Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/07/13

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Subject: [Leica] what camera?? {WAS: why shoot black and white film?}
From: Harrison McClary <harrison@mcclary.net>
Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2000 21:57:30 -0500
References: <F32mIaCGXBO4cdW4Xa100002497@hotmail.com>

I want it made perfectly clear that I am not the one who made the 
comment "is it really worthwhile to use Leica cameras, as opposed to 
say a Canon Rebel? :-)."

However; I have NEVER subscribed to the notion that using a Leica 
makes ANY photo better.  IMHO  the quality of a photo lies entirely 
on the content.  A photo of outstanding content made with a 
disposable kodak camera is better than a boring empty content photo 
made with a Leica.  Just my opinion of course.

I know a fellow former UPI photographer who made a photo of then 
President George Bush as he was swimming in the Pacific Ocean with 
his wife's point and shoot Nikon.  Joe used the best equipment at 
hand that would fit the bill and that was a Nikon P&S.  That photo 
ran in almost every paper in the USA, in LIFE magazine and was on the 
cover of one of LIFE's books.  Guess that old Nikon P&S did a pretty 
decent job, or maybe, just maybe, Joe is a damn good photographer who 
has the brains and eye to use what he needs to get the job done.  I 
know Joe and I think it may just be the latter......

Also in my work as a photographer I use Canon gear as my SLR 
equipment and I have had FAR more photos published using the Canon 
lenses than I have had Leica...those same lenses fit on the lowly 
Rebel body and I am quite sure that they would deliver the same 
results they do on my EOS 1n, oh and last time I looked Leica does 
not make: a 24 1.4, any of the tilt/shift lenses, no fast wide 
zooms.....



>Hi,
>
>David Hurn, member since 1967 of Magnum Photos, changed from Leica 
>to Canon. In 'On being a photographer' he writes "I use the cheapest 
>amateur model in the Canon range". I defy anybody to look at his 
>books and tell me they know which photographs were shot with a Leica 
>and which with a Canon.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Bob
>
>>From: Bill Satterfield <cwsat@cyberhighway.net>
>
>>
>>If you have to ask, then you do not need a Leica. A good point and shoot
>>should suffice.
>>
>>Harrison McClary wrote:
>>
>>  > >is it really worthwhile to use Leica cameras, as
>>>  >opposed to say a Canon Rebel? :-).
>>  > >
>>  > >Dave
- -- 
Harrison McClary
http://www.mcclary.net

In reply to: Message from "Bob Walkden" <bobwalkden@hotmail.com> (Re: [Leica] why shoot black and white film?)