Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/07/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jean-Claude, I do beg your pardon, when I wrote 'hyperfocal', I should have been more careful and written 'chosen distances', or some such. Cartier Bresson would shoot knowing that his lens was set to a certain distance, it certainly wasn't neccersary for his pictures to be sharp to infinity, he was usually interested in action some 6-9 feet (2-3m) from the camera. As you say, the use of the rangefinder was something that I doubt he used much. Once you are practised in estimating distances it does not require checking through the rangefinder window, you can keep your eye (if at all) at the viewfinder. Jem > -----Original Message----- > From: Jean-Claude Berger [SMTP:jcberger@jcberger.com] > > Hi Jem, > > The more I look at pictures by HCB, Riboud, Boubat (to name a > few), the more I doubt they were using hyperfocal that often. Do > examine their shots. The backgroup is most of time out of focus > and so is the foreground. But the subjects *are* sharp provided > that in the 40-50th the films were slower than now, the separate > telemeters were a nightmare to use (sorry for the pre-M lovers) > and that the subjects were not slower than today. > > > his assistant had to mark > > hyperfocal distances for him on his lenses with red > > nail varnish. > > Moreover, I doubt that a person intelligent enough to found > Magnum and to write the most sensible pages about the spirit of > photography was dumb enough to not understand the hyperfocal > concept. > > All the best. > > -- > Jean-Claude Berger (jcberger@jcberger.com) > Systems and RDBMS consultant (MCSE) > Lyon, France > http://www.jcberger.com > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us > > [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On > > Behalf Of Jeremy Kime > > Sent: Thursday 29 July 1999 16:17 > > To: 'leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us' > > Subject: RE: [Leica] Canon 28 or 35. > > > > > > Horst, > > I'm sure he would, the Magnum story reveals his > > assistant had to mark > > hyperfocal distances for him on his lenses with red > > nail varnish. Focusing > > wasn't for him, seeing the picture was it. > > > > Jem