Newsletter - November 2007

“A lot goes into a documentary photograph: a very personal view of life, knowledge of technique, and, of course, information. It is the information that grabs the viewer, but it is the photographer’s art that holds them.”
George S. Zimbel quoted in his book Bourbon Street, New Orleans 1955.

Oskar Barnack and his compact camera changed all the rules. Unencumbered by large equipment, photography rapidly moved from a craft where reproducing a likeness of the subject was paramount, to the art of seeing and interpreting the world in a “decisive moment”. On the evening of October 26, 2007, forty guests were treated to the quintessential expression of this art. In image after iconic image, we contemplated the foibles and strengths of the hoi polloi and polite society as seen through the eyes of legendary documentarian George Zimbel.

Friends of George will tell you that his ability as a raconteur pales only in comparison to his accomplishment as a photographer. It was enthralling to hear the stories behind the pictures. Whether using his beloved 21mm on a number 24 Montreal bus, or photographing President Kennedy in New York City, the anecdotes give one an even greater appreciation for George Zimbel’s gift of turning the everyday into remarkable moments, and major happenings into cultural lore.

Some neat snippets gleaned from George’s talk. He draws his greatest inspiration from the Flemish artist Pieter Bruegel, whose paintings are filled with people in scenes brimming with life. A political junkie, his preferred politician remains Harry Truman, first photographed by George back in 1954. Had he not become a photographer, he would have been attracted to a career in architecture. He’s a grandfather 9 times over.

We’re glad that his grandchildren let us borrow him for this most memorable evening!

Both alone, and as part of our Leica weekend, George Zimbel’s presentation was an unabashed success. I hope to continue to present photographers’ work at future Leica events.

Most of the photos viewed during the evening can be viewed at George’s web site;
http://georgezimbel.com/
Also, original silver gelatin prints are available for purchase. Please email :
george.zimbel@primus.ca

Throughout the weekend, clients and cognoscenti alike dropped in to admire and handle vintage and modern gear. Many brought in cameras and lenses to have them checked by one of Leica’s premier technicians, Gerry Smith.

At the demo counter, Leica USA’s Justin Stailey offered his broad knowledge of photography as well as expertise on vintage, current and upcoming Leica products. Along with the rare-as-Kryptonite Noctilux 50mm, the four new Summarit lenses made their appearances. With their modern and light designs, they share a common engineering approach. In particular, the 75mm caught my fancy. It is smaller than the Summicron and feels very balanced on an M8. It merits a close look by those pining for the Summicron, but not willing to endure the eternal backorder status, or able to justify the numbing $2700.00 sticker price.

Leica price hikes: first the bad news, then the good.

Through the crowd of tourists, you spot the young woman approaching. You sense that you’re about to be pickpocketed. Moments later, lightened of your wallet, you stand in awe of her guile and legerdemain. That’s the way I feel after this latest price announcement. It marks the second significant increase on the M8 in only three months. Whether it’s the rising Euro, the falling greenback, the cost of raw materials, or a penchant to fatten the bottom line, the new prices are here. But, there is a made-in-Canada silver lining to this cloud. Our bulked-up currency’s international muscle has helped cushion the hikes. In some circumstances there is an actual drop in retail price. Back in January, the M8 was selling for US $4695 south of the 49th parallel, and C $5495 in our fair land. Today, factoring in the latest price hike courtesy of Solms’ German-American brain trust, you can spend US $5495 in the Big Apple, or $5295 chez nous. How sweet it is!

This M8 can take it all.

Years ago, Alpa of Switzerland produced a luxury line of 35mm single-lens reflexes. They were expensive, quirky, and found a niche among doctors and lawyers on both sides of the Atlantic. It appears that the M8 has been wrongfully saddled with that mantle. Even for those of you who didn’t follow your mother’s advice, the M8 is capable of being a professional workhorse that can deliver unequalled digital photographs for years to come!

Denis Tremblay (http://www.photopanoramic.com/) recognizes the M8’s capacity to tackle a myriad of challenges. It is his camera of choice to produce the spectacular panoramas for which he is rightfully renowned. In conjunction with a tripod head of his own design and Adobe Photoshop software, the M8 helps Denis create whatever he envisages.

