Re: [Leica] Handheld Limit of Noctilux

[George Huczek <ghuczek@sk.sympatico.ca>]

>Different, if you have "the" news pix which nobody else has, each 
>news or tv station will show it, no matter whether it's taken with 
>a P&S or the Noctilux. And noone cares either.

And likely no one will know either, because they are not examining large
prints, but rather half-toned images or low res TV screen images, where any
perceptible loss of sharpness is buried in the way the image has been
manipulated to fit the required constraints of those media.
   I don't buy the argument that on a good day I can shoot up to 1 second
handheld and have pictures as sharp as if taken with a tripod.  No way.
1/125 is what most would agree is a "safe" and quite acceptable handholding
speed for a 50mm lens, but when I closely compare my handheld and tripod
mounted shots even at that speed, there is a noticeable difference in
sharpness.  Working out in the gym, giving up coffee and smoking, etc.
won't change that for me ... for really sharp pictures handheld, someone
else would have to squeeze a cable release on my camera after rigor mortis
has set in.  I envy those of you who get sharp pictures at slower speeds.
If this isn't just "bragging rights", then perhaps I am simply unable to
relax enough when pressing the release, as hard as I've tried ... even with
elbows resting on a church pew, or up against a brick wall ...
   I handhold not because I get the sharpest pictures, but for other
reasons.  Sometimes I can't use a tripod ... if it is prohibited or
impractical.  Other times the subject matter or the genre does not allow me
to do so.  For whatever reason, I accept that I am compromising some loss
of sharpness in order to achieve other more important goals, like the
spontaneity, unpredictability and other intangibles of the Leica style (if
there is such a thing).  In those circumstances when available light may be
limited, or when grabbing the shot at just the right moment are so
important, I can live with a slight loss of sharpness, because even if that
has happened it doesn't matter ... it's the photo that counts.  Lots of
unsharp pictures end up as really good photos if they say and reveal
something important that others can relate to.



- -GH