Here is an interesting site. Some fellow in Japan documenting his young son's life using (primarily) really OLD Leitz lenses on various Leicas.

http://hp1.cyberstation.ne.jp/ohta2/family/kento/index.html#

Opinions?

-- Marco Grande (hektor73@yahoo.com), May 02, 2002

Answers

Hello Marco,

thank you for pointing at this site! Shows that the discussion about ever sharper lenses is somehow curious. The photos with these old goodies are just gorgeous. Gives a tiny insight into the live of a young family in Japan as well. Beautiful contribution!

Most people only collect those items and never bríng them to use. What a pity. But this reminds me that I didnīt take any photograph with my 35 mm Summaron. Got to find it somewhere quick.

I also think we need more local LEICA clubs, besides this big one here.

Best wishes

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), May 02, 2002.

The pictures are so wonderful, that I forgot to read the captions.

-- Bill (bmitch@comcast.net), May 02, 2002.

Thanks Marco. He obviously know how to use his arsenal. Either the light in Japan is always gorgeous or he is very patient. Thanks again for the heads up.

-- jeff voorhees (debontekou@yahoo.com), May 02, 2002.

Marco,

Thanks. The site shows how well older Leica lenses can perform. The lighting is very nice.

Tony

-- Anthony Yau (tonyy88@yahoo.com), May 02, 2002.

The pictures are charming, but how thoroughly weird to classify and caption by lens and equipment as if this is really what matters. Sometimes I know that Leicaphilia is bad for the brain.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), May 02, 2002.

i will never sell my old chrome lenses, and will never buy the asph's unless i stumble upon one at a yard sale for cheap. 21 sa, 35 8- elem, 50 dr, 65, 90 elmarit.

90 te is diseased at krauter's now, the 135 no one wants, 28 v.3 sold, don't miss it.

never say never. the asph's are too brutal in the conminikanontax sort of way and not that compact size and $$$ wise.

-- Steve (leitz_not_leica@hotmail.com), May 02, 2002.

I think sometimes a little lens flare and low contrast is just what an image needs. I am not sure many of these images would have the same impact in color though, as the flare, soft contrast and lighting work the best with B&W film. Nice scans also by the way, which isn't that easy to do with black and white images.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 02, 2002.

Old Leica lenses don't die, they just flare away ;>)

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), May 02, 2002.

Thanks for bringing this work to our attention, Marco. This might be the best advertisement yet for old Leica stuff! For those whose pockets aren't deep, prices for this old stuff make it quite affordable nowadays-- at least in USA. Makes me wish for an updated Visoflex system, with 45 or 90 degree viewfinders. Perhaps, with all the R problems of late, the Viso will be resurected.

-- Frank Horn (owlhoot45@hotmail.com), May 02, 2002.

Yikes! There's a Leica screw mount Schneider 35/2.8 from the 50s? I think I feel a quest coming on.

Joe

-- Joe Buechler (jbuechler@toad.net), May 02, 2002.

I particularly like some of the shots with the old 12.5 cm Hektor, lovely bokeh!

-- Marco Grande (hektor73@yahoo.com), May 02, 2002.

heres a shot with an old russian lens, a jupiter-3 wide open on an m6...



-- grant (lotusphotography@yahoo.com), May 02, 2002.

By Jupiter, Comrade! Great lenski. Look like New York City.

-- Frank Horn (owlhoot45@hotmail.com), May 03, 2002.

I like those old lenses too. What's great is that you can use them with any Leica M body, from the M3 to the M7. As Leica itself puts it, "Leica M lenses fit all Leica M cameras of the past, present and future". Even screwmount ones fit with an adapter. Ivor Matanle, who writes for the British Amateur Photographer, wrote in a book on classic cameras that Leitz used to deliberately leave a few lens abberations in place such as curvature of field, in order to achieve what used to be known as "a plasticity" or a 3D feel to the image. Which is not to take away whatsoever from the superb lenses of today. Just that old lenses have a different look to them which makes them interesting.

-- David Killick (dalex@inet.net.nz), May 03, 2002.

"Either the light in Japan is always gorgeous ..."

It often is, IMHO. Some places are just lucky that way, especially the further north you go. I live on the equator, and believe me, the light is usually harsh, harsh....

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), May 03, 2002.

Mani, you are quite right that the light is tough for photography near the equator. This counts indeed for most of the day. I just spent some weeks in the Amazon area and found the light there was phantastic. I tried to concentrate most of my photography on the the times from 6 to 8 am and from 4 to 6 pm. Worked out great!

Just play around with the opportunities around you. Itīs so easy to blame another party - especially gear, light, film - if things donīt work out well ... Try harder, even with an old lens.

This ohta family website shows beautifully what to do with aged gear. Iīam pretty sure in this case no wife complains about her husbands photobusiness with these marvellous familyshots. Even if they are categorized according to lensgroups, thatīs japanese efficeny, I presume.

Thankīs again, Martin, to point this site to us.

Good shooting

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), May 04, 2002.

Sorry, messed around with your name: Marco I meant actually. Exuse.

K. G. Wolf

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), May 04, 2002.

De nada.

-- Marco Grande (hektor73@yahoo.com), May 14, 2002.

There's a new chapter up (#26) The THambar's a DOG.

-- Marco Grande (hektor7@yahoo.com), May 28, 2002.