[Leica] Rossella, or F/1.4 is useful

[hellman at comcast.net (Jesse Hellman)]

I want to thank you all who have looked at the pictures I posted on  
the Gallery (www. gallery.leica-users.org/v/Jesse+Hellman) and have  
given feedback.

More people have looked closely at Rossella 2 than at the others, so  
here is the story about it: A group of artists were in the Umbian  
town of Fossato di Vico to install a sculpture by Itaru Mishiku. This  
was part of a project called Viaggiatori sulla Flaminia (Travelers on  
the Flaminia) started by paintor/sculptor Franco Troiani. They  
started to ask me if there would be enough light for photographs and  
when I said "the photographer can..." I was told "But you are the  
photographer." So as part of my new role I snapped a picture of  
Rossella, the Assessore alla Cultura for Fossato, and on hearing the  
"click" she looked startled. "I can't take your picture?" I said,  
disappointed. "Yes, but later, when I've changed!" she answered. So  
one hour later, at the screening of a film, I quietly took three  
pictures while she was talking to Franco. This is the last of the three.

For years I read the comments on the LUG about the Summilux lenses,  
enjoyed the excellent pictures posted, and finally got a 50 Asph. It  
turned out to be very useful, as frequently I had a choice of either  
using a too-slow-to-handhold shutter speed or going wider than F/2.  
Yes. I could have taken Tmax 3200 or Fuji 1600 but I wanted to stick  
with Tri-X as I love the tonalities and was afraid that with the new  
airport security measures the film would get multiple scans. It was  
exposed at 400 and developed (with Mark Rabiner's advice) in Xtol 1:3  
for 13.5 minutes.

Of the 45 pictures shown from my vacation six were at F/1.4 and three  
were between F/1.4 and F/2 (what is that, F/1.8?). Here are the ones  
I'm pretty sure were at F/1.4: Milton Gendel, Chiara and Franco 1 and  
2, Chiara Armellini, Cristina and Stefano, Franco Troiani 2. Rossella  
Sborzacchi 2, Franco Troiani, and Soja Mrkajic and Attilio Placidi  
were more likely at F/1.8.

So this trip supplied a shakeout for that lens wide open. If I get an  
M8 (and I do want one) it will be very useful there, too.

I'm glad to be back on the LUG and will try to lurk less.

Jesse