Hello from England [Archive] - Rangefinderforum.com

FrankS

07-04-2008, 13:43

Having a great time, wish you were here.

My camera gear choice is working out fine. I would not want to change anything. Everything fits in my Domke 802 bag and I can carry everything all day long. I weighed up the individual pieces and it comes out to 4.4 kg. This does not include the bag or film. This is possibly a once in a lifetime experience so I included backup bodies which I utilize for colour and B+W, small format and medium format.

Plaubel Makina, Fuji GS645
Hexar RF, Leica IIf
Canon 28f3.5, Summaron 35f3.5, CV40f1.4, CZJ50f2
CVmeter, 28/35 viewfinder, 50 viewfinder

chris000

07-04-2008, 13:48

Welcome to England Frank - hope you left room for an umbrella!

Enjoy your stay.

xayraa33

07-04-2008, 13:56

Enjoy your self Frank.
have some nice english ale.
and bring back some great photos.

maybe not in that order.

FrankS

07-04-2008, 13:59

Thanks Chris and Joseph. Umbrellas came in handy yesterday, getting heavily rained on in London, twice.

BTW, I saw only one film camera shooter the whole day, but he had a Mamiya 7 with wide angle lens. He noticed the Leica IIf around my neck and we acknowledged each other.

And guess what? The grass really IS greener on this side of the pond. European photographers have it easy. There is so much photogenic potential here, random point and shootings of the camera will yield fantastic images. (overstated simply to make a point)

John Bragg

07-04-2008, 14:11

Welcome to England Frank. Hope you have a wonderful time and get some great photos.

back alley

07-04-2008, 14:28

have a great time frankie!

MickH

07-04-2008, 14:55

Hi Frank, glad you're enjoying it over here. If you ignore our food it's a great (if expensive) place to spend some time.

blazeicehockey

07-04-2008, 15:25

Hi Frank,
Welcome to this sceptred isle. Don't forget to try our hometown food such as a Big Mac, a KFC party bucket or a Big Whopper.

But seriously, you have to try proper chip shop fish and chips (plenty of salt and vinegar mind), a pint of bitter (lager is a girls drink!) and a pub lunch. Something like a Ploughman's followed by bread and butter pudding or apple pie and custard....

If you are in London, head for the London Eye (views over London), the British Museum (great architecture inside) and Covent Garden (a street phtographer's dream). If you had to go one place else, I'd say the Lake District...boy that grass is green there!

Take care!
Darrin

sweathog

07-04-2008, 15:57

Welcome, welcome, we have very little to offer. Unhealthy food, warm ale and tarted-up teenage mothers. What more could you ask for? (Changed from an '!' just in case Valdemar got annoyed)
In all seriousness, I hope you have a great time in England, there is so much to do, so much to see, so much to eat/drink.
If you're in London, you must check out the Photographers' Gallery, near... ruddy hell... that place... my memory is awful. Googled it, Leicester Square.

35mmdelux

07-04-2008, 16:00

Stonehenge.

Al Patterson

07-04-2008, 16:03

Stonehenge.

Isn't that just a pile of rocks in the middle of a field?

I'll wait for the druids to show up before I go...

nikonhswebmaster

07-04-2008, 17:01

M. Valdemar

07-04-2008, 17:32

I would reply here but Frank S. has forbidden me to post in his threads, since he feels I am a non-repentant stinker.

crawdiddy

07-04-2008, 17:45

Valdemar probably likes warm ale and tarted-up teenage mothers as much as the next guy!!!

Ahhh!!! Nothing like Euro-trash. So much more interesting than the domestic variety. You know, different tattoos....

raid

07-04-2008, 18:31

Have a good trip and take many photos, Frank. We expect a travel log when you return to your home.

victoriapio

07-04-2008, 19:32

Frank,

Just got back from ten days around London and not a drop of rain, sorry you are catching some wet English hospitality. I began posting my photos today: http://www.ocgarzaphotography.com/gallery2/v/PhotoswithLeicaM8/ - all except for the last photo in my M8 gallery all are with a Leica M8 + Zeiss 21 f2.8 as I left my 35 Voightlander on one of the buses- Yikes in a windbreaker pocket!) If you are staying anywhere near Westminster try the St George's Tavern - great bitter and good English fare - especially the breakfast English sausages ;>)

Stonehenge was nice but if you like rocky photos try Avebury instead for a totally different kind of henge - and even more photographic.

