[Leica] Re: Living with Your Leica

[Douglas Cooper <douglas@metaversalstudios.com>]

At 09:20 AM 11/9/00 -0800, Jim wrote:
>there is only one way to "grade" a camera system
>"precisely." And that is to live with it as a working system.


I couldn't agree more.  Although systems are like wives or husbands (not 
that I'm married, remember):  you have to make a leap of faith at first, 
because you won't really know who you're married to until years after the 
decision.  (This is how Rabbi Fackenheim, a famous existentialist, 
explained Kierkegaard to first-year students.)

That first decision will never be scientific.  I prefer to lean on the 
judgment of professionals in the field rather than most magazines, as that 
gets me a little closer to science.  In general, I've found that "cult" 
equipment has worked out for me best in the long run:  the original Hexar, 
the Ricoh GR-1, the Xenar-based Rollei TLR, the Canon LTM 50/1.4.  I found 
out about the first two on Usenet, where they were gathering a devoted 
following; the third (which goes against popular wisdom), from European 
connoisseurs who prefer Schneider to Zeiss, and Xenars to Xenotars; the 
last from Deschert and Sherry.  I bought all of them untried, but after 
consulting serious opinions.

I like Mike's approach to lens evaluation, simply because it defines a new 
aesthetic category, and one that appeals to me:  the Japanese obsession 
with the out-of-focus.  Architect friends of mine are working on a "blur" 
building -- a building enshrouded in fog -- and I explained the concept of 
bokeh to them as a way to make theoretical sense of their project.

Still, you're right:  the final proof is in years of personal 
experience.  I've only had that with Rollei TLR's and the Hexar, neither of 
which are system beasts.


DC