Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/07/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I've done a fair amount of work on the white backdrop with my M6's and 90's and 135's watching the flash go off inside the frame lines and getting a whole class of higher results. I've just not once ever met anyone else who'd done so. This Pedro Ferreira guy seems great. A very impressive craftsman some of those shots look like they were done with something just a tad longer like a 75 a lens you'd think a guy like this would like. A 75mm f/2.0 APO Summicron M Aspherical. Or again by cropping around 20% with the M9 at lowest iso's. I don't feel I need to look through a lens to make a 90 or 135 work for me most had gone for a Leica R or Leiceflex or a Nikon F for such a task. They wanted an SLR for the studio. Also for its much higher sync speed a lot of people felt the M's 1/80th just didn't cut it for strobe flash tasks. You just have to be aware of your ambient light levels in ratio to how much light your strobes are putting out. They need to be putting out a lot more than the ambient light which is there. At first I didn't get my Leica M for studio I got it for personal street work but right off the bat didn't want much to do with my Nikons. Only if I needed my 105 macro. I found when I got my 90 Elmarit and 90 Apo asph Summicron on my M6's with the Balcars that it proved to be very rewarding on all accounts. To the surprise of my photographer friends I'd mention that to. Its as if they thought it couldn't be done. It certainly can.* People think all kinds of things. People think a Hasselblad is a tripod only camera. People think they must disengage all automatic functions on any camera they use as such things are foolish. And the silly camera makers should hot have put them in their in the first place. It stifles your creativity. People think that the true iso's of most films are two stops slower so they over expose their film by two stops and think all the other people are in serious trouble. (They just never get around to looking at the other peoples images.) It amounts to people thinking that shooting oneself in the foot equals taking the higher road. We must be photo ascetics and suffer to be great. ... Or even just good ... Well you don't. The number on the film box is most often the true speed of that film and the auto features on a camera is made to be used. And will be constantly being used by top pros. And a Hasselblad can go anywhere and do anything and fits perfectly in an open hand. Just like a Rolleiflex. The problem might stem from photography being much more an avocation than vocation. Its a thing we approach with our egos not our common sense. It's a thing we do for love not money so its all about logical technique its about us. * http://rabinergroup.com/ImagePages/Carrie.html On 7/20/14 6:01 PM, "Scott Gregory" <scottgregory at mac.com> wrote: > Mark if you have not done so, take a look at the video on Vimeo of Pedro > Ferreira fashion photographer using his M9 and the 50 f2 Asph > Nice looking work I thought, > > Scott > >> On Jul 20, 2014, at 5:23 PM, Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> >> wrote: >> >> And then there is a mind set which feels an M does not belong shooting in >> front of a white backdrop. Cameras can get put in little subsets of their >> true capabilities. >> >> >>> On 7/20/14 5:17 PM, "Geoff Hopkinson" <hopsternew at gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> Well you can I guess Mark and some people do. I don't want to carry a pro >>> size Nikon or Canon or anything else around the street personally. >>> But I have the M and great lenses anyway. >>> >>> >>> Cheers >>> Geoff >>> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman >>> >>> >>>> On 21 July 2014 05:55, Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> I don't understand why you cant walk around shooting with an S2 its the >>>> same >>>> form follow function footprint basic size and shape and weight as a >>>> Canon >>>> or >>>> Nikon DSLR you could black tape the red dot and no one would be the >>>> wiser.. >>>> You'd not make a S outa yourself... I would also shoot the camera with >>>> all >>>> the auto controls I'm used to shooting with with my DSLR'S. Which is >>>> all >>>> of >>>> them. There is simply no reason not to. The film is bigger. That's all. >>>> Oops >>>> >>>> I have thought of medium format being all about manual controll I >>>> started >>>> out with Rollei and Hasselblad in the 70's but when the 645's hit, the >>>> Mamiya 's and Pentaxes and Bronica'a came in in the 80's with full >>>> exposure >>>> modes and then auto focus nobody turned them off to emulate shooting >>>> with a >>>> Hasselblad. >>>> But they didn't necessarily out shoot us either. >>>> Us being die hard Hasselblad shooters. >>>> >>>> >>>>> On 7/20/14 12:01 AM, "Geoff Hopkinson" <hopsternew at gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Every frame that I will shoot with it outside will be in manual focus >>>>> though. That is the way that it is generally done in the medium format >>>>> world, in my part of it anyway, learning from Hasselblad and Phase One >>>>> using professionals. Yes it does lock extremely quickly in the well lit >>>>> studio if that helps. I haven't tried it in low light at this stage >>>>> where >>>>> mt D600 would typically hunt around and struggle. >>>>> >>>>> It's hardly a walkaround camera though, or rather you need to be >>>> dedicated >>>>> to do that. Its the wrong tool for travel for example in my opinion. >>>>> My studio stuff well stopped down won't tell