Re: [Leica] Galen, Nikon, $

[Henry Ambrose <digphoto@nashville.net>]

DT wrote:
>I don't know anything about Galen's arrangement with Nikon so I would not 
>make the statement that he is "sponsored" by them, but even if you are 
>correct, all Galen had to do before they would pay him a nickel was shoot 
>with Nikon for two decades, publish several books, umpteen spreads in 
>National Geo, and write a column in a national photo mag.   

So, here is a bit of slightly informed speculation about why Galen Rowell 
uses the gear he does or has used in the past:

At the start he was using older smaller Nikons (FM or FE I think) often 
with a 24, and a 70-150 E Series zoom (maybe a 55 macro too?). The reason 
for this type of gear is that its light and compact. The weight/size is 
very important if you're carrying a backpack that is already very heavy. 
A lot of heavy photogear just makes the journey that much more difficult 
or impossible.  I doubt that anyone would carry 30 or 40 pounds of photo 
gear in addition to all their camping gear when going on an extended 
backpacking/climbing trip. Only if you had someone else to carry it for 
you!

I 've owned the old 24 and its pretty darn good, as is the 55. The E 
Series were crappy plastic lenses that were poor performers. I owned a 
70-150 and it was sh#t, but it was very light.

I think a lot of what makes his pictures work is that he actually got 
somewhere that very few others ever walked much less made pictures of. To 
me his pictures are NOT about ultimate quality but rather about showing a 
place that most will NEVER see first hand. He has made some good pictures 
with mediocre equipment. Yes, his pictures might have been sharper if he 
used a 4X5 but then the picture might never have been made!

And if you're going somewhere you might lose or wreck your camera do you 
really want to take super expensive gear? Or something that is good 
enough?

I am positive that my M6 with any current M lens will make a "better" 
picture than his old Nikons but first I have to climb the mountain. 

Henry