Re: [Leica] Lee Friedlander and wide-angles

[Edward Meyers <aghalide@panix.com>]

On Sun, 14 Dec 1997, Bill Franson wrote:

> A question for the group:
> 
> I have read, and heard Lee Friedlander speak of a "congenital problem" with
> using wide-angle lens in his desert and Olmsted series'. I quote him from
> VIEWING OLMSTED: "The reason I started using [the Hasselblad superwide] was
> that I was having some kind of congenital problem with wide-angle lenses [on
> the Leica] in the desert, probably because of the light, and probably
> because those lenses were designed for flat surfaces. Those lenses are
> usually used by people who do architectural work, which deals with flat
> surfaces, not so much with a large area with lots of details. I don't know
> what the reasons were. It looked as if areas were out of focus and they
> wouldn't be the same every time. I call it congenital because it comes with
> the lens; it's not something anybody can fix and it's not that anybody even
> knows why."
> 
> Can anybody elaborate on his perceived problem?
> 
> I am wondering specifically what M-series wide-angle lenses he may be
> refering to. I own a 35mm f-2 Summicron and have never noticed a focus
> problem. I am assuming, from looking at some of the images in VIEWING
> OLMSTED (a great book by the way), that he was using 28mm and wider.
> 
> Bill
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
If Lee said the above, he doesn't seem to know what he's talking about.
I hope he really didn't say it. He's a nice guy and talented
photographer nontheless. Ed