Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/06/14

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Subject: Re: [Leica] it DOESN'T work well for leica!
From: Ted Grant <tedgrant@home.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 14:14:40 -0700
References: <200006142011.NAA12020@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>

Pascal wrote:

> Leica litterature advises against the use of an extender with the
> Summilux-R 80mm.<<<<<<

Hi Pascal,
They do that all the time, advise against the use of things.   The same
as they advised me not to stack a 2X and 1.4 extenders together for the
280 2.8,  making it a hand holdable 800 mm f 8.0!  I did it before I
asked them, saw the results and was somewhat surprised by the good
quality of the images.

In my usual way of doing things ass backward,  I shot with it, nothing
broke, it worked!  
Then I asked for their reaction to stacking them, as usual they
completely advised against it.  

"Why?"  Seemed like a reasonable question.  I asked.  They,  "It wont
deliver acceptable Leica results."  Quite frankly there is the Leica
test bench results, which we all like to have.  However,  there's real
time results of using the equipment to work in the push and shove of the
world.  Where getting the picture is far more important than how many
thingies per mm is recorded.

So I have on  occasion got images I wouldn't have, if I followed their
advise. We as Leica photographers should take their advise as given,
after all no one wants to break anything. But I truly believe from
experience of hearing and reading their advice,  we must weigh it
carefully against the pictures we are paid to produce.

The truth is, what the hell do those scientific guys on a work bench
know about using Leica equipment in the real world of working
photographers? Diddly squat, unless it means they ran around Solms or
Wetzlar happy snapping the village square activities, therefore making
them believe they understood real world Leica picture taking.

Just my thoughts on some of the "advice from Leica, written or verbal."
ted

Replies: Reply from Mark Rabiner <mark@rabiner.cncoffice.com> (Re: [Leica] it DOESN'T work well for leica!)