LHSA (International Leica Society)'s Journal "Viewfinder" Edition 46-3 is Here!

 

Barcelona, by Reed A. George

Leica CL, Minolta Rokkor 40mm f2 Lens

 

If you're a fan of Leica, you'll want to know about the LHSA (International Leica Society). One of the biggest benefits of membership is the quarterly journal, "Viewfinder." The latest edition is now out, and I'm pleased to say that I have an article in it. A series of images I took last fall in Barcelona with my Leica CL and 40mm Rokkor made the pages!

 

Other topics in this issue include: Lith Redeveloping by Gary Hough, Ed Schwartzreich's final article in a series of three about how Leitz produced the landmark M3 camera, and a story about the LHSA's spring shoot in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, by Bill and Mary Caldwell.

 

This is just a sampling; there's plenty more.

 

So, come join us at LHSA, and get access to every issue of Viewfinder produced since the 1960s! I'm thrilled to have some images and writing published in this great journal for Leica enthusiasts.

 

(Click Here) to join the LHSA.

 

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LHSA's Raffle - Unbelievable Prizes!

The International Leica Society is running its annual raffle right now. This year's prizes are unprecedented. True, last year's grand prize was a Leica M9-P. I had the pleasure of meeting the lucky guy who won it. But this year, wow!

APO Summicron M Aspheric 50mm f2 Lens

Image Source: http://www.overgaard.dk/leica-50mm-APO-Summicron-M-ASPH-f-20.html

 

The current grand prize is the winner's choice of either the $7,000 Leica M (240), the newest Leica M rangefinder body, or the 50mm APO Summicron, valued at $7,300 or so. Second prize, the X2! Third? Dlux 6. All of these are excellent prizes.

 

So, how does one take part in the raffle? First, you must be an LHSA member. For $55 per year (electronic membership), you're in. Pay a little more and you get the paper version of the excellent Viewfinder magazine.

 

(Click Here) to join LHSA.

 

Once you're a member, (Click Here) to get your raffle tickets. Raffle ticket prices are $10 per ticket, $60 for a book of ten, or $100 for a book of twenty. Not bad for prizes worth several thousand dollars.

 

Hurry, as your tickets must be purchased by July 12, 2013!

 

So, what makes a $7,300 50mm lens? Well, the APO M Aspheric 50mm is probably the most well-corrected, high tech 50mm lens ever made. APO stands for apochromatic correction, which ensures that all colors in the image focus at exactly the same point. An aspheric element, which requires exotic manufacturing techniqe, corrects for other aberrations.

 

(Click Here) to read more about the lens on Thorsten Overgaard's site.

 

Personally, I'm going for the APO Summicron when I win. I'll be happy with any of the prizes, however.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

First Regional Meeting of The International Leica Society (LHSA), Washington, DC, June 22, 2013

I am a member of the International Leica Society (LHSA). LHSA members are pursuing regional gatherings, with the purpose of building on the benefits that have already attracted us to LHSA which include the Viewfinder magazine, national meetings, raffles, and other opportunities to interact, teach, and learn about Leica and Leica photography.

 

(Click Here) to learn more about the LHSA. If you're a Leica enthusiast, you really should consider joining the society.

 

 

Our first Mid-Atlantic regional meeting was held on June 22, 2013 at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. The following people attended: Gary Irons, Charlie Arnhold, Bill Barton, Oleg Stepanov, Kevin Hase, Gerry Dreo, and myself (Reed A. George). The courtyard of the National Portrait Gallery turned out to be a nice place to meet, as there is plenty of space, great lighting and climate control. It is also a short walk from the new Leica Store DC. The only drawbacks were parking availability and cost of refreshments.

Through the course of introducing ourselves, we learned how each of us began photography, and came to use Leica equipment. Of course, we also got to see, handle, and sometimes even shoot equipment that others had brought, with bodies ranging from an early Leica C Standard to a new M. Other notable pieces included Charlie's Hektor 135mm screwmount lens with black lens head and chrome body, Gerry's lovely M3, and Bill's Ricoh GXR with Leica M mount module.

 

We took the opportunity to decide and agree upon some guidelines for future meetings. First,we came up with a few alternative locations in Vienna, Virginia, with better parking and coffee (which, of course, is critical!). Meetings will be held approximately quarterly, and we all agreed that the next meeting will be in the latter half of September. I will take responsibility for planning that one. More details coming soon. We are not particularly interested in group shooting, but may do special sessions, such as renting studio space for a future meeting, so that Mr. Arnhold can teach us about lighting. On the subject of photographic themes or contests, we agreed to a very simple approach: each member will bring one print to every meeting. The only requirement is that the image is shot with a Leica camera or lens. We will be relatively flexible, accepting any Leica lens or body, and even Leica branded Panasonic lenses.

