Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/23
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At 5:18 PM -0700 3/23/00, Dave Richards wrote:
>With all due respect, this is like saying that an automatic weapon makes a
>shooter a better marksman, because he (she) now has a 30-round magazine
>with which to hit a target once, instead of doing it right with one round.
>
>>Some guys in this group are hopeless laggards. There is
>>NOTHING about intellegently designed AE metering that impairs the creativity
>>of the photographer. In fact, an argument can be made that it's liberating
>>and actually enhances the photographer's creativity. Those of us who use a
>>modern SLR in addition to our Leica M cameras know that. My M4-p and M3 are
>>fine for black and white but I would appreciate having an AE M-camera for my
>>slide film body. That way I could concentrate on the photo and not so much
>>on
>>the exposure.
>>
>>Bob (tries to stay current to within at least a couple of decades) McEowen
Options are not a bad thing. My Leicas are nice, but sometimes a good motor
can do things that a bare Leica can't. There is a good reason for Tom's
rapidwinder. I don't have a motor drive for my 4x5's, but at times it would
have been nice. As a paltry step in that direction, I shoot a lot with
Graphmatics, and trade off some film plane alignment for speed. If I am
shooting in a situation with my Leicas where I am just basically using the
camera suggested light value anyway, I might as well have it twiddle the
dial as well. If I am going to bracket, why not make it possible for the
camera to do that as well. Autobracketing can be a saviour, as it tends to
be a lot faster than manual bracketing. I know, the decisive moment only
happens once, but sometimes the decisive moment lasts a little bit longer.
People, these toys are for making pictures. Keep your eyes on the road. If
you need better lenses to make the pictures you want, use your Leicas. If
you need image stabilization, use Canons or the new Nikon lens, or a
Ken-Lab if you care to lug it. If you want to make larger prints, consider
the advantages of bigger pieces of film. If you crave religion, there are
places that cater to such sentiments as well.
Everything is a compromise, but don't make the mistake of saying your
hammer is the best tool bar none and start harvesting your wheat or
adjusting your Timex with it.
If you just want to make the kind of pictures that the present Leica-M
cameras are good at, fine. Perfectly understandable. But there is room in
the world for other types of pictures.
.........end of sermon.
* Henning J. Wulff
/|\ Wulff Photography & Design
/###\ mailto:henningw@archiphoto.com
|[ ]| http://www.archiphoto.com