[Leica] Shooting Leica wide open

["ctkhor" <ctkhor@pc.jaring.my>]

When I bought my first Leica, an R-E, back in November '98 and then my first
lens, a 50mm Summicron, I decided there and then that I will take a
different path from that which I took with my Nikon. I will only buy single
focal length lenses and the fastest lens (second hand) that I can afford.
After almost nine months I now own a 35, 50 and 90 (all summicrons) and a
180/3.4 Apo-Telyt ... and an empty savings account.

When I had my Nikons I was almost terrified of shooting wide open. I kept
remembering my friend's advice to shoot at least 2 stops from the widest
aperture for the best result. He never did mention what kind of result I
would get wide open but then i imagined the worst. After I got my Leicas I
decided to "risk" it and shoot wide open. After all I reasoned that it was
foolish to spend extra for a fast lens (and Leica, too) and not shoot it
wide open. I did and was pleasantly surprised. I love the pictures I got and
that gave me more confidence to shoot wide open. Now, after a few months of
such practice, without a second thought, I will immediately open and shoot
wide open whenever the light is weak. Unless of course I need the depth of
field.

I still cannot understand those who pay a lot for a Summilux but always
shoot at f2 or f2.8.


James Khor
http://members.tripod.com/sattha29/index.html