Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/04/24

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] Brassai
From: "Bruce R. Slomovitz" <brslomo@erols.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998 08:24:47 -0400

Thomas,

I agree it's not a perfect analogy.  If you remember, I used the phrase "a
bit like".  However it's not just a question of speed.  You must also
consider the capabilities engendered by that speed.  My point was that
people are often far too narrowly focused on the equipment (whatever type of
equipment that might be) and often miss the point or purpose of having the
equipment.

It's true that a lens in some way modifies the image coming through it.
Perspective, angle of vision, depth of field effects, color shifts, etc show
up in our photos as artifacts of the equipment.  But no matter how well or
how poorly the lense and camera body are designed and built (within certain
limits of course) one can either take photos which communicate a powerful
message or photos which although technically faultless don't say much at
all.  To return to my original analogy, this is akin to the writer who
through technique (and due in some small measure to his equipment or other
resources such as reference material) writes a technical perfect essay or
novel, but one which doesn't really add anything to our existence;it neither
edifies, nor enlightens, nor moves us in any way.

I certainly know people who use computers for very mundane purposes.  Some
write, some use it as a communication tool to search the internet for all
sorts of information which they think they need in their lives.  Some of
these people feel that whenever INTEL adds a few MHz to their clock speed or
in some other way tweaks the chip architecture, they need to give their
computer to their kids and go out and buy the newest one.  All I'm saying is
that much of this is wasted money.

Bruce S.