[Leica] A Lens Story

[Robert Clark <rclark@desupernet.net>]

Greetings Leica folks:
Before I begin my little narrative, I'm greatly appreciate of the great
advice and insight I've learned on this board.  The range and depth of
life and photographic experiences of this group is truely phenomenal and
I'm always intriqued by the things people do and the places they go.
Now...page 2.  Last year about this time, I bought my first Leica...a
M6TTL with a 50mm Summilux...chrome and a beauty.  Like many who first
own a camera outfit, I immediately began looking and thinking about the
accessories I would need and especially what my first new lens would
be.  After buying a Domke satchel, I settled down to learn the camera
and think about lenses again.  For the past year, I have used the camera
in many different situations from bright sunny days at the beach, to
oyster roasts in the barn (very low light), to Sunday service at Easter,
to urban scenes in Paris and Harrisburg.  All the while, I marveled at
the camera but continued to wonder what I could do with a 24 or 28 lens
because I could get more into the picture (but not necessarily a better
picture). Now, a year later with the 50 lens, I can see marked
improvement over a year ago....better exposures, more appealing
composition, and a greater understanding and use of depth of field.
With all this in mind, I traveled to the closest dealer to look at new
lenses for my upcoming trip to France.  I brought my camera with a roll
of Tri-X installed so when I began to attach the different lenses, I
could snap a few exposures in the store and outside.  I tried the 21,24,
28, 90, and of course, the Noctilux.  My initial impressions centered
around the 24 and the Nocti...and from a user standpoint, I could easily
see their versatility.  However, when I received the prints, my
composition for these lenses was poor, exposure poor, and my focusing
out of synch....on all but the Noctilux.  Suddenly, a blinding flash of
the obvious struck me.....it was not the lenses that made the photos
that I liked...it was me!  The guy who worked long and hard to learn the
50mm Summilux, to learn what it would do and what I liked.  I realized
that my competency and technique with the 50 had grown but I did have a
ways to go in learning all I could about my existing lens.  And... a
little voice told me that a second lens at this point would interfer
with my growth with the 50 and that in all likelihood, I would start
again with the learning curve on a new lens.  The little voice
said....keep using the 50...you will learn it and it will learn
you....stay away from the new lens a little longer and use what you have
to improve your skill, talent, and competency...do not succumb to the
newness of having a new lens.  Do with what you have and become good
with it.   So...I'm listening to that voice and planning to learn even
more with my 50mm.  In fact, of all the lenses I tried, I was most
enamoured with the Noctilux and did take a few shots with it at f1. I
also like to 24mm with the accessory viewfinder.  I think my experience
with the Summilux prepared me well to use the Nocti and with the type of
photography I do and am interested, it may be a viable option for me in
the future, but not now.  So...anyone else had one of these epiphanies
before?  I no longer have that burning urge to have a "new" lens....I
must learn to use the one I have and one day when I am ready, I will get
the second lens for the right artistic and creative reasons.