manila camera style - a conversation about cameras

You better believe it! US$10, buy one, get one free makes it $5 apiece.

Of course, it’s a film camera (they are full frame too.). And according to the video, digital is all hassles, right?

BTW, consider this as an advance teaser for our upcoming contest! ;-)

Apropos to yesterday:

They say this is what happened when I was born:

Thanks, R!

Hey - chocolate and film are the same thing:

I’m often asked two questions:

1. “How many cameras do you own?”; and

2. “Which one is your favorite?”

And my honest answers to those questions are:

1. “I don’t know.”; and

2. “My Leica Minilux.”

To which the reply is usually:

1. “Yeah, whatever.”; and

2. “Yeah, whatever!?!”

Let’s dwell on the second question and topic of this post: The Minilux.

Despite it’s obvious shortcomings (especially compared to my second favorite camera – my Leica M7), The Minilux has had a special place in my heart (and drybox).

I’ve often mentioned that one way I like to “disappear” in a crowd when I take photos is to appear like I have no idea what I’m doing. The M7 offers some stealth in this manner, because to the casual observer it looks like I’m some dude fiddling with my grandfather’s old camera, but the Minilux takes that to an even higher level – it makes it look like I have no idea about photography at all!

I mean, for one, take a look at it:

It’s a metal (okay, titanium) box. It’s so ascetic in design it almost seems like it wasn’t even designed at all.

Then you realize that there’s only one place that this camera wants you to pay attention to when you use it, and that’s this:

Aperture priority and scale focusing. Add a hyperfocal distance calc, and that’s all you really need for street shooting, right?

But what is a camera without a good lens? And in the Minlux, IMHO, the 40mm Summarit really shines.

First, a word about the 40mm focal length,and that word would be: alanganin. And I mean that with the greatest of compliments.

40 is not quite as wide as a 35, and not quite as intimate as a 50. You could say it’s a compromise of both angles of view, but unlike very few other compromises, this one works. Lean forward and you get a 50, lean backwards, and you get a 35. I call it neck zooming. I’ll save the intricacies of this for another post on another day.

Now back to the Summarit:

One thing that really distinguishes Leica lenses from others is that it has such a smooth tonal graduation. To some this may look like a lack of contrast, but I assure you that this is not that at all. It’s this smooth tone that allows detail – real detail – to shine by allowing light to do what it does best: let us see.

So instead of giving us a saturated look, the Summarit presents something a little more natural, a little more human.

And a little less computer-y.

Sure, I can do the same thing (or maybe even better) by slapping a 40mm Summicron on a Leica M (or even better, a CL), and get the same thing – but there’s just something about the simple elegance of the Minlux that charms me over and over again with it’s point-and-shoot simplicity.

In the final analysis, you can say that it’s a point and shoot camera with a nice semi-wide semi-normal lens slapped on it, which describes a lot of other cameras (think of a Yashica or a Contax). You can say that it’s probably a Japanese camera that Leica stuck a little red circle on. You can say that it’s not as fast as a Leica M, not as tough as a Nikon F, not as classic as an Olympus FA, or not as high tech as a Canon 1…

…but in the end, when I open up my camera cabinet and reach for something, this one gets tossed in the daily bag more often than all the rest.

“>

Long live the Leica Minilux!

(Epilogue: Just to add – if it’s good enough for Mssr. Cartier-Bresson, it’s good enough for me!)

Some things you just have to stare at and admire. Works of art, steel bicycles, Anna Kournikova, and classic cameras. Here is one worth oggling:

With 45mm, 85mm and 135mm lenses:

This one takes my breath away (with Enna 135mm lens and Steinheil viewfinder):

And in case you’re wondering: “Does it come with a flash?” The answer is: “Why, certainly. An equally cool-looking one!”

This work of art was sent in by Christopher from Oxford, England. In his words:

As you guys know, this post wouldn’t be complete without photos taken with the Super Paxette, so feast your eyes on this:

Thanks, Chris, for this wonderful submission!

After sending us his Dynax 5, Hi-Matic GF, Yashica GTN, and T70, Joaquin strikes again with an awesome Zorki 4:

In his words:

Nice catch, Joaquin. Maybe if you can record the sound, we can add it to this post as an update later on!

Finally, some snaps:

So Joaquin, in relation to our previous post, which one of your cameras is your favorite? :-)

J: You might be surprised which one mine is. I’ll prepare a post for it. How about you, R?

R: I’m also preparing a post for mine! :P Hey wait, the bad-ass M7 isn’t your favorite?!

Check out this photo found on flickr on powerpig’s photostream.:

At first glance, this looks like another Photoshop job right? Check out the video below and see how it was really done.

The only cutting and pasting here was done with some fishing string and little Darth! :-)