O.C.
Yank from Texas

oscroft

07-04-2008, 21:39

btw, from experience, avoid kidney pie
What? Good steak and kidney pie is delicious - but it needs to be made with good steak and it should have large chunks of good fresh kidney.

Welcome to the UK Frank, hope you have a great time.

sweathog

07-05-2008, 03:58

What's wrong with boiled tomatoes? They balance out the full english perfectly...

like2fiddle

07-05-2008, 04:19

Enjoy your trip Frank. Looks like most of your lenses are of the "vintage" variety - can't wait to see the pics.

SolaresLarrave

07-05-2008, 04:27

I was wondering where you were, Frank.

Don't miss the Speaker's Corner, Frank, where people literally stand on their soapbox. Is it in Hyde Park? I went to London in '92, and my memories aren't too reliable.

Have a nice trip and shoot rolls and rolls and rolls of keepers! :)

Windscale

07-05-2008, 06:26

After you have tried all the English specialities, there are plenty of good stuff in the international menu.
Don't miss our Indian curry as England is where all the best Indian cooks (from India) went!
And Greek or Turkish Kebab (Shish and Doner etc.) as well. Yes, all the best Greek and Turkish Chefs also came to England!
So, to sum it up, England, or rather, Great Britain, has the best of all worlds.
I am sure you will get the best of everything. May be a little playing-up regarding the English weather.
Do post all you took for us to see after your trip.

oscroft

07-05-2008, 07:06

Don't miss the Speaker's Corner, Frank, where people literally stand on their soapbox. Is it in Hyde Park?
It is indeed.

victoriapio

07-05-2008, 08:39

It is indeed.

Keep in mind Speakers Corner is primarily a Sunday event. I was there earlier this week on a weekday and besides nothing happening, they were still cleaning up from Nelson Mandella's 90th bday.

Definitely go on Sunday however.

35mmdelux

07-05-2008, 09:28

RE: Stonehenge. "Isn't that just a pile of rocks in the middle of a field? "

I'll wait for the druids to show up before I go...

da Vinci, Mona Lisa (La Jaconda). Isn't this just a painting of a smiling lady?

BTW: the druids have been and gone my friend.

Windscale

07-05-2008, 09:40

If you're in London, you must check out the Photographers' Gallery, near... ruddy hell... that place... my memory is awful. Googled it, Leicester Square.

Here it is:

http://www.photonet.org.uk/

It is well worth a visit.

chris000

07-05-2008, 11:01

Originally Posted by Al Patterson http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/themes/graphite/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=850569#post850569)
RE: Stonehenge. "Isn't that just a pile of rocks in the middle of a field? "

I'll wait for the druids to show up before I go...

da Vinci, Mona Lisa (La Jaconda). Isn't this just a painting of a smiling lady?

BTW: the druids have been and gone my friend.

I live less than 2 miles from Stonehenge and drive past it most days, believe me it is just a pile of rocks in a field!

FrankS

07-12-2008, 03:04

Hello again! Just back from a 5 day driving tour. From Padstow Corwall, we drove into southern Wales to see Raglan Castle and Tinturn Abbey. Driving on the left is "interesting". The next day we walked up Glastonbury Tor and then walked around Stonehenge. These were my 2 must see spots. Unfortunately, that day was constant rain. Then off to Bath for a couple of nights. The pedestrian square in front of the Roman baths and Bath Abbey was very interesting with street buskers performing. There was a Regge guitar player who played a super rendition of Bob Marley's Redemtion Song at my request. Then Warwick Castle and Hampton Court.

My bag is heavy, but carry-able. The Contax Tvs is my colour neg film P+S for family album snaps. In B+W, I'm surprized to find myself using the Leica IIf with 35mm Summaron the most. For special scenes, I pull out a folding MF 6x7 camera. My film cameras were the catalyst of several pleasant sponteanious(sp?) conversations with fellow photographers. I see almost no other film cameras being used at all.

I mis-loaded a roll of film in the IIf one day and took 38 pictures on the film leader. I think the film went in too deep and did not mate with the camera's film advance sprocket. It was my careless fault for not checking to see the film rewind knob not rotating during film advance.

Ta-ta for now. I'll check in a while again.

Windscale

07-12-2008, 03:41

Hope you have tasted the real Cornish Pasties.
Have a nice time.

jky

07-12-2008, 07:11

There is so much photogenic potential here, random point and shootings of the camera will yield fantastic images. (overstated simply to make a point)

Quite jealous over here, Frank...
You're right about the "potential" - it's a feast for the eyes (... and trigger finger, and film, and wallet to buy film...:) )
Have a good time! Hope to see some results when you get back.

