Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/03/26

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To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: 135mm Tele-Elmar f4.0
From: Michael Reichmann <michaelr@interlog.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 14:16:29 -0500

Hi Eric,

My issues with the 135mm used to be twofold.  Firstly, it struck me as a
focal length that was too long to be a comfortable portrait lens and too
short to be a real tele.  Therefore, on my Nikons I found myself working
with the 105mm and 180mm, and ignored 135.  On the Leica, I was mainly
focused (pardon the pun) on medium and wide focal lengths (since this is
where I felt Leica's strength lay), and ignored 135, even though I had one
in my kit.

I'm not sure if my "vision" is maturing or not.  If anything, because I no
longer really care what others think of my work, (I don't seek exhibitions
or publication any more), and since I'm doing it just for my own creative
gratification, I tend to be very narrow in my appreciation of my own work.
Others who see my prints are much more appreciative of them than I am.  Very
little satisfies me -- which leads me to work that much harder, so I suppose
it's not altogether a bad thing. <g>

Cheers,

Michael




At 07:18 AM 26/03/96 -0800, you wrote:
>Michael Reichmann wrote:
>
>>I havn't had a 135 in my Leica M set because back in the late 60's when 
>>I used Leicas to make a living I found this focal length to the the 
>>least useful.  For some reason, I now find that I don't perceive the 
>>same limitations.  
>
>It means you have become a better photographer, and can find value with 
>less change in focal length than before. Your appreciation for 
>subtlety in composition is maturing. 
>
>It's like 50mm lenses. When someone says it's a boring focal length, I 
>tend to believe it means more that they're a boring photographer. I'm 
>not aiming that comment at anyone here or elsewhere, btw.
>
>-- 
>Eric Welch
>Grants Pass, OR
>
>
>


Replies: Reply from Eric Welch <ewelch@gp.magick.net> (Re: 135mm Tele-Elmar f4.0)