I was just about to unload the Fuji 35mm and the 27mm and maybe the 18mm. I really like the Voigtlander lenses. I mean they have a focus scale, a DOF scale….a real lens! I was ready to make a few eBay listings and then the Fuji Engineers got word of me getting ready to move their stuff out of my coat pocket and then, all the sudden, without fair warning to all good Fuji users of any level of commitment, released a firmware update that rocked my uh…uh…nah, not world but got me to thinking again…..

The X-PPRO 1 now does things it tried to do before the update but couldn’t get it right.

They got the frame lines very accurate at all but the closest distances and even then, it ain’t bad. The framing box is so accurate that I decided to take the 35mm out for a spin. Well, for the 1st time since 1985, I am really excited with this focal length. I am seeing the frame box a little more accurate then the Leica M cameras. That doesn’t matter but to me it really does. I do not now nor ever like cropping my images. I know, I know…but it’s my process to crop before release…..not after…unless it’s a Million $$$ shot then crop the heck out of it…..sheeeeesh! I tested the frame box with all my lenses that I like to use and accuracy is incredible, even the Voigtlander 15mm and 21mm are right on.

Antwayz….I’ll be around tomorrow and hopefully make a few photos but if not…..Mummers Day is just a few shots away……NO NO….not photo shots…..Single Malt Shots…….

Till we meet again……..shooter out…………………….

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December 29th, 2013 ….. The Waterproof Fuji Saves The Day

December 29, 2013 streetshooter 3 Comments

Man, it’s raining cats and dogs here in Philly. I don’t mean cats like my buddy Barsik, I mean cats like my ex drummer, ex bassman that kinda cats….huh….hold on…..yeah, ok….I’m told by the left side of me poor brain that I spelled cats wrong….it’s supposed to be Kats or Katz…sumptin like a dat…..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ anywayz……..

I went out with Tanya to go return some stuff. It was and still is rainin’ like….uh…uh… crazy. So I was thinking about making photos, of course I’m always thinking about that and I said to myself…. self, the Fuji XE1 is not gonna be a happy camper in this weather….hmmmm…..I thought, what about the Fuji XP1, I mean it’s a real PRO camera that does everything including have a meltdown in the rain……

what to do, oh my….what to do. See, the Yellow Mother invented a law that the gov’t of all nations far and wide base their law and financial matters on….. It’s called the Inverse Square Law. That law means less is more and more is less. For us, the original followers of this fine law, it means…the larger the hole, the smaller the number….hold on….check this out….it also means the smaller the hole, the larger the number.

So as shooters, we know that the more you spend on a camera, the less risky use you’ll do with it and then…the less you pay for a camera, the riskier you can get.

For the gov’t, all gov’t…this means that the more people you have the less they get to eat and have less money because they have to share it amongst themselves…..well…the less people..like in Congress etc, the less people there, the more food and money there because they get to steal it from the masses of people that trust them with their lives…….this ain’t no lesson on astrophysicaldynamicalpoliticalmathematicalbeanimpotantpersonandstealbecauseyoucanandhaveajunkysexlifesoallhastopay conversation…..

So, anyway….Tanya and I ventured out in the pouring rain and the Fuji’s didn’t…..HOLD ON A MINUTE! Enter the Fuji-film XP-50. It’s a very small point n’ shoot. It has basic settings but….it thrives in the rain, snow, dust, dirt, heat, cold and even in a politicianspocket…THE HORROR!

This camera is very nice to deal with. If you want to adjust all the settings and everything….take yer XP1 out in the rain. If your just interested in making photos in adverse conditions……The XP-50 is a great choice…. I got this on eBay for cheap….

When we got home because we didn’t go anywheres but the rain because our shoes and boots leaked and out feets gotz wet so we had to come home….

I put the file in LR5 and of course it was in color because it only does jpeggies and I leave it in color so I get the best file to work with…..

The camera is a gas and I like being able to work in bad weather etc….

More tomorrow when I get back from the streets of Philly….. By the way….if you get out a little…if you see my brain someplace…tell it that vacation is over…..

Street Photography Chronicles by Don Springer