jim_lennon1

I have used the Canon G1 and G2 and they were surprisingly good. I have

not decided to buy a digital camera, but if I had to buy one I would

buy the G2. IMO, no other digital camera in that price range offers as

much for my needs.

Tripod. Carry one in car. Carry very light one when traveling. Almost

never use flash.

I have been photographing for the Florida Orchestra for the past ten

years. When I am permitted to sit in the orchestra to photograph the

conductor I may use my Leica Ms with 75mm or 50mm Summilux. More often

I use Nikon's in sound blimp's, 50mm 1.4 or 85mm 2.0. Believe it or

not, the Leicas are way too loud for the slow movements, which offer

the best opportunity for dramatic shots of the conductor.

 

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The exposure setting for shooting the conductor from the orchestra side

of the hall in the Tampa Bay Performing Arts center is F 2.0 at 125 sec

with 800 speed film. Shooting for the audience side toward the

orchestra it is slightly brighter, but I use the same setting.

 

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Shooting from backstage, 90mm is the absolute minimum necessary to

shoot the conductor, 135mm or 180mm on a tripod is best. What you use

from the audience varies depending on what you are looking for. Keep in

mind that 80 musicians look pretty grainy crammed together on high

speed 35mm film. I would leave the 35mm lens at home unless you were

going to shoot backstage before or after the event.

 

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Has the orchestra requested black and white? Color film can always be

converted to black and white afterwards. Kodak 800 MAX film works well

and is readily available.

 

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Since you will be shooting wide open, at relatively slow shutter

speeds, with everybody moving, there is no room for camera shake, which

is why I suggest a tripod. Likewise, since there will be virtually no

depth of field, try to keep the film plane parallel to the subject. Too

much prominent blurriness in an image that is already stretching the

limits of shutter speed vs. movement does not make for a good image

(i.e. one that the orchestra will like).

Eric wrote: "The Mamiya 7 and M6 are very similar in use but each makes

a very different kind of picture."

 

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Could you please explain what you mean by that. Thanks.

Rob, In addition to my Leica M gear, I use Nikon FM2Ns, MD12 motor

drives, and a range of fast prime lenses from 24 to 180. I also use

35mm and 28mm P.C. lenses. Because much of the photography I do is in

theaters (music/dance/theater), I sometimes need longer focal lengths

and quieter equipment than my Lieca Ms can provide. At those times I

use my Nikons in sound blimps. A word of warning regarding the P.C.

lenses...use them only if you are open to the possibility that you will

never want to use any other type of lens ever again. When you have the

time and occasion to use them, they are wonderful.

I have used both of these lenses extensively, wide open because I did a

lot of low-light work in theaters. I no longer own either of them. I

replaced both of them and a 50mm Summicron with a 50mm Summilux. As a

practical matter, there is not a tremendous amount of difference

between these 1.0 and 1.4 lenses for a photographer working with a wide

variety of subjects. I realize that contributors to this discussion

group like to talk about lens "fingerprints" and "bokeh." However, I

think that these considerations are of significant value only when a

photographer is going exploit them on a regular basis (such as a

commercial portrait photographer finding a lens that gives him or her a

signature look). I think that people involved in general photography

(amateur or professional) are better off sticking with equipment that

offers interchangeability (all 46mm filter sizes), simplicity (carry

fewer lenses), and ease of use (Noctilux and 75mm Summilux are heavy

and are harder/slower by comparison to focus).

 

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F8 and be there still holds the most weight in general photography. You

take pictures to show them to people. People are interested in the

subject matter of the photo, not the technical considerations of the

photographer. Make things as easy as possible for yourself so that you

can take well composed pictures of meaningful (to you) subjects.

I realize the most of the people who write describe themselves as

prefering handheld photography. But when using a camera on a tripod

outdoors, you can often use your body as a lens shade. This can really

help with wide angle lenses. You just stand in such a was as to block

the sun, ensuring that no light hits the lens directly. Fire the camera

with a cable release or self timer.

What is a focoslide?

Indoors: 35mm Summilux ASPH

 

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Outdoors: Nikon 35mm P.C.

"I want the XPan to shoot cool pano images. It rocks."

 

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Before you buy an XPan, do a little survey of the ratio of professional

photgraphs (someone paid for ownership or use) that are "pano" to those

that are "standardo." I think you will find that XPpan equates to

"novelty camera" for most professional photographers. When they need

pano, they also need camera controls (i.e. view camera). And I am not

saying this just because I have a nice mint 35mm Summilux to sell you.

When Al Gore and I invented color photography, we weren't thinking

about artistic considerations, just business ones. It simply was a

practical way for us to put food on our families.

