Need professional help PLEASE READ and REPLY ASAP

laurenp · Jan 3, 2010

As a professional photographic artist for over 20 years I took a long (12 years)break from photo due to life circumstances. Although my love for the medium has never left. I was primarily a street shooter and did some inhouse self portraiture mostly in double exposure through the camera(NOT PHOTO SHOPPED) it was never available then. I am a tech nut and even now want to start over and do what I have always loved. By the way what has happened to the great photojournalists of the past. I studied with some of the worlds best years ago. I love the style of Gilles Peress(if you know his work) and those such as Mary Ellen Mark(a bit old now) but feel the history of photography in my blood always.

My biggest question is I wanted to utilize some of my equipment from the past (especially lenses) but it seems pretty impossible without much sacrifice in speed, focus and maybe even threat in this day and age. Many have went to landscape, but not me. I would like to utilize some of my great lenses...Pentax 6x7 lens(I think they will only fit the new Pentax K-7? with an adapter( which most just shake thier head). Although I have done made many photo modification in my life in the darkroom and in the camera(when others may have laughed) I am only concerned about the image! (OPPS with the best technical qualities I can get). It seems like I must either invest ALLOT of money or get a non-professional body and try to put the best possible optics on it I can buy.(this is what I would prefer) I have firm belief it is possible, but because I am new to digital I dont know how. Would you suggest starting int the middle ... D90, D300, D300s, Pentax k-7? or perhaps the 4/3rds system Panasonic GH1. The reason I say this is the old nikkor lenses (24mm, 50mm, 105mm will semi work with the nikons, the Leica R series(28mm, 50mm, 90, 180mm) will work with the Panansonic (believe it or not...price is about $1600) the pentax 6x7 lens with an adapter. Then what will function with the leica lens or any lens with an adapter??? the camera stores locally do not know, b&h pro stated the leica r series will work with a Canon with an adapter ( one made in germany is the best) These cost about $250.00 ???

or do I just start over and get a nikon digital and invest in a good zoom? Of course I would like to shoot 21- 24mm (wide) even fixed lens and a 90-105 mm range for portrait. In my days I loved the experience of getting up close with always asking for the image. However unforutnately the world has changed and it seems like most are shooting from a zoom lens at a distance not to be intimidated by the subject. I can understand it but I do not like it.

The greatest part of photography for me was meeting the individual and giving them my time to listen and validate them and they gave me a great image...or at least a feeling of bonding with humanity whether it be people on the street or an famous individual.

Thanks for listening and I would really appreciate your opinion very much. I must purchase in the next few days...it is my limit!!!

Thanks and everyone KEEP SHOOTING (I need to practice what I preach) this is the greatest experience and love of all, even though the equipment is important.

ps. I want to simplify my life...shoot easy, put the energy I have left at my age into what I enjoy most...the shooting, not printing, developing film, and all of the hard work that goes into it. Although I would not mind getting an epson 600 scanner for the images I have on film. Also I do not mind on spending more money if makes my life easier as now I am older, my vision is not as good and I do not work as fast.

Thanks for your help :hail:and for reading this long message!

laurenp · Jan 3, 2010

As a professional photographic artist for over 20 years I took a long (12 years)break from photo due to life circumstances. Although my love for the medium has never left. I was primarily a street shooter and did some inhouse self portraiture mostly in double exposure through the camera(NOT PHOTO SHOPPED) it was never available then. I am a tech nut and even now want to start over and do what I have always loved. By the way what has happened to the great photojournalists of the past. I studied with some of the worlds best years ago. I love the style of Gilles Peress(if you know his work) and those such as Mary Ellen Mark(a bit old now) but feel the history of photography in my blood always.

My biggest question is I wanted to utilize some of my equipment from the past (especially lenses) but it seems pretty impossible without much sacrifice in speed, focus and maybe even threat in this day and age. Many have went to landscape, but not me. I would like to utilize some of my great lenses...Pentax 6x7 lens(I think they will only fit the new Pentax K-7? with an adapter( which most just shake thier head). Although I have done made many photo modification in my life in the darkroom and in the camera(when others may have laughed) I am only concerned about the image! (OPPS with the best technical qualities I can get). It seems like I must either invest ALLOT of money or get a non-professional body and try to put the best possible optics on it I can buy.(this is what I would prefer) I have firm belief it is possible, but because I am new to digital I dont know how. Would you suggest starting int the middle ... D90, D300, D300s, Pentax k-7? or perhaps the 4/3rds system Panasonic GH1. The reason I say this is the old nikkor lenses (24mm, 50mm, 105mm will semi work with the nikons, the Leica R series(28mm, 50mm, 90, 180mm) will work with the Panansonic (believe it or not...price is about $1600) the pentax 6x7 lens with an adapter. Then what will function with the leica lens or any lens with an adapter??? the camera stores locally do not know, b&h pro stated the leica r series will work with a Canon with an adapter ( one made in germany is the best) These cost about $250.00 ???

or do I just start over and get a nikon digital and invest in a good zoom? Of course I would like to shoot 21- 24mm (wide) even fixed lens and a 90-105 mm range for portrait. In my days I loved the experience of getting up close with always asking for the image. However unforutnately the world has changed and it seems like most are shooting from a zoom lens at a distance not to be intimidated by the subject. I can understand it but I do not like it.

