Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/02/14

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Handheld Limit of Noctilux
From: George Huczek <ghuczek@sk.sympatico.ca>
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 21:10:28 -0600

At 09:30 PM 14/02/98 +0100, you wrote:
>I don't have the Noctilux, but I have shot with M6 and 35mm Summilux at
>1/4 s and got the SHARP pictures. 
- - I know I can shoot a 50 mm f/1.4 lens on an FM2 at 1/30 second and I can
count on a sharp photo of a still subject.
>> And my 85 mm f/1.4D Nikkor, which I can reliably hand hold at 1/60 second, 
[blah blah blah]

I suppose it depends on what you mean by SHARP.  "Acceptable" perhaps, but
not "sharp" is what you could expect with these speeds.  If you really
think you get SHARP (your emphasis not mine) pictures at 1/30 with a 50 1.4
lens, or 1/60 with an 85 1.4, then perhaps you should try to take a second
shot with the same shutter speed on a tripod-mounted camera.  I would bet
that the difference will be quite noticeable.
   If you want really sharp images you need higher shutter speeds, or a
rock-solid tripod at these slower speeds.  A Leica M's lack of mirror slap
does provide an advantage for handholding, but not as much as you are
suggesting here with reflex cameras.  Shooting with an M6 handheld at 1/4 s
and getting sharp pictures? C'mon, gimme a break! Often such claims of
sharp images handheld at low shutter speeds are not substantiated when the
images are scrutinized with care.  

- -GH