you anything about focus >>>>> accuracy. >>>>> >>>>> Outside especially at big apertures, in closer at least, I would >>>> typically >>>>> be looking to focus manually on the catchlight of the nearest eye. >>>>> Eyelashes are not good enough (focussed manually or AF) >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Cheers >>>>> Geoff >>>>> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> On 20 July 2014 13:54, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Geoff, >>>>>> Not a contest, just increasing my personal knowledge on how it might >>>>>> be useful to me. I am practical on my approach to kit, if I find >>>>>> something that will work for me, I would buy it. As the S2 has >>>>>> autofocus, it comes squarely into my usable zone. That is all the >>>>>> information I was after. >>>>>> Cheers >>>>>> Jayanand >>>>>> >>>>>> On Sun, Jul 20, 2014 at 9:11 AM, Geoff Hopkinson <hopsternew at >>>>>> gmail.com> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> Jayanand, from my perspective this isn't a contest with John and I >>>> trying >>>>>>> to make you want to buy a Leica Pro format camera. Nor do either of >>>>>>> us >>>>>> feel >>>>>>> the need to justify why we are thrilled to have these for ourselves. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Having said that there is a large difference in the output. Whether >>>>>>> or >>>>>> not >>>>>>> that matters to you or anyone else for different output purposes or >>>>>>> the >>>>>>> large cost is justified of course is entirely up to the individual >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Cheers >>>>>>> Geoff >>>>>>> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On 20 July 2014 13:35, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> >>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> John, >>>>>>>> That print size does not tax any DSLRs or Mirrorless sensors that I >>>>>>>> have used in the last 5 years, either, including Micro 4/3 - and I >>>>>>>> print a lot for print exchanges, in which I regularly (month in, >>>>>>>> month >>>>>>>> out) have been taking part for the best part of a decade. If it does >>>>>>>> not tax the M 240, why did you buy the S2 as well? Just curious to >>>>>>>> know where medium format output is truly useful, and where it fits >>>>>>>> in >>>>>>>> for hobbyist photographers like me. >>>>>>>> Cheers >>>>>>>> Jayanand >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Sun, Jul 20, 2014 at 8:49 AM, John McMaster <john at >>>>>>>> mcmaster.co.nz> >>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>> 12"x18" doesn't really tax the M either... >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> john >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Jayanand you'll need a large print to appreciate. 12x18 in ? >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Cheers >>>>>>>>> Geoff >>>>>>>>> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> On 20 July 2014 13:08, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Any S2 owner on the list interested in doing an one on one print >>>>>>>>>> exchange with me? I would really like to see the output in print! >>>>>>>>>> Cheers >>>>>>>>>> Jayanand >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> On Sun, Jul 20, 2014 at 8:32 AM, John McMaster <john at >>>>>>>>>> mcmaster.co.nz >>>>> >>>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>> Hardly surprising with a 1024 pixel JPEG ;-) Believe me there is >>>>>>>>>>> a >>>>>>>>>>> huge >>>>>>>>>> difference when you see shots side by side... >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> john >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>>>>>>>> On Behalf Of Jayanand Govindaraj >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Geoff, >>>>>>>>>>> Very interesting, very well lit. I personally cannot make out >>>>>>>>>>> which >>>>>>>>>>> are >>>>>>>>>> out of the S2 and which are out of the M 240! :-) Cheers Jayanand >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> On Sun, Jul 20, 2014 at 6:20 AM, Geoff Hopkinson >>>>>>>>>>> <hopsternew at gmail.com> >>>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>> I've started this gallery with a series of portraits, mixed work >>>>>>>>>>>> from >>>>>>>>>>>> S2 and M (typ 240) There is zero retouching, just a very lovely >>>>>>>>>>>> model well prepared for camera and some beautiful studio >>>>>>>>>>>> lighting. >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/cd >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> Cheers >>>>>>>>>>>> Geoff >>>>>>>>>>>> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>>>> Leica Users Group. >>>>>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more >>>>>>>>> information >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>>> Leica Users Group. >>>>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>>>>> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>> Leica Users Group. >>>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> Leica Users Group. >>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Leica Users Group. >>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Mark William Rabiner >>>> Photographer >>>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/ >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Leica Users Group. >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> >> >> -- >> Mark William Rabiner >> Photographer >> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/ >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information -- Mark William Rabiner Photographer http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/