EDC Every Day Carry (Camera)

Nikon FG + MD-E winder

I choose a FG for an everyday carry camera. Typically I’ll just grab it alone and take it with me, even if I don’t have plans for photos. My wife and friends are now used to it. I have the camera on a short strap, just over my head, it won’t cross body carry. I can stick an arm through and carry it like a purse. Most of the time I just grab it by the thin straps and it dangles by my side. If I need my hands, I put it over my head and it rides on my chest. Easy to take pictures with this system.

I have a couple of lenses I use for EDC, the Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AI-S Japanese pancake or the Nikon Series E 29mm f2.8 AI-S. 

As far as a flash is concerned, I will carry a small Lowepro Mini Magnum bag that holds the SB-15 and a roll of film plus a 100 yen piece and a set of lens caps as well as a extra battery. That’s what I grab to go with my FG or, on occasion I’ll take the FE2, the SB-15 works well with it.

Lowepro Nova 1

This is the other EDC bag I use, it holds just what I need and no more. I have it loaded with my D780 now, it’s flash and whatever lens that I choose. In the pockets are my 100 yen coin for film battery cover opening, an extra film battery and a couple of rolls of film. I’ve got some lens cleaning things and a photo of my monkeys in the back pocket.

This bag will be a second camera bag when I go on an adventure or assignment. If I’m shooting film, my F100 in there or shooting digital, it will hold a both types of modern big body cameras with their fat lens. I can also use it as I’m hiking and or street photography. My big Lowepro Magnums for the lens choices I make or extra lenses in my backpack.

I try to make carrying a camera easy. I try to reduce choices to small and simple systems to grab and go. I’ve had a Lowepro Nova 2 and Nova 3. Still a little big for not planning to use, I read about the Nova 1 and a gentleman that uses one HERE.

camera | lens | film | flash

Analog Musings ~ EDC and the Imperfections of Film Photography

I’ve previously written about my pursuit of an Every Day Camera. It’s an eclectic choice of questions that I ask myself. “What film camera do I want to carry everyday, everywhere.” I review the experiences that form my questions. I already have one of the best cameras in the world that I carry every day. It’s the one that I always have with me and it takes excellent pictures without having to think about it. The decision to carry a dedicated film camera was partially formed by the perfect camera (telephone) in my pocket.

I want the experience of film photography everyday. 

The desire for this experience originates from knowledge that reaches back some 50 years. It is a process of born of cause and effect. I chose film because I want memories. My camera phone is already in my pocket by design. 

What I am experiencing by carrying a film camera is that I take far fewer camera phone pictures. Ultimately that is reducing the time I spend on phone. The pictures I take with the camera phone are fewer and less intrusive to what ever I’m doing. The film camera is purposeful, it’s slow to use and requires more thought and planning.

…requires more thinking.

Easy is not what I want, simple and effective are desirable however in the choice of a film camera, my thoughts on photography are much more controlled by decisions I make.

I press the release button on the bottom of my camera, rewinding the film into its cartridge, pulling the winder to open the back, I pull out the cartridge and behold the memories that are housed in it. The roll is taken to a film processing lab and there I meet others that share my focused interest. At the film lab is where the anticipation begins. My photos are now out of my hands, I wait for them to be processed…

I receive the file in e-mail sometimes weeks later. Often those memories were forgotten and now are brought back. Sometimes those photographs are skewed with mistakes. Film is not perfect, the results are far more emotional than digital photography. Time takes on a different role. If I want absolute control, simple and effective results, then I choose a digital camera like my iPhone or my DSLR.

I actually have a couple of good digital cameras to choose. The choice of a digital camera brings me to my camera phone or for perfection, my DSLR. On the other hand, I don’t need to control my photography like that all the time. I am married to my film camera. I am in the process of a divorce with my iPhone. When it comes to digital photography, we are far better friends than we are a couple.

A film camera promotes creative decisions, experiences, learning, work that is productive, fun and educational. I enjoy the process of photography capturing moments of wonderment and also the agony of disappointment. Why would I choose anything disappointing? I don’t choose disappointment, I choose wabi sabi, I embrace the imperfection. Life is not perfect. I am human. An emotional being, I see a beautiful sunrise or sunset and I am filled with feeling. For me, my life is not a series of work ending in perfection, it is a passage of time that is filled with experiences, good, bad and everything in between. My point here is that if I wanted perfection, I would choose a digital camera and cease the exercise in understanding the thing of photography. 

Sometimes I do.

Film photography is personal choice based in emotion.

I don’t take photographs for you, I create them for me. I’m very selfish in the way I share what I do. 

I enjoy loading film into my camera. The idea that I am capturing a moment of light. I know where that exact moment is on a roll of moments. I like the idea of that captured light roll being taken to a film lab where I know others understand and enjoy the process as well. I can discuss our madness because it is common to our discipline.

I hope the development and scans come out nice, like I envisioned. Most of the time, almost all the time, the scans are honest. I’ve learned that I can’t focus a camera when I am drinking. I’ve learned that if I hurry into a picture, I make mistakes. If I don’t think about my pictures, they suck. But when I take in the roll of film to the processing lab, it is always with a small prayer, “I hope these come out well” and when they don’t, I end up learning about my equipment and myself.

I have learned to embrace the imperfections of film photography.

My cameras are chosen from one company. That decision to use one company was not made lightly. I only recently made it. I chose this brand based on the way the lens mounts to the camera. Forward and backward compatibility of old lenses on new cameras and new lenses on old cameras are the reason. 

I like old things, they are proven, and known. I also enjoy modern things, created from experience and a reliable digital camera and the perfection of images is a thing of beauty.

The ability to make choices is good.

I carry both a digital and an analog camera every day.

The other day I chose an exercise in writing down the important aspects of photographic control. It is a practice that I review often. I need to know it. 

Knowing this, the physical choices in the camera I choose are this.

My camera must be inexpensive, no problem to replace, easy to operate exposure controls. It must be able to use the lenses in my collection. It must be capable of capturing memories day and night.

Accessories must be minimal.

I choose a Nikon FG for the body. Either a Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AI-S or Series E 50mm f1.8 as a prime. Sometimes I’ll use a Zoom Nikkor 35-70mm f3.3-4.5 AI-S lens or the Series E 28mm f2.8. For fill or nighttime pictures, a SB-15 flash.

My shiny FG came with a Spirotone Winder that operates at up to two frames per second. I switched that out for the MD-E. My black FG gets the MD-14 for frame advance duties. A strap, no strap, that changes.

At this point, I’m investigating the Nikon 20mm f4 AI. This is a lens that is even more compact than the Japanese pancake version of the 50mm f1.8.

I have found a petite Lowepro bag that the flash and a winder will fit in as well as a couple of rolls of film. I grab that if it’s after work and I’ll be in the dark. Flash photography is a challenge yet I seem to be on the right path.

That’s it. 

My kit is small, light and compact. Inexpensive, easily replaced and durable.

…or the iPhone in my pocket.

No big deal, it’s a wonderfully small and well thought out deal.

F3 | FE2 | FG | D780 | EM | lens | film

Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AI-S Japanese Pancake Version

Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AIS

s/n 2264423

edit: I sold the first one and regretted this decision. It had taken some effort to find the right one and it was interesting figuring it all out. I really enjoyed the Series E experience. All of these 50mm f1.8 are nice lenses yet the Japanese version is the best of them all. I sold mine and truly regretted after a while, not having one in my kit. The whole idea behind the fifty millimeter lens perspective is it is central to my understanding of photography and ultimately focal lengths. It’s actually a pretty important lens to me and I made a mistake in selling my favorite one. I sold it because I was trying to reduce my kit and I had sold the FG. That’s the camera it was stuck on. But after selling all my manual focus cameras and my AI and AI-S lenses, I just missed not having it on my shelf or on any of my Nikons. It is beautiful and I knew I had made a mistake. The Japanese Pancake 50mm f1.8 AI-S was my most used manual focus lens and the focal length I started out with. I’ll use this lens on each of my FG, the D780 and my F6. I have now bought this lens twice. The only other lenses I’ve purchased twice are AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 D, the Series E 50 and the Nikkor 35-70 f3.3-4.5 AIS which I have a feeling that will be the only lens that I’ll purchase three times, maybe not. That’s my decision to make.

…and that’s a different story.

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Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AIS

s/n *2249351

The lens I choose is the most important aspect of my photography. For my everyday camera, I used a Nikon Series E 50mm f1.8 AIS. I used it because it is small, light and compact. It’s also an inexpensive kit lens found on the Nikon EM, FG and the FG-20. It is readily available and in a focal length that I started my photography. This lens is perfect for travel and street. I’m comfortable shooting it and now have quite a bit of experience behind and through this particular lens. 

From my reading the Internet, I understood that Nikon produced a Nikkor branded version that had the same focal length but in addition, focused down to 1.5 feet. At the time of release, it was only available to the Japanese market. 

The Series E 50 is actually not my first choice to use from my collection of Nikkor manual focus AI and AIS lenses. That would be two other 50mm focal lengths, the f1.2 and f1.4. Quality wise these two are a widely accepted and a much better version of a Nikkor 50mm lens. My favorite film cameras, the Nikon F3 and the FE2 had these two as resident lenses. 

I choose the FG ~ Series E out of utility, durability, availability and affordability.

Comparatively, the Series E has a cheap plasticly feeling. The optics are relatively good but the operation is by far incomparable to the feeling of a similarly configured Nikkor.

The Nikkor Japanese pancake version contains all the aspects of the Series E 50mm, the operation is more precise and the fit and finish are the same Nikkor quality of all their lenses. The Nikkor version costs more but are not cost prohibitive. These lenses can be found on auctions or mounted on the EM/FG as the Series E is. 

Finally, I bought the Nikkor Japanese pancake version and I’m so happy I did.

I started by finding out how to identify the Nikkor version with the 1.5’ minimum focus length. There are three varieties and the one I wanted was originally sold only in the Japanese market. It’s the serial number that is key when insuring you get the version you want. The focus ring grip being similar to the Series E but the focus mechanism is precise and the rotation is a greater throw. 

I found mine on eBay where I source 95% of my lenses. I studied what was available, made my purchase waiting for delivery. The lens arrived shortly and yes, the focus goes down to 1.5’ and the focus is smooth, like a fine Nikkor helicoid should be, the Series E is loose in comparison. The Nikkor 50mm f1.8 Japanese pancake version is exactly what I expected and comparing the two, it addresses the shortcomings of the Series E that I had accepted.

I have no regrets with owning and operating the Series E version. It performs its intended job very well and it served its purpose of helping understand what I wanted from an everyday film camera.

I had two Series E 50 f1.3 AIS that were extra lenses in my inventory. I also have a Nova 2 bag that has two other focal lengths of the Series E. This is a perfect kit for my son and his wife. One of the extra 50mm will go in that kit. I still have an extra one left, I’m wondering what will I do with it?

The is how a lens junky thinks.

I admit it.

Most people would stop at one. Me? No. I bought one of the Series E for a few bucks and cleaned it up. Eventually I had it CLA’d, not because I was going to use it but because it was worthy and in my possession, has the potential to be placed in a kit to be used or given to one of my family. I used this lens and another came on a camera I purchased. I wanted a fast quality Nikkor 50mm so I bought the 50mm f1.2. Another quality Nikkor 50mm came on a replacement camera! My DSLR is such a great camera that I wanted an AF lens for it. That’s six 50mm lenses in my kit.

I have used the Series E extensively to know its capabilities and can compare it to the qualities of the Nikkor version. If I must have just one lens for every day, this is it. It’s small, light and compact, easy to use, and the Nikkor version is a quality lens without compromise.

The 50mm f1.8 AIS produces great photo quality. I also enjoy the minimal size it projects on an already compact camera; the blacked out Nikon FG that goes with me everywhere. Again, I choose the Nikkor version because the slight increase in close focus. This adds so many more options. The first thing that comes to mind is no longer the cheap helicoid, that has been replaced by nice focusing feel. My everyday beater camera feels more like the precision of my F3, not really but really.

Addendum: the additional close focus of the Nikkor version, the extra throw in focusing is an advantage in nailing sharp photos. The ergonomics with the HR-4 rubber lens hood is much better too. More of the focus ring is available to my fingertips. I keep the nesting rubber hood mounted all the time. Folded back, it acts as a bumper but does not get in the way at infinity focus, the lens barrel in the nested position. I typically have a Nikon circular polarizer filter, an A2 or a NC filter mounted on the business end of the rubber lens hood. The folded back hood allows the use of either type of 52mm lens cap, no need for a pinch cap.

In closing; 50mm is how I see things every day. I bring a compact film SLR where ever I go. I take far fewer photos with my iPhone and that was one of my goals. This particular Nikkor 50mm is not my favorite 50 but it is the one I want to use most. I can have my 50mm lens pancake and eat it too! Ha ha!  The feel, the close focus and precision is worth the effort in using the Nikkor version for my everyday 35mm film camera.

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Resources 

Ken Rockwell Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AIS Pancake Review

Analog Cafe Nikon AI-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8 Lens Review: And it’s Five Siblings

Nikkor - The Thousand and One Nights No. 60

Your Thoughts on the Nikkor 50/1.8 AI-S Japanese Pancake Version

My Complete Nikon ~ Nikkor Lens Collection

Nikon FG

Nikon Series E 50mm f1.8 AIS 

Nikkor 50mm f1.2 AIS

Nikkor 50mm f1.4 AIS

AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 D

 

       

Kodak Portra 800 above

       

Kodak Pro Image 100

camera | lens | film | flash