Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The Elmarit 135 can be a bit front-heavy, and hard to follow focus in fast action. Here's an alternative to consider (if you can put up with just a little more camera noise): Get a Leicaflex or Leicaflex SL with a dead meter, but good shutter and clear finder. These can be had for a few hundred bucks (or sometimes less). A decent 1 or 2 cam Elmarit 135/2.8 can be found for about $300 or less. Since you'll be shooting at full aperture, at 1/250 with 1600 speed film for most stage situations, a meter's moot. It's much easier to follow focus with the SLR's larger finder, and at 1/250 mirror vibration isn't much of an issue, even with a 135 lens. The whole package would run about the same price as an M-mount Elmarit 135. I tried this with an old N**** setup, but the camera balance and mirror/shutter noise wasn't acceptable. The equivalent Leica setup was much better. Jim Shulman Bryn Mawr, PA - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Jesse Hellman Sent: Friday, April 18, 2003 7:01 PM To: Leica List Subject: [Leica] 135 Elmarit and Opera Photography For the last few years I've photographed the student opera productions of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, and have increasingly used the F/2.8 135 mm Elmarit, the one with the goggles that enlarge the viewfinder image. I have an M6 0.85, and in addition attach the 1.25X viewfinder magnifier, so the image is greater than life size. In addition I shoot with one or two other M6s using the 50 and 90 Summicrons. The last opera performed by the students was Leonard Bernstein's Candide. As some of my pictures of it have been posted on their website I thought of getting out of lurk-mode and writing about opera photography and the 135, which has traditionally been a very underprized lens. It can usually be bought for about $500. The focus is slow but most of the action on stage remains at a similar distance, so rarely have my failures been attributed to that. I know each work very well by the time of the dress rehearsal (Kit, yes, I do learn the Italian libretti!), and learn the blocking in order to anticipate the action. In Candide it is very very fast. With operas, additionally, often the mouth is open in an unattractive way and I need to watch for that. The posted pictures were all shot at F/2.8, at 1/250 at best but at times at even 1/60. Film is Fujicolor 1600. Every picture is cropped, sometimes a lot. The 135 was used for most of the shots. Obviously if I had the chance to try the new APO 135 I'd love to, but it is out of the question now and I still have a lot to learn about using what I have. The Peabody Opera pages start at at http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/mainstreet/opera/ If you click on the picture of Heather Lockard holding two red roses (under "Candide Triumphs") you get to a page of 5 pictures, and from there to 30 others (my favorite picture is that of Darlene Enke holding the red flag). Feedback? Jesse - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html