Never mind what RF I use, let alone mentioning its brand which oftentimes spin people off track to debate why and initiate wars between digital and film. I hate these controversies, all these time wasting and senseless arguments over a tool? I?d rather spend meaningful time doing the street.

I?m the de facto mechanical man who uses none other than the minimalist would favor: A fully battery-less mechanical camera, be it a defunct F2 or the M4. I?m just never going to be a happy digital guy?not that I?ve never tried.

To me, shooting digital is soulless; a tendency towards trigger-happy moments in creating images this way just doesn?t work for me, at all. Then again, I?m occasionally drawn to the latest digital technology and often dream what a full-frame 14 mp DSLR can offer me what my old-style RF can?t. I read an article somewhere that to fully equip yourself to shoot a project with one of these wannabes, be prepared to lug around a data-center.

If that doesn?t scare you, what are you?!

To me, simplicity is the key. Tell me something I cannot do with an RF that a digital could? (please don?t say it has the capability of recording a short clip with voice, you beat me on this, now lets get back to still photography).

To me, color is a distraction. To me image creation ends with a hand-printed image in a wet darkroom. What else can I ask for when my tool allows me to do these and have an image created in the highest possible quality on 35mm film one can hope for using a lens made in late 1950s? For my photography style revolving around People and Street, this is truly and an unobtrusive tool that allow me to catch images at the right time with the least of disturbance to my subjects? my ultimate aim.

You must think I?m a backward old fashioned geek. Geek maybe but I?m actually a technology guy who sells state-of-the art Telco equipment and I?m good at it, and drives a electronically-charged car.

If you reached this far, you must be an appreciative reader. Don?t stop here, click http://www.gregchoongphotography.com and view my work J

A passionate geek!
Jan ?03

Author: Greg Choong can be reached at www.gregchoongphotography.com

Ed Says: Thanks Greg! Its always the picture that counts in the end. I really feel sorry for the amount of flak and mostly crap Leica users have to put up with. To each his own?..digital or flim, Japanese or German.