Photo Equipment Junkies

For the longest time I didn't understand why a Hasselblad camera/system was the price of a starter home. Then I saw a documentary about the Hassie and I discovered that they're so expensive because they are handmade, still. My respect level rose but I doubt that I'll ever own one.

I stumbled upon a 1996 art house movie called Secrets & Lies, which is very good. The cast is British, and I kept asking myself, where have I seen this character? Then I realized that it was Mrs. Hughes from Downton Abbey, young! Anyway, one of the characters in the movie puts down another because he owns a Bronica camera (discontinued in 2005), which he goes on to explain that it's the poor man's Hassleblad.

I never considered myself an equipment junkie until I decided to organize my equipment from camera to filter with an Excel file. I'm definitely an equipment junkie although I'm not quite ready for a 12-step program. When I decided between the Nikon and Canon systems I went with Nikon because the lens mount, at the time, had not changed. Only recently with the digital Z has the lens mount changed. I have no regrets.

I took out my Mamiya C330F (my poor man's Hassie) because I bought some Kodak Vericolor 220 film from eBay a short while back. It's expired so I'm excited to see what I come home with. This will probably be in springtime because today it's 23 degrees and shockingly cold. Mechanical cameras are heavy, often require a tripod, and they eat time during set up. I was lucky enough to find a 220 film reel (they are very rare) so I can develop at home per usual.

Film photography can be point and shoot but often it is work intensive and it requires more. More time, more thought and more equipment. I'm slightly past the next "upgrade" but I do enjoy collecting my Diana F clones, and I enjoy the specialty films that are on the market, giving the ordinary subject a fresh perspective.

After two years of Covid I want to travel more in 2023 so my splurges will be on film and personal projects. I've started looking through old film that I've scanned and film that I haven't developed, more rolls than I care to admit to. I'm definitely more disciplined with unpacking my bag, developing my film, scanning and posting. On this crazy cold day I've selected some summer stills. Back to my Excel file.