Re: [Leica] Uh...was that a yes or a no?

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@islandnet.com>]

Mike Johnston wrote:
>I'm not talking about optical science in this instance. I'm talking
>about PHOTOGRAPHY. I'm talking about whether you can actually see any of
>these differences in actual photographs consistently enough to justify
>your habit of asserting the innate and consistent superiority of one
>brand of lenses over all other brands.
>
>This isn't to "prove" anything. It's just to see whether a few people
>can tell or not. Who knows? Maybe they can. We'll see.>>>>>>

Hi Mike,

If I may, let me tell you of a major A/V production house I shot a lot of
work for during the '80's and the senior creative director, Paul Smith of
Vancouver.

A note of Paul's background: He produced/directed multi-projector
presentations for many international clients, 24 projectors and more in
some of them, as well  many award winning shows for EXPO 86.

Me, the only one using Leica, was one of a dozen photographers, the others
a mixed bag of Canon - Nikon, whatever, who worked on many programmes
to-gether. So there were a mish mash of hundreds of slides on a dozen 4' X
8'light tables at any one time.

I watched this man litterly pick out my Leica slides from all the others
without hesitation! Time after time, to the extent it became a betting game
between the photographers to see if he'd get it wrong when a bunch of new
slides were layed out. I made a good bunch of money on those bets. :) He
never missed once over a period of 5 years.:)

On one show where several of us had shot to-gether (Kodachrome 64,) he was
so exasperated trying to match slide scenes and becoming really p.... off.
When he yelled at everyone in the room, "Either everybody gets Leicas or
Ted has to get Japanese!"

You know the answer to that....I'm still using Leicas!:)

On prints I would imagine it's harder to tell the difference more so than
with color slides. Quite frankly, I'd be surprised if anyone could tell the
difference between the new M 15mm Cosina from a Leica lens in a print!

However, I'm going to pass on your challenge invitation as I can get myself
in hot water quick enough without making myself look dumber than I am.
:):):)

Try the slide test... it's easier to see the difference.

ted











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