There is no law that says a person needs to make photographs on a

regular basis throughout life. If you have run out of ideas, maybe

there is no reason to take photographs for awhile. When there is a

reason to photograph something, you'll still know how to do it. If new

intersts become more meaningful than photography, never taking another

photograph is a perfectly healthy option.

Does anyone know a website that illustrates the use of a P.C. lens (Leica or otherwise)? I own and use P.C. lenses and am trying to explain them to a friend in another city without having to take a set of photographs to illustrate.

Photography is about making and displaying images. Cameras, lenses,

film, and processing are just tools used in this process. Wonderful

images are made with all formats and all brands of cameras. I am 54

years old. During my lifetime, most of the famous pictures were taken

with Speed Graphics and Nikons. Canon EOS cameras are quickly gaining

ground. Commercial photographers have worked mostly with Hasselblad and

other medium format cameras. View cameras still take the very best

pictures of things that don't move.

 

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Leica M rangefinder cameras are photographic tools with unique

qualities that make them attractive--they are quiet, reliable, and easy

to focus in low light; and, generally speaking, they are hand-holdable

at slow(er) shutter speeds than SLRs, and shutter �lag� is shorter.

 

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When the above Leica M qualities are of paramount importance, there is

nothing like a Leica. When your newspaper or magazine needs to go to

press 30 minutes after the Super Bowl ends (3,000 miles away) a D1 may

be your best bet. Want a 8ft x 10ft mural of Half Dome grab your

Deardorff and some film holders. Astronauts traditionally carry

Hasselblads. Hand-holding a long lens at the Indy 500, Canon EOS image-

stabilization lenses will be a big help.

I used the 135mm Elmarit 2.8 with the "goggles" for many years. I

needed the focal length, the lens speed, the quietness of the leica,

and (re: goggles) I needed to be able to see what I was photographing.

But the experience was never satisfying and I subsequently switched to

Nikon SLRs in sound blimps for that particular application (orchestra/

theater).

Outside: Nikon FM2, 35mm PC, tripod, Velvia

Inside: M6, 35mm 1.4 ASPH, Kodak 800 MAX

I have been using M-cameras (M4-Ps and M6s) and various motor drives

for 20 years with relatively heavy use and I have never experienced a

malfunction. During the same period of time, I have used numerous FM2s

and MD12s and only once had a problem (shutter advance needed to be

replaced).

I tried shooting with my left eye after reading that it was the

"correct" way to use the Leica. For me, it turned out to be a more

relaxed (physically/facially) way of using the camera.

 

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Previously, I had used my right eye, squinting my left eye to keep it

closed. When I switched to using my left eye, I discovered I did not

have to "squint" with the right eye. Since it was behind (blocked by)

the camera. I could leave my right eye open, which was more relaxed.

"One of my problems is I live in a foreign country, meaning that anyone

can spot me a mile away...."

 

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Maybe there is another way of thinking about your situation. Rather

than thinking....Hyatt is in a "foreign" country....Maybe you could

think...Hyatt is a "foreigner," a guest of a people and a culture that

intrigues him so much that he wants to take repectful, representative

pictures to show his friends and family when he returns home.

 

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If you adopt the later way of thinking, you can openly and honestly

take pictures in full view of everyone.

Ideally, you would shoot on a tripod, with the film plane parallel to

the window. Depending on how big the windows are, with only 35mm and

50mm lenses, you may wish you had a scaffold, or a tall ladder (be

careful), or a choir loft. Simply tilting your camera up at the window

is not going to be ideal.

I suggest that you take a variety of lenses and shoot from various

locations in the club (including shooting through the crowd, i.e.

showing their silhoettes at the bottom of the frame). While a few

establishing shots (view of the entire band) will be appreciated,

closeup shots have more impact. Limiting yourself to a 28mm lens could

prove to be a big mistake, especially since you will be tilting it up

most of the time.

I recently signed up to use the LUG. What I receive seems like random emails--unrelated to each other, except that they quote previous random emails. Is there no way to receive the information grouped/organized by topic, or at least see all the replies to a given question in one sequence?

Galen Rowell's book--Poles Apart: Parallel Visions of the Artic and

Antacrtic--offers a wealth of information about photography, equipment,

films, and the actual working practices of this well-respected nature

photographer.

Canon EOS makes a terrific 90mm tilt/shift macro lens that might be

perfect for what you are doing. Nikon makes an 85mm tilt/shift macro

lens (which can be used on mechanical/manual Nikons as well as

autofocus.

There is often a very extensive photography exhibit (usually of a

single photographers work) on display at the Barbican Centre in London.

There is a charge for admission, so don't drag anyone along who doesn't

really want to go. I also always go to the National Portrait Gallery,

which includes a fair amount of photography on exhibit and is free. If

you ever project slides, you might consider shootong a few rolls of

Scala B/W slide film and have it processed at Joes's Basement

(approximately same turnaround as E6).