Re: Hasselblad vs. Leica

["Juan F. Sanz Cervera" <jsanz@uv.es>]

Erwin Puts wrote:

>Subject: H'blad vs Leica
>
>Brad,
>I did a thorough investigation in the comparative merits of Leica versus
>Hasselblad. The test parameters:
>A Hasselblad with 2,8/80 and a Leica 9M6) with Summicron 2,0/50.
 [...]
>The negatives were enlarged to the same picture area (30x40cm). The Leica
>14 times and the Hasselblad 8 times. Then the results were presented to a
>group of people who knew of the experiment but did not know which picture
>was taken with what camera. Every one failed to see ANY difference between
>the prints.
 [...]

I am sorry, but I am afraid I strongly disagree with what Mr. Puts said
above. I believe that there may be *some* people who can't notice the
difference between those two shots, but there is NO WAY I (and many other
people) wouldn't tell which one is made with a Hasselblad and which one with
a Leica, especially at 30x40. I am saying this because I own and have used
both cameras (also large format cameras) and I know what I am talking about.
At smaller enlargement sizes, like 5"x7", the difference is not so big
(still noticeable for me), but at 30 cm x 40 cm (12"x16"), the difference is
*evident* for anybody who has done this kind of comparison and has some
experience in photography. Now, if I chose for this kind of test people who
don't know what to look for, and have little or no experience with
photography, they might not be able to "see" the difference. For many
people, a picture taken with a cheap point-and-shoot camera is just as good
as one taken with a Leica... That doesn't mean that both cameras deliver the
same quality!

Leica quality is great for a 35mm camera, but it cannot beat a bigger format
at enlargements of 30 cm x 40 cm. For some, the difference may not be that
big, but I must insist: there is NO WAY I would confuse those photographs
you are talking about.

After more than eighteen years processing my own B&W photographs, it still
amazes me to find people who believe that just because they use an expensive
35mm camera system (Leica, Contax, Nikon, Canon or whatever) they can
achieve the same results as those who use bigger formats (of good quality,
of course).

Regards,

     - Juan  



                   ========================================
                             Juan F. Sanz Cervera
                      Associate Professor of Chemistry
                      Departamento de Quimica Organica
                       Universidad de Valencia, Spain
                              Juan.F.Sanz@uv.es
                   ========================================