[Leica] The quintessence of Leica photography?

["Erwin Puts" <imxputs@knoware.nl>]

The seemingly relentless march of digital printing does signify two trends.
First of all a loss of knowedge of true and important photographic
principles. If we might wish to agree that a black of density D=1,4 is all
that is needed for the impression of blackness in a print, we also have to
agree that we are no longer  interested in expanding our technique nor our
visual sensitivity. A true black of D=2.0 and more is very visibly more
black to anyone and will brings a warmth and depth into a picture that is
sadly lacking in todays digital prints. Moreover: the cut-off of a range of
dark tones from 1,4 to 2 is a considerable loss of information depth and
tonal scale. Image listening to music with all bass tones filtered out.
It may be the consensus that we do not prefer high quality, high fidelity
prints any more. I would dare to propose that this attitude will end the
craft of Leica photography. If the current quality of digital prints will be
the standard for years to come (and it seems technologically difficult
and/or culturally undesirable to get closer to a silver halide print), any
digital camera of above 4 million pixels and any negative from any good
quality camera, will give identical results, thanks to the software which in
all cases is supplanting the art and craft of photography.
We all love our Leica lenses as they are so able to capture the details in
shadows and highlights and deliver image detail of depth and contrast that
is unique in the world. And we spend days if not weeks to discuss the
desirability of the use of filters and/or the adverse effects of filters on
ultimate image quality. Now we record a scene with our best abilities,
carefully exposing for the depth of details in the shadows and controlling
development and/or exposure to capture fine and subtle shades of white in
the highlights, we focus very critically to ensure optimum image quality at
the sharpness plane to record the very finest detail of a scene and then we
lose most if not all of it in a digital print.
There is no need to counter that the use of a Leica camera is more than
looking for image quality, as the Leica will deliver images that no other
camera can. This is a frail argument as any issue of National Geographic or
any book of Magnum pictures will demonstrate. Picture content,
expressiveness and all that is not causally related to Leica cameras. Best
street photography was with Rolleiflex, best reportage with Speed Graphlex,
best fashion and portrait with Hasselblad etc.
If content and acceptable or sufficient print quality are the goals, Leica
has no comparative nor competitive advantages to any other top camera.
Durability? Ask any Canon or Nikon user. Speed of focus? Ask any AF user.
Ergonomics? A Hexar is as good.
In my view, Leica photography has a high fun factor and the camera is
inspiring to use as an instrument, just because it is able to inch ahead of
the rest thanks to accuracy of the mechanics and the optical abilities of
its lenses. It asks of the user to match the inherent qualities, the
designers built into it.
The famous Oddmund noted long ago that for 95% of street and documentary
photography a humble Contax Compact camera would do. Protests mounted and he
was crucified for his heresy. Alas, he proved to be very perceptive and the
digital wave is the living proof that we are converging to a position where
the highest common factor will decide what the standard of image quality
will be.
I know I am a loner here and that I will end my life on a deserted island
with a small pipeline of chemicals and some classical books on the craft of
Leica photography. I will even try to  write a new book on this topic. The
Economist wrote long ago (1996) the following: "So eventually, as with every
battle between digital and analogue, it is likely that digital will win.
Film will live on, but probably only in specialist use. Just as a few
diehards will still shun CD players and listen to vinyl discs thröugh
amplifiers, in years to come there will always one tourist in that group
high above Hong Kong who pulls out a battered Nikon F5 and delights in
informing everyone that photographs never look right unless they are made
from silver halide. For most people though, the chance to alter their
holiday's weather conditions after the event will win out every time."
Replace Nikon with Leica and the Economist journalist might have thougt of
me.

Erwin