The greatest part of photography for me was meeting the individual and giving them my time to listen and validate them and they gave me a great image...or at least a feeling of bonding with humanity whether it be people on the street or an famous individual.

Thanks for listening and I would really appreciate your opinion very much. I must purchase in the next few days...it is my limit!!!

Thanks and everyone KEEP SHOOTING (I need to practice what I preach) this is the greatest experience and love of all, even though the equipment is important.

ps. I want to simplify my life...shoot easy, put the energy I have left at my age into what I enjoy most...the shooting, not printing, developing film, and all of the hard work that goes into it. Although I would not mind getting an epson 600 scanner for the images I have on film. Also I do not mind on spending more money if makes my life easier as now I am older, my vision is not as good and I do not work as fast.

Thanks for your help :hail:and for reading this long message!

Chris of Arabia · Jan 3, 2010

Without wanting to seem unhelpful, you'll get a much better response if you don't use bold multi-coloured text for your posts - reading it is too much like hard work, more so from anyone who suffers from any form of colour-blindness.

Chris of Arabia · Jan 3, 2010

Second point, please don't start the same thread in multiple forums. This one will be merged with the other you've started.

bigtwinky · Jan 3, 2010

i think i had a seizure reading that.
good luck in whatever you wrote about

Ramones · Jan 3, 2010

bigtwinky said:
i think i had a seizure reading that.
good luck in whatever you wrote about

yeah I got through the first color before my eyes started hurting

PatrickHMS · Jan 3, 2010

Won't take long for people to just ignore your id when you post.

Geez....

TokZik · Jan 3, 2010

digital is the way forward...

...rethink your posts before you decide on posting such a difficult read

Mulewings~ · Jan 3, 2010

Kindly put, keep it simple and short.

If you are starting over why not start with a simple digital and work with your film cameras that you already have?

Enjoy the journey.

Chris of Arabia · Jan 3, 2010

I think the point is made people - enough of the bandwagon already. Let's leave this alone until the OP comes back.

Derrel · Jan 3, 2010

Yes, you can adapt 6x7 lenses to Canon EF bodies with reasonably priced adapters priced in the $59-$79 range. Like this $60 adapter Pentax 67 6X7 Lens adapter Canon Eos 1D 5D II 7D 50D - eBay (item 250553933772 end time Jan-25-10 07:27:19 PST)

6x7 lenses will adapt to EOS bodies, with full infinity focusing. You will lose automatic diaphragm control of the lens though, but a Canon digital SLR body will work in Manual match-diode metering, and in Av value mode.

CameraQuest Home Page has a lot of information on lens adapters and what fit what; Canon digital bodies can accept Nikon lenses quite easily with adapters that cost only $17 each from eBay vendors. YES, the Novoflex adapters are "the best", but the price is very high. The brass adpaters costing $17 each from some USA and Hong Kong vendors are quite good, actually, and I have over a dozen of them for Nikon F to Canon EF< as well as a half-dozen M42 thread to Canon EF adapters. Fotodiox, in the USA, is a good source of adapters of all types.

If you want simplicity, an AF d-slr and a few good AF lenses of the same brand (Canon,Nikon,Pentax) is the easiest choice. If you want a "vehicle" for adapting MULTIPLE brands of new or older lenses to one body, CANON digital is the easiest choice in most respects, along with FF and crop-body options. The 4/3 and micro 4/3 bodies are the newest cameras that DO allow multiple types of lenses to be adapted, but there are no 4/3 body to 6x7 lens adapters that I know of yet. If you want to adapt only Pentax 67 lenses to a digital body, a Pentax d-slr will also work. Keep in mind, you'll lose autofocusing and most electronic functions.

If you want to get into digital, the cost of entry now is only $489 to $589 from Canon or Nikon. lens adapters are fine for slower,deliberate work or macro and telephoto work in decent light, with some reservations. If you're an experienced shooter, lens adapters make sense with *some* setups,and are problematic with others. I think most people would enjoy more a setup with an AF d-slr body and quality AF lenses for it.

keith foster · Jan 3, 2010

Good info and great post as usual Derrel. Thank you.

RRRoger · Jan 3, 2010

The best SLR lense kit for the money would be the Nikon D90 + Nikkor 18-200 lense. This will set you back about $1700 new.
It is possible for you to take Pro level pictures with this combination as I have used it to back up my D3 with 70-200 lense for Event Photography when my D3 was in the shop and after shoulder surgery.