[Leica] Speed matters

[Jim Laurel <jplaurel@microsoft.com>]

That may be true for everyday snapshots, but photos shot at the edge of
light, with a very wide aperture have a special look.  I was just browsing
through Steve McCurry's Kashmir photos in a recent National Gepgraphic, and
he seems to work alot in low light at wide apertures.  His book, "portraits"
has alot of shots taken in marginal light.  David Alan Harvey always has
alot of great low-light shots in his NGS stories too.

No matter how you slice it, lens speed matters.  Faster film, supplemental
lighting, and camera supports are no replacement for fast glass.  Modern
optical technology has pretty much erased the imaging compromises we used to
have to accept in fast lenses.  I don't think any of use would argue that
the current Summilux 35 ASPH is much of an optical compromise as compared to
the Summicron 35 ASPH.

- --Jim

- -----Original Message-----
From: InfinityDT@aol.com [mailto:InfinityDT@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 1999 10:01 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Godfrey's kit


In a message dated 11/3/99 11:13:21 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
michaeljohnston@ameritech.net writes:

<< You have to search
 pretty hard for situations that truly require an aperture of f/1.4,
 never mind f/1. 
 --Mike >>

Or that work with the negligible DOF at those apertures.  The super-speed 
lenses are more often *required* with an SLR, from a focusing and 
handholding/shutter-speed standpoint, and somewhat easier to use since the 
shallow DOF is viewable.  In 30 years I have never owned a Leica lens faster

than f2 other than the 75 Summilux which I find difficult to use (size, 
weight, DOF, finder intrusion) but still have; and the 90 Summicron which I 
sold (the only Leica lens I have ever parted with) within a year of 
acquisition for a current Elmarit that I enjoy immensely. TEHO.

DT