Re: [Leica] SHARPNESS

["Henning J. Wulff" <henningw@archiphoto.com>]

Dominique Pellissier wrote:

>If sharpness is not the main criterium, why buy Leica lenses ? Nikon or
>Canon lenses are 3 or 4 times less expensive.
>Do you know that only 15% of Leica buyers in the world are professionals
>(origin : Leica Camera and Le Figaro (a french newspaper)06/02/98 p.4)
>?...So 85 % of pros have answered to my question.They don't buy Leica.
>That's the strategic problem for Leica Camera : how to conquer
>professionals who are, in essence, rational because they earn money with a
>camera ?
>If I were a  young pro, I'd never buy a Leica gear : too expensive, son.
>Even "old" pros are reluctant. Some months ago the french photographer
>Jeanloup Sieff tried the 24 M. He answered to Leica : "Its price makes me
>move back a bit" (son prix me fait un peu reculer").He didn't buy it.

A couple of things are out of whack here.

Sharpness is _NOT_ the main criterium. If it were, my Sinar and Cambo stuff
would get used a lot more, and I would not have sold my 8x10 stuff. I
cannot shoot the same way with my Canon and Nikon SLR stuff as I can with
the Leica M, and for those things a Leica M is good at, there is nothing
else.

As far as the lens qualities go, I am generally happiest with the 35mm
shots taken with my Leicas. I cannot take everything I want with Leicas, so
I have Nikons, Canons, Hasselblads, Noblex, etc. to deal with the rest.

The reason I am happiest with the Leica shots has little to do with
'sharpness', but with content that I am best able to record with a
rangefinder and a pleasing combination of contrast, lack of flare, lack of
distortion (when applicable), detail in shadows, and, at times, a wealth of
detail especially in the shadows. It is this combination of all the things
that a lens has to do well, especially with medium and slow film, that sets
Leica apart from the others. But that doesn't mean I'll give up my new
Canon 100-400 IS lens or my old Nikon 24/2.

Also, your math is strange. 15% of Leica buyers being pro has nothing to do
with 85% of pros deciding anything. All it means is that 85% of Leica
buyers are not pros.

   *            Henning J. Wulff
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