With my new (to me) Bronica SQ-A camera. No, it doesn't have autofocus, or auto-exposure, or even a built in light meter (I'm currently using other cameras as proxy light meters, a pretty clunky but effective workaround).
Yes, it's big and heavy and old. And slow. So slow. Grass grows and paint dries as I figure out my exposure and get my focus set. But there's just something about it that is so much nicer than a 35mm format, and I mean film or digital. Wide open it's just dreamy. And the detail it renders is just enough - not super sharp like modern digital is, but not slightly fuzzy like much 35mm film feels.
It's a sweet spot. So sweet, that I may have accidentally shot 9 rolls of film during my mini-vacation last week, although in my defense at 12 images a roll that's not that hard to do. Ok, maybe it's a little hard.
The only thing I don't love about the camera is that it's unusual enough that it's like permission for people on the street to talk to me. After I took a photograph of these chairs a guy asked me what I was out photographing. I said, "stuff," which was as close as I could get since I really had no plan (chairs first! then fence! then I must photograph the pigeons and then some stone pillars with a mysterious lock on them!), but he seemed unimpressed with that answer and tried to sell me his services as a photography tour guide. I guess I must have smelled like a tourist.
Then there was the man who tried to give me pointers on photographing the fence, helpfully telling me where there was a spot without broken spikes on top. He also asked if I was taking a 'retro photo.' I thanked him politely and moved on.
But this is a small gripe, and maybe it was just an unlucky moment or two. Mostly the camera's just awesome.
So definitely expect some more photos from the camera on future Film Friday posts!
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