Voigtlander Eagle soars as our Loonie takes flight.

In the blink of an eye this very affordable rangefinder went from a niche product to a flexible and innovative system. I’ve written about the first-rate Voigtlander wide-angle viewfinders like the 12, 15, 21, 25 and 28 that have become fixtures on many Leicas. They are very handy when converting lenses to the M8 1.3x crop factor. The lens line represents some of the most impressive optics we’ve seen in a long time (including both 12mm f 5.6 and 15mm f4.5 Heliars). With the strong Canadian buck and our large inventory, prices are the lowest they’ve been since the Eagle landed on our shores… and availability is better than ever.

There is Canadian DNA in the new Bessa 4A/4M cameras! Cosina CEO Hirofumi Kobayashi and his friends, Vancouverites Tom and Tuulikki Abrahamsson, are credited with the idea behind the world’s only cameras with both 21mm and 25mm frame lines. To peruse the array of useful and ingenious rangefinder accessories that Mr.Tom Abrahamsson manufactures, visit his website at http://rapidwinder.com/.

Recently Voigtlander announced a deceptively simple product that makes everything old, new again: the 28/90 and 50/75 Type II Leica thread mount to M-mount adapters. These adapters can be coded for Leica M8 users, bringing the venerable thread mount into the digital age.

Also from the Asian Eagle, is a newly-designed M-mount Skopar 35 mm F2.5. Its profile is so thin, that it is dubbed P for pancake.

http://www.cosina.co.jp/seihin/voigt/v-lens/v-l-m/35p2/index.html

Even with the ultra-compact size, the lens retains the all-too-handy focusing tab (not shown in the picture).

The end of the World!

A representative of a large printing company was telling me that when it comes to not supporting their own, there is no business like the photo business! With that stinging appraisal ringing in my ears, news that Leica has discontinued Leica World magazine still brought on feelings of bewilderment and sadness. This had been a venue for socially important and outstanding photographs. From Marc Riboud to Ralph Gibson, René Burri to Saul Leiter, Leica World introduced the world to magnificent photographers and their visions.

We have received the latest and last allotment of Leica World, numbered 1/2007. There are only a few left, so please send me an e-mail to reserve your copy. Enclosed with the final issue, as a token of thanks, is a rather bland photo taken by Magnum photographer Costa Manos at a Massachusetts country fair. But what the heck, it is certain that it will become a collectable!

There is already talk of a replacement for the magazine. Rumour has it that it will be lifestyle oriented. Just what we need: a vehicle for flogging super-premium vodka and wristwatches adorned with the Leica logo.

A local guy with a global reputation.

Look at a Hubert Hayaud photograph (http://www.huberthayaud.com/). There is always more than meets the eye. His images are capable of supporting and presenting interwoven story lines without diminishing single elements within the frame. The end result is greater than the sum of the impressive individual parts. I’m certainly not the only one to recognize this unique gift. Congratulations to Hubert on the publication of a collection of his photos in the prestigious Leica Foto International (LFI) magazine.

Hubert works with an M7. When traveling, he augments his film camera with the Leica D-Lux 3. Visit http://www.huberthayaud.com/route/. Be it analog or digital capture, you can’t help but be excited with the result when Hayaud and Leica join forces.

M Vision in the springtime.

Plans are afoot for an M Vision atelier at the end of April. The snow and slush will be gone, and two masterful rangefinder photographers will hold the three-day workshop. Carl Valiquet, http://www.carlvaliquet.com/ back in Montreal after spending a year in his beloved Bali, has agreed to be one of our hosts! Be it among the Cree of Northern Quebec, in the ring with young pugilists, or from his myriad of travels, I love the understated passion that is a hallmark of Carl’s photography. More information will follow in the new year.

There is a real chill in the air and the postman is weighed down with enough junk mail to make you think he’s carrying a D-SLR system in his bag. These signs can only mean one thing: Christmas is not far off. Permit me to be among the first to wish you and yours all the best for the Holiday Season and 2008!

Always looking forward to your comments.
Photographically yours,
Jean Bardaji
Leicaboutique.com & Camtec Photo