[Leica] RE: AF & auto exposure

[Jim Brick <jimbrick@photoaccess.com>]

If you do not understand the science of photography, you will want a
computer programmer in Japan to form the image on your film.

If you do understand the science of photography, you will want to control
all aspects of forming the image onto your film.

This is why moving back and forth between Leica 35 and Linhof 4x5, is a
piece of cake.

People too often forget the basics of photographic science. They "think"
that they need AF when normal DOF will work better. They "think" they need
autoexposure, when a simple dumb meter will tell them far more than they
ever need to know.

Most of the "bells and whistles" that the EOS/F5/M9/etc. tout are sales
gimmicks. Someone who really understands the science of photography, knows
instinctively how to produce magnificent images of all subject matter, with
basic photographic instruments.

Look at all of the award winning View Camera, Hasselblad, Leica, etc,
photographers.

Autofocus is a good thing. For that "very rare" occasion that it could be
the difference between getting a usable image or not. I contend that this,
in reality, is indeed a rare situation.

I believe that the majority of successful professional
industrial/commercial/illustrative/fine art photographers still use the
science of photography to create the majority of their images. It is the
amateur photographers who do not understand photographic science, that
drive the "auto" photo Modus Operandi.

Computers are good, when used intelligently. Use them as an assistant, not
as the absolute. When we give up control of our basic knowledge, to a
computer, we have fallen for the marketers hype.

No thanks. I'll use the most basic equipment that I can get away with
using. That way I'm in complete control. Not some computer programmer in
Japan. If I make a mistake, it is my mistake. I won't be pointing fingers
and distributing blame.

My simple oratory is "Learn the science of photography. Apply the science
of photography. Control the making of your images." You'll be much happier
knowing that the work you produced, is actually your work.

Jim



At 06:52 PM 6/7/99 +0200, you wrote:
>
>Those car analogies have never made any sense to me. People, (boomers, 
>their parents and their kids) still queue and wait three years for a 
>Morgan. The fact that big US cars have lost their soul, size and shining 
>exuberance somewhere in the Seventies did not translate that well in market 
>shares. Many people I know are ready to pay a high premium for an exc 
>Fifties US convertible, nobody I know is ready to pay a premium for an old 
>Toyota. So what ? So nothing ! Or, let us say that it would be a huge 
>mistake for Leica to loose its soul. I know you refute the idea of soul in 
>machinery. You'll therefore probably never understand why anyone would pay 
>a 15 year old Citroen 2CV more than what it was worth new. Not comparing 
>the Leica to the 2CV though: those analogies make no sense ;-)
>
>Alan