Tell me he didn't really do this ...

[Flyfisher Tom]

Does it look like he actually 'painted' the front of his collapsible summicron black?

😱

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Looks like there's lots of brassing. I wouldn't think he'd go and paint lenses. I'm sure he had enough money to have bought a black paint collapsible 'cron, though.

 

[Burkey]

Don't know about the paint and brassing but what a wonderful photograph of HCB.

 

[tom_f77]

Somebody caught him good! Although they obviously sniped him with something pretty long; probably why he looks extra scathing I suppose 🙂

I just swapped two elmars for one of those summicrons, but I won't paint it black...

Tom

 

[thafred]

I´d see it as cool if he actualy did paint his lens himself (also he tapes his cameras, in B&W photography no 51 he holds his black paint (?) M3 wich is totaly taped up!)...it just shows that he gives no freakin f**k about equipment and realy uses it as tool...I like that attitude 🙂 (not that I would be worthy enough to screw up a classic camera lens...he is)

 

[peter_n]

As a matter of interest, anyone know if that collapsible Summicron juts out less/same/more than the current Elmar from the body?

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

I´d see it as cool if he actualy did paint his lens himself (also he tapes his cameras, in B&W photography no 51 he holds his black paint (?) M3 wich is totaly taped up!)...it just shows that he gives no freakin f**k about equipment and realy uses it as tool...I like that attitude 🙂 (not that I would be worthy enough to screw up a classic camera lens...he is)

Hi Fred,

He taped up his already black M3? That's interesting, I would have thought he'd only tape up a chrome/silver body to be less conspicuous. Maybe he cared less about stealth, but more to protect the camera body ... curious 🙂 thanks for the note.

 

[FrankS]

If he taped up his BP M3, that can onlly tell us that he was worried about nicking or brassing up the camera finish. No?

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I'd assume he taped it up precisely because he didn't want the brassing to be distracting. Also a means to preserve the brassing? In either case, it shows he used it. A lot (at some period of time)

 

[FrankS]

How about: he didn't like the look of the brassing so he covered it with black tape?

 

[IGMeanwell]

This shouldn't suprise anybody ... I mean he did always talk about his love of anarchy

Didn't Leica provide him with much of his equipment?

 

[Rich Silfver]

I´d see it as cool if he actualy did paint his lens himself (also he tapes his cameras, in B&W photography no 51 he holds his black paint (?) M3 wich is totaly taped up!)...it just shows that he gives no freakin f**k about equipment and realy uses it as tool...I like that attitude 🙂 (not that I would be worthy enough to screw up a classic camera lens...he is)

I know it's really cool to consider cameras like 'tools only' and that it for some reason implies that one is a better photographer - BUT HCB was a professional photographer and his cameras got used a LOT. Should they break a replacement unit was only a quick call away. So, not quite an 'attitude' that can be used for anything - especially not when it comes to comparing professional, working photographers habit to hobbyists/amateurs that won't have the luxury of replacing their equipment in quite the same way.

 

[Jason Sprenger]

On a few forums, I've read that he painted the front of his collapsible Summicron. And that he taped his equipment is well known.

The interesting thing to me is that HCB is using a collapsible Summicron years after it was reformulated to be "better". In this, I suspect the artist was going for the results that he wanted without regard for what lens manufacturers and the camera consumer were thinking was best.

As to HCB's gear, he got it to make images other people wanted to see. I don't think he cared a whit whether or not anyone admired how his equipment looked.
Even chewed up into a pile of broken glass and brass, his worst camera is worth more to folks than my entire set up.

And there's the difference between can and do, I suppose. He created images good enough such that now even his unsightly gear can be admired.

 

[rover]

Proof that in fact it is the gear that matters!!!

 

[James Brannan]

My guess on the taped body thing, maybe he had or was having problems with light leaks and was simply protecting his film? Maybe he had some shots ruined in the past with an older/different body and now just does that out of habit to make sure?

 

[FrankS]

Not sure why, but it amuses me to think that a photographic giant/great/icon like HCB, was not exempt from human foibles.

 

[merciful]

Somebody just email the dude and ask.

 

[ehparis]

Pro fotogs always want the best equipment. They especially like equipment paid for by their employer.

This may explain in part why their photo hardware looks like it's tied to the rear bumper and dragged to and from work each day.

Did HCB drive a car? 😉

 

[FrankS]

I think he was sponsored by Peugeot. 🙂

 

[Glenn2]

I suspect that HCB taped his Leicas for the same reason kids tape the handles of their hockey sticks..... To get a better grip.