Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/01/17

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Subject: Re: [Leica] R8 or Autofocus?
From: apbbeijing <apbbeijing@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2001 14:18:24 +0800

on 18/1/01 10:47 am, Doug Herr at merlin@flyingemu.com wrote:

> I enjoy the process and take pride in the results.

Doug - that puts it very nicely. I think that is why Leicas and other more
manual cameras can offer a great deal of satisfaction in use. As a working
photographer it is always necessary to try to keep a balance between getting
the results I strive for in every job (and personal work too for that
matter) and the continuing pleasure of using tools like Leicas even when
they are lacking in some areas (such as AF, motors, flash automation etc).

We sometimes tell ourselves that the very backwardness of Leica technology
is the root of this pleasure and the source of better photos and often there
is some truth in that. I think it is more because of the tactile qualities
of the cameras and lenses (especially compared to the more plastic AF crowd)
and the legend behind them added to the knowledge that some of the lenses
are without peer.

I spent 16 hours driving through freezing fog yesterday to get some photos
in a remote village and it just made the whole experience that much more
worthwhile that I was using my R and M systems to capture the best results
there. If I had shot with my EOS I may have got a few additional keepers but
that would have been at the expense of enjoying using some great lenses and
keeping it simple. I used a 28, 35 and 60 for nearly all the work: portraits
of a farmer and his son in a very poor area working at a cotton gin. The
film I shot cost more than their combined annual income which gives pause
for thought.

Rs

Adrian


- -- 
Adrian Bradshaw
Corporate and Editorial Photography
Beijing, China
tel/fax +86 10 6532 5112
mobile +86 139 108 22292
e-mail apbbeijing@yahoo.com
OR adrianpeterbradshaw@compuserve.com

website:   http://www.apbphoto.com
           http://www.liaisonintl.com/bradshaw.htm
           http://www.liaisonintl.com/bradshaw_e.htm



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