Re: [Leica] 15mm Heliar

["Ted Grant" <tedgrant@home.com>]

Steve Unsworth wrote:
>>> The 15mm lens has an extraordinary angle of view. For example I live on
> quite a narrow street and there is a church directly opposite that is
about
> 30 metres high. With the Heliar I can get the whole of the church in the
> frame!
>
> However, I find it very difficult to control the distortion > > I know
it's been suggested before, but perhaps a day shooting just with the 15mm
and a 90mm (the longest lens that I have) would help :-)>>>>>

Hi Steve,
Here's something I do with the 15 that seems to work rather well in
controlling distortion while hand holding the camera. (usually not
straight!)

Once I've established the scene through the 15 external view finder, I then
switch to the "camera viewfinder" for exact vertical-horizontal holding of
the camera by lining up the edges of the M6 viewfinder with the edge of a
building or other vertical-horizontal lines within the scene.

You don't need to worry about what you're covering as you've already
established the centre of the frame.  So all you do is line-up the centre
again through the M6 viewfinder, hold camera correctly and fire
away.......... this will or should eliminate much of the distortion created
due to the extreme wide angle when holding the camera incorrectly.

As far as the "normal distortion" of any wide angle lens there isn't
anything one can do about that. However, if you use that W/A view-look to
your advantage it creates an awesome photograph by making all the lines,
bits and pieces work. And completely different from any other photographer's
pictures, unless they are also working with a 15.

Even if they are, but don't have a clue how to take advantage of the 15,
other than "making wide angle" pictures, you'll blow them out of the water
with yours. There isn't any better compliment from another shooter using
identical equipment than, "Gee how did you do that?" :-)

"It's my 15mm super-wide angle lens!" You smile knowingly, then nicely point
them in the right direction for better pictures!. :-)
ted

Ted Grant Photography Limited
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant