Re: [Leica] it DOESN'T work well for leica!

["Tom Schofield" <tdschofield@email.msn.com>]

Joe,

In one respect I agree with you, dumping perfectly good equipment to spend
$1000 to upgrade to a newer lens that is better only at the margin isn't
going to make a huge difference in photographs.  E.g. 135mm Tele-Elmare v.
135mm APO; 35mm ASPH Summicron v. 35mm pre-ASPH.  But, for example,
expensive, high speed lenses such as the Noctilux, 75mm, 180 APO can allow
one to photograph in different situations and different techniques.  The
"snapshooter" at the wedding or dinner party or birthday party taking
available candle-light shots with a Noctilux or Summilux is taking different
pictures than the "snaphooter" with auto-everything flash.  And, the
unobtrusiveness of the Leica can allow candid photography where other
cameras are noticed.  Another factor is that equipment that allows different
techniques, or even higher quality, can rekindle enthusiasm, and lead to
improvements in photography.  When I first acquired an M6, my interest in
B+W and available light candid photography was renewed, both from the
unobtrusiveness of the camera and the available light image quality.

Tom

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe Codispoti" <joecodi@thegrid.net>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2000 7:16 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] it DOESN'T work well for leica!


> Tom,
> anyone can use whatever one wishes to photograph whatever one wishes. If
you
> thought that I belittle the ownership of expensive equipment by non
> professionals, I must not be able to make my point well enough for
everyone
> to understand (how is that for diplomacy D.B.?).
>
> Once and for all my point is that there are a few, maybe more than a few,
> maybe me included, who would abandon the current 135 Elmarit for the 135
> Asph in hope that the change would make a huge difference in the snapshots
> that they make. Again, this is merely an example, maybe even a metaphor.
>
> My point is that when Jim Brick writes that the 75/1.4 is the "very
essence
> of Leica", I am sure that someone rushes out to buy one hoping that it
will
> lift his or her photography out of mediocrity without considering that in
> photography, as in other of life's endeavors, it ain't what you got that
> counts, it's what you DO with what you have that will determine the
outcome.
>
> Joseph Codispoti
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: "Tom Schofield" <tdschofield@email.msn.com>
>
> > Joe,
> >
> > While I definitely agree that this list is in great need of more
> discussion
> > of technique, who the heck are you to declare that anyone's family
photos
> do
> > not "justify the expense"?  There are many of us for whom those
> "snapshots"
> > are more beautiful or important than any other work of photography that
> has
> > heretofore been created!!!!  I have photos of my family taken with
> expensive
> > equipment, Leica or otherwise, that could not have been taken with other
> > equipment -- do you suggest those memories of my children growing up are
a
> > waste of the equipment as compared to the possibility that those lenses
> may
> > have been used by another to make a published  image that paid the
> > photographer's rent one month and will be tossed out when the next
week's
> > issue of Time arrives?  That photo of the INS grabbing Elian will
probably
> > win a Pulitzer, but I doubt Ken Lisaka would trade his Noctilux shots of
> his
> > child's birth for it!
> >
> > Tom Schofield
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Joe Codispoti" <joecodi@thegrid.net>
> > To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
> > Sent: Monday, June 12, 2000 3:17 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Leica] it DOESN'T work well for leica!
> >
> >
> > > Duane and Pascal,
> > >
> > > Speaking for myself, I am simply saying that  the amateur photos taken
> by
> > > amateur LUG photographers could have been taken with any camera with
any
> > > lens. I am not being critical of the snapshots , merely of the amount
of
> > > money spent to take those snapshots.
> > > Obviously if those individuals can afford the high speed lenses, more
> > power
> > > to them, but the fact remains that they are not being used in a way
that
> > > would justify the expense.
> > >
> > *  *  *
> > >
> > > Joseph Codispoti
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>