Re: ! A silly Question M7/Leica M6

[Michael Reichmann <michaelr@interlog.com>]

At 03:14 PM 19/06/96 GMT, you wrote:
>I make B&W prints in 24*30 and sometimes 30*40
>
>If I take the same street's photography with a Leica M6 (24*36)/35mm and the
>same photo with a Mamiya M7 (6*7)/60mm, what are the results ?
>
>Of course, I use the same aperture and the same roll film.
>Of course, I know that a medium-format depth of field is less important.
>Of course, I know that a medium-format is imposing.
>...
>
>But, is the M7 negative grainiless but less sharp than the Leica M6 do ?
>
>
>Please, help me honestly, this two cameras are very expensives, and I am in
>difficulty to do a choice :-)


I do not own an M7, but I do have a Plaubel Makina 670 and also a Mamiya 645
Pro system in addtion to my M6.

My opinion is that a medium format system will always excell over a 35mm
system, all other factors being equal.  The reason simply is that a medium
format (MF) negative has to be enlarged some 3X less than the smaller 35mm neg.

Now, Leica lenses as we all know are superb (I have 4 of them), but no
matter how good they are, they will always be at a disadvantage compared to
a larger format.  The lenses of the M7, by the way, are reputed to be
excellent.  My Mamiya 645 lenses are fantastic for the price.

Since you appear to be interested in making very large prints, I would have
to say that a MF system is likely to produce better quality images for you.
Size, weight and convenience are all important factors, of course, but if
someone had a landscape picture all set up with an M6 and an M7 side by side
on tripods and said to me, which shutter do you want to press to get the
highest quality image in a 16X20 or larger print, the M7 would win hands down.

By the way, this isn't a grain issue alone.  There is a smoothness and
richness of detail that a MF image has that 35mm just can't touch.

Now, having said all of that, for the type of shooting that you do, "street
shooting", you may find that the handling of the M6 is preferable.

Cheers,

Michael