Elliott Erwitt: What equipment does he use?

I recently discovered Elliott Erwitt's work. I gather he uses Leica for at least some of his work. Some photos look like they were made with short range telephotos. Does anybody know what camera bodies and lenses he uses? I am curious.

In his book, "Personal Exposures," he states he usually uses a

Leica with a 50mm, occasionally a 90mm.

 

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Regards,

Whoops, I forgot to mention Leica "M" cameras. He didn't specify

what version, but I strongly suspect an M3.

Don't know exactly what he uses, but when I recently saw him showing

his work at a show in Seattle, he had a great comment about that.

After showing several photos from a series he did on nudist colonies,

someone asked him what *he* was wearing on the shoot. Erwitt's

response was: "A Leica."

In his early career he used a IIIF, then a IIIG w/ 50mm. He switched to an M3 in the mid-50s. No

idea of what he's using now!

For his personal/B&W stuff he has always used Leica RF - but at least

in the 70's for commercial assignments he also carried a couple of

large cases loaded with almost the full Canon F-1 line (every lens from

16mm to 300mm, mutiple bodies, motors, prisms, etc.), and he's also

worked with 6x9 (and larger) view cameras. He's also made at least one

motion picture documentary.

 

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cf. "Elliot Erwitt: the personal image" - Alskog books, c. 1976.

Erwitt's recent book "Elliot Erwitt Snaps" indicates that most of

the photos in the book were taken with a well-worn Leica M3 with

50mm lens and Tri-X or HP4 developed in Microdol.

 

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http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0714841501/qid=1022447816/sr=8

-1/ref=sr_8_1/102-4020188-4103350

And since we're talking about Elliot Erwitt, I should mention I think his book

"Personal Exposures" is by far his best one, with "Snaps" second. Other

Erwitt books I've looked at are "To the Dogs," his museum shots book, and

his lovers book.

 

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He might have a beach theme book too, but the photos in "Personal

Exposures" just feel, well, more personal.

 

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My 2¢.

I have Erwitt's book called "Between the Sexes." It has many

wonderful images, of which quite a few are quite funny.

Yes, "Between the Sexes" is his lover's book I was thinking about.

 

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I first saw his work in a little gallery in Bath, England, during a vacation. I was blown

away...I slowly started laughing, and by the end, there were tears in my eyes as I

was trying to to laugh too loud.

 

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And since my last post, I was thinking why I thought "Personal Exposures" was his

best book, since some of the images from that book are in his others. I think partly

it's his funny and sad commentary in the front, and partly the rhythm and

juxtaposition of the images.

 

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He really has a saddness in him, and also a real tenderness and wit. I think he must

have spent much time alone to get the shots he has. He is unique, and one of my

favorite photographers.

Whoops. My last post should read "there were tears in my eyes as I was trying NOT

to to laugh too loud."

In his book "Private Experience" from 1974 it states on pg 81 that

he mostly used a Leica M3 body for his personal pictures and mainly

a 50mm Summicron f/2 collapsible. He also has a 35mm and 90mm (type

not specified). He uses Tri-X rated at EI 400 most of the time.

Just this morning I bought the italian version of the review 'PHOTO'. Answering about a current exposition here in Italy he says: "in my early years I used a Leica M3, then a Leica M6. Later also a Contax G2. Recently I use with pleasure also the Canon EOS especially because of the very useful 28-135 f3.5-5-6 Stabilized (!!). Other lenses: for Leica the Summilux 50mm f1.4 and the Tele-Elmarit 90mm f2.8. For Contax the Sonnar 45mm f2.0 and the Sonnar 90mm f2.8. Film: Kodak Tri-X developed in D-76. This is about my personal work. For the commercial work I use all the job needs (medium and large format, colors film, slides... I have to satisfy my clients)".

That's all. Interesting.

He apparently uses Leicas and Canon EOS, whatever the

current models are. He's not short a few bucks but also not as

quick on his feet, so AF and a longish zoom come in handy

(blasphemy I hear you shout...!). I don't have either of his

excuses yet often rely on my 200mm to stay candid without

getting slapped...Oh and I did win a prize in a competition he

judged (smug bastard...)

http://www.colemanphoto.co.uk/about.html

hi..i'm a free-lance photo-assistant in los angeles.

i have worked with elliot when he has come out to los angeles

 

there is not a leica anywhere near him...he shoots canon and he

loves them...he uses two zooms but mainly canons 17-?(35) and

then a mid range zoom, he loves that lens....his eyes are not

what they used to be so he uses the cameras on auto focus....he

shoots tri-x at 400....the only equipment that is old school is his

old gitzo that he carries in this old shoulder case....i assist a lot

of "name" photographers...and rarely and i mean rarely does

anyone use a leica...they are slow, zooms are handy, and they

don't have autofocus, it's about getting the picture and the new

slr's are just so efficient and fast that thest people don't have the

time to mess around with the leica.....the few times i have been

on a job with a photographer using a 35mm rangefinder...they

have been using either the contax g2 (most of the time) or that

ricoh rangefider.....