Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/03/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jerry Lehrer asked: > Ted > > In line with your sentiments regarding the auto-exposure > advantage of your M7, is it true that most photo-journalists > using film today, use autofocus, autoexposure SLR cameras? > > Assuming, of course that the noise of an SLR is not a > driving factor.<<<<< Hi Jerry, I suppose that's the case for the young crowd who don't know any better and speed is the important factor of what they are recording. It also means many of them are moving to or have already done so, to digital for speed of operation. And that's fair play, as news of the day is about the "bottom line first strike photographs," not quality of the photograph. Having an image of something before everyone else is far more important than the quality of the content in the photograph. However, that doesn't mean many of the talented shooters covering the world wire scene today do not shoot excellent photos, they do. Sometimes under severe conditions that most on this list would shit their pants trying to cope with. It's trying to compare apples and oranges, or in my case having left all that crazy shoot 'em up stuff long ago, I'd much rather photograph challenging subjects and not "challenging conditions" where you might lose your life or suffer injury as I did from covering two wars that I thought at the time were interesting, until I was hurt. :-( But damn it was exciting and adrenaline pumping. ;-) However, my associate Sandra Carter, Sandy, and I have just completed a close to three months shooting schedule around North America for a new book, "Women in Medicine." Where we used nothing but M6's, Sandy and M7's me, for all the photography. So far everything is looking good, the exposures are consistent throughout roll after roll, frame after frame. Were there any cases that auto everything cameras would've made a difference? Nope not one! Not even in the operating rooms where stuff is happening very quickly during some operations and other medical situations. In my case the M7's functioned flawlessly through 100 rolls plus of film in the past two weeks. >>> is it true that most photo-journalists using film today, use autofocus, autoexposure SLR cameras?<<<< I think I've answered this yes. But more than anything, I think they use the auto cameras more out of convenience and because many of them have not had any experience with a Leica to appreciate the finer things in photographic life. That is, taking the extra moment to compose a better picture and to just spend a bit more time making the photograph the best it can be. Now that's not saying they don't shoot fine photographs, they do, hundreds of them, nay thousands. But a moment more of time and concentration of composition the photograph that makes everyone suck up their gut looking at it shot with an auto everything camera, could quite possibly be a mind blowing image with the few extra seconds of composure and focus of a Leica or possibly other range finder camera. Not always, but I bet a very good shooter with a Leica might possibly come up with a better photograph than the point and shoot everything camera. Of course in my humble opinion. ;-) ted Ted Grant Photography Limited www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant Samples from the Women in Medicine project: http://www.sandycarterphotography.com/WIMcollagePage.htm - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html