Why did you buy that?

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This is the question I keep finding myself needing to answer. Over the weekend I bought a couple of vintage Canon AE-1 and AE-1P cameras and accessories and everyone is like "Why the heck do you want to buy old junk like that? Live in the now!" Argh! Why is it so hard for some people to understand that newer is not always better?! And sometimes old stuff works just as good (sometimes better) and almost always cheaper?

Sorry, just had to rant a little. I'll step down from my :soapbox: now!

Anyone else go through this?
 
It's funny that you ask this because I get asked the same question all the time. I love older camera equipment and am a frequent of the antique stores, looking for more. The only answer I can give is: Look at my work. I shoot with a Konica FC-1 and a Polaroid SX-70 most of the time. These two cameras can do more, in my hands, than my new digital. It shows in my gallery. The artistic shots and the polaroids, IMO are much better than the ones I take with the digital. Not that the digital is bad, it's just that I like my older cameras much more.
 
I bought an old Rolleiflex SL35 and every non-camera person gave me the look. There's just something about an old manual film camera that can't be beat. :p
 
Canon Fan said:
and everyone is like "Why the heck do you want to buy old junk like that? Live in the now!" Argh! Why is it so hard for some people to understand that newer is not always better?! And sometimes old stuff works just as good (sometimes better) and almost always cheaper?

I'm glad that people don't understand that vintage cams are where it's at. Makes them cheaper for me! :D

I was shooting a show in a bar with my Rolleiflex TLR, and was approached by a college kid. "Is that a Rolleiflex?", he asked, and we started talking. He's all digital, but once used a Rollei in a photography class. "I love all that softness you get with the old lenses, " he said. I'm like, "Dude, the photos from this Rollie will blow away anything out there now or then. This has got one of the sharpest lens I've ever used on it; if you were getting soft images out of a Rollei either there was something wrong with the camera or your technique." I'm sure he didn't believe me, but it's true.
 
Mainly I love the romance of the older equipment. It says "I don't need the latest and greatest cost me $xxxxx.xx to get it gadgetry to make great images" not to mention the sound of those huge awkcward shutter mechanisms and manual mode? No how about ALL THE TIME MANUAL! Kids these days don't even know what that is! Many, Many people would not even bother to pick up a camera these days if it meant they had to learn some of the basics before even taking a simple snapshot.

I love the fact that this is getting response! Vintage Film afficianado's unite! (Not that I am a very well versed one at all!)
 
I just got my box brownie in the mail...

It is one of the dirtiest cameras I have ever seen... (Not to mention the smell)

But all the same - I can't wait to use it! (Now that I have cleaned the lens and can actually see through it!)

I love the fact that I could pull it apart to clean it!
 
Mines 20 years old, as well. Now that I think of it, I have gotten a few strange looks from people I told that too.
 
core_17 said:
santino said:
to me a cam is more than just a "cam", you gotta love it :p
it's like an old car, a old timer :)

Aw, look at that! Santinos got heart! :)

My camera is a Canon AE-1 Program.

i just bought a canon AE-1
kodak tourist II
brownie reflex

none of which look like they are going to work. except the canon.


md
 
santino said:
core_17 said:
santino said:
to me a cam is more than just a "cam", you gotta love it :p
it's like an old car, a old timer :)

Aw, look at that! Santinos got heart! :)

My camera is a Canon AE-1 Program.

yeah I got heart baby :)

do I look like some cold hearted person or what ;) ? :D

well santino, i was giving your avatar some thought...and to me...you kinda look like Till Linderman from Rammstein. but maybe thats just me. i remember a pic of him all dirty and everything and the two pics are similar

md
 
so trust me, I'm not cold hearted. lookin' like Till Linderman is just fun (I do only look like him on two pics and thats it).

(btw. my favourite group is Coldplay and Radiohead, so I'm a "softie" :p)

I'm a warm hearted fella in a warm hearted TPF world. and I'm going to proof it :) (god put a smile upon my face, cause then I'll shoot a pic and will show it to ya :D)
 

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