Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/05/31

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Use film, or block the panel!
From: "Austin Franklin" <darkroom@ix.netcom.com>
Date: Sat, 31 May 2003 18:41:51 -0400

Tim,

> But too many get fixated on the tools and don't make good pictures.

OK, but what does that have to do with anything I said?

> Image
> quality is no good to you if the image itself is garbage -
> It
> doesn't really
> matter if the photograph is taken with a Phillips 8x10, a Leica a
> Holga or a
> Polaroid - if the picture is good it's good.

OK, but again, so what?

> Sharpness and image quality
> often aren't that important

Hum.  I disagree.  That may be true for some people, but for some people, it
is paramount, and if someone has taken the time to use a 4x5 (a Leica, a
Hasselblad, Zeiss lenses etc.), then, obviously, that is a concern of
theirs, and may in fact be very important.  Who are you to say what is and
isn't important to someone?

> - we just like to think they are (often to
> justify the money time and effort we put into the "equipment"...)

Well, no, I KNOW they are important.  I use a tool for what it's made for.
I use an SX-70, and get some great shots with it...but I can't make 30x40
prints from it.  Perhaps what you say is true for you, but please, don't be
so presumptuous to believe it applies to some vast amount of other people.

> I've just been looking at a series of Polaroid SX70 pictures that
> are better
> than just about anything I've ever seen taken with Leica Glass - and
> certainly in colour - by one of the best LF photographers.

Well, obviously, that's quite subjective, so that really is a somewhat
meaningless claim.

> If it's good, it's good - doesn't matter what you use.

Well, yes, sometimes it does.  Because you don't understand that, doesn't
mean what I say isn't true.

> > I find the whole claim of not being able to "get" a particular
> shot with a
> > 4x5 and then being happy with a little P&S digicam image of the
> > "same" shot
> > really funny.
>
> Why - it just seems sensible...

Sigh.  You obviously live on a different plane than I do.  Why on earth do
you use Leicas then?  Please, explain, of you are happy with an SX-70, and
you think using a little P&S digicam is "sensible" for a shot that one would
have previously though they needed 4x5 for?  No-sense is what I'd call that.

Austin

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