Who is Erwin Puts?

[varjag]

The reason I don't like him is that in reviewing absolutely, positively, ANYTHING non Leica, no matter how outstanding, he always rephrases his words in a way that it seems inferior to a Leica product. Even, *gasp*, if it is equal or better.

Not quite true. Read his piece on Canon 50/1.2.

 

[yanidel]

In the days of Wikipedia and blogs we all should have learnt that some scrutinity must apply to anything we read on the internet. This obviously also applies to Mr Puts website but does not in any way prevent from an enjoyable reading session.

 

[Ronald_H]

Not quite true. Read his piece on Canon 50/1.2.

I did, long ago. It was one of the reasons for my original comment!

I quote:

"This Canon lens is an amazingly effective lens and a superb design in itself. Of course it lacks the sparkle and transparancy in small details that we can see in better designs, but they are of lower maximum aperture. Some commentators called the Canon FD 1.2 aspherical the best standard lens in the world. It is hard to disagree"

"Of course it lacks the sparkle and transparancy in small details that we can see in better designs"

That kinda contradicts the "some commentators (but not Mr. Puts?!), called the Canon FD 1.2 aspherical the best standard lens in the world". How can it be the best if there are "better designs" out there?

And what is best? An f1.2 can scarely be expected to be as good across the range as an f2.0 lens.


And the last comment: "it's hard to disagree"

That contains both the words "hard" and "disagree". To be convincing, maybe he should have said: "I agree completely, this IS the best standard lens in the world".

See what I mean?

But what's the point really, to get worked up over it... :bang:

I own a Leica M now, and some Leica lenses. They are outstandingly good... as far as I can tell by my very unscientific picture taking. But my Cosina Voigtlaenders are also excellent... I prefer my Summicron DR to any lens I have ever owned, but that's purely subjective.

 

[kram]

His articles are actually quite interesting and worth reading, just remove the crap about "Leica is the best".
Anyway I remeber him reluctantly admitting that the CV 50mm 3.5 Heliar was, "very marginally" of course, better than the current Leica 50mm Elmar

I agree totally. Great articles and informative, but very, very pro leica. Which I don't mind; read his articles with this in mind.

 

[George S.]

I'm still trying to figure out if "edifying" is a good thing or something very, very bad....

 

[CameraQuest]

Folks,

if you want to discuss Erwin's or anyone else's writings, do it in a respectful non flame manner. If you agree or disagree with any writer, fine. But flaming people is a violation of the RFF FAQ.

Stephen

 

[kevin m]

Where is there any flaming in this thread? 😕

 

[CameraQuest]

Where is there any flaming in this thread? 😕

those posts were deleted.

Stephen

 

[kevin m]

Ah, OK. 🙂

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Originally Posted by bmattock View Post
. . . Erwin Puts is a writer, who primarily writes about Leica equipment. He is alternately loved and reviled by the Leicaphile and Leicaphobe, on alternate Wednesdays they switch. . . .

Dear Bill,

On revisiting this thread to see if anything new had been said, I still find the above to be the perfect summary.

Cheers,

Roger

Bill M.: Damn, boy - almost pee'd my pants when I read the above. So glad you are posting again. - Ben Marks

 

[Beemermark]

He's not an objective reviewer so much as a cheerleader for the Leica brand, " 😱

Help me out here, is there ANY lens or camera reviewer that isn't a cheerleader for whatever they like or are selling?

Puts actually shows some scientific basis for most of what he writes. I find his articles as least educational because I usually find objective information in his evaluations and charts.

 

[kevin m]

Help me out here, is there ANY lens or camera reviewer that isn't a cheerleader for whatever they like or are selling?

If they're "cheerleading," they're not really "reviewing," are they? 😕

 

[Platinum RF]

Erwin is a very kind and gentle man writing about Leica and photography.
His Leica lens compendium is excellent and I use it often.
You may not like him but there is absolutely no reason to bash him around. You'd know if you had ever met him. Some like going out photographing and other like testing lenses, camera's and developer. I have much more use from Erwin's testing than form your photographs.

Cheers,
Michiel Fokkema

Agree, he is much better than these M8+lens testers at least he use real testing equipment.

 

[Conner999]

ROFL = Rolling On Floor Laughing

Erwin is very pro Leica technology but has taken Leica, the company, to task a number of times of late re: some management decisions, their future direction, etc.

The translation of his writing into English is horrid (probably accounting for some of the contradictions) , but he is obviously well-connected at Leica and while biased, his research is excellent for comparing/deciding between Leica lenses. Balance his writing with the work at Sean Reid's site and you got some nice pre-purchase homework done.

Shooter experiences are nice but 300K jpegs tell you next to little and people have: a) their own biases and b) a tendency to love the lens they just spent $$$$$$ on.

 

[kevin m]

Shooter experiences are nice but 300K jpegs tell you next to little...

You can get a pretty good idea of a lens' general performance characteristics that way. Of course it's equally true that people who demand the n-th degree of perfection from their lenses are either perfectionist professionals with specialized needs or clueless rank amateurs shooting family pets.

Your right about the personal biases, but those are quickly sussed out, and they're still preferable to faux objectivity from brand cheerleaders.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

He is a guy who can photograph beautiful Nordic women and make every single one look horrible.

Yes. That, and his "writing" "structure" is what Joyce would have written if he had been a bit heavier of a drinker.

He knows his stuff, but it comes muddled through awful composition and lack of thought and expressive clarity.

As far as the photography...he's interested more in the lenses, not in photography as a means of expression.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I'm still trying to figure out if "edifying" is a good thing or something very, very bad....

If you're a house builder... 😉

 

[Mackinaw]

Yes. That, and his "writing" "structure" is what Joyce would have written if he had been a bit heavier of a drinker.

He knows his stuff, but it comes muddled through awful composition and lack of thought and expressive clarity.

Remember that Mr. Puts is Dutch and that English is not his native language.

Jim B.

 

[cmogi10]

An interesting writer who's writing really has nothing to do with making good photographs.
Instead he talks about things I can't visualize and apparently those things make a difference I don't notice.

 

[Krosya]

Well, here is his article where he clearly says that Zeiss lens is better than Leica. But I agree, sometimes he is a bit loopy. 😉