Kello All:

recvent queries about the work of S.S. have prompted me to send this clip from a recent E Mail bulletin fro The New York Institue of Photography's on-line newsletter.

******* An interesting aspect of Salgado's work is his persistent use of basic equipment – three Leica rangefinder camera bodies outfitted with 28mm, 35mm, and 60mm lenses. He uses only Kodak Tri-X and T-Max 3200 black-and-white film. In fact, he has told interviewers that since he started using T-Max 3200, he never uses flash anymore. *******

I am not too sure about the 60mm lens, so he may be using 2 RFs and the 60mm on an R, which is in line with what I have read.

So much also for the nit-picking of some about T Max 3200- no excuses for anything less than spectacular prints.

FYI, all you S.S. Fans: Keep in mind the important thing is to view and absorb his photos and connect with the subjects.

All the best in these difficult days.

-- RICHARD ILOMAKI (richardjx@hotmail.com), September 14, 2001

Answers

Salgado uses R6.2. too.

-- thomas marker (thomas@advokat-marker.dk), September 14, 2001.

I have wondered why he uses the 60mm - not many of his shots are macro (are any of them?) and I would have thought he could do with some extra speed. The 60mm is very rugged and needs on hood, but I wonder why he likes it so much?

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), September 14, 2001.

The same question I ask my self, specialy when there is such a 50 Summilux in the leica R line; and prespective and macro doesn´t seem to be the reason for me,specialy knowing his work; but what else?

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), September 14, 2001.

I know it's heretical to point this out in a rangefinder-oriented forum, but it certainly sounds like SS is using SLRs more than rangefinders. In the Sep/Oct "American Photo" interview Salgado says,

"Ninety-five percent of the time I use 28mm, 35mm, and 60mm lenses mounted on three Leica R6 SLR bodies. (I also use Leica rangefinders.) I don't like to change lenses. I know these cameras and my film like the lines of my hand."

Since the APhoto mention was a direct quote and he specifically used the phrase "R6 SLR bodies," I'm inclined to think that's more accurate than the writeup at NYIP, in which the writer probably heard "Leica bodies" and assumed "rangefinder."

....

-- John (WhitmanDesign@aol.com), September 14, 2001.

In the Leica catalogue Salgado endorses the R6.2 body, not a word about rangefinders.

-- Haim Toeg (haim_toeg@bmc.com), September 14, 2001.

Dear friends,

Recently a saw a video on TV about SS, showing him walking and photographing in different places. From the little a saw I noticed three R cameras and a small tripod on him. Also little time ago I read in a French fotomagazine an interview with SS. In this interview there is the gear he uses: 3 R cameras with 3 lenses and 3 M cameras with another 3 M lenses. He said that he has always a Minilux with him when he doesn’t carry his cameras. He uses always TRI-X and T-MAX 3200. About the use of 60MACRO by SS instead of a 50mm lens I believe that all macro lenses are much better in quality than ordinary lenses and perhaps and 60mm lens is better than a 50mm lens for his portraits.

Street Photography by Dimitris Kioseoglou

-- Dimitris Kioseoglou (kosefoto@otenet.gr), September 15, 2001.

By chance, the former mentioned French mag came into my hands; it's PHOTO, #368, April 2000. p 88 says: 3 R6 with 2.8/60, 2/35, and 2.8/70-180; and 3 M6 with 2.8/28, 2/35, 1.4/50.

The Leica Calender from 2000 had one of the Saldago images taken with with the 2.8/60 Macro. It's the well-known picture at http://www.pdn-pix.com/legends/legends10/largephotos/gallery03_06.html

-- Alf Breull (puma@hannover.sgh-net.de), December 11, 2001.