Re: [Leica] R8 thoughts

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@islandnet.com>]

Robert Stevens wrote:

>Last month I decided I liked the R8 so much that I sold my R6 and motor
>drive and replaced it with an R8.  I find even for sports, the R8 has a
>more predictable shutter release for capturing the decisive moment.


Hi Robert,

Good choice! As far as my experience has been one can't go wrong with the
R8 and it surely will be better when a motor is available.

Interesting how you say the shutter release and capturing the "decisive
moment" is more predictable in shooting sports with the R8, as I've never
thought about any camera in relation to things of that nature. I've always
shot at the moment by feeling and without any thought other than my
reaction to the action. Never have mechanical considerations come to mind.

> I was at a seminar by a stock sports photographer from British Columbia.
>I think his name was Alec Ptomaly, or soething close to that.>>>>>

Yes he belongs to the same stock agency I do, MASTERFILE out of Toronto.

<<<He showed that even a fast 6fps motor drive is not fast enough to
capture the
>decisive moment.>>>>>

Well he's right, even at faster frames per second. Simply because when
motor drives arrived on the scene many years ago they were supposed to be
the answer to every sports photographer's prayer at capturing the "peak
moment of action."

Absolutely not so as many found to their sorrow, their prayers were not
answered. Instead of relying on their own re-action to the action and
perceived to happen moment of action, they figured the motor was going so
fast it would always be right on the mark.

Much to their dismay it seemed the film was advancing just when "THE
MOMENT" was  happening and the max action was missed time after time.

The best thing to do is rely on ones own feelings and understanding of the
action you are photographing, trip the shutter via motor at precisely the
right moment and then let the motor do the follow through few frames, many
of which you throw away as there is only one moment.

<<<<After attending his seminar, I tried my R8's with winders only, and
have gotten some awesome shots.  I will however get an R8 motor when it
arrives, for sports where there can be a lot of decisive moments in a row,
such as basket ball.>>>

The only sports I have shot with the winder I usually end up totally
frustrated because I see the wide gap missed. On the winder the pressure of
the shutter release for the first frame doesn't seem to fire as quickly as
the motor on the R7. But the R8 motor (hypothetically) will correct this.
Yeah right, when we have them in our hot little hands. Until such time,
I'll continue to use my R7's and motors for any sports I'm doing.

>Alec also did a bit on autofocus.  His conclusion was the best way to shoot
>sports was to find an area of decisive action and trap focus on it.  In
>other words, find a spot focus on it manually and fire the shutter just
>before the subject reaches it.>>>>>>

That's an old one we did using 4X5 Speed Graphic's! :) Sure wasn't any auto
anything in those days.:)  And on some sports I still do the same thing,
sure beats trying to follow focus, simply because if you loose the subject
when manually focusing on a speed skater going like the wind, it's pretty
damn hard to get the focus back inline by the time the athlete reaches the
turn where the best picture is.

All you do. First focus on the little markers on the turn, leave the focus
alone and pick the skater up on the back stretch and completely out of
focus, "DON'T TOUCH THE FOCUS RING!" Follow him letting him skate into
focus. CLICK!in the can!:)

<<<He showed a series of ski shots taken with an EOS3 and auto focus and
said they were very impressive in that the camera could keep the skier in
focus as he approached him, but the images though well composed and in
focus, lacked the shot of a decisive moment.>>>>>>

That's true as the autofocus only means you have many more frames in focus
but that doesn't mean they are any good....only in focus. Another learning
item for auto everything camera users. As many of my newspaper friends
learned the hard way.

>Alex Ptomaly has had one of his stock shots duplicated millions of times.
>The picture on the Kokanee Beer can was taken by him.>>>>>

Yes I know, but it's too bad he doesn't get a credit-line and .25 cents
royalty on every can also. :)

Autofocus and auto everything cameras have their place as I know only too
well. However, I bet the percentage of times one thinks they need
autofocus, rather than relying on their ability, is very high compared to
how often it is required. Probably 99% of the time manual works just fine.

Until my one good eye really begins to fail I think I'll stay with my Leica
manual cameras. Besides I figure I still do a pretty acceptable shoot
without autofocus.:)
ted

Ted Grant
This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant