alan_simon

Harry,

Regardless of the "label", your images are first-rate. I felt like I was with you.

Would you kindly share the lens info.

Many thanks from the states.

Al

Alex,

It was a great issue-enhanced by your story and images. I envey you your position-traveling with your charming wife while enjoying your hobby.

Keep up your Forum posts and enjoy your Leicas!

Al Simon

I hope that this has not been asked and answered before, but...

I want to use my M8 in B&W mode with results approximating Tri-X.

Any advice as to settings: EV, contrast, etc?

And what about post processing? (I shoot DNG + JPEG/fine.) Capture One-what

settings? Go right to PS-what settings to start?

Thanks in advance.

Al

Gray,

I agree with Albert (and others) who advise you to keep your date with a great new image maker.

While mine is only two days old and the pictures have only been test shots, I think that it's a winner. It handles like an M, provides infiniely more options in the camera and on the computer than a film-based camera, and it seems like most of our dreams were answered. I can't wait for Saturday and a walk in the Big Apple with my M8.

Enjoy,

Alan

He was truly a gifted artist, a fabulous teacher and a warm human being.

I had the privilege of working for him (as his second assistant) in the late 50's. It was a period right after his Joseph Welch portrait - Welch was lawyer who went up against Joseph McCarthy during the "Army hearings". I learned darkroom technique, ideas about lighting and composition from a master. And when I drove him to his assignments, I had the chance to talk to him about his rich life and my ambitions. We last met at his retrospective at ICP in NYC and shared some memories.

While I do not now photograph professionally, working with him influenced my love of photography forever.

He will be missed.

Alan

Katie,

Clearly, you will get more answers than the choice of lenses on your list.

I think that I've tried (and owned) all of the focal lengths and most of the lenses that you've named.

I found that when I had the 35 and the 50 I was spending too much time changing lenses and often the 35 wasn't wide enough. I used the 28 and 50 for a while and that worked out pretty well, but I decided that two cameras with a lens fixed on each was just too much for my type of photography-mostly street images while traveling.

Last year I decided on the following:

a 50 'lux ASPH as my main lens, a 21 Elmarit ASPH - for certain obvious times, and a 90 'cron APO ASPH for a narrower field and greater magnification/compression of space.

I've just returned from several weeks in China-a most uinusual country with many images just calling out.

I used the 50 over 85% of the time; the 21 next, followed by the 90 - which I used least frequently.

So, it's everyone's opinion. This is mine.

Good luck and enjoy.

Alan

Hi,

Well, as always, there's a real wide range of equipment that folks take when traveling.

My wife & I just returned from 19 days in China-a remarkable country!

My wife used a Digilux 2 and that freed me to use my M7 kit for B&W: one camera (I had a back-up in the hotel), a 50 'lux ASPH for about 85% of my images, a 21 ASPH for about 10%, and a 90AA for the remainder. I had Fogg make a pouch for the two lenses not on the camera and left a Rimowa case in the hotel with the back-up camera.

It worked perfectly. If forced to take just two lenses, I bet I could have left the 90 home.

Enjoy.

Al

Adam,

I must confess that over the past six or so years that I've tried the following:

2 M bodies and a bag of lenses-21 Elmarit, 28 ASPH 'cron, 35 ASPH 'lux, 50 'cron, 90 Elmarit. Too much stuff and TOO heavy. Spent too much time changing lenses.

1 M body and the 35 'lux ASPH. Light, sufficient for the majority of images, but sometimes (too often) I wanted something wider or longer.

2 M bodies-one with a 28 f2.0 ASPH and the other the 50 'lux-film and extra batters in my pocket-no case. A great combo, but I felt like a pro rather than a amateur travel photographer.

This year, I have slimmed down and it seems to have worked out just right. I have one body (an M7) with the new 50 ASPH 'lux mounted. I have a small (Fogg)pouch fitted for the 21 ASPH Elmarit and the 90 ASPH 'cron APO. Film and extra batteries still in my pocket. It's light and covers all the necessary angles. I can crop and enlarge when necessary and I don't seem to miss the intermediary focal lengths.

Sorry-a long answer. But a kit that really works for me.

Make great images.

Al

John,

Ken Lieberman in NYC (212) 633-0500, 1150 Sixth Avenue, NY, NY - is truly outstanding.

He's worked for some of the best through the years. Try him-you'll be pleased.

Al

Lutz,

Many thanks for your post. Do you have any experience with any of the Imacon scanners and b&w?

I need both 6X6 & 35mm capability and I'm interested in seeing a side-by-side comparison between the competitors.

Al

David,

I agree with the very positive comments already received.

The three at The Photo Village are knowledgeable, honest and reliable-nice folks and a pleasure to do business with. Their stock is great and they'll get you what they don't have.

Enjoy NYC as well.

Al

Wow! What an array of equipment and memories.

