Re: [Leica] Galen, Nikon, $

[Henry Ambrose <digphoto@nashville.net>]

>Henry Ambrose wrote:
>
>> I 've owned the old 24 and its pretty darn good, as is the 55. The E 
>> Series were crappy plastic lenses that were poor performers. I owned a 
>> 70-150 and it was sh#t, but it was very light.
>
>Actually I'd take issue with that last comment. The 75-150 E series 
>wasn't very robustly constructed (it was an E series after all), but they 
>were *very* competent performers for their day. 
For their day is an important part of this statement. In its day there 
really were not any zooms that were good compared to fixed focal length 
lenses.
>Widely regarded as being 
>ever so slightly  better (though with less range, obviously) than the 
>contemporary 'pro' series Nikkor (the 80-200 f4). I still own both a 
>75-150 E, and an 80-200 f4, and while I don't carry the E often, I 
>wouldn't hesitate to use it even today.
> 
>> I think a lot of what makes his pictures work is that he actually got 
>> somewhere that very few others ever walked much less made pictures of. 
>> To me his pictures are NOT about ultimate quality but rather about 
>> showing a place that most will NEVER see first hand. He has made some 
>> good pictures with mediocre equipment. Yes, his pictures might have 
>> been sharper if he used a 4X5 but then the picture might never have 
>> been made!
>
>Ummmm...my 5x4 bag is actually lighter than my 35mm bag! Only one body, 
>no motor drives, fewer lenses (because you can crop more with 5x4). Am I 
>doing something wrong?

No,  I don't think you're doing anything wrong. Are you carrying the 4X5 
outfit as your only camera on multiweek expeditions? That would be a LOT 
of film.
However you're doing it is right. :)

My comments were about "being there" as opposed to the "ultimate 
technical quality" I use 4X5 as a possible example of "ultimate technical 
quality"

None of the above or earlier comments were meant to attack anyone 
personally. I know the Nikon E series I owned was crappy. And as far as I 
know that's the general opinion of this lens. Maybe you got a good one.

Anyway ANY current Leica lense beats the stuffing out of any of the stuff 
he used.

AND - You still gotta be there to make the picture.

Henry