Personal Retro Cameras

I blogged the other week about cameras for work and pleasure, and I thought I would revisit this area.

I find it interesting in the number of photographers who go for retro style cameras for their personal use. There seems to be something that inspires when we use older style cameras.

One of the most popular but I expect due to price its more that people would like then actually own it the Leica M. An iconic camera and I am extremely lucky to own not only film M’s but digital M’s that I regularly use.

Model Ivory Flame, Camera Leica M10 and 50mm Summilux-M

So you want a retro styled camera; what’s available. First up we have to start with Fuji, and I’ll mention the X100, but there whole X series are very good cameras if you want a retro feel.

I will also give a shout out to the Olympus Pen series cameras. Like the Fuji X100, I have come close to purchasing a Pen and the Pen F with its viewfinder I thought was a wonderful camera, we now also have the OM3 with again has a very retro feel.

Lastly as a Nikon fan I feel I should mention the ZFc and the ZF, both great cameras but a little larger in the hand.

If you want a fixed lens retro inspired camera, then I feel the options are Leica Q if money is no concern. Or for the majority of us the Fuji X100.

For interchangeable lens; if your after small I think the OM Pen series or the new OM3; I like MicroFourThirds; the small size and good lens line up. Have a look at the Fuji line up as well.

Lastly you have the Nikons, not as small but with the Z mount and the available adapters, possibly the biggest line of modern and classic lens to experiment with.

Winter Monochrom

old vines against an ancient stone wall

Its at this time of year when we start to get frustrated with our photography.

dead poppy heads against a brown field

I often find myself shooting black and white; images of old churches, bare trees etc, but there is also opportunities to capture colour monochrome images. A brown field etc, gray old wood against a stone wall. Keep a look out and you may be surprised with the images you can capture.

The new OM3

It was not only Nikon releasing cameras and lens last week. Olympus or OM as there now know released the OM-3.

I am a big fan of the OM system and MicroFourThirds, while everyone focuses on full frame, DX and smaller have advantages in size and weight.

The new OM3 is very well built and has a number of nice features for street photography. Interestingly the new camera and a lens is not much different in price then a Fuji X100 and I think it will appeal to the same market.

Olympus OM10 Micro Four Thirds

My soft spot for the OM range has always been the Pen series, especially the last Pen F, a lovely camera, this new OM3 is as close to that as they have gotten in a while.

Nikon Z 35mm f/1.2 S

It’s been a long wait but the latest Nikon Z S prime is finally out. We have the new 35mm to join the 50mm and the 85mm. We might want to include the 135mm f/1.8 S into this class as well.

We are now starting to see Nikon’s strategy in there prime lens selection. A f/1.8 S range top class, f/1.4 optically not as good but characterful, smaller and cheaper. Then the f/1.2’s no compromise lens.

I do not think as the 35mm focal length as a wide angle but a complementary portrait lens to the 50mm that we can use to show more of the environment.

Young woman sitting on the floor, one leg out stretched.  She is wearing a pretty short pink dress and is looking towards the camera.

Social Media for Photographers

The inside of a cafe, looking out the window at an old market square.  A person walking a dog is passing by.

At first we all used to have our own websites, then places like Facebook and Instagram came along, and drew us in.

Now with the algorithm dictating the terms, most sites promoting short form video in the hope of caching in on the TikTok trend, many promoting ideas that half of the population do not agree with; now many photographers are moving off these site that no longer seem to work for photographers. The question is where to go?

I have moved over to the Mastodon from Twitter a few years ago and recently started to post pictures to Pixelfed as well as Instagram. I have deleted my Facebook account, and am looking at getting rid of Instagram. As a photo sharing site it’s now pretty poor but I still find it useful to keep in contact with models.

Surprisingly one site from the past seems to be making a come back is Flickr I have recently started to post there again.

Doom strolling is certainly bad for us and being more selective with our social media can be nothing but good.

Cameras for work and cameras for pleasure

Blond model with thigh boots and jacket sitting on a park bench outside.

Its been interesting seeing the number of photographers with work and personal or ‘fun’ cameras.

Despite the trolls and fanboys all crying that ‘Canon/Nikon/Sony’ (delete your chosen hated brand) are the best, its interesting to see what’s in the bags of professional photographers.

While Canon 5D’s 1D’s, R1/3/5’s; Nikon D5, D850, Z9/8 and Sony A1/A9 are the main choices when working, its interesting so see what else they have packed away.

The top choice seems to be a Fuji X100 tucked away in the bag, small good quality, and so useful to photographers mixing flash and daylight with its leaf shutter. It also seems to be the internets favourite camera. I have come close to pulling the trigger on one myself.

Product photo of a Fuji X100

For those with the cash the Leica Q has been racing up the list; I know of one New York fashion photographer who is know for his wide-angle use has switched to the Q as his main camera.

Man in jeans and shirt, on the deck of a sea going ferry, looking out to sea.
Leica M8 sample – Sea voyage

What would you pick as a personal camera for when you put the pro cameras away?

Adobe Lightroom Preset

a screen print showing Lightroom presets, it shows a list for:
None
Default2024
Default2025

There are some settings I apply to every photo, one of these is copyright information. So beginning of each year I create some new default presets, This one Default2025 is for copyright information, I then have one for the main cameras so an M10 preset and a Z preset for example.

A bit of work at the start of each year, a new 2025 folder. structure and we are set for another year.

Leica SL3-S Released

This week we saw the release of the new S version of the Leica SL3. The S versions are often seen as a cheaper version of the SL but should be in fact considered a faster more video focused version. Once again we see Leica sticking with 24 megapixels. Like Nikon and the Z6 mark III, it seems to be a sweet spot in the performance stakes.

Topless redhead sat outdoors in an alcove.   She has a pink skirt and her arms cover her breasts.
Leica M10, 50mm Summilux and Ivory Flame modeling

I will not bore you with details but it looks a solid release, if your an SL shooter, wanting to get into SL glass, or just want to shoot M glass but do not like a range finder, the SL range of bodies have something for you.

Implied topless – Black and White

Black and white portrait, dark haired model looking down with an open blouse showing a lot of cleavage.

What makes a sexy image?

Nude black and white portrait, models arms covering her breasts making the image implied.

For me it’s a confident model who can express that to the camera. Showing less is said to be more and often a confident model with an implied topless image is one of the sexiest images you can produce.

Black and white image, model in black pants and stockings, topless with one arm touching her hair while the other covers her breasts.

Strong defining light, some shadow and mystery. Its a theme I return to often.