Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/06/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Jun 18, 2012, at 2:52 PM, James Laird wrote: > Of course he cared about his tools. He chose them well and they served > him well. What I was talking about is this infernal pixel-peeping that > we see so much of on the LUG (and elsewhere) every day. Do you really > think HCB would really care if the Nikon 800E could resolve just a > whisker finer than the 800? Really? That's what I meant by WHO CARES. > OF COURSE we all choose the tools that we think are best for us. But > it's the picture that counts, not the camera or the lens. In all honesty, Jim, I suspect that it may depend on who and what stage of life. Of course the picture is what counts after all is said and done. Though how we, or the acknowledged greats, achieve the picture has always been, and continues to be, of interest; whether we're talking about an edge improvement with a pyro developer or an edge improvement with a new SW algorithm; or aesthetic composition or geometric arrangement or decisive moments or what shutter speed best suggests the movement of water or whether a particular lens bokeh enhances or detracts from "THE ALL IMPORTANT PICTURE" I've always cared. Before the age of pixel peeping I carried a loupe with me to every press proofing; to every view camera ground glass shoot; to every light table editing session; and every client presentation meeting. I also carried a Macbeth 5,000 K viewing light box to each client review. When dealing with prints I carried a portable 5,000 K viewing "booth." I suspect that when HCB met with his printer the loupes were out and the peeping was as intense as our own. And I continue to care. The Nikon 800E excites me as it seems to suggest that market is willing to acknowledge "fine detail" as a relevant value to strive for and may be achieving it with affordable Cmos chip technology. I continue to care because it may mean the backup or replacement to my DMR. I continue to care because some of my clients also care. Of course there's also a whole group of picture lovers who don't care one hoot how the image was achieved. Photographers - most of them - are more than a little curious. Regards, George Lottermoser george at imagist.com http://www.imagist.com http://www.imagist.com/blog http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist