Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/01/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]B.D., your response is going in my Leica info file for keeper email posts. I have not yet gone digital though I may if the Leica digital M that debuts at Photokina in September is as good as I hope and I can raise enough money selling some stuff that I don't use! Big benefit permitting me the use of my M lenses and maintaining the Leica M manner of photography. That said, this post is the defining description of today's world for a professional photographer and for a great many serious amateurs. Seth ----- Original Message ----- From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@comcast.net> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2006 8:30 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] re: digital treadmill > I'm going to stick my neck way out here, Steve (and slide a wicker hamper > under it :-) - > Yes, I think I am doing better work now than I did in the past. Part of > that > has to do with the fact that I am shooting much more than I was. I was not > in a financial position to just bang away at my own work - as opposed to > commissioned work. Film costs money. Processing costs money. (Yes, I know > I > could do my own processing, and I could buy bulk film - which I did). But > I > have found digital extremely freeing, both financially and artistically. > > I find that digital gives me an image by image, rather than roll by roll, > choice of color v black and white. I was never particularly fond of color > negative film, and wasn't thrilled with conversions to black and white. > Digital, on the other hand, gives me better color, far, far more easily > adjusted and balanced, and gives me black and whites that look like what I > shot on black and white film. > > No, I'm not thrilled with the noise in shadows, but I'm getting used to > it. > I know that there are those who say 'why get used to it when you can use > film?' And the answer is "because it is part of what is now main stream > photography." If I was really bothered by it, I'd go with Canon and get > smoother, cleaner results at iso 1600 than I got with the best 400 iso > film. > But I'm not all that thrilled with the overly clean Canon look - probably > because I grew up on Tri-X. > > Now, am I as comfortable with my DSLR as I was with my M6s? No, I'm not. I > love the feel of the Ms. I love the rangefinder framing. And there is > absolutely no question that the latest Leica M glass had virtually no > peers. > That said, my DSLR is every bit as quiet as my M6, and I do like its > ergonomics. The lenses? Some are up to Leica quality, some aren't. But all > give me images that I can be proud of as frequently as my Ms did. > > So am I giving up something to get something? Yes, I suppose I am. I'm > given > up the feel of the Ms - and I am giving up those fast prime lenses; I've > never been a zoom guy, and I've had to adapt to that. But life is about > tradeoffs, so why wouldn't I expect photography to be? > > The bottom line, as always, is the results. And I'm willing to be that > were > I not now known as the ultimate Leica apostate ;-), I could be posting the > black and white images I've been posting, telling everyone I shot them > with > my M6, and no one would question me. > > Finally, none of this means that someone else shouldn't be shooting film. > If > it does what you want it to do, and if money isn't an object - and if you > don't have to turn results around quickly - why not keep shooting film > until > there's no film to shoot? > > B. D. > > > On 1/14/06 6:19 PM, "Steve Barbour" <kididdoc@cox.net> wrote: > >> On Jan 14, 2006, at 3:52 PM, B. D. Colen wrote: >> >>> I spent about 40-45 years shooting film. But from the point at which I >>> realized that not only does digital give me more convenience than >>> film, but >>> it also expands my photographic 'reach,' I haven't thought about >>> going back >>> to film. Sure, once and a while I'll shoot a roll. But each time I >>> do, I end >>> up asking myself, 'now why did I do this? What has it given me that >>> digital >>> can't? >> >> Hi BD, I believe that most of us wound up here ie. on the LUG 'cus >> of Leica lenses , cameras, and film...and we insisted that was God's >> way, and was better than the alternatives. >> Are you saying that you now get better photos with digital than you >> can get with Leica lenses, cameras, and film ? Are there compromises? >> Are you giving up something to get something else ? >> >> This is my dilemma, perhaps yours, and a lot of other photographers >> here... >> >> >> Steve >> >> >> >> And why can't I do as much with film as I can with digital?' Sure, >>> long-term storage of images requires paying attention to technology >>> changes >>> and making sure that one doesn't get two generations behind when >>> technology >>> changes. And, no, I'm not great at cataloguing my images - but then >>> I wasn't >>> very good at cataloguing my negs either as I am definitely an ADD >>> and I am >>> lousy with detailed, boring work. But that's no different with >>> digital. >>> >>> But if anyone else sees digital as a microwave, and gets better >>> results with >>> film - keep your microwave. >>> >>> >>> On 1/14/06 3:05 PM, "David Rodgers" <drodgers@casefarms.com> wrote: >>> >>>> A year ago I was convinced I'd never shoot film again. Right now >>>> all I'm >>>> shooting is film. So much for absolutes. >>>> >>>> In my kitchen I have a microwave and a gas range. My high-tech >>>> microwave >>>> is like a DSLR. I use it a lot because I'm so busy with other things. >>>> But it's not my favorite way to cook. >>>> >>>> DaveR >>>> >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: Douglas Nygren [mailto:dnygr@cshore.com] >>>> Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2006 8:30 AM >>>> To: lug@leica-users.org >>>> Subject: [Leica] re: digital treadmill >>>> >>>> Nathan and Tina, Your points are well taken. I'm not 100% for or >>>> against. I react more to those who wax over digital than to those who >>>> defend film. >>>> >>>> Tina mentions sending images over the internet. I like doing that. >>>> >>>> Nathan and others note that people have kept the photos from the >>>> past, >>>> but not the negatives. Others note they have the photos and negatives >>>> from the past. >>>> >>>> Someone else noted enjoying getting the instant feedback on the photo >>>> taken. That's true, but there is also a lot of enjoyment when you >>>> develop your film and see how it all came out. The key word is >>>> enjoyment. >>>> >>>> Then again, since I use fast film at slow speeds, I don't enjoy >>>> taking >>>> the film through airports and x-ray machines. Maybe I'll take my >>>> digital camera with me the next time I go to Europe, but then I do a >>>> lot of panoramic work and where do I find a digital, panoramic >>>> camera? >>>> >>>> Doug >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Leica Users Group. >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >