Re: [Leica] was: digest V15#89 now 15M...15R

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@home.com>]

Bob Keene/Karen Shehade wrote:
 
> I doubt I'm first to reply, and I already have your outstanding 'Tome'; but
> personallyI think:
> 
> With the 15mm Heliar on an M body, one isn't tempted to view through the
> viewfinder- with an SLR, I'm more likely to take the time to peer through
> the lens- on the M body, I find myself "just winging it"- took some great
> shots of my dog running- he was on leash and running beside me- I just
> dropped my Heliar toting Tower 5L down to his level and fired away...  I
> would probably never even of THOUGHT of doing that with an SLR!>>>>>>

Hi Bob,

Well the 15mm M attached viewfinder for some reason allows a reckless
bravado in shooting without looking through the viewfinder. :) Although
there are times when through the lens viewing is essential, as seen in
plates 26 & 67  in "This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir 
William Osler."  

For those of you with the book, look at plate 67 where I was using an R7
with 15mm Super-Elmar. While looking through the viewfinder and "filling
the frame" suddenly I heard the assisting surgeon, "Excuse me Ted would
you like to do this?"  I looked up and was so close I was nearly
touching him over the patient!  OOPS! :) Love those super wides!:)

As example, you photographing your dog running along side. I know I've
placed the M6 in some low and high places where it's impossible to put
human body, simply because you can get the camera in position and still
trip the shutter without seeing what you're shooting until you view the
processed negs. 

You win some, loose some. But the bottom line is when they work, even to
yourself you ask a silent question, "How did you do that?" :) It's a fun
shot in the arm for adventuresome picture taking where you're only
limited by imagination.

Quite frankly, you become "photographically curious." You shoot in a
fashion you never did before, therefore acquiring some very interesting
images. Does it make you a better photographer? I don't think so, it
merely fires you up to "try new angles which the lens on the M allows."

In this context we see on TV these days, "Mini on board cams" inside
racing cars that couldn't be done earlier with big cameras. Sometimes
the angles are amazing and that's the kind of thing the 15mm M does.

Besides for about $400-$500US, it's worth every penny just for the fun
factor. I'm sure none of us would pop $4000 or $5000, not to mention a
sum for R body to carry the 15mm R for fun. But the 15mm on an M body
makes for lots of fun and isn't that what we have within us, the
photography fun factor? 

Be pretty dumb to spend the money we do if we're not having fun!:)

ted