Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jesse- I shoot both symphony and theatre for my local papers and the performers. I routinely use both my Leica M6 and Leica R5. The M6 I like the 90mm F2 while I use the R5 when I am not allowed to get close. My last opera photo was last sunday and I used a Leica 280mm F2.8. In all cases I use fuji 800 colour negative which is better than the 1600. Better grain and better latitude. I have two samples I can send you, contact me off line. Cheers, Kevin Argue Canada - ---------- >From: Jesse Hellman <hellman@comcast.net> >To: Leica List <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> >Subject: [Leica] 135 Elmarit and Opera Photography >Date: Fri, Apr 18, 2003, 7:01 PM > > For the last few years I've photographed the student opera productions > of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, and have increasingly used the > F/2.8 135 mm Elmarit, the one with the goggles that enlarge the > viewfinder image. I have an M6 0.85, and in addition attach the 1.25X > viewfinder magnifier, so the image is greater than life size. In > addition I shoot with one or two other M6s using the 50 and 90 Summicrons. > > The last opera performed by the students was Leonard Bernstein's > Candide. As some of my pictures of it have been posted on their website > I thought of getting out of lurk-mode and writing about opera > photography and the 135, which has traditionally been a very underprized > lens. It can usually be bought for about $500. > > The focus is slow but most of the action on stage remains at a similar > distance, so rarely have my failures been attributed to that. I know > each work very well by the time of the dress rehearsal (Kit, yes, I do > learn the Italian libretti!), and learn the blocking in order to > anticipate the action. In Candide it is very very fast. With operas, > additionally, often the mouth is open in an unattractive way and I need > to watch for that. > > The posted pictures were all shot at F/2.8, at 1/250 at best but at > times at even 1/60. Film is Fujicolor 1600. Every picture is cropped, > sometimes a lot. The 135 was used for most of the shots. > > Obviously if I had the chance to try the new APO 135 I'd love to, but it > is out of the question now and I still have a lot to learn about using > what I have. > > The Peabody Opera pages start at at > http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/mainstreet/opera/ > > If you click on the picture of Heather Lockard holding two red roses > (under "Candide Triumphs") you get to a page of 5 pictures, and from > there to 30 others (my favorite picture is that of Darlene Enke holding > the red flag). > > Feedback? > > Jesse > > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html