Rangefinder Wins Again!

[bmattock]

One thing I found out about Union Square in San Francisco - it is a great photo location - the place was lousy with pro and amateur photographers, day and night. I caught this fellow as he was getting ready to pop what appeared to be a commercial-art photo of a guy and girl snogging it up on a street corner in front of a flower vender. He had all the kit, about seventy-eleven assistants, but I still managed to get in close and pop this shot before he settled down to his real work. He looks kinda mad, but a second after I took this, he gave me a grin.

Anybody know who he is? Just curious. With all the assistants he had running around, I had to suspect that he was a 'celebrity' photog.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[bmattock]

And here's another photog caught in the act - yes, rangefinder wins over large format - but did you ever doubt it?

[bmattock]

And not to leave the medium-format boys out - but I will say, they seemed to have the most, uh, shapely assistants. What, is MF good for attracting girls? Hey, baby, wanna come over to my place and see my Bronica?

[back alley]

he does look kinda familiar but, no cigar.
sorry bill.

joe

[bmattock]

And finally, here's our pal Vilen, getting after it with a Polaroid folding rangefinder! Don't laugh, those oldies are capable of some incredible photography even still! And if you get the two-part pull-apart B&W, you can stabilize the negative and have virtual Large Format that can be hand-held! Very, very, cool. Vilen, you da man.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[Brian Sweeney]

Hmmm. He does not have the system case that came with the model 180. The cover is not Black like my 180. Let's get a close-up of the camera. Looks like the close-up adapter is on it. Did it have a timer on the back?

At one time I picked up almost any Polaroid Pack camera at the thrift stores; typically under $8. Nina found a model 180 with every accessory for it in the system kit for $100 for me. I just had the bellows replaced and camera CLA'd.

[bmattock]

This is all I have, unless Vilen comes back online to offer information.

[Brian Sweeney]

Looks like a plastic shutter housing, no timer, and folding two-window viewfinder. Most Likely a Model 101,103,or 230. I love the Zeiss finder on the 180 and 250 (and 350,360,450).

[marceloporto]

They win over digital as well...the Minox 35 GT caught my wife and daughter as they reviewed their results. Never stop to look at your gun during the shootout, some might say.

Cheers

[taffer]

Rangefinder... WINS :)

[GeneW]

Points taken, but look at the smiles on their faces! That's why digital has become such a phenom. It's the new Polaroid -- instant pictures. Most folks LOVE seeing their pics right away.

I'm delighted that digital has had such an impact. It's brought millions of people back into photography.

Our job is to convince a few of them that there's an even cooler type of camera called RF! :D

Gene