Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/22

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Subject: Re: [Leica] The chameleon fifty
From: Tina Manley <images@InfoAve.Net>
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 1999 22:16:39 -0400

At 06:22 PM 10/22/99 +0000, you wrote:

>What do you think of all this, Tina M.? Your shot that opened our "World
>at f/1" portfolio (speaking of lovely Noct shots!) is a "tele" 50mm shot
>to me. Just looking at it, it looks like you had "short tele" in your
>subconscious--look at the way the picture is arranged--if I didn't know
>better, I'd think it could have been taken with a 60mm, if not a 75mm.
>You think?
>
>--Mike


Hi, Mike -

I guess I'm one of those rare birds who like the 50.  I haven't done any 
actual surveys, but my 35/1.4 and my Noctilux would come pretty close to 
being equal favorites.  I do love "available darkness" and those two excel 
in the dark.  I can hand-hold the 35 at slower speeds than the Noctilux so 
sometimes that's my choice by default.  The choice actually has more to do 
with the light than the framing.  When I think about it, I do consider the 
35 to be a "normal" lens (that's about what you see in the viewfinder) and 
the 50 to be a "short tele" - cropped by the frame lines.  In spite of 
trying very hard because I thought it would be a good portrait lens, I 
don't really care for the 75.  It's an awkward length to me.  On the other 
hand, the 60 macro is my favorite lens with the R6.2.  I carry a 90 and 135 
sometimes for record shots for stock, but I can't think of any favorite 
shots of mine that are done with anything over 60mm.  I would love to have 
the courage to make a trip with only the Noctilux.  The trip to the 
Mosquito Coast where the photo of Weldi was made, I only had the 35 and 
Noctilux with me on the two M6's around my neck.  Everything else was 
packed in the dry bags in another canoe that arrived two days after I 
did.  I worried the whole time about what I might be missing, but it was 
actually freeing in a way not to have to make choices.  Did you find that 
to be true when you limited yourself to a 50?  Someday when I retire, I'll 
travel with just the Noctilux!  What a luxury.

Leically,

Tina
Tina Manley, ASMP
http://www.tinamanley.com