Photography Education

[venchka]

ps: and you won't be tempted to run around buying lenses and do-dads when you should be concentrating on the images.

More links:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/foru...splay.php?f=81

www.keh.com may have old rangefinders, probably in the film point & shoot area.

The classifieds @ rangefinder forum

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/phot...ieds/index.php

There is a really really nice Nikon SLR, motor & macro lens for sale right now. Also a good place to find less expensive gear as well.

[venchka]

One more:

Konica Auto S2 - First impressions
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Perhaps it wll be rather boring for many members and guests, as this camera is well known among RFF. Nevertheless I cannot stop myself from writing the following love poem, to my new Konica Auto S2.

I have even not finished a roll and I am already in love with this full featured camera, about whose sharp lens a lot have been already said.

"Why is this camera so big ?", I asked not long ago at RFF. After opening the top casting to clean the viewfinder optics it become very obvious. No effort has been invested by Konica designers to exploit all that empty space left out there. Just as simple as that. Yet, a great effort was invested in making a camera with great basic features, some of them taken to perfection.

As a point of reference I will take two other competitors: the Olympus SP and the Canonet GIII. In fact, the Minolta 7s should be present, but mine was given long time ago to an ex-friend who became so much in love with it that it seems he prefered the camera to my friendship.

THE LIKES
a) Coupled rangefinder. This means mooving framelines according to metered distance, thus eliminating automatically parallax problems for close focus shots. What a pleasure! Not only a pleasure, and accurate framed images but fast shooting too !!

Ask me about a fixed lens rangefinder for street photography, and I will say Konica Auto s2.

b) Another feature enabling fast shooting is the focusing handle, present too both at the Oly and the GIII. Once you get used to (and I am) you focus and shoot like with a machine gun.

c) But both the Oly and the GIII have rather cranky (grrrrr) shutter speeds rings. Here the Konica shines. Both the shutter and f/stop rings are so smoooooth...

d) The viewfinder came quite clouded, but once cleaned it becomes the antithesys of the Kievs. With the Kievs you have a dim viewfinder but a strongly bright yellow patch. The Konica bears a rather dim yellow (greenish) patch but a very sharp and contrasty viewing window. Another pleasure !

e) Size and weight. 750 grams for both body and lens is not the last word of technology, but not proper of the Filinstones too. In fact both the Oly and the GIII are only 100~150 grams less heavy, while much smaller. The Koni big size on the other hand makes the camera very much grippable, easy to handle from the first moment. But, obviously this is not the camera you will pick when carrying a lot of gear besides.

f) Cds cell meter and Auto exposure. The s2 sports a cds cell meter, which I cannot speak too much about since the one in my sample although mooving is not consistent nor quick. Provided a sample in which the cell meter works, you have a shutter priority (again fast shooting first) auto exposure, with readings of the consequent f/stop both at the viewfinder and at a special window over the top casting, enabling discreet meterings towards people at close range. "Exposure lock" via depressing half way the shutter.


g) Shutter noise. Quite in the low noise league, and for sure not that punch on your face like with the Oly. But somehow my feeling is that here the Koni designers went lazy too. And they added sin to crime, by making an amateur-appealing unique feature - a kind of deliberate ratcher noise while you moove the winding handle....

h) Price. Ho guys and girls, perhaps this is the only great camera in which you are almost paid for to buy. I paid u$d 30 for an Exc+ model. Can you believe it, a coupled rangefinder shutter priority auto-manual with above the average optics = just $30 incl case ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

i) On top of it: depht of field scale, with infra red mark.

Please relieve those sellers from this burden, take one home.

THE DISLIKES
a) What the hell is that "built in hood", described in the manual as being of the "push out" type ? I look at the camera and see no hood, but a slight protrusion of the filter compound, about some half of a centimeter. Can this be the hood ? Nahh ... If yes it should "push out". Therefore I push and push until I jam that black compound, breaking the plastic pin fixing the compound and one of the wires of the cell meter... Fortunately, even with the loosen compound the camera continues to operate as a fully manual one. I believe from some pics, my sample arrived without the hood. Beware.

b) I disliked too the chromish look of such a big camera. A camera of this size should have been designed either black, or with a black optional body. Black reduces apparent size. Chrome biggens it. Even if it was not the fashion by the sixties, camera size had to be taken into account.

Otherwise, very promising camera !

Kindly post your Konica Auto S2, until I may post mine.
__________________
My gallery:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/phot...00&ppuser=1179

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Last edited by ruben : 05-14-2006 at 11:30.

[Digital Daddy]

I took the NYI course, because my work schedule is very erratic. The best thing about this course was the feedback from your instructor. That being said, I learned more from my bad shots than the good ones. I found out what the problem was, so I could fix it. I need to thank the several mentors at church and at work who were barraged by my "stupid" questions.

