Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/09/06

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Subject: Re: Bokeh (again); Japanese L-mount lenses
From: Eric Welch <ewelch@ponyexpress.net>
Date: Sat, 06 Sep 1997 10:34:31 -0500

At 11:19 PM 9/5/97 +0000, you wrote:
>First, I already have a couple of 90's and they're too long for what I
want to use them 
>for. 

Reasonable. But then I am not sure I like the rangefinder way. I tried it,
and I think I like Leica R better.

>Second, Leicas 75mm is selling for $1650 -2000... used! 

Yes, and it will last for the rest of your life.

>Third, I'm not so sure a third party manufacturer would have a hard time
matching the 
>performance of either the 75 or 90 Summicron. 

I don't believe that for a moment. Those lenses are fantastic performers,
unless you believe Pop Photo's lame tests. It's very difficult to build
quality lenses, with any kind of consistency, and Leica does it better than
anyone except maybe Zeiss. 


>Fourth, If it were an F2, it would be far smaller than either the 75/1.4
or 90 S'cron. 

That's a given. But so what? :-) I think M stuff is so small it's a
non-issue. (I am 6'2" and over 200 lb).

>Fifth, It'll be gobs less than the Leica 75mm. I'd rather more comfortably
live than spend 
>even more money on what is to me, not my first choice for professional work. 

That's probably your best point of all. If I were to go back to the M6, the
second lens I'd buy is the 75 Summilux, to complement my Nikon system which
has nothing faster than 2.8 except my 35mm 1.4.

>Sixth, you haven't shot with a Hexar; have you...

No, and I don't need to. I have no interest in that camera at all. If I
can't change the lens, I don't want it.

>Please all, don't flame me for that last comment. I work for magazines
that request 645 
>as a minimum. That said, If I were more free to use 35mm, I'd probably use
an SLR for 
>most of what I do anyway. I use the M6 for street shooting, stock stuff
and to break my 
>concentration when I feel like seeing the world a bit differently.

All good reasons. I remember reading Henri Kertesz used to be told to use
large format, and he would shoot Leica and then enlarge it and bring in the
prints. They were never the wiser, which I think is indicative of most of
the photographic world. Editors follow trends, they're sheep. Photographers
know better what is important, and they should be free to shoot what they
want.


- ---------------------
Eric Welch
Grants Pass, OR

To iterate is human; to recurse, divine.