Windscale

07-12-2008, 08:34

......... For special scenes, I pull out a folding MF 6x7 camera. ............

I forgot to ask. Which camera was this?

Trius

07-12-2008, 11:00

Hi Frank,
<snip>

But seriously, you have to try proper chip shop fish and chips (plenty of salt and vinegar mind), a pint of bitter (lager is a girls drink!) and a pub lunch. Something like a Ploughman's followed by bread and butter pudding or apple pie and custard....

Take care!
Darrin

Darrin: I can assure that Frank is ALL over that scene. I'd be shocked if he didn't come back having consulted an NHS cardiologist. :D

FrankS

07-12-2008, 14:26

I forgot to ask. Which camera was this?

Windscale, it's a Plaubel Makina.

Earl, hey! I resemble that remark! There's a chippy in Hastings that's to die for.

I'm going through my 35mm film rather quickly. Luckily I've got lots of 120 HP5+ left for France. Once I get home and do some printing, I'll be able to say if the MF cameras were worthwhile carrying around.

In small format, I'm finding it much easier to use 35mm as my standard focal length here in England, rather than 50mm that is my fav in Canada.

rover

07-13-2008, 02:05

FrankS

07-14-2008, 12:52

Saw some more typical London sights, and some intersting ones, like Brick Lane on a market day. (Great bagel shop there.) Saw some good camera shops around the British Museum. Saw one guy lugging around a Nikon F2. Yesterday in Rye, my son especially, had fun flying kites on the beach and climbing the dunes. Off to Brighton again tomorrow to prowl the lanes.

blazeicehockey

07-14-2008, 13:23

blazeicehockey

07-15-2008, 14:54

Damn - didn't take my camera and what happens? : priests using mobile phones, victorian strong men with dumbells, colourful buskers, clear blue skies to contrast with the architecture etc etc . Sigh...lesson learned.

thomasw_

07-15-2008, 15:06

I am curious, Frank, what film you are using in that Plaubel Makina?

Silva Lining

07-15-2008, 15:57

Hampton Court.

If I had known, I'd have joined you for a swift Bishops Finger at the Cardinal Wolseley.... I only live a mile away..

FrankS

07-16-2008, 01:04

Thomas, I'm using HP5+. I plan on developing it in HC110, 1:100.

Phill, a missed opportunity, I'm sorry! It's always cool to meet people in person as opposed to just on a web-forum, and to meet someone from far away is most interesting.

We spent another day in Brighton yesterday. There is an interesting junk/treasures shop in the Laines with a photo gallery on the second floor. Good stuff by a local photographer. There is a pic of the old peir burning. He also has a pic of an elelphant with large soap bubbles floating in front. It looks like the elephant is laughing. Made me smile.

SCOTFORTHLAD

07-16-2008, 01:34

Hi Frank,
Good to hear that you are having a good time,I hope you have been made welcome.Glad also to hear that you touched on Wales last week.What did you make of the bi-lingual traffic signs?

Enjoy the rest of the trip.

Brian.

FrankS

07-16-2008, 01:42

blazeicehockey

07-16-2008, 02:35

Hi Brian,

I'm quite used to bi-lingual signs from English/French Canada, so that was not at all weird for me. In my driving, I've found that the road signage in general is not adequate or clear enough for a visitor's needs. People we've met have all been extremely pleasant and helpful.

I'll be visiting Canada for the first time next week and will be driving between Niagra, Toronto, Ottowa, Montreal and Quebec. Just enough time on the plane to refresh on my school French. I hope the photo opportunity gods shine on me for two weeks.

Darrin

FrankS

07-16-2008, 02:42

Hi Darrin! Hope you have a good trip. It will likely be hot and sunny. Wide open spaces. Not too much interesting in the countryside to photograph. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I live a bit north of Toronto, but am on vacation in the UK at the moment.

Suggestion: start a new thread for your trip. You'll get lots of help and advice. There are RFF members in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal areas that I know of.

Roger Hicks

07-16-2008, 02:53

Saving the high megapixel stuff for the continent. Swing by the Hicks estate. I hear you may be able to do some old fashioned printing there. ;)

Actually, I think spending a day printing with Frances, and Roger, would be cool.

Anyone who's passing, PM me. Frank knows that too. IF I can get a room AND spare the time (some hope of a reprint of RANGEFINDER), I may just pop down and see him near Carcassonne.

Cheers,

R.