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Re: [OM] Henri Cartier Bresson - OM equivalent to Leica M + 35/2?

Subject: Re: [OM] Henri Cartier Bresson - OM equivalent to Leica M + 35/2?
From: PCACala@xxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 9 Aug 1998 11:54:19 EDT
Hi Chris:

> does anyone else try to stick to one (prime)
>  lens for a day or a subject or whatever.  Do you think that we are past the
>  days when the "Decisive Moment" was possible, interesting or a work of art?

Among my work world pursuits is working with 5 to 13 year olds in my gal's
Parks & Recreation program.  As we both photograph, it has to be on of the
most photographed P&R programs ever!  We do wall displays of the best shots
from various activities, give slide show presentations to other programs and
parents, and bore to death all the friends with zany kid shots.

As such, we've really experimented with what is the best combination of 35 mm
camera and lens to be able to capture the sponteneity of kids and the adults
working with them.  While it isn't the same as the street shooting of Cartier-
Bresson, it's the closest I have come to this type of photography since
documenting high school and my friends from that era - when I was clear
influenced by the Cartier-Bresson style.  And even toted a Canon RF with a
35-50-100 mm lens combo.

With that said, I have to admit that it's pretty hard to settle down to one
camera and prime lens.  Susie says that a 50 mm f/1.4 works with flash works
best for her indoors, but a 70-210 zoom is her favorite, although primarily
outdoors without flash.  (Hum, then why do I mostly see her shoot kids with a
28-55 mm zoom?)  I've tried a OM-2S (often in Program mode) with a 50 mm f/1.8
and available light, but found it too limiting for creating compositions and
the color quality horrendous under florescent lighting.  Switching to a f/1.4
didn't help, except for focusing.  I switched to a 35-70 mm f/3.5~4.5 and got
a big improvement in compositions, but had to rely too much on flash and
focusing became a bear indoors.  One can't really use more than a T-20 hot
shoe mounted flash and expect to have the camera ready and available for
shots.  Anything heavier will often be left out of reach.  I finally started
using a Leica Z2X point and shoot with a 35-70 mm Vario Elmar.  I'm afraid to
say that IS the camera I needed.  There is some truth to equipment being the
key to getting good shots.  Mine improved dramatically once I started using
that camera.  In my case, the camera has to be right there when you see
something so that you instinctively reach for it.  It needs a flash on it and
it needs a wide angle to long focus zoom.  I'm now adapt to pull the Z2X out
of it's little belt case where ever I am.  The leaf shutter does a good job
mixing the flash with ambient lighting, but is poor for flash action shots.  I
suppose a Olympus Stylus Zoom would also fit the bill, but OLY has yet to
produce a Stylus Zoom with an exceptional lens.  An XA series wouldn't, since
I would be hampered by just a wide angle lens.  And an Olympus IS series seems
just too big to wear.

Only a masochist would want to duplicate Cartier-Bresson's style of disdaining
an exposure meter and scale focusing.  He/she would loose too many shots!
Autofocusing and programmed auto exposure allows one to do the same type of
photography with such ease that it no longer holds the charm it did when it
was a new style of seeing.  It is important to me to know the year a
photograph was taken to then be able to appreciate the technical merits of the
photo.  The first practictioners of a photographic style are interesting to me
for having been successfully creative and innovative.  Eventually the genre
becomes passe' and only the finest (or boldest) of images raise to the top.

Gary Reese
Las Vegas, NV

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