Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/02/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Doug Herr offered: Subject: Re: [Leica] OT: world press winners 2006 >>> At 8 frames per second and zero perceived variable cost who needs good > reactions? Push the button when the dive starts, if nothing spectacular > happens delete the whole damn sequence and repeat with the next diver.<< Oh Doug, I know you're not serious or forgot the smiley! I'm sure. Right? :-) If you are serious I'm glad I didn't see this to read, nor hear you saying it! Sure when motor drives came out nearly every guy shooting news thought he was going to have the greatest sport action photographs ever. Guess what? The camera still missed it because the camera was changing film frames as the peak action happened. And capturing the "peak action" is what it's all about! Actually at the 1971 Pan American games in Cali, Columbia I was using a Leica produced two camera bracket for motor driven SLR's with a micro switch. First pressure lightly, one camera would fire. If I squeezed down hard both cameras fired alternately. As the first was changing film, the second body fired. Then we edited the rolls alternating the frames on the light table, interesting rig. I figured I was going to have the best action pictures in the world. :-) NOPE!!! It was a great contraption as I used different focal lengths and made the cameras lock on at the same position. I used the longer of the two lenses to view through and direct both cameras, the slightly wider lens was focused where I knew if anything was going to happen it was in focus using a slightly smaller aperture for a little extra depth. I suppose one could say... "getting those gorgeous bird pictures is easy!" All you have to do is focus, hit the motor drive button and if you miss it, delete all and shoot the next one! ;-) Yeah I know that's a crock and wouldn't work no more than motor driving a diver. Trust me I've shot way to many sports events around the world, amateur and professional and know using a motor drive to get the ultimate single photo is doomed to failure. The photographer who knows the sport and is prepared for things to happen are the successful shooters. The really good shooters shoot the first frame due to their ability to re-act as fast or faster than the athlete, while using the motor to do a follow through after the finish line or head bashing. Holding down on the motor drive release sure as hell wont guarantee a successful photograph! Unless it's a rock, fern or non-breathing thing. What do you think we did shooting football, down hill ski races, track and field events when we were using 4X5 non-motor driven Speed Graphics? There were many wonderful large format sport pictures shot long before motor drives at whatever speed you want, came along. But we did ours "One sheet at a time!" ;-) And we captured some incredible "stopped action!" One does not require a motor drive as you describe if you know the sport and are mentally prepared for any eventuality. ted