Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/02/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]As import as I think the M3 was in the history of pj, Tina, this reads like a Leice PR release. Yes, the M had a major impact on certain kinds of pj, but the Speed Graphic and the Rollei TLR were still dominent in the 5Os. In fact, as late as the early 60s there were still many photo eds who considered 35 mm cameras to be 'toys, with negatives too small to produce useful images. And keep in mind that while such pj heros as robert capa and eugene smith did use Leicas at times, they also used many other cameras - in Capas case Contaxs and Rollies. Yes, by Vietnam the M2 and M3 were half of the war photographer outfit - two Ms for wide to normal, 2 Nikon Fs for 105 to 200. ___ Sent with SnapperMail www.snappermail.com ...... Original Message ....... On Sun, 05 Feb 2006 13:20:01 -0500 Tina Manley <images@InfoAve.Net> wrote: "At 01:06 PM 2/5/2006, you wrote: "Tina, I do not mean to nit-pick. I believe that Leica started out as "a camera prized by [a relative handful of] photojournalists and sold "overwhelmingly to what were then called advanced amateurs. " ">Seth "> ">Seth " " " From a history of Leica: " "The 1950s and 1960s saw the period of Leica's greatest expansion. In "1954 the Leica M3 was introduced, and was an instant hit with news "photographers. The M3 was a stable, easy to handle camera, and the "light, brilliant viewfinder was equipped with shining frames that "reflected inwards, one for each lens. The range finder integrated "into the viewfinder had a broad base and an unrivalled setting "contrast. Compared to normal techniques used in 1950s' cameras, the "new Leica technique was astounding. The M2 and M4 soon followed, "where the difference lay in the design of the viewfinder. It was not "long before the Leica had conquered photojournalism. Wherever you saw "a news photographer, the Leica M's dominance was obvious. This was "also the period of the rapid development of Leica lenses, and many "famous lenses - Summicron, Summilux, and Noctilux - were first produced. " " " From a history of photojournalism: " ""The growth of photojournalism was inextricably linked to 35mm "rangefinder cameras from Leica and Contax. Light, compact, "unobtrusive and rapid to use they remain the favourite tool of some "leading photojournalists. Limitations are a closest focusing distance "of 2-3 ft, and limited usability with longer focal lengths - with "135mm as a maximum. They are at their best with fast wideangle lenses.. " " "Tina " "Tina Manley, ASMP "http://www.tinamanley.com " "_______________________________________________ "Leica Users Group. "See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information