Finding Focus Again
The past twelve months have not been easy. I have been through something quite difficult, a time of uncertainty and and through it all, photography has remained a steady companion. It has been my quiet space, a way to process life and reconnect with the things that matter most. I havent had the time to go out shooting, but have been able to refine my modest film camera collection.
This has i cluded sorting out in my own head what tools I really need to maintain this hobby for the long term. I wanted to simplify, to focus on cameras that feel right in the hand and deliver what I need without distraction.
My digital setup has seen a deliberate move away from Micro Four Thirds to full frame Nikon. When I earned a living from photography, my working gear was a combination of Mamiya and Nikon, then I went from the F5 to the D200 and then the D2X. Those cameras were reliable, solid, and always felt like an extension of how I see.
Over the years I have wandered through different systems, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Sony, all excellent in their own ways. But somehow, the Nikon always felt like home.
In my film days, the standout camera was the Mamiya Super, complete with its winder and AE prism. It remains the best medium format film camera I have ever used, and selling it is something I regret to this very day. There was something about the sound of its shutter, the feel of the film advance, and the precision of the optics that made every frame a small act of craftsmanship. The AE prism was truly impressive, probably the best auto metering Ive experienced in my entire photographic experience.
Today, my relationship with photography is about enjoyment and continuity. I now have a collection of film cameras that I use in rotation, each carefully chosen and prepared for real, regular use. They include 35mm, 6x6, 6x7, compact, rangefinder, SLR, modern and vintage models. Every one of them earns its place in the bag.
Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing more about each of these cameras, the popular ones and the not-so-popular and what they mean to me. Because photography, for me, has never just been about the image. It has always been about the experience, the connection, and the quiet moments that happen between shutter clicks.
Sometimes the tools we use remind us who we are. And sometimes, picking up a camera again is how we find our way back.
