Which lens? HCB

[Richard S. (rich815)]

So which lens is he holding here?

http://fashionbeyondfashion.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/henri_1688978c.jpg

 

[markbarendt]

I don't know what lens it is specifically but it is my understanding that every thing he did was with a 50mm.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

I heard 50 was his main lens but also shoot 35 and 90, I believe.

 

[John Austin]

Just a Leitz lens, but who cares?

 

[tomalophicon]

He's not holding a lens. He's a holding a camera

 

[markbarendt]

Interesting read

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Cartier-Bresson

 

[darkosaric]

I have read somewhere that he used on Leica Zeiss 50mm f1.5 and later summicron 50mm.

 

[Molta]

At least early in his career he used the Elmar 50/3.5, for example for the picture from 1932 of a man jumping over a puddle.
His early use of the 50/3.5 is also mentioned in Pierre Assouline's biography of HCB.

 

[summicron1]

that particular lens looks like a summilux....

 

[cliveh]

So which lens is he holding here?

http://fashionbeyondfashion.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/henri_1688978c.jpg

"Moonrise over Hernandez".

 

[summicron1]

"Moonrise over Hernandez".

great-- a running gag.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Ha!

 

[250swb]

So which lens is he holding here?

http://fashionbeyondfashion.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/henri_1688978c.jpg

The lens looks like it has a scalloped focusing ring and his hand appears to be partially hiding 'goggles', so it could be a rare black dual range 5cm Summicron. HCB did use other lenses apart from the 50mm (which he used most often), the '50mm only' myth goes alongside the myth that he never cropped his negatives.

Steve

 

[benjiboy]

It's interesting to to speculate that H.C.B became a legend in his own lifetime with a small amount of basic equipment that most newbie SLR owners these days would scoff at because it was technically inadequate.

 

[markbarendt]

It's interesting to to speculate that H.C.B became a legend in his own lifetime with a small amount of basic equipment that most newbie SLR owners these days would scoff at.

Truly.

When I go out with my RB or my 4x5 it is almost always with just a single fixed normal lens.

I'm amazed that that almost never hampers my work.

 

[benjiboy]

Truly.

When I go out with my RB or my 4x5 it is almost always with just a single fixed normal lens.

I'm amazed that that almost never hampers my work.

It's about making the pictures you shoot fit the equipment you have with you Mark

 

[John Koehrer]

No googles, M camera & Summilux

 

[cliveh]

It's interesting to to speculate that H.C.B became a legend in his own lifetime with a small amount of basic equipment that most newbie SLR owners these days would scoff at because it was technically inadequate.

How true, as I have students who say they have found an old camera and will it be any good? Perhaps I should say no, scrap it and buy an ipod.

 

[benjiboy]

Knowing which lens he used, won't help you or I one iota to emulate his work, because we don't have his genius.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Knowing which lens he used, won't help you or I one iota to emulate his work, because we don't have his genius.

Darn! Really? Never mind then. Shoot! ;-)

 

[semi-ambivalent]

Knowing which lens he used, won't help you or I one iota to emulate his work, because we don't have his genius.

Or his available time or his work ethic. (I see in a lot of his images simply being at the right place at the right time. For his body of stellar images you need a lot of time and a lot of places. )

Wish I could do that. And talent, I'll need his talent too...

s-a

 

[cliveh]

Knowing which lens he used, won't help you or I one iota to emulate his work, because we don't have his genius.

I don’t think it is a question of genius, but practice. If you do something again and again and again you will get good at it and acquire skills you are not even aware of.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

I don’t think it is a question of genius, but practice. If you do something again and again and again you will get good at it and acquire skills you are not even aware of.

Dont forget luck, you need lots of that too!

 

[John Koehrer]

And film, Lots of film.

 

[tony lockerbie]

Don't forget a sizable inheritance!