"Erwin Puts" Thread continued

While I have questioned some of what I have read from Erwin Puts, he

is clearly devoted to his subject, his art and Leica. He is also an

intelligent and articulate spokesman whether or not he is "on the

dole" with Solms. Those that would critique his work as displayed on

their computer monitors must have limited experience looking at real

black and white photographs. I am sure that if I was to see one of

these at arms length in the "flesh" (no pun) it would inspire me to

mix some chemistry and get back to that wonderful art of producing

silver prints. This man understands B&W, and the tonality that

printing 35mm can yield when executed correctly.

As for Leica and digital, I am sure many of us have come to a

similar conclusion that Leica is desparately following a niche where

they cannot hope to lead as they did with the 35mm camera. This

helped me to rationalize buying an Olympus c5050 digital camera and

more recently a Nikon 5400.

Many years ago the Konica Hexar (AF model) was a real turning point

for me in seeing what the Japanese could do with their enthusiasm

for the camera that Leica made a tradition. The Hexar doesn't always

replace a Leica. It isn't like walking the streets with an M2 and

handheld meter; exposure data swirling in ones head as a shot

materializes....or doesn't. On a good day a dedicated amateur might

overcome the complication of coordinating that simple tool (M2,3 or

4) and all that it takes to be fast and accurate if a situation

(picture) occurs. I guess a it is bit like fishing. There is

certainly a lot more to being a good street shooter than being adept

at calculating exposure.

As one that has owned and shot with many lenses from Leitz I know

that even the Elmars and Collapsible Summicrons are more capable

than most of their operators. There are shots that I have taken and

printed with old lenses that celebrate these lenses for me beyond

anyone's critique however articulate or informed. The collapsible

Summicron, the 35mm pre asph Summilux, DR Summicron; the list goes

on. The only value these lenses really will retain comes from the

images they produce. It is up to those of us that appreciate them to

continue using them....or not.

Nonethless the digital age of photography is here. It has and will

continue to move analog photography, perhaps to a place closer to

charcoal drawing or print making. That is okay. Many bad film

cameras will disappear over time and good rangefinders, view

cameras, Rolleis and so forth will continue to find homes where they

get exercise. Great images will be made the old fasioned way. Or

more of us will scan our XP2 and print it the digital way; whatever

works.

I must admit, I have been waiting and continue to pray that the

engineers that brought us the Hexar AF will produce a digital

rangefinder that will bring me the joy I have found in the Hexar.

The idea of paying a premium for a Leica digital M to imitate and

appropriate technology that seems to come naturally to Canon, Nikon,

Sony and now Pentax (to name a few), feels stupid to me. I do want

to be able to use my 35 asph on a digital camera in the future but

if that camera is a used (affordable) RD 2, so be it. In the

meantime I may have to break down and buy a Pentax *ist.

"Those that would critique his work as displayed on their computer monitors must have limited experience looking at real black and white photographs."

 

you just lost this reader right there, three sentences in.

so.....yeah i guess.

And charcoal drawing and printmaking require more and different skills than peeping thro a viewfinder, reading a light meter and pressing a shutter button, no matter how refined the lens system is for your analog camera. No common ground at all really.

If you say so.

"The only value these lenses really will retain comes from the images they produce"

 

I don't understand what you are concluding here - do you simply mean that there is no point in praising them unless they are used?

 

"The idea of paying a premium for a Leica digital M to imitate and appropriate technology that seems to come naturally to Canon, Nikon, Sony and now Pentax (to name a few), feels stupid to me"

 

Well I almost agree with you here. Leica has to either drop the premium or give us something that nobody else can give.

Erwin is a topic all his own. Pros and cons. Your own text here is so long that I <i>dis</i>continued my reading of it after about 1/4 of the way down.

Putts is a gear head - any attempts at him, or anyone, trying to find a creative or artistic angle in his work after you see what he actualy does with his equipment is a joke.

His best work consist of brick walls. Go figure.

He takes good tit photos!

What Eric said.

Sheesh. Erwin Puts seems to be a knowledgable gear head, and his reviews of lenses and such seem pretty thorough and useful to the Leica community. If he's not a fantastic shooter or photographic artist IMHO, who really cares, so what? And if he blows off some steam with opinion pieces, more power to him. Use what you can, and leave the rest.

 

Scott

A lot of brainy people on this forum, so here goes...

<P>The Washington Post's Style Mensa Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supplying a new definition. Here are this year's winners:

<P>1. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

<P>2. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

<P>3. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

<P>4. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

<P>5. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

<P>6. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

<P>7. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

<P>8. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

<P>9. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.

<P>10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

<P>11. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

<P>12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day

consuming only things that are good for you.

<P>13. Glibido: All talk and no action.

<P>14. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

<P>15. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

<P>16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

<P>17. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

<P>And the pick of the bunch:

<P>18. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an a*shole.

5 stars(very funny)

Thanks for the update...

has anyone ever seen erwin puts and "the dentist" together??

I met Erwin once in person, in the Netherlands. We had coffee, talked Leicas, he inscribed his Lens Compendium book to me (lens comparisons aren't my thing really but he did put a lot of work into it). He's a nice guy, quite articulate and knowledgable on many fronts besides optics. He does have a life outside of Leicas like most of us. And his website is free, so if you disagree with him you're not out anything.

I'm more inclined to trust someone who actually uses his lenses and shows good results than someone who counts lines. But we all live in free countries, so believe whatever you find of worth.

the negative tone and sarcasm keeps growing here. What a different environment you guys create, unpleasant, dull and most of all full of personal opinion about a matter that is inherently subjective.

 

I praise Erwin for all his work and information, too bad somehow this Leica forum is enticing a culture of know it alls, tell me something i don't know mentality.

Jose, I disagree. I feel this forum is well balanced and comprised of personalities from both working and hobbyist photographers that it stays in a healthy check and balance.

 

 

EP may well be wealth of tech knowledge, but he sinks his own boat by backing his words up by displaying marginal photographs. I would of failed grade 10 photography with those muddy prints made on my K1000. You can't fly the flag of a product and say how wonderful the glass is and that film is the best and then do this. Especially with a prestigious name like Leica with its history and reputation of providing the best image making equipment. Nothing short of outstanding photographs should be displayed to parallel his words.

Para

 

graph

 

breaks,

 

please

 

!

"Those that would critique his work as displayed on their computer monitors must have limited experience looking at real black and white photographs."

 

Even on my monitor I can see that he needs Spot Tone and some brushes.

 

How can you tell that he really understands B&W when viewing his work on YOUR monitor.

<I>EP may well be wealth of tech knowledge, but he sinks his own boat by backing his

words up by displaying marginal photographs.</I><P>

 

Bingo. Why would anyonne trust his advice? His prints had big chunks-o-dust on them as

well. Not very fussy...

Could someone furnish me with the reference to the Irwin Puts thread mentioned by Mr. Feingold? Thanks.

<a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Aftl">here Peter.</a>