Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/12/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Here's a hot idea: Why don't you guys who think you have the one and only answer go take the photos for Julian so he can go do something else? Though I suspect that you might not produce what he's looking for. Read on. . . . A 90? Sure, if your goal is to make candid portraits (I know, these photos don't exist, a candid is a candid and a portrait is a portrait. But I take candid portraits, so shoot me.). In that case a 90 Summicron would be dandy. Did Julian say he wanted to make portraits of the kiddies? Did he say that his goal was to "isolate one or two much smaller subjects from the ongoing chaos." Must have missed that. . . . I take pictures in the classrooms at my son's preschool all the time. I primarily use a 35 and a 50. My pictures do not suck. I use an M, I shoot black-and-white, I get close, I get involved, the kids forget about me, and pictures look like they were taken from the heart of the action (which they were). Seldom is it my goal to "isolate one or two much smaller subjects from the ongoing chaos." Actually the "ongoing chaos" such as it is, is often an important element of these pictures. Parents get to see their kids' day from a kid's-eye view. Parents LOVE these pictures. BTW, you might be surprised by how little "chaos" actually exists in a well-run preschool class. Any goof with a Canon Rebel and a 28-85 can hang back, stand in a corner, zoom out to 85, and take pictures that look like they were taken by some grown-up standing in the corner watching the kids. What fun is that? That just drains the life out of the scene. Not that I don't use a 75 or a 90 at times. For portraits, closeups. For those infrequent occasions where I want to "isolate one or two much smaller subjects from the ongoing chaos." But even then I'm still working no more than five or six feet away from my subject, usually closer. As you unquestionably know, if you use a 50 wide open, it will very effectively "isolate one or two much smaller subjects from the ongoing chaos." as well. Even a 35 will let you do that, and in addition you capture some out-of-focus environment. I would never want to be limited to a 90 in a preschool classroom. A 35 is ideal, a 50 is very good, even a 28 can be fun, because then all kinds of things happen in the frame. But a 90? C'mon, you guys aren't so rickety that you can't get down on the floor and zoom around with the kids, are you? Rob Schneider - ------------------------------ > Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1999 11:12:40 +0300 > From: Bernard <5521.g23@g23.relcom.ru> > Subject: Re: [Leica] Lens choice--sole lens for M6 > > Mike Quinn wrote: > > > Well, for adults, a 35 gives you groups and a 50 gives you > > individuals. For children in nursery school you'll need to stand back > > and isolate one or two much smaller subjects from the ongoing chaos. > > For that you can't beat a 90 mm lens. > > And I agree. It doesn't make for much of a "universal" lens for most > people, but it sure is the focal length for the job at hand for Julian. > > Ber (votes 90mm ) nard >