[Leica] response to Peter...was RE long lens tests

[Harrison McClary <mcclary@iname.com>]

>>And if he stops short you will sufficate.

Peter,

This goes beyond the pale IMHO.

If I am looking for equipment and about to spend $5-7,000 on a lens as I
would to buy a new 400 2.8 (may even be more it has been 8 years since I
bought my old Canon FD 400 2.8) I ask people for their thoughts on the
lenses. Then if possible rent the lens in question and give it a go under
my actual use circumstances.

While people like Alan Ball, and Erwin Puts and others give excellent
information, I will give more weight to someone like Ted who uses the lens
like I will be using it.

Lab tests are nothing like actual use in the field.  Period.  Anyone who
has been there knows what I am talking about.

As far as Eric "brown nosing" Ted as you suggest...well Eric is just giving
respect where respect is due.

Anyone who has worked as a "working news photographer" knows how bloody
competitive the field is....here in the United States it is the second most
competitive field in journalism second only to on-air broadcast
talent....only slightly harder to land those good jobs at good outlets than
it is for a broadcast talking head to get a job on one of the major
networks.

Those of us who have worked in he field recognize that to have achieved the
success Ted has and to get to the place he has in his career, he has to be
an excellent photographer....Then add the fact his ego is not WAY huge says
a lot for his character (There are a lot of good photogs who have huge egos
who I would not give the time of day to, as I HATE people like that)....

Ted has, to quote a bad country music song, "Been there Done That" in
Spades.  He  has used most brands of lenses (Most of us who have achieved a
certain level of success in the field have experience with most major
brands of lenses...I have used both the Nikon and Canon 400 2.8 and have
used the Leica 280 2.8, owned the Nikon 300 2.8 and Canon 300 2.8, and the
Tamron 300 2.8 at various times in my career...the Leica 280 2.8 is with
out peer IMHO....an no I do not have tests, just my experience shooting the
various lens and how the resulting chromes look on a light table.)

Most of us say things on this list that strike others the wrong way...at
times Eric and I have had our clashes; however, never did either of us
become nasty or abusive nor did these exchanges cause me to think less of
him as a person or as a photographer (although he really needs to see the
light and realize that an incident meter is the best way to meter <G> )

.....a statement like you made {And if he stops short you will sufficate.}
 simply destroys your credibility and makes YOU look like a jerk (not
saying you are one...just how it appears in the cold B&W of written
communication.)

Have a good day, and I hope what you said was intended as a joke....just
the body language and inflection got lost in transit over the ether.

BTW you spell sufficate as: suffocate.  ;)


Harrison McClary
http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto
Preview my book: http://www.volmania.com
mail: mcclary@iname.com