Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/05/23

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Subject: [Leica] Leica R lenses on Canon Digital Bodies
From: bdcolen at comcast.net (B. D. Colen)
Date: Mon May 23 09:05:58 2005
References: <BEB74A6A.1575F%mark@rabinergroup.com>

Sorry to hurt your feelings, Mark - When I was shooting film, I did 
so with a combination of Leica glass and Nikon glass - I have used 
both on and off for more than 40 years. And, no, I don't think you'd 
be able to tell the difference between my Leica images and my Nikon 
images - I know that I can't, with the exception of those shot with 
the Leica 21 ASPH for the M and those shot with wide Nikons, which do 
not begin to measure up.

And, btw, I don't claim to be master printer, so I don't know what my 
saying that the black and white prints produced by an HP printer 
compare to custom RC prints has to do with a discussion of the work 
of Sabastio Salgado; I'd step in front of an oncoming bus before I'd 
deign to compare my prints, or any of my photography, to Salgados. ;-)





>On 5/23/05 8:36 AM, "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@comcast.net> typed:
>
>>  Mark Rabiner actually wrote, apparently with a straight face -
>>>
>>>  I did notice when I got my 60 AF macro Nikor last year that for not that
>>>  much more I could have gotten a used 60 macro Leica lens. Same one 
>>> Salgato
>>>  uses for so much stuff and I've seen those prints. And they look 
>>>better than
>>>  mine. And its not his enlarger lens or something he's putting in 
>>>his Dektol.
>>>  Subject matter not included.
>>
>>
>>  Could it be, Mark, that he is a far, far better photographer than you
>>  (or I, or anyone on this list - no company excepted), that his
>>  negatives contain more information than yours, absolutely perfectly
>>  exposed, and that his printer puts you to shame? Salgado is nothing
>>  if not the consummate photocraftsman working today in black and white
>>  documentary photography; the only other photographer who comes close
>>  is Nachtwey. To suggest that the difference between his prints and
>>  yours might be a Leica macro versus the Nikon macro is such utter
>>  foolishness it boggles the mind: It is, in fact, an absolutely
>>  classic example of someone suggesting that "if I had me one of those
>>  Leiky cameras I'd be as good as that Hank Breson dude, but I've only
>>  got a crappy Canon/Nikon/Olympus/Minolta." ;-)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>I'm not about to compare myself as a photographer to Sebastian Salgato but I
>can I know what "information" is in a print and generally how it got there.
>And that kind of quality doesn't come from Nikon lens was my strong
>impression from 40 years experience in darkroom work and a body of work and
>portfolios to show for it.
>It comes from Leica lenses. I felt the Salgato show showed me the value of
>Leica glass.
>And if you thought so you'd be using Leica lenses too but you don't and I
>don't think ever much took much stock in Leica glass or Leica anything.
>Hence your non use the stuff.
>
>I'm now reading that you feel my opinion on this is such utter foolishness
>it boggles your mind.
>Believe me I could care what boggles your mind.
>One of these days one of us who does not prefer to remain anonymous will see
>one of your prints and tell us about it.
>
>
>Mark Rabiner
>Photography
>Portland Oregon
>http://rabinergroup.com/
>
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Leica Users Group.
>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information


-- 
B. D. Colen
Sr. Communications Officer for University Science
Office of the Vice President for Government, Community, and Public Affairs
Harvard University
617-495-7821
617-413-1224 - cell
bd_colen@harvard.edu

Replies: Reply from datamaster at northcoastphotos.com (Gary Todoroff) ([Leica] Leica R lenses on Canon Digital Bodies)
Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Leica R lenses on Canon Digital Bodies)
In reply to: Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Leica R lenses on Canon Digital Bodies)