Leica the reporter' camera?

[sevo]

I think for a lot of PJ's of the 50's and 60's the main concern was reliability. Their cameras simply had to work, no breaking down in the middle of an assignment a thousand miles from nowhere.

Not that many PJ's had (or have) assignments a thousand miles from nowhere. Indeed, most never had/have a assignment out of town - the average paper will buy pictures from an agency if they need photographs from somewhere way out of their regular field of operation.

Reliability is relevant enough that almost everyone in the business carries a spare - you can't simply re-enact press photographs even if the camera fails. But as long as the paper can provide spares, long term reliability does not matter that much.

 

[johannielscom]

Another finger in the cake: Erich Solomon started photo journalism with an Ernemann Ermanox.

Which in fact still baffles me every time I realise it. The Ermanox was a 4.5x6 cm zone focus camera with a 1.8 aperture lens. Focus depth must have been thin as a razor blade 😱

I'd love to own one in the future and actually shoot it, but it probably would cost me miles of film to master the wide open lens focusing...

 

[leicapixie]

HCB was indeed from great wealth.His socialist attitudes made the monies move away from his use! He bulk loaded, he developed and printed his own for a long time. He "outsourced" when it became possible and necessary, so that he had more time to see and shoot. Masters in the darkroom could bring to life the images he created.
In a day and age of credit cards anyone here can afford almost anything!
HCB had a simplicity of purpose few can do..or achieve.

 

[maddoc]

Hm ... I think TomA could shed some light into this and I guess that he has met the one or other reporter using a Leica camera.

 

[DominikDUK]

HCB also once said that he hated rich boys that called themselves socialists, because you can't be rich and socialist. Sorry couldn't help myself I believe HCB is superb photographer not as good as Bischoff or Willy Ronis but still superb, but as Roger Hicks often says he also was a great bull**** artist and hyprocrite to boot.

Buzzardkid thanks for mentioning Erich Salomon, who in fact did sometimes use a Leica but as you said his main camera was the Ermanox.

Dominik

 

[jsrockit]

but as Roger Hicks often says he also was a great bull**** artist and hyprocrite to boot.

I'd love to hear more about this... 🙂

 

[Phil_F_NM]

After seeing all the great work from a lot of the members here, if they have millions of dollars at their disposal, could become a national sensation quite easily.

There IS a lot of fantastic photographic work on RFF as well as other places but if a person has enough money they can make a sensation in any way they want, talent or not. If I had millions of dollars at my disposal, I could crap on a paper plate in front of an audience, call it performance art, make money off the performance AND the "artwork" I made.

Phil Forrest

 

[ChipMcD]

There IS a lot of fantastic photographic work on RFF as well as other places but if a person has enough money they can make a sensation in any way they want, talent or not. If I had millions of dollars at my disposal, I could crap on a paper plate in front of an audience, call it performance art, make money off the performance AND the "artwork" I made.

Phil Forrest

Sorry, I think that one has been done already. Maybe if you did it while doing a hand stand.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Good point, originality still can trump money to some extent.

Phil Forrest

 

[RFluhver]

Blimey! When I saw the title I thought you blokes were yappin' on about this.

 

[RFluhver]

I'd love to hear more about this... 🙂

Perhaps this little anecdote?

 

[micromontenegro]

Blimey! When I saw the title I thought you blokes were yappin' on about this.

Same here.