romancing the Leica

Sumo_du_Jour · 07-18-2004

Occasional talk of romancing the Leica keeps me going back to the second hand camera shops in hope that one day that bargin will pop up...

Meanwhile images like these fuel the fire.
Image taken from:
http://www.eye-imagine.co.uk/

MP Guy · 07-18-2004

Sumo, du jour,

Has anyone said you look an awful lot like Pablo Picasso

Sumo_du_Jour · 07-18-2004

Here's my uncle Salvador...

taffer · 07-19-2004

Holy crap !!!

That thing hanging from Picasso's neck... It's me or is that thing really a FED-2 !?!?!?!?!

However, the ER case looks more like the one from a contemporary Zorki...

Peter · 07-19-2004

Hi Sumo, du jour,

I tried to go to the link but cannot seem to find the pictures of artists with cameras!

Regards,
Peter

Laika · 07-19-2004

hehehehe..... taffer that is a FED2 !!!!!

Its a early FED2 & ER case ... FED2c I think.

That's brightened up my day

...hehehe

Sumo_du_Jour, that bargain you after will cost you $20 + post on ebay.

SolaresLarrave · 07-19-2004

I didn't know good ol' Sal shot a Konica S2! Wow

!!

You learn something new every day!

JK!

Sumo_du_Jour · 07-19-2004

And I thought they were Leica's!
So much to learn. That's why I'm logged on here...

The link to the pics is part of this blurb taken from the Earthly Delights site.

"The truthful world of Joan Fontcuberta.

What if you were interested in say, Picasso, and you read an authoratative biography written by someone completely trustworthy. You would likely understand that there are limits to truth, and regardless of how trustful the biographer, misrepresentations would be expected. But, what if 50% of all the facts were fiction (or doubtful fact) and 50% ‘truth’, yet disguised so well that truth was indecipherable? Perhaps there would also be a secret agenda to distort history. Well, besides feeling angry or betrayed, I suggest you would seriously have to consider what truth is and demand that the biographer define his truth.

And again, say you went to a museum - perhaps the Picasso museum - and there before your eyes stood the authentic evidence of Picasso’s life and history. Indisputable - give or take - right? Well, enter photographer and artist Joan Fontcuberta who has deliberately re-created chunks of biography complete with ‘authentic’ pictures and art works to match - the victims in this case Dali, Picasso, Miro and Tapier (not that Dali needs much more fictionalization).

Fontcuberta does not stop there, elaborate concoctions of truth and fiction can be found throughout the following sites. See how easily we can be deceived and how fragile truth is! "

http://www.fontcuberta.com
http://www.eyestorm.com/artists
http://www.telefonica.es/fat/sputnik.html
http://www.zonezero.com/exposiciones...s/fontcuberta/
Source of camera shots---->http://www.zonezero.com/exposiciones.../fontcuberta2/
http://www.iber-art.com

Sumo_du_Jour · 07-19-2004

Not an RF, but we can't leave out uncle Joan Miro can we...

SolaresLarrave · 07-19-2004

In this case, I feel I could bet it's a Rollei.

Sumo, at least with Uncle Sal, there's a kinda telltale sign about this camera around his neck. Leica M bodies have three small windows: the RF window, the small one that lets light in, and the viewfinder. The one pictured with Uncle Sal has only two visible windows. It may not be a Konica S2 (you see a discrete meter on the neckstrap, on the right side of the shot), but I'm afraid it ain't a Leica.

In any case, thanks a big lot for posting these photos and letting us check out the links!

taffer · 07-20-2004

Francisco, I think Uncle Sal is carrying a 35mm folding camera, if you look at the pic closely, you'll see the front 'door' opened on the left. Could it be a Kodak Retina ?

Thanks for posting these links Sumo! Now let's see if I can also win one of those extra-day-hours pack for myself!

Oldprof · 07-20-2004

Picasso easily could have afforded a Leica, but he refused to be identified with a bourgeois status symbol whose capabilities were no better than the proletarian and most excellent Fed 2. Because of his innovative genius as a painter and his impeccable taste in cameras, Picasso is widely regarded as the greatest artist of the 20th Century.

Laika · 07-20-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Oldprof
Picasso easily could have afforded a Leica, but he refused to be identified with a bourgeois status symbol whose capabilities were no better than the proletarian and most excellent Fed 2. Because of his innovative genius as a painter and his impeccable taste in cameras, Picasso is widely regarded as the greatest artist of the 20th Century.

Thats just the reason why I own FED's and not Leica's!!! hehehe... Oldprof, I hope you dont mind if I use that the next time someone looks down there nose at my FED's

SolaresLarrave · 07-20-2004

Taffer, you're right. I had to look again to notice the little door on the left side of the lens.

A friend of mine has a Retina (her dad's actually). I'll ask her to bring it for a show and tell the next time she comes.

Darn! And I thought I was sooooo knowledgeable!

Oldprof · 07-20-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Laika
Thats just the reason why I own FED's and not Leica's!!! hehehe... Oldprof, I hope you dont mind if I use that the next time someone looks down there nose at my FED's

Au contraire Laika, I hope you will use that tidbit of erudition. My pearls of wisdom deserve the widest possible dissemination!

Sumo_du_Jour · 07-20-2004

Ah, the folding door is noticeable.

I don't put these guys into the genius box as I would say, Leonardo Da Vinci. If they were genius we'd know of their photography as we know Da Vinci as an artist, architect, inventor, engineer, mathematician, sceintist, philosopher. Imagine the Rangefinder work of Da Vinci if it were possible.

These guys were catalysts of change, in the right place at the right time, rather than individual genius. Driven, passionate, and deserving great respect, but I'm not convicnced of genius.