Re: [Leica] Q: lens selection for portraits

["Joe Stephenson" <joeleica@email.msn.com>]

Dear Andrew,
The best protrait lens is a matter if taste--yours and the subjects. I have
shot a lot of portraits with a late model f2.0 50 mm lens. The subjects were
quite pleased, and so was I. However, these were younger individuals with
clear skin and few wrinkles. I would probably use the same kit for older
subjects, although I might use an older lens (Summarit) in order to get a
bit of flare and softness.  I don't feel that there are any definite rules.
Just good taste.
Good luck,
Joe Stephenson

- -----Original Message-----
From: Andrew M. Moore <dmm@bronze.lcs.mit.edu>
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 1998 10:34 AM
Subject: [Leica] Q: lens selection for portraits


>
>Having never done much in the way of portraits before, I'd like some
>suggestions on lens and film selection before I do a shoot as a favor
>to some friends this weekend.  They want enlargements to 8x10 for
>individual portraits and even larger for group shots.  I have the
>following available:
>
>- M6
>- latest 35/2 and 50/2 Summicrons
>- screw mount 90/4 Elmar
>- screw mount 50/2 Summar
>- whatever I might find at a photo show in Boston this weekend!
>
>(oh yeah, and a 50/1.8 Serenar that I haven't worked with much!)
>I'll be using natural early morning sunlight, outdoors, shooting
>in both B&W and color.
>
>I thought the Summicrons might be "too sharp" for this sort of work,
>but at those enlargment sizes, this may not be the case.  True?  I
>like the results I've had from the Elmar, but that was for much
>smaller prints.
>
>Any thoughts?
>
>Andrew
>