Bilbo Baggin’s memorable question remains relevant. As I am apparently the first guest blogger on Moleskinerie, let me answer the question (and no, it’s not just lint).
First of all, some writing instrument. A mere Bic won’t do. A good fountain pen is always a pleasure to use, but the ink takes some time to dry and would smudge if the journal is hastily shut. I favor a Faber-Castell mechanical pencil with a thick and stubby, cigar-like shape and extra-thick leads that glide sensually across the page.
For those like myself who lack even the sketching skills of a three year-old, some other means of recording visual impressions must be found. Digital cameras and cameraphones are becoming smaller and more affordable every day, but film still holds a commendable lead for low-light and night shooting without flash, like this shadowy figure on a rainy night.
I always carry a manual-focus Contax T. This tiny camera has a stout titanium casing (as I bought mine second-hand and pre-scratched, I need not handle it gingerly like a jewel), and a razor sharp Carl Zeiss Sonnar 38mm f/2.8 lens. There are many other excellent choices, from the inexpensive Olympus Stylus Epic ($70) to the princely Contax T3 ($670) and Leica CM ($1000).
Pen addiction is a horrible thing. Since my fall into Moleskines, I have also become a pen addict. I started with a couple of Rotring 600s, the ballpoint pen and the pencil set for about $30 total. I bought a Lamy fountain pen after that but didn’t really care for it. A Sensa Stylist was my favorite after that for a while. Then I discovered Pilot G2 ink refills, an “archivable” ink that runs about a buck a tube or less and can be picked up just about anywhere. Its great ink and I’ve been using it ever since.
But it only fits some pens. I picked up a Waterman Philias, a Rotring Core, a Rotring 600 Rollerball, and a couple others that can use the G2 ink. They’re not bad. My Rotring Core is probably my favorite desk pen with my Rotring 600 and my Waterman Philias as my two walk-around pens. I love the Rotring 600 pencil but that Faber Castle thing does look good. I may have to get one of those.
Rotring is my favorite pen company. They make very solid pens that are G2 compatable, very nicely designed, and not too expensive. I’ll be sticking to Rotrings for a while now.
yikes, i think i have the same pencil except that mine has the anti-slip rubber grip along its barrel. will be looking out for rotrings now. i’m so glad i read this!
Oh how I wish I had a leica… I have lots of digital SLR gear, but coming from old film SLR’s (cheapy ones)… digital isn’t the same. And although great for sports and what not, there is definitely more “feeling” in film.
For journaling, my favorites are MontBlanc pens, roller balls and fountain pens, Moleskine and Graphic Image journals. The G.I. journals have archival paper (500 years) and are very fountain pen friendly. I carry around a pocket digital camera but sometimes I take along one of my Nikon film SLRs or a pocket Rollei 35S. It’s all about the experience of writing and expression by film.
I wish I had a Leica too !!! I can’t afford them. It’s easy to have $10,000 wrapped up in just one rangefinder and 2 or 3 lenses.
I wish I had a leica too. A good friend of mine has a M7 (and a Konica clone too), and the manual focusing on the M series is unbeatable.
I haven’t got a digital camera yet; I’m still using a Mamiya ZM; the last 35 mm Mamiya made back in 1982. I use it with a 50 mm (1,7) most of the time, although I also have a 80/200. Gotta get a 28mm.
This is me (pic taken with the above mentioned Leica M7):
http://www.aspipes.org/bios/juan.html
Juan in Andalucía