RE: [Leica] Cool Leica Pictures-uncool exchanges

[Alan Ball <AlanBall@csi.com>]

When I started this, I certainly did not expect it to turn into such an 
agressive thread. The doubts I expressed were related to the rendition of a 
few images published on a Web  page. The link to that Web page was 
communicated to the LUG by a LUG member under the subject field "Cool Leica 
Pictures".

After visiting that page and looking carefully at the images, I had a 
reaction that I have often had looking at images on the Web: they render 
poorly under my (quite standard) digital and Web visualizing tools. The Web 
technology strips the 'technology' added value out of them IMHO. I maintain 
that they would not have rendered very differently ON THE WEB if they had 
been shot through a low price P/S. You are well aware that there are good 
quality low price P/S options out there. They do not require flash on every 
image, they have good lenses, opening at f2.8, with good contrast and 
definition, with low flare, they have good metering systems, and quite 
frankly you can get good 'decisive moment' images out of them, even if it 
is much easier to do so with a M6.

So, this thread was about the dangers of using the Web as a showcase 
vehicle in the framework of exchanges related to the illustration of the 
high potential of Leica (or Nicapentolta).

Some answers to the questions I raised have given useful information on 
compression technology and new file formats, others have insisted on the 
fact that each Web user owning a Leica should at the very least own a high 
end graphical workstation before surfing the Web.

As I have suggested in an earlier post here, please visit the Nikon Coolpix 
900 page. It could have published under a page called 'Cool leica 
Pictures', and I believe most of us/you LUGgers would have waxed extatic on 
how beautiful they are. They really are. ON THE WEB. Check: 
http://www.nikonusa.com/products/imaging/images/moosebird.jpg and the other 
images in that folder.

Alan
Brussels-Belgium


On Thursday, April 09, 1998 1:24 AM, Robert Rose [SMTP:RJR@usip.com] wrote:
> I have been watching this thread with some disbelief.
>
> How could anyone claim that these pictures could have been taken with a 
P&S camera?
>
> The focus motor, shutter, flash pop, and wind level on most P&S is so 
loud that the subject would be distracted.  The zoom motor sound would have 
made the boy look at the camera, and the woman turn her head, turning the 
image into a diary record, something !
> other than what it is now.
>
> The flare of most P&S cameras would have made shooting with the light 
bulbs in the field impossible.
>
> I could go on, but these are exactly what they are billed:  really cool 
Leica images.
>
> Case in point.  My daughter was the Wicked Witch in the school production 
of Wizard of Oz.  I had a 90mm Elmarit-M on an M6, shooting with NHGII 800, 
no flash, mostly at f/2.8.  Good friend next to me had her P&S ready.  When 
her daughter (munchkin) came ou!
> t, up she jumps, wooor, click, snap, flash pop, buzz, then HORRORS END OF 
ROLL buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz to rewind, while everyone looks at her in 
disbelief.  I lift M6, silently click off shot of munchkin.
>
> When I saw her next she sighed, "my picture didn't turn out so good."  I 
handed her the picture of her daughter.  Her reply?
>
> You guessed it:  "Oh, my God, look at this picture!"  And then, "when did 
you take this?"
>
> I rest my case.
>
> Bob
>