[Leica] Which M / Weddings

["Gib Robinson" <robinson@sfsu.edu>]

Jonathan Borden wrote:

>but for serious, spontaneous photography the M6 can't be beat.

That's my experience as well. Most recently, I've been photographing
pre-school children both indoors and outdoors. Outdoors I've been using an
R8 with zoom lenses. The 80-200 has been very effective. But indoors where
I'm very close to the children and where sound (or flash) would be a
distraction, the M6 has been a wonderful ally. The lighting changes
throughout the classrooms are extreme. Even if I metered every corner before
photographing, the combination of window light and overhead light would
change the readings as people move through the space and kids/teachers
re-grouped. I'm trying to catch the nuances of a very  intimate, complex,
high-speed "dance" under trying circumstances. I can't think of any camera
I'd rather have than the M6.

With respect to lenses. While I most often use a 35mm or 50mm, a 28mm lens
is also a necessity for larger classroom groupings and to create a sense of
spaciousness. For closeups, I wish I had a 75mm. I'd use is as my primary
portrait lens for these circumstances. My 90mm is adequate, but somewhat too
narrow for the classroom work I'm doing and requires a faster shutter speed.
Aside from portraits, maximum lens aperture is less an issue for me because
in two's and three's the kids move so quickly I need all the depth of field
I can get. I shoot at f/2.8, if I can.

Need I say, this project is a joy to work on.

- --Gib