[Leica] 75/1.4 and E200

[Jim Brick <jimbrick@photoaccess.com>]

This morning I picked up the Cibachrome prints of a sharp closed yellow
tulip, with a very soft magenta tulip behind it. I used an M6, 75/1.4 at
f/1.4 or f/2, as close as it would focus. DOF is about 1/2 inch. It's on
Kodak E200 and I printed a vertical 11x14 out of the horizontal frame. That
works out to a total enlargement equivalent of approximately 16x20. This is
an outstanding print. It is the only one out of six that was "not" on
Velvia, tripod, R camera, etc. It was hand held on E200. I have a new
respect for this film. And the 75/1.4 is so outstanding it's frightening.
Boy am I happy I sold my 90 and 50, and bought the 75. Of the six different
Ciba's sitting here (not counting the 30x40's from LF), one 16x20, one
13x20, three 11x14's and one 9x14, this print gets the most ooo's and
aaah's. One person actually stopped in his tracks, took a double take, and
uttered words that I don't dare literally repeat here. "For the love of
bleep bleep bleep, will you look at that!"

The Bokeh is so smooth and creamy it's criminal.

Why am I tell you this? Because I fell so strongly about the virtues of the
75/1.4, and I discovered that E200 holds up extremely well in large
blow-ups. And the colors are subtile, true, and pure. After being stunned
by the 75/1.4, E200, and Cibachrome, I decided I should pass it along.

I guess you can tell that I like this combo.

IMHO,

Jim