[Leica] Leica 's heyday?

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

I always thought there was a progression from
sheet film use to medium format  to 35mm.
It's finally sunk in that that was not the case.
 
The Graflex reflex camera in 1898, shot sheet film.
The Speed Graphic in 1912, sheet film. (was more compact and shot wides)
17 years later the Rolleiflex camera out in 1929, roll film medium format
3 years after that The Leica standard in 1932, roll film 35mm

Notice the Great  Depression brought in roll film of both formats about the
same time. Rolleiflex and Leica came out  just three years apart.
At that point it seems sheet film and both formats of roll film were shot
simultaneously by the press photogs. I think the commercial photogs held on
to sheet film. But I bet the Fine Art shooters grabbed onto roll film of
both formats right on.



On 2/26/14 12:16 AM, "Bill Pearce" <billcpearce at cox.net> wrote:

> I suspect that major cities in major papers may have used them, but here in
> flyover country, the move was full steam ahead to the Nikon F.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Shulman
> Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 7:49 PM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica's heyday?
> 
> Was the Leica ever a pre-eminent press camera?  During the LTM and M3
> heyday of the 50s, Rolleis and larger format cameras still prevailed.  By
> the time most press photographers turned to 35mm, the SLR era was in full
> swing (with Leica a distant player).
> 
> Leica really outshined the larger format cameras in the street, in the
> battlefield, as a sidekick in the car or for a walk, etc. Just not in the
> wolfpack of a photo opportunity.
> 
> Jim Shulman
> Wynnewood, PA
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+jshulman=judgecrater.com at leica-users.org
> [mailto:lug-bounces+jshulman=judgecrater.com at leica-users.org] On Behalf 
> Of
> Douglas Barry
> Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 8:24 PM
> To: lug at leica-users.org
> Subject: [Leica] Leica's heyday?
> 
> I presume it is now in terms of users, but in terms of being the cutting
> edge and dominant tool as interpreted by its press corps usage, when was
> it?
> 
> Did it ever exist? Was it just a cadre of influential photographers that
> got them for free who popularised Leica? Anybody know?
> 
> It certainly wasn't in 1959 when this Ekberg photo was taken, as I pointed
> out in an earlier post, there are no Leicas to be seen. However, I may be
> going blind and missed one. Have a look at the photo of all the cameramen
> at the bottom of the plane's steps. But none of you commented on the
> absence of Leicas at the time.
> 
> http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140220-pictures-we-love-to-hate
> 
> Do we owe Leica worship to HCB, or to whom - a clever early marketeer in
> Solms?
> 
> Douglas
> 
> 
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-- 
Mark William Rabiner
Photographer
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/