Five frames from Queensboro Plaza

I consider this ‘image’ little more than a prototype, and perhaps I’ll make more. Maybe not. But fun!

What I learned in 2009 is that no matter how many lenses I have, I can only have one on a camera at a time. Realizing this brought me to the conclusion that I should sell what I can’t (and don’t) use to get something I would use. But in order to figure that out, I had to buy and sell a lot of gear.

• Cameras bought and/or sold

  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3
  • Olympus E-P1
  • Nikon FM3a
  • Leica M9

• Lenses bought and/or sold

  • Zeiss Biogon T* 2,8/28 ZM
  • Zeiss C Biogon T* 2,8/35 ZM
  • Zeiss Planar T* 2/50 ZM
  • Zeiss Tele-Tessar T* 4/85 ZM
  • Leica Summarit-M 35mm f/2.5
  • Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 E46 (pre-Asph)
  • Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 (non-coded)
  • Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 (six-bit coded)
  • Leica Summarit-M 75mm f/2.5
  • Voigtlander Ultron 28/2
  • Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35/1.4 (MC)
  • Voigtlander Nokton Classic 40/1.4 (MC)
  • Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm f/2.8
  • Olympus M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5
  • Nikon Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D AF
  • Nikon Nikkor 45mm f/2.8P AIS
  • Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D AF
  • Nikon Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D AF

This was a ridiculous amount of buying and selling. Pretty much deduct three lenses and one camera and all of this stuff almost equaled the cost of the M9. Was it worth it? So far, yes. I am left with a Leica M9 and three lenses: Summarit 35mm, Summicron 50mm, Summarit 75mm.

The upside is that after all this buying and selling, I got to experience a whole bunch of different focal lengths, manufacturers, camera styles, and so on. For the first time, I feel like I am at least an informed user. I’m not using the Summicron 50mm because it is the only lens I have, I’m using it because I prefered it over the Planar and the pre-Asph Summilux.

Now let me get back to shooting.

First Days in Birganj

There is a restaurant on the main road in Birganj, Himanchal Cabin, just south of the clock tower, across the street from Maisthan Chowk, smack in the middle of everything happening in the busiest border city of Nepal, a place I spent most of my Peace Corps experience—Himanchal Cabin, that is. Above the rear-most seats is a concrete Shiva, sprawling the width of a whole window, arms wagging, hovering above you in what I can only describe as Technicolor. A menu is available, but only spoken and shouted rapid-fire, not containing periods or commas but a single hyphenated item . . . .

Also, be sure to check out the article on the Friends of Nepal grant projects. FoN does good stuff, so if you’re interested in support good projects that are collaborations between RPCVs and locals, you can donate to one (or all) of the projects listed.

Anyhow, here’s the newsletter. Enjoy.

May 2009 FoN Newsletter

Binita and I returned from a month-long trip to Kathmandu. We spent most of October in Kathmandu but made a mad dash trip to Darjeeling. We had a nice time. Plus, this marked what is probably the last time I’ll be using the Zeiss Ikon—or rather, 35mm film—as my primary camera. True, with the money I made from selling all that gear, I bought a Leica M9, and I am very excited. It’ll be my first ‘real’ Leica.

I’m hoping that the Leica glass and the new full-frame sensor in the M9 will provide the great textured images that I can make film consistently produce. For example:

I’m still 11^th on the waiting list over at Pop.Flash Photo (who are great guys simply waiting on Leica like the rest of us). Looks like I might not have my M9 until the end of November or even mid December. I am told that each camera is hand-assembled in Solms, Germany. If true, then take your time.