Vietnam War footage: Cameras observed

goodtimes · 03-29-2011

Hi Folks,

I'm quite interested into looking at the various aspects of the Vietnam War, not that I loved it or hated it; I just enjoy watching what happened in this era.
On the following movie, around time 05 mn 30 s, several cameras can be observed. 2 of them are Nikonos 3 hanging from the neck of one of the soldier.
There is another one just before that action, can't tell what type though.
Interesting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDy0Z3HSkTE

I've watched carefully and there are cameras at the following times:
2:11, 2:39, 4:03, 4:09, 4:30, 5:30, 7:15, 7:25

BlaesFevrier · 03-29-2011

According to this page (I just found via google), the photographer (at around 5:30) seems to be Sgt. William L. Dickman. Unfortunately there are no more pages than this one.

Ronald M · 03-29-2011

From actual footage and magazine photos I remember, journalists carried two types, Nikons and Leicas. I never ever saw anything else.

One man recounted how he had multiple Leica M and they were cycled back to Japan for CLA almost monthy for check out and clean up. The humidity, dirt, moisture, & general rough treatment was pretty hard on them. It was a war you know and more than one journalist was killed.

The Leicas were fitted with wide to normal lenses and Nikons normal to tele. The single exception was a photo a Japanese journalist did of a refugee swimming across a river and it was a 135 2.8 on Leica.

goodtimes · 03-29-2011

Great information. I really enjoy reading these stories.

buzzardkid · 03-29-2011

Larry Burrows shot Nikon F or Nikkormat SLR's and Leica's:

I recently went this route with my camera's. The Nikkormat with portrait lens (mine is a 105mm) is a great center-weighted meter, the top read-out of the meter is really useful.

EDIT: the book to read is this one:

goodtimes · 03-31-2011

EDIT: the book to read is this one:

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I ordered this book second hand from amazon. I'm longing to receive it. Thanks for the advice.

ChrisN · 03-29-2011

Great book - recommended. (Thanks Hung!)

jmcd · 03-29-2011

Another great book, Requiem, filled with images by and of photographers who lost their lives in Vietnam and Indochina.

250swb · 03-29-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmcd

Another great book, Requiem, filled with images by and of photographers who lost their lives in Vietnam and Indochina.

Yes an excellent book, well worth finding a copy of.

Steve

ChrisN · 03-30-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmcd

Another great book, Requiem, filled with images by and of photographers who lost their lives in Vietnam and Indochina.

And also edited by Horst Faas (with Tim Page).

Keith · 03-29-2011

I started to watch the Youtube clip but didn't make it to the end ... the concept of war really freaks me out as do the guns and any other device made specifically to end human lives.

The importance of war photographers can't be over emphasised though IMO ... they are there to bring this horror to the rest of the world and maybe cause people to think a little harder about man's inumanity to his fellow man.

Not an anti war rant, sorry ... I just find this type of footage really confronting!

cliffpov · 03-31-2011

Good stuff. Thanks.

xayraa33 · 03-31-2011

I am amazed that they still used M1 carbines and M3(grease gun) sub machine guns in 1968.

DanOnRoute66 · 04-02-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by xayraa33

I am amazed that they still used M1 carbines and M3(grease gun) sub machine guns in 1968.

The U.S. Army used the M1 carbine until 1973 and the M3 submachine gun until 1992. Some forces around the world are still using them.

xayraa33 · 04-02-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanOnRoute66

The U.S. Army used the M1 carbine until 1973 and the M3 submachine gun until 1992. Some forces around the world are still using them.

Cool, that is good to know.

oftheherd · 04-02-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by xayraa33

I am amazed that they still used M1 carbines and M3(grease gun) sub machine guns in 1968.

I think they were left over from earlier times, or were "smuggled" in by people who believed them superior for whatever reason. The 30-30 round of the carbine would have been a better leaf cutter by a little. The military .45 round was greatly over rated. I saw carbines, but not many. Often I think they may have been liberated from VC. The grease gun was fun to play with. However, the M-16 was superior in all respects for Vietnam and most other combat. That's true but hard to say for an old M-1 sharpshooter and afficionado.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanOnRoute66

The U.S. Army used the M1 carbine until 1973 and the M3 submachine gun until 1992. Some forces around the world are still using them.

I was not aware of that. They may have been in the inventory, but I would not have thought they were used for anything but arming indigenous troops in various parts of the world, or for special ops trying to disallow any connection with the USA. If you know different I would be interested in hearing more, because most troops from mid-60s were using M-16s.

DanOnRoute66 · 04-05-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by oftheherd

I think they were left over from earlier times, or were "smuggled" in by people who believed them superior for whatever reason. The 30-30 round of the carbine would have been a better leaf cutter by a little. The military .45 round was greatly over rated. I saw carbines, but not many. Often I think they may have been liberated from VC. The grease gun was fun to play with. However, the M-16 was superior in all respects for Vietnam and most other combat. That's true but hard to say for an old M-1 sharpshooter and afficionado.

I was not aware of that. They may have been in the inventory, but I would not have thought they were used for anything but arming indigenous troops in various parts of the world, or for special ops trying to disallow any connection with the USA. If you know different I would be interested in hearing more, because most troops from mid-60s were using M-16s.

Some French forces (chiefly paratroopers, I think) used the M-1 carbine with the folding metal stock during their misadventure in Vietnam. A lot of them ended up captured.

U.S. forces early on in Vietnam used the M-14 but the high humidity distorted the stock and therefore the barrel. The problem was solved later with the advent of a fiberglass stock for the M-14 but by then the U.S. had moved on to the M-16. The M-14 did remain in the inventory for many years with some units as a sniper rifle but I don't know whether it is still being used as such.

mooge · 03-31-2011

here's a link to a thread on another forum with photos of some Vietnam war photographers.

I'm amazed at how many cameras Mr. Burrows carrys.

and I'd reccommend a look at Requiem as well...

Peter Wijninga · 03-31-2011

Also recommendable:

- Larry Burrows - Vietnam
- Eddie Adams - Vietnam
- Henri Huet - J'etais Photographe de Guerre au Vietnam

Steve Bellayr · 04-02-2011

On the same subject another book to look at is "Shooting Under Fire: The World of the War Photographer" by Peter Howe, artisan Press 2002. On a more personal note I had a cousin who was a war photographer. He was killed over Europe during WWII.

LeicaFoReVer · 04-02-2011

disturbing, dragging dead people etc...although cameras are involved I am not interested at all...

35mmdelux · 04-02-2011

Vietnam Inc., Philip Jones Griffiths

Florian1234 · 04-05-2011

I'm still thrilled by the Flynn "case".

Peter Wijninga · 04-05-2011

Quote:

Some French forces (chiefly paratroopers, I think) used the M-1 carbine with the folding metal stock during their misadventure in Vietnam. A lot of them ended up captured.

No surprise since the USA was the main weapons supplier to the French up to their defeat in May 1954 at Diên Biên Phu.

emraphoto · 04-05-2011

do believe i saw a pair of nikonos on that clip.