infatuation

Love at first sight...

I waited a very long time, having tried dozens of cameras... Once even owned the Leica M8, but it wasn't my time to understand it. Finally, the decision came down to (remember, earlier, I mentioned that I had a pot of money, because I sold a bunch of cameras?) the Sony A7s or the Leica M9.

The A7s would make my tango photography much much easier. But I did not enjoy the A7. There were too many buttons, too many this, too many that... The M8... well, it was a difficult camera to love, even though the beauty rendered (at base ISO) left me breathless...

I thought it was clunky, too thick for me to hold. I traded it away for a Nikon D800...

My friends know that I am vain, very. And deep inside, I wanted to brag that "I" took the images. I wanted to know that my photos, good or bad, were because of me, and not because of some fancy feature on a camera. I wanted people to associate the photo to me, and not to the fancy camera. OK, I know that I don't really "own" the photo, I need the machine. I just... well, I hope you know what I mean...

Anyway, I wavered, on an M9 (well-used, beaten-up, lots of brassing), and lost out to another buyer. And I was super sad. And then Christian posted his M9 and 40mm Summicron-C on the for-sale board. I could no longer resist. But I changed my mind. Perhaps the A7s would be more sane, more reasonable, more "correct." I told him that I couldn't do it. He understood. I knew he would understand my anguish. Anyway, we wished each other well... Within the hour, I wrote back and told him I was sending him the money.

I COULD NOT WAIT to try the camera. I pointed it at ridiculous objects.

And robots.

And Irina...

And Max...

You know what's crazy? Straight out of camera, no alterations (except crop).

I love the giddiness I feel. I love the feeling very much.