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John Straton Art Collections

Shop for artwork from John Straton based on themed collections. Each image may be purchased as a canvas print, framed print, metal print, and more! Every purchase comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Artwork by John Straton

Each image may be purchased as a canvas print, framed print, metal print, and more! Every purchase comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

About John Straton

John Straton From my Grandfathers Leica M3 To my Current GH3 With Leica Autofocus and Leica R Lenses.
I learned a lot from my grandfather " The Lenses are what takes the Picture The Body is a light tight box"

Once photographing meant a large box camera on a tripod, shifting film plate after each shot - and working with a dark cloth over your head and the camera.But then something happened.The Leica was extremely compact and could be fitted with a very high quality lens that enabled photographers to work in ordinary outdoor settings with available light. It was always instantly ready to capture life and action effortlessly from any angle with the photographer often able to remain unnoticed. Without the usual heavy equipment, photographs of people no longer had to be confined to stiff conventionally artistic poses."Barnack's camera".

Oskar Barnack was head hunter from Carl Zeiss to be the manager of the Research & Development Department at Leitz. He became the designer of the Ur-Leica which he made two (possibly three) samples of in the period 1912-1913 with the purpose to test film stock and/or lenses for movie films. Or perhaps because he couldn't carry the traditional large plate cameras and wanted a smaller camera for him self. The reasons told today are many, but that the Ur-Leica was designed as a compact means to test film stock is the most reliable.
As early as 1905, he had the idea of reducing the format of negatives and then enlarging the photographs after they had been exposed, "Small negative, large picture", involving a small camera and an enlarger.

In any case, he learned that it could actually be turned into a new type of compact as the "rotated" film format of film was plenty sharp (the film format was 24x18mm for large cinema theater screens, and rotating the film inside the camera and doubling the area made the 24x36mm format). With the development of an enlarger the reduced negative format could then be printed in a larger size than the negative.
Another Leitz employee, Max Berek, was instrumental in developing a lens for this camera, as he developed the first 50mm f/3.5 lens as the optimum focal length for the 24 x 36mm format.

Fast Forward to 2013

“The LEICA DIGILUX 3 sets a new standard in the digital mirror reflex camera segment: traditional operating controls and highly modern technical equipment are united with classical values such as precision, outstanding picture quality and a clear formal language; offering in addition the creative freedom of a digital system camera. This makes it the ideal tool for demanding reportage photography“ says Marius Eschweiler, Product Manager for digital compact cameras at Leica Camera AG.

The LEICA D VARIO–ELMARIT 2.8-3.5/14-50mm ASPH exchangeable lens comprises 16 lenses including three aspherical lenses in twelve groups. The maximum aperture of 2.8 and the large focal length range from 28 to 100 millimeters in small picture format impose hardly any restrