[Leica] That 50.... STOP THE WHINING!

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Guys, guys,
That 50 already! ;-) Jeeeeeesh guys! C'mon, it's a no brainer put it on the 
camera go out look through the viewfinder until you feel you see something 
worth fitting the coverage of the 50mm. And shoot it!

A few years ago for one of the Leica Seminar lecture series I presented, one 
of the segments was.. "Vancouver on 50mm a day." Along the lines of "Paris 
on $50.00 a day."

So for 3 days and nights we worked only the 50mm Noctilux f1.0  on an M 
camera and the 50 1.4 Summilux on a motor driven R8. And we worked our asses 
off making sure every shot was as good as possible. Yeah we shot a few 
clunkers the world hasn't and will never see! ;-)

But what we did use opened the eyes of a number of Leica using people to the 
50mm lens. Which model isn't relevant, as you either see and make the lens 
work or you don't.  We made the Noctilux look like a macro lens by going 
wide open and as close as it was possible to focus on a Daffodil bouquet in 
the rain and the skyline of the city in the background, marvellous shot. 
WHY?

Well at f1.0 only the closest focus point was sharp, rain drops looked 
beautiful and from that small segment of raindrops and flowers the rest went 
..... "macro look!" It's called use your imagination don't go out with any 
negative thoughts of.. "well this is a 50mm and nothing works or what I 
think does, is crap!"  And if that's the case don't bother going out in the 
first place!

Here do this!  Go out with the thought I'm going to make that Ted Grant eat 
his words about we don't know how to make the 50 work and I'm going to kick 
his ass! Hell go for it, I always loved a challenge! ;-)

Now there you go a gauntlet thrown in challenge, so kick my ass and stop 
whining about the lack of capability with a 50mm lens! :-) See now you've 
got yer dander up, a challenge right in your face, so kick ass! Get out and 
use the 50 and shoot some of the best dang pictures you've ever taken. :-)

Besides all this whining about a 50 is absolute garbage. Look at the 
beautiful, heart warming, fabulous photographs that GeeBee shoots, not once 
in a while, it's damn near everyday and most people on the list wet their 
collective pants in awe of what he produces... me included! Damn he's good 
with any lens but his 50mm work is constantly awe inspiring!

So why the big crock about not being able to do anything with a 50MM?

Give me a break already, get your collective asses out there and shoot some 
magical photographs!:-)  Oh and for heaven sake don't come back with any 
whining BSt!!! Just go do it!

ted