Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]From: Paul T. Collura <pcollura@epix.net> Sent: Friday, September 24, 1999 20:20 Subject: [Leica] Web Site: PhotographyReview.com > As one can see the reviews run the gamut from > praise to severe criticism. Actually, it looks more like they alternate between two extremes: either five stars or none (almost). Leica is painted as either Forrest Gump or John Conner (Sean Connery's "wise old man" role in _Rising Sun_). Well, I've been using an M6 for just over a week, after using SLRs exclusively for about three decades. My impression thus far is that Leica's reputation is for the most part well deserved. I was really tired of hearing the myths and flames concerning Leica, and I'm glad I found out for myself. The only and only disadvantage is that I can sense that it's going to cost me money! People who say that a Leica rangefinder beats anything are living in a fantasy world, but so is anyone who dismisses Leica as outdated or useless; I can only assume that people in both groups are either very narrow-minded, or they've only used one of the two systems. Both a Leica M6 and a Nikon F5 take great pictures--you can't really tell them apart. The real difference is in the ergonomy of the systems; that is, they are very different from the photographer's standpoint, but the results they provide are the same from a pure image-capture standpoint. The M6 enjoys absolute supremacy in certain situations, and is almost completely useless in others, but this is a question of the way it is used, not a matter of technical superiority overall. Besides, the same thing can be said about SLRs. The nice thing is that the M6 fits right in where my F5 does not, and vice versa. There isn't that much overlap between the two, and I think the big mistake most people make is in assuming that it has to be either one or the other. It's rather like claiming that 35mm is suited to billboard-sized enlargements view from a foot away, or that view cameras are good for espionage. If I require extraordinary flexibility and rapidity from a purely technical standpoint, I'll take the F5 when I go out to shoot. If I require simplicity and discretion, I'll take the M6 out. So if I go out specifically to shoot pictures for my Web site under unusual conditions, I might take the F5 so that I have plenty of flexibility (at the expense of size and weight, and the inconvenience of attracting lots of attention). If I go out to shoot pictures quietly under relatively ordinary circumstances (no need for extreme shutter speeds, instant focusing, perfect and automatic exposure, etc.), I'll take the M6. I can imagine taking the F5 to an outing where I've promised to take pictures of family and friends or colleagues. I can imagine taking the M6 out for dinner to shoot a couple of photos discreetly and quietly over the meal. The important thing is that I'll get exactly the same quality of photos in both cases, so it's strictly a case of which tool most suits me for the specific occasion. I can sympathize with those who say that a rangefinder puts you closer to your subject, as I have noticed this myself. However, that can be good or bad--it depends on your specific purpose. Of course, in some situations, only one of the cameras will do. There's no way that I can shoot at 1/4000 of a second with the M6. Nor is there any way that I'm going to be able to shoot at f/1.2 with the F5 (I don't have any Nikon lenses that are that fast). But most of the time either camera will do the job. It's nice to have a choice, however. I would not be willing to give up either of these systems. I hope that both Leica and Nikon stay around for a long, long time. Heck, I hope Hasselblad and all the rest stay in there, too, for that matter--I've never used MF or LF equipment, but I'm sure it has its place, and I wouldn't want to see it go away. I suppose there are even people in the world who like APS cameras (in fact, I know one 13-year-old girl who thinks they are really cool, and has felt that way since she was eight). -- Anthony