Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/06/15

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Subject: [Leica] Another R option (now M9)
From: tedgrant at shaw.ca (tedgrant at shaw.ca)
Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:09:27 -0700
References: <CA1F01AE.104E7%mark@rabinergroup.com>

Mark Rabiner offered:
Subject: Re: [Leica] Another R option (now M9)


> Did you see lots of guys with an SLR hanging off one shoulder and a Leica
> hanging of the other Ted? I know you talked about having several cameras 
> on
> you at one time.
> I'd  heard it lots of people liked their short glass on their Leica and
> their long lens on their Leica R or Nikon F. I've even seen that on some
> people who looked like they knew what they were doing.<<<

Hi Mark,
Not sure I ever looked like I knew what I was doing? :-) But it must have 
looked a little exotic at times with all the bits and pieces! :-)  I have to 
say I saw a few at the '84 Summer Olympics in LA, Winter Olympics in Calgary 
and Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics. They were German photographers covering for 
German media. Other wise pretty rare.

Assignments determine what gear I carried. I hate changing lenses and film 
period!! WHY? Well anytime you're shooting during a sport event, 
demonstrations or big gatherings of people and you stop to load a camera or 
change a lens. 99.9% of the time you'll miss a magical photo moment. I 
wasn't paid to miss! But we wont talk about those will we? :-) That's a book 
in itself! :-) :-)

Most of the medical work for my books were 3 M's off the neck and an R motor 
body off each shoulder with longer glass, a 90mm and the 180 in most cases. 
Generally I might have 3 M's hanging off my neck with a 21mm, 35mm, & 
Noctilux. One camera stacked above the other. Yep banged them together a few 
times. But you get over it after the first couple of times. :-) That is 
until you learn how to hold them all close to body and still able to run 
fast!

Then with 3 R type cameras, all motor drives, hung off the shoulders. A 90mm 
on the left shoulder, another similar body and motor with a 180 hanging off 
the same shoulder lower than the 90mm rig.  On the right shoulder another R 
of similar model with the 280mm 2.8! Hell of a sight at times! :-)  It did 
on occasion draw a bit of attention. :-) Now you don't carry them like that 
all the time.... be pretty stupid as they'd just get in the way on some 
assignments.

At times it would be two M's, a 21mm and the Noctilux and an R off the left 
shoulder with a 90 or 180mm. But it varied depending on what I was shooting. 
Assignments always dictate what gear you require to do the job right.

I worked with that kind of gear set up for years and never a thought about 
it hanging off my body until someone would say something about all the 
cameras. Then I'd tell them I was selling cameras and were they interested 
in buying? :-) Then I'd give them a price and scare the heck out of them! 
:-)

I never looked at the gear any different than if they were hammers and 
chisels..... they were just my tools of the trade! However that doesn't mean 
I didn't look after it "very carefully!" As I've always had to buy my own 
gear being an independent photographer and not working for a big corporation 
who supplied photogs with cameras.

Over the years I've seen some news photographers who had Nikons or Canon as 
the main gear. But quite often an M of some kind in the bag or hanging off 
their neck with a wide glass of some kind.

cheers,
ted




>
>> From: Ted Grant <tedgrant at shaw.ca>
>> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>> Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:20:49 -0700
>> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Another R option (now M9)
>>
>> Mark Rabiner OFFERED:
>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Another R option (now M9)
>>
>>
>>> Though if you knew a shot was far far away you'd put a long lens on your 
>>> R
>>> and
>>> bring that along maybe instead!<<<
>>
>> Hi Mark,
>> Well yes of course but they were for entirely different assignments. Like 
>> if
>> I were shooting the Olympics or pro. hockey or football. Those 
>> assignments
>> were nearly all R cameras. But 99.9 % of the time I'd still have an M 
>> body
>> of some kind hanging around my neck! Just in case! Whatever that "in case
>> maybe?" Usually with a 35mm lens.
>>
>> ted
>>
>>
>>
>>> --------------------
>>> Mark William Rabiner
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> From: Ted Grant <tedgrant at shaw.ca>
>>>> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>>>> Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:22:59 -0700
>>>> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>>>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Another R option (now M9)
>>>>
>>>> Gee I never had any of the thoughts about where and when I'd use my M
>>>> cameras as they were all I had.
>>>>
>>>> Besides the much preferred camera for all purposes. I suppose it had
>>>> something to do with, "I didn't know any better" and used them for 
>>>> every
>>>> assignment imaginable.... inside--outside, wherever & whatever I was
>>>> assigned to shoot!
>>>>
>>>> But then I never gave much thought to most of the assignments as I was 
>>>> so
>>>> damn happy people kept calling me with work. Sorry it was never work!
>>>> "WORK
>>>> IS MOVING CONCRETE BLOCKS!"  Shooting an assignment with M cameras is
>>>> indeed
>>>> a wonderful relaxing pleasure! ;-)
>>>>
>>>> cheers,
>>>> Dr. ted :-
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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In reply to: Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Another R option (now M9))