http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 23
YOUR LETTERS
quality, reliability and ease
of use but one could never
describe a Canon DSLR as
an object of beauty.
The X100V has been a
revelation to me. I had
forgotten what it’s like to
have a tactile camera – it
reminds me of when I used
an Olympus OM-2 back in
the day. The all-metal
body, aperture ring, ISO
and shutter dials. A treat.
What I particularly like is
the optical viewfi nder
which allows you to see the
action taking place outside
the frame, the near-silent
shutter, the amazing
electronic shutter speeds
which mean you can shoot
at f/2 no matter how bright
it is, and the highly useful
virtual horizon visible in the
viewfi nder.
To me it’s a camera that
is highly sophisticated in its
functions whilst retaining all
the charm of a bygone era
and it now accompanies
me wherever I go.
Graeme YoungsonThe X100V is a lovely
camera, Graeme. For
those whose budgets
don’t quite stretch to a
new one we feature its
predecessor, the X100F,
as our Second-hand Hall
of Fame camera this
week (see page 45).Which tripod?
Could you please tell me
which tripod is being used
by Stephen Emmerson in
the picture in the Inbox of
your 6 June edition?
Failing that, can I get a
picture of it in order to
send to various tripod
manufacturers to see if
they sell something similar.
Angela AtkinsMr Emmerson is using a
Benbo Mini Trekker
tripod in his picture. It is
distributed by Paterson
Photographic, and
available from most good
retailers for around £70.
A larger version is also
available, called the
BenboTrekkerMk3.Ignore the critics
I was moved to write by
Keith Norton’s ‘Letter of
the week’ (AP 20 June). In
2007 I took a folio of my
pictures to the portfolio
revue at Les Rencontres
d’Arles. You pay t200 for
fi ve 20-minute interviews
with photographic
luminaries. The interviews
went as follows:
‘Why are there no
people in the pictures?’
‘Because it’s a still life
project.’
‘Oh no we don’t do that
kind of thing.
‘Go and shoot them
again with people.’
The fi nal interview was
with the editor of American
Photo magazine. He took
the folio, thumbed through
the pictures and said
laconically, ‘Who is your
editor?’ I said I didn’t have
an editor. He said, ‘Who is
your agent?’ I said I didn’t
have an agent. He said,
‘You don’t have an agent.
What’s wrong with you?
These are brilliant! I could
fi nd you a publisher in the
States easily.’
I went out with my head
swimming. If I hadn’t seen
him I would’ve been totally
crushed. As it was he gave
me such a boost that I
went on to publish the
pictures, having found a
great mentor in the UK
who would support me.
Since then I have published
seven books. The last one
sold out in three months.
Photography is highly
subjective, and no one has
the right to crush anybody
else’s confi dence. So Keith- show your pictures to
people. Ignore the criticism
and fi nd people who
understand what you’re
trying to do. It can
transform your life, as it did
mine.IanMacilwain
Graeme took this at the Esplanade at Aberdeen Beach
Angela is interested in buying
the Benbo tripod
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