[Leica] WAS-noctilux vs. the cheap NOW: choir preaching

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@home.com>]

rnkramer@mindspring.com wrote:

> Ted, my friend!  I think you are preaching to the choir here!   And I will
> have faster lenses than my Summicron, no doubt about that.  It just ain't
> gonna' happen tomorrow.  I figure by the end of the year I can afford and
> can justify buying a Summilux, which will help me a lot as an additional
> much needed tool to add to my bag of tricks.  But I *will* be out shooting
> tomorrow, so I am looking for practical solutions that don't involve robbing
> a bank!  <<<<<<<

Hi Bob,
Oh heck just go rob a bank and get it over with! ;-)  I know what you
mean about buying and having the right equipment, it does take time to
put the money together.  Don't forget there was a time I had to scrape
and save to buy a Leica and in the days I started you weren't popping
thousands as one does today.

Example:  21 mm f 3.4 SA  was $380.00 and the metal viewfinder was,
$90.00!  You can't even buy the viewfinder today for what the lens cost
when I started.  But then we do get paid somewhat more today compared to
yester year!  But it's all relevant as M & R lenses are really priced
off the wall, but then so are cars and everything else. 

> I'll just start with a TA softie, look into some other film/developer
> options, and <hiding my head in shame> on occasion whip out a flash when all
> other hope is lost.  <g>  <<<<<<<

Hey nothing wrong with using flash, I prefer not to use it.  But I'm not
that stupid to blow a shoot by not using a flash.  There  are times when
that is the only manner to make a successful assignment work.  So be it!

>>>>>> Just do whatever I have to do to keep shooting.  <shrug>  Can't
stop now, blaming my bad shots on equipment I don't have.<<<<<

Well no, one can't do that, blame what you don't have!   What you have
to do is learn how to work around it to the best of your ability until
you can purchase the tools that will help you take pictures easier. 

> I'm just a little frustrated becuase I lost a couple of good photo opportunities this week that I really liked, becuase I couldn't make it work  at  1/10 sec. <<<<<

Yeah but we all have that kind of day and just have to learn from it to
avoid in the future. 

>>>>>>>>My lack of skill, that's all.  I promise not to bitch about my
tools any more.<<<<

But the skills improve with the more you shoot and bitching about not
having the gear is sometimes good for the soul.  Don't forget, the best
of shooters have bad days or their equipment becomes broken big time. 
But you are still expected to come back with the pictures.....not
excuses.  Believe me it isn't easy to produce what you want when the one
and only lens you were depending on suddenly lies smashed.

You just work around it and produce the best you can under the
limitations of the gear at hand. Yep, you'll always know that with that
broken lens working,  your photography would look a heck of a lot
better, but that's not the point under the circumstance of not having it.

You just knuckle down, work harder to come home with the goods anyway! 
And someday you'll have all the bits and pieces that will allow you to
shoot in any fashion you wish, it wont be tomorrow, but if you want it
bad enough you'll have it shortly.

Meanwhile do the best you can,  don't sweat the ones that didn't work
and always work within the limitations of your gear and you'll never get
into trouble!  And that's the secret of successful picture taking!

ted