Re: [Leica] Leica-Users List Digest V3 #354

[Alexey Merz <alexey@webcom.com>]

Jim Brick wrote:
>If you see any ofTed's M6 photographs, you'll understand what he is 
>saying. Likewise, you should look at Tina Manley's M6 photos, and 
>read Erwin Puts' article "King of the Night" in last months Photo 
>Techniques. The M6 is not flash friendly. And TTL didn't help.

I have done all of the above. If you reread what I wrote, you'll 
see that I am almost in complete agreement with you! 
My only gripe is what I read as an implication by Ted that 
the use of artificial light in reportage is a sign of ineptitude.
I did and do not agree with this! Here's what Ted said, and what I
said, one more time:

BEGIN QUOTE:

>tedgrant@islandnet.com (Ted Grant) writes:
>>When you use an M6, which is the ultimate of available natural light
>>picture taking machines in the first place, then require flash, fill or
>>otherwise, to take your pictures speaks of the lack of the photographer's
>>ability to see light and make it work for him or her.

Alexey Merz replied:
>This seems really overboard to me. That the M is astonishingly
>good for natural light work does not in _any_ way the it wrong 
>to use an M in situations where light is added. If your benchmark
>for high quality editorial/reportage is the B/W work of the '30s
>to the '60s, then it seems to me that one cannot exclude the work
>of people like M. Bourke-White and W.E. Smith. Both of these 
>photographers produced work of the very highest standard using 
>artificial light. And while M. B-W tended to use TLR Rolleis, 
>Smith often worked in 35 mm. Put bluntly, it is presumptuous to say
>that other people's technical decisions are incorrect or 'twinky'. 
>
>That said, I just purchased a 'vanilla' M6 HM because I don't 
>often use flash in my own work (when I do, I use N**** FA or FE2),
>and because I think that the TTLs are noticably bulkier (yes!) than 
>the M6, which is *just* small enough to disappear in my hands. 
>Furthermore, I think that the TTL metering is not enough of an
>asset to justify mofification of the M body. A large new 
>feature set (including a modern shutter, as described by others 
>here) might justify such a change, but TTL alone does not, in my 
>opinion. 
>
>However, to say that OTHERS should not use M series Leicas for
>artificial light work is just silly. Just my $0.02.

END QUOTE

Again, I have the utmost respect for photographers - including Ted,
and Tina, and Cartier-Bresson, and Salgado (and on and on!) - who
use available light exclusively. And I nearly always use available
light myself, in large measure because much of the joy that
photography has for me comes from the *discovery* of pretty or
interesting *ambient* light. I also don't enjoy carrying a lot of
gear around - not least because I generally get around on foot, 
bicycle, or bus. But I can certainly imagine many situations where
a serious photographer with different goals and methods  might want 
TTL metering for use with an M. Ted apparently doesn't agree with me,
and that's fine! He's an awesome photographer, and I value his
opinions, even - especially - when I don't agree.

Regards, 
Alexey
..........................................................................
Alexey Merz | URL: http://www.webcom.com/alexey | email: alexey@webcom.com
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