[venchka]

One final thought: You may not want to pay attention to me. I never follow my own advice. I own too much stuff.

The last time I looked (last year), the U. of Houston offered a 4 year curriculum in photography. A course or two there might jump start you in the right direction.

[laawaaris]

thanks for all the details venchka, i really appreciate it

the poem was quite enjoyable

[venchka]

You are very welcome. I'm always glad to help.

[Junderwood]

You might look at a local community college. Richland in Dallas County Community District offer an associates degree in imaging. The only class in the major area that is not "shooting" based is one Photoshop class. There is a lot shooting and critique by both professors and classmates. Structured shooting assignments, competitions, exhibitions, week long shooting expeditions in Santa Fe etc.

At Richland most of the instructors are free lance photographers with different area of expertise. They each bring not only a different skill set and speciality to the classroom, but a different perspective on photography as a whole. The classes cost a whopping $117.00 each for a full term, plus textbook. If it is a class that employees the darkroom then film and paper are extra.

It seems that most of the instructors require you to look at others photographers work etc. Pushing you to explore and expand your thinking and perspective.

If you could find a similar program near you home it might be worth looking into.

Oh and shoot lots of frames...:)

[venchka]

Here's an example of a decent, small, working RF camera:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/phot...p?product=5489

GOOGLE Rice University Adult Education or something like that. They had non-credit photography classes a year or so ago. Not too expensive. The courses fill up quickly so be prepared.

[venchka]

Courses at Rice

Studio Art and Photography

DAYTIME: Hands-On Digital Photography
DAYTIME: Intermediate Hands-On Digital Photography
Watercolor Painting: Color Fundamentals
You, Too, Can Draw!
The Basics of Photography
Advanced Photography Workshop with Peter Brown
Introduction to Digital Photography
Introduction to Digital Photography: A One-Day Seminar
Intermediate Digital Photography
Creating Superior Images with Your Digital Camera and Photoshop®
Creating Superior Images II
Introduction to Photographic Lighting
Shooting and Producing a Documentary

[Jim Victory]

Originally Posted by laawaaris

i like everyone's suggestions - thanks!

i have thought about getting a film camera for some time ... and i looked up the Konika Auto S2 ... i don't know anything about rangefinders, but I believe this is the type that VENCHKA recommended?

why would a rangefinder be better to learn from than an Film SLR ... there is a Nikon N80 that my friend is interested in selling ... is there any benefit to the rangefinder?

also, where in the world would i buy a Konika Auto S2 -- i cannot find it on BHPHOTO, EBAY or GOOGLE, and i'm plump out of ideas

Having shot with a film camera for many years it was a good learning experience and I have a thorough knowledge of the technical aspects of photography because of it.

However I wouldn't recommend it today for someone who wants to learn photography. The instant feedback of a digital camera is much better for learning quickly. Nothing beats seeing the results of your efforts immediately rather than waiting for the film to be develope. It is easier to correct your mistakes and understand the effects of various settings when you see the results immediately.

A film camera, especially an all manual one, is great for learning the relationship of apertures, exposures, and shutter speeds but you can do the same thing with a digital camera by setting it on manual. The difference is you get the immediate feedback that enables you to learn what works and what doesn't right then.

Besides possible formal classes you may want to see if someone in your area would be interested in mentoring you. Try to go on photographic outings with other TPF members or camera clubs and ask questions.

[laawaaris]

even though i agree 100% with what Jim is saying, i still went out and bought that konica s2 rangefinder off of ebay ... how will i know if i have to get it repaired?

the only thing about digital is that even though you get instant feedback, i still find the screen to be very, very small and not a true representation of what the actual picture will look like on my monitor ... although i don't see it myself, i have also heard the LCD screen to bit a bit contrasty in picture/color ...

with my new D200, i feel more like i can rely the results i see b/c of the larger screen, but sometimes when you are out in broad daylight you just cannot see anything on the back of the LCD (except the histogram)

nevertheless, i think the most important thing for me is to keep practicing

[venchka]

Welcome aboard! I hope I didn't send you in the wrong direction. Don't forget to share your images with us.

If the camera seems to be working ok, run a roll of film through it while you can still return it. Assuming you can return it. Try all the shutter speeds. A slow film and/or early & late are good for that. If it's working-use it.

Down the road you may wish to have the camera cleaned and adjusted. Jacob at Camera Repair Service Center does good work for me. He worked for Nikon once upon a time and understands older hardware. You can find him here:

Camera Repair Service Center
4654 Hwy. 6 N Suite 101 D
Houston, TX 77084
281-550-2222

Call ahead first. He may be on vacation sometime this summer.

[chase_pedigo]

Originally Posted by kachina

Your public library probably has a good selection of books as well if you don't have $$$ to spend on books.

What are some good books to learn portrait work?