One question that never got fully addressed was whether participants must be members of LHSA. As stated at the outset, the purpose of these meetings is to add value to LHSA membership. However, we would also like the meetings to attract new members. My personal feeling is that participants should at least be prospective LHSA members, but we'll continue that discussion at a future meeting.

We all walked over to the Leica Store DC to finish up the afternoon. Eric Oberg, General Manager,and his staff welcomed us to the lovely new store complete with equipment showroom, gallery, and teaching space. We also got a look at the new Leica Vario.

I'm quite encouraged by the turnout and the engaging discussions that we were able to start at this initial meeting. Thanks to everyone who came out. I look forward to the next one in September.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

I'm Hosting the First International Leica Society (LHSA) Regional Meetup in DC This Saturday!

 

Daguere Statue, by Reed A. George

Leica M8, iso 320, f9.5, 1/180 sec

 

This coming Saturday, June 22, 2013 at 1:00PM, I'll be hosting the first regional meetup of the International Leica Society (LHSA) in the atrium at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.

 

If you're not familiar with LHSA, (Click Here) to check it out. Originally known as the Leica Historical Society of America, the LHSA has broadened and updated its scope, renaming itself to the International Leica Society. It is a great society to be a part of, offering an excellent journal, "The Viewfinder," national meetings, a raffle (ongoing at the moment, where members can win a new Leica M or APO Summicron lens, a Leica X2, or a Leica Dlux-6), a lively community on Google+, and now, regional meetups.

 

We will plan to meet at 1:00PM, get to know each other a little, maybe see an exhibit at the gallery. Then we'll head out and do some shooting around DC, ending up with a visit to the Leica Store DC.

 

Right now it looks like 6-8 of us will be there. So, get your membership up to date, grab your gear, and come on over!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

"Scanning" Negatives and Slides with the Leica M9 - Lars-Goran Hedstrom Shares His Approach

Leica M9 and BEEON Copy Stand

Image Source: http://sculptingwithlight.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-other-day-i-bought-leica-beoon.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SculptingWithLight+%28Sculpting+with+Light%29

 

Here's an example of one of the benefits of being in the International Leica Society (LHSA). Today on our Google+ community page, one of the members posted a question about film scanning. Among several good answers, I found Lars-Goran Hedstrom's approach - using a Leica M9 on a Leica BEEON copy stand! Lars' blog is called Sculpting With Light.

 

(Click Here) to read the full post on Sculpting With Light

 

Lars started off using a flatbed scanner, but wasn't pleased with the resulting sharpness. So, he decided to try using a Leica Visoflex III, which essentially turns a Leica rangefinder into an SLR by adding a mirror box, which allows for through the lens focusing. While this worked well for him, the challenge of getting the negative that he was "scanning" and the M9 sensor in paralle was very challenging. Even at f16, using either a 50mm lens (giving 1:1 reproduction) or a 35mm lens (2:1), he often found part of the image to be just out of focus.

 

Next, Lars moved on to using a Leica copy stand made many years ago. Called the BEEON in Leica terminology, this stand allows you to use a magnifiying loupe to focus, then attach your camera to the stand. This is necessary, since Leica rangefinders don't allow for close focus. This works very well for Lars.

 

I've played around with this concept, using my Nikon D700 and Micro-Nikkor 60mm lens. It works well, but I've never taken it to the level of reproducibility that Lars did.

 

One of the best things is that by photographing your negatives or slides with a digital camera, you get raw files, which are easily adjusted in Lightrooom or other software. This is a big benefit. And, if you are set up properly, it can be very fast. I'm sure it's faster than flatbed scanning.

 

So, I may give this another try. I'll use my Nikon again, and put my effort into standardizing a setup (both arranging the camera and film planes to always be parrallel, and getting the backlighting right). I could even connect the D700 to my computer and have the files write directly to my hard drive.

 

Beyond this single concept, I'm happy to have found Lars' blog, Sculpting With Light. There's a lot of great information there.

 

Finally, I love this Ansel Adams quote that I found there:

 

"I have often thought that if photography were difficult in the true sense of the term -meaning that the creation of a simple photograph would entail as much time and effort as the production of a good watercolor or etching - there would be a vast improvement in total output. The sheer ease with which we can produce a superficial image often leads to creative disaster".

- Ansel Adams - "A Personal Credo," in American Annual of Photography, vol. 58 (1944; repr. in Photographers on Photography, ed. By Nathan Lyons, 1966), Photographers on Photography : A Critical Anthology by Nathan Lyons (Editor)

If you're interested in joining the International Leica Society (LHSA), please (Click Here). We'd love to have you. If you're a member, and want to join the LHSA Google+ community, drop me an email. I can help.

DMC-365.blogspot.com

Whole Lotta Leica Results - Summicron Collapsible at LHSA Spring Shoot in South Florida!

 

South Florida Sky, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summicron 50mm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 160, f8, 1/350 sec.

 

I attended the LHSA (International Leica Society) Spring Shoot in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in April. I shot quite a lot with my Whole Lotta Leica lens for the month, the Summicron 50mm collapsible.

 

(Click Here) to read about the lens.

 

Here are some more shots from the trip.

American Dream, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summicron 50mm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 160, f16, 1/180 sec.

As one of our outings, we visited Villa Vizcaya in Miami. Amazing what turn of the 20th century money could buy.

 

 

Garden Wall, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summicron 50mm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 160, f16, 1/125 sec.

It was hot and sunny, as we were there mid-day. Justin Stailey of Leica attended the Spring Shoot, and led a great street photography workshop a la Leica Akademie for us.

Leica's Justin Stailey Catching Some Shade, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summicron 50mm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 160, f3.5, 1/350 sec.

The new Leica Store in Miami welcomed our whole LHSA contingent, serving refreshments, talking Leica, and sharing some results from the new Leica M camera with us. I love the new Leica stores.

Leica Store, Miami, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summicron 50mm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 640, f3.4, 1/350 sec.

While the lights were low for the M presentation, I shot a few images of one of our Leica Store hosts in the near darkness.

Thoughtful, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summicron 50mm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 1250, f2.8, 1/25 sec.

My Summicron Collapsible caught the attention of Leica technical whiz Jim Lager. He noted the early serial number, and brought up the radioactive glass. Pretty good eye, catching that from across the table. Here's an example of shooting the old Summicron nearly wide open into the morning light, while I got coffee.

Morning Backlighting, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summicron 50mm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 320, f2.4, 1/320 sec.

Not exactly flare-resistant, the old(est) Summicron does have character.

 

If you're a Leica enthusiast, please look into joining the LHSA. It's a wonderful society, with a first-rate quarterly publication, the "Viewfinder," and an amazing membership of people who know and love Leica and photography. We've recently started a Google+ community for LHSA, which I hope to really make interesting in the coming weeks.

 

(Click Here) to join LHSA. We promise to welcome you to the group!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

Whole Lotta Leica - April's 50mm f2 Summicron Collapsible - in South Florida at the LHSA Spring Shoot!

I'm currently at the LHSA (International Leica Society) Spring Shoot in Fort Lauderdale, Florida - held April 18-20, 2013.

 

(Click Here) to read about LHSA. It's a wonderful group of real Leica experts, who also happen to be a lot of fun. Membership includes access to the excellent magazine Viewfinder, meetings in exciting places (Fort Lauderdale this spring, San Francisco in the fall), some amazing raffles for high end Leica equipment, and much more.

 

I'm operating with my iPad only on this trip, so the few pictures in this post are unedited jpegs, straight from the camera. They were all shot with the Summicron collapsible 50mm f2 lens that I selected for my Whole Lotta Leica series lens for April.

 

(Click Here) to read about this special lens.

 

Los Olas Cleaning Crew, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, 50mm f2 Summicron Collapsible

 

I shot this image on my way back to the hotel from Starbucks this morning. I knew that I liked the way the water pouring down looked, but didn't catch it the first time. I waited a few minutes while they soaped and scrubbed, and were finally ready for another water rinse. I also popped on my little Nikon SB30 flash to fill in the backlighting a little.

 

Bow Reflections on New River, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summicron Collapsible 50mm f2

 

What I like about this shot is how the ripples in the water surface are reflected in the bright metal bow plate of the boat.

 

 

Villa Vizcaya Gardens, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summicron Collapsible 50mm f2

 

Our outing today began at Villa Vizcaya, home to industrialist James Deering from 1916-1925. I need to work with this image, but what I like is the double framing of a beautiful girl in a blue gown at the gates at the far end. At this size, she looks tiny. I'm hoping it will look good enlarged.

 

We also visited the new Leica store in Miami, and received a nice presentation on the new Leica M camera. Quite impressive.

 

The meeting also offers "Leica on Loan," where Leica loans out cameras and lenses for us to test on our daily shoots. Today I got the Leica Summicron 28mm f2. I shot it on a film Leica, my M4-2, so we'll have to wait until the film is processed to see how that went. I just looked it up and discovered that's a $4,200 lens! I'd better lock that in the hotel safe tonight... If you want your own, please buy it at the link below :)... As if.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com