[Leica] New to Leica

[photo.forrest at earthlink.net (Philip Forrest)]

If precision is what you are after, an M8 is probably the thing just
for you. That camera, more than any i've heard of tested the limits of
the precision of Leica lenses and many here in the LUG have had to have
their sharp as a tack lenses sent out because they were not precise
enough for the M8's sensor.
Precision often takes the art out of photography which is one reason
that people stick with 5cm or 50mm Elmars or whatever from ages ago.
Precision is only as much of a ruler as the person operating the camera
lets it be. We can't all become soul-less image makers, then it's just
HD video capture frame by frame. Ick

I can make a photograph without a camera in the traditional sense of
the word, using a pretty imprecise piece of aluminum foil over a
window, an aperture in the foil, a ruler and a plane for which the
image can be focused upon. 

Phil Forrest




On Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:18:58 -0500
Marc James Small <marcsmall at comcast.net> wrote:

> At 08:51 AM 3/4/2009, Philip F wrote:
>  >I was trying to get at the notion that if an enthusiastic person
>  >shows up to the list, they shouldn't be "welcomed" with how bad it
>  >is here and corrected with camera gear semantics. Nobody should
>  >really care if it's a 3.5cm or 35mm lens, a 10.5cm or 105mmm lens.
>  >That's all superfluous since in the end it's about the images.
> 
> That is horse-pucky.  Brian, our bar-keeper, 
> thinks it is about the images but he overstates 
> his case.  It is essentially about the gear.  If 
> you feel differently, try taking a picture 
> without a camera.  The equipment shapes our photography.
> 
> And precision rules photography.  Do not scorn 
> the distinction between 3.5cm and 35mm:  that 
> marked a shift in thought at Wetzlar, as they 
> finally acknowledged their need to match the 
> 1.5/5cm CZJ Sonnar of 1931.  History rules, 
> brother.  I really ought to complete my book on 
> the history of the Leica camera.
> 
> Marc
> 
> 
> 
> 
> msmall at aya.yale.edu
> Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!
> 
> 
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