Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/09/13

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Subject: RE: [Leica] RE: Re: My last word on Hexar, really.
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2000 17:00:23 -0400

Yup! And it comes with a complete set of bits...;-)

B. D.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Walter S
> Delesandri
> Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 3:26 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: RE: [Leica] RE: Re: My last word on Hexar, really.
>
>
> Does Craftsman have an M-mount body?.....Damn, I like their
> warranty... ;) :) :)
>
> Walt
>
> On Wed, 13 Sep
> 2000, B. D. Colen wrote:
>
> > You know, guys, some world-class photo journalists and documentary
> > photographers work with auto equipment - over which, of course, one has
> > total manual control - and do far more meaningful and
> esthetically pleasing
> > work than the vast majority of Leica M and R users. And, by the
> same token,
> > a small number of Leica M and R shooters, working entirely in
> manual mode,
> > do far more meaningful and esthetically pleasing work than the
> vast, vast
> > majority of folks using autoeverything cameras. We're tallking
> about TOOLS
> > here....some people like and use Stanley; some like and use
> Craftsman; some
> > use nothing buy power tools; some use nothing but sweat powered tools.
> > They're all tools.
> >
> > B. D.
> > A User Of Both Manual Photo Tools
> > http://www.a-day-in-our-life.com
> > A Day In Our Life...
> > Documentary Photography
> > of American Families
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> > > [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of
> > > Krechtz@aol.com
> > > Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 12:39 PM
> > > To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> > > Subject: Re: [Leica] RE: Re: My last word on Hexar, really.
> > >
> > >
> > > In a message dated 9/12/00 9:43:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> > > jim_brick@agilent.com writes:
> > >
> > > << The Leica M will persist and continue doing an
> > >  incredible job of providing just the right tools for those
> photographers
> > >  who want to practice the craft of photography by exercising
> complete and
> > >  total control, at all times, over the photographic process.
> > >   >>
> > >
> > > I would add that in my experience the only consistent advantage that
> > > automation, in any form, when it is working optimally, confers is
> > > speed.  It
> > > can and often does slow and even interfere with the
> photographic process
> > > under conditions that are not within its design parameters.
> > > To work like HC-B, one should still employ the same methods he
> > > used 50 years
> > > ago.  It is still best to set the exposure and focus prior to
> > > bringing the
> > > camera up to shooting position.  Otherwise, the opportunity can
> > > pass while
> > > the autofocus searches, possibly in vain, or the photographer
> desperately
> > > tries to adjust the automated exposure to compensate for the bright
> > > background that simply wasn't behind his or her moving subject a
> > > moment ago.
> > > This has been my experience, at least.
> > > Given the latitude of today's negative emulsions, both color
> and black &
> > > white, what purpose is served by fretting over whether meter
> accuracy is
> > > within .1 stop tolerances?  With chromes, which I regularly shoot
> > > with the M
> > > system, for critical work bracketing is desirable if not
> necessary, with
> > > virtually any camera system.
> > > IME, the real long term effect of automation is to make the
> photographer
> > > dependent upon it, forget basic skills and, in the process, lose
> > > the "edge"
> > > needed to obtain the best possible photograph under any given set of
> > > circumstances.  Again, I speak in terms of what is generally
> understood,
> > > particularly by the members of this group, as "classic" Leica RF
> > > photography.
> > >  It is a long recognized genre, in and of itself.  Theoretically,
> > > it can be
> > > done well with almost any 35.  In practice, almost any Leica
> clone works
> > > reasonably well. However, as so many of us have learned after
> > > years of trial
> > > and error, it can be done best only with the admittedly imperfect and
> > > "technologically challenged" Leica itself.  The whole - body, lens and
> > > accessories - is greater than the sum of the many parts.
> > > Is the Leica all things to all dedicated photographers?  No -
> > > certainly not
> > > since the popularization and automation of the SLR.  But it is
> > > still best at
> > > being a Leica, without apology; and it is still best at
> giving the Leica
> > > photographer what he or she needs, without distractions.
> > >
> > > Joe Sobel
> > >
> >
> >
>
>