Al Kaplan's response triggered my thoughts of the late 50s snd early 60s. Then, after a short stint as a Signal Corp. photog, I returned to civilian life and wedding photography to earn my living.

B&W was it! and the 4x5 Speed Graphic (with those big & heavy Heiland strobes) was required. I added a set of Rollies to "experiment" with color-but that was somewhat expensive for my customers. They wanted 8X10 B&W-period!

My real love was what those guys at Life did-I even spent some time as an assistant to Arnold Newman and Bradley Smith and acquired (at the advice of Yale Joel) a 35mm Canon rangefinder and two lenses - a 35mm and a 100. While I loved the street, making a living was something else.

Eventually, some 25 years later, I was able to get into Leica and have never left.

My images are for me and family now. I use an M7 (with a classic M6 as backup) and have recently sold my 28, 35 and 90 as I found they got into the way of capturing what I wanted on film. My 50 (now a new Summilux ASPH) works like a charm. I pull out the 21 ASPH every once in a while, but one lens truly makes you focus on what you want in the image and avoids you being caught in the lens changing rather than imagining process.

Happy image makinmg for 2005,

Al

Mark,

I purchase a FOGG Soprano. It fits the Digilux 2 like a glove with a pocket for a spare battery and extra SD discs.

Expensive, but well built.

Enjoy,

Al

Peter,

Although not a third-party item, I think the Leica lens hood and cover combo designed for the new 35mm ASPH, works great on the 4ed. You should try it at a store just to be sure as it needs to have the correct flange??? to work properly. If it fits, it's a gem as you can keep the hood & cover on all the time and just remove the cover when shooting.

Enjoy,

Al

Eric,

The MP and M6 work the same: just depress the center of the ISO dial and turn simultaneously.

Enjoy! The camera is great.

Take some great images.

Al

Stephen,

Try Ken Lieberman Laboratories-1150 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10036 (212) 633-0500.

Ken has done work for some of the best in the field and his work is outstanding. Heis also a pleasure to do business with.

Use my name if you choose.

Best of luck,

Alan Simon

David,

Another vote for Rich Pinto @ The Photo Village-1133 Broadway (Room 824) Between 26th and 27th streets.

He's got a great stock and he's honest.

Good luck and enjoy NYC.

Al

Thomas,

I too just purchased one from Rich at Photo Village, although my grandchildren were not as generous as George's.

It looks great on any chrome camera and on the new LHSA Hammertone MP.

I've already sold my old-tabbed version 'cron and my 'lux as well.

This lens does have all the best features-it would be great if Leica used the scalloped focussing ring on all of their lenses.

Jeff,

Try Ken Lieberman (212) 633-0500. He's done work for some of the greatest. I just had him do a 16x20 image from a recent trip and it came out perfect. Tell him that I sent you.

Good luck,

Al

Hi,

Bischof was one of the greats who found their way infront of this image I caught at an ASMP meeting during the '50s.

Al<div></div>

Dear Forum Readers:

In the past, you have helped me choose a 28mm 'cron rather than a Tri

Elmar and a second body to go with my .85 MP (I chose the .58).

Well, I just returned from 15 glorious days in Italy (albeit HOT) and

I have some new images. I haven't used b&w for years and I'd love

your opinions. This trip, my wife did the travel-bit, very

successfully with her Contax NX and a 28-80 zoom, while I had my two

cameras-one with the 28mm 'cron and the other with a 50mm 'lux-both

loaded with Ilford's Delta 400-shot at ISO 250.

I'm posting the results. Any and all suggestions are welcomed.

Al<div></div>

Dear Forum Readers:

In the past, you have helped me choose a 28mm 'cron rather than a Tri

Elmar and a second body to go with my .85 MP (I chose the .58).

Well, I just returned from 15 glorious days in Italy (albeit HOT) and

I have some new images. I haven't used b&w for years and I'd love

your opinions. This trip, my wife did the travel-bit, very

successfully with her Contax NX and a 28-80 zoom, while I had my two

cameras-one with the 28mm 'cron and the other with a 50mm 'lux-both

loaded with Ilford's Delta 400-shot at ISO 250.

I'm posting the results. Any and all suggestions are welcomed.

Al<div></div>

Dear Forum Readers:

In the past, you have helped me choose a 28mm 'cron rather than a Tri

Elmar and a second body to go with my .85 MP (I chose the .58).

Well, I just returned from 15 glorious days in Italy (albeit HOT) and

I have some new images. I haven't used b&w for years and I'd love

your opinions. This trip, my wife did the travel-bit, very

successfully with her Contax NX and a 28-80 zoom, while I had my two

cameras-one with the 28mm 'cron and the other with a 50mm 'lux-both

loaded with Ilford's Delta 400-shot at ISO 250.

I'm posting the results. Any and all suggestions are welcomed.

Al<div></div>