[Leica] Another Leica vs medium format debate

["Gib Robinson" <robinson@sfsu.edu>]

Gerry (UK) wrote

> you are far more likely to capture the character and ambience of your
>subject using a discrete 35mm camera (such as the Leica) than using a
>Hasselblad or 5" x 4" camera.

I'm glad you caught Tina's meaning for us; but unless we're
equating the term "subject" with "people", I don't agree. 35mm clearly
has inherent advantages as a medium to capture HUMAN subjects.
A 35mm negative captures sufficient detail to convey facial
expressions, body language, the "truth" of human feeling. The
speed of 35mm gives it a clear edge over larger format cameras
in capturing spontaneous human gestures and expressions. Fact
is, I think 35mm is a brilliant success largely because of it's
efficiency in capturing "truth" in the human realm.

I would qualify this statement by adding that many studio portraits
and "set" shots of people capture dimensions of human feeling and
subtle expressions that are VERY difficult to duplicate in 35mm.
Obviously, not all great portrait work is done with 35mm. Walker
Evans comes to mind. Imogen Cunningham worked with a Rollei,
as did many others. Would they be more likely to capature the
character and ambience of their human subjects with a 35mm.
I doubt they would think so.

But, so far, we're only talking about HUMAN subjects. Tina, do
you and other LUGers think 35mm has an edge in capturing
the "truth" of an Alaskan river basin? I don't. If the term "subject"
embraces the non-human (and non-animal) realm, I fail to see
how 35mm is more likely to capture the character
and ambience of the subject. Whose Yosemite do you find
the most "truthful" Adams or Rowell's? Whose Point Lobos do
you find most "truthful", Edward-Bret-Cole Westons' or someone
else packing a 35mm? Who do you want conveying the "truth"
of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture?

Leica-it or not, 35mm has limitations as a "truth" teller in the
non-human realm. If we include these "subjects" I do not
agree that 35mm is capable of "giving us more truthful
impressions of the world: records, observations, or
reports of reality."

- --Gib


PS: I'm open to the notion that there is more of the individual's
consciousness mixed in with the capturing of "truth" in the
non-human realm; but I think there are some subtle philosophical
issues involved which make it difficult to tell the dancer from the dance.