Re: [Leica] The law of Supply and Demand in Reverse

[Mark Rabiner <mark@markrabiner.com>]

Andrew Schroter wrote:
> 
> Well, what did it buy you? :-)
> AGS
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ernest Nitka" <enitka@twcny.rr.com>
> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2002 10:25 AM
> Subject: [Leica] The law of Supply and Demand in Reverse
> 
> > Somebody's comment got me to thinking that in my lens closet I have the
> > reverse of S & D - I have more damn 90 mm lenses and yet I rarely walk
> > around with one on my camera.  I have really only 1 or 2 lenses in the 50
><Snip> 

The key here is in the verb. "Walk around."

The 90 is much less of a  "walk around" then a 50 or a 35. Or a 28 or
24. Or 21.

A 90 is more of a "pull over to the side of the road and get the shot" lens.
You don't wear your shoes out you wear your tires out.
Traveling cross country the shot is always "out there" and Me i don't
most often don't care to have the road and the fence in the shot. I want
the illusion that i am really THERE. Not just pulled over.
For that you need just the tiniest bit of reach. A 50 does not quite cut
the mustard on that.

Same with when you are in the living room or studio doing a portrait.
A 50 is really just a tad on the short side for people.
There ears are behind their heads.
So many great portraits of jazz people we saw in San Antonio with the
slides of Jim Marshall, all with the 50.
Me I'd reach for the 90 more when doing those. Bring those ears forward.

And for getting in there a bit more; a more dramatic tight in head
shot... a 135 is required and a pleasure to use. I've shot thousands of
rolls with SLRs of such. And now i love the little frame lines and no
black out and even watching the little twinkie light go off etching the
image into my eyeball. I know I've got the shot i don't need to
moronically shoot roll after roll wondering what the camera is getting
during the blackouts.
And i love the quality of the APO 3.4 which blows my Nikon glass
completely right out of the water.
Scintillating quality. I don't need a telescopic view when I'm taking
the shot. What i see matches the contact sheet or the slide on the light
table. Then it's revelation to blow it up.

Same applies for pulling over to the side of the road.
A little more reach is for me half the time needed.
I reach for the amazing latest from Leica 135 3.4 apo OR my classic of
days gone by 135 f4.5 Hektor which i got for 99 bucks.

That said this year (last 12 months) I've walked around plenty with my
90's. Yes they are heavier than a 50 or 35 but so is a Noctilux and I've
got a winder on the camera anyway.
If i want ultra light weight and compactness I'll have my RolIei 35 on
my belt and just that.
Someday I'll get into LTM. SM. A Barnack.


Mark Rabiner
Portland, Oregon USA
http://www.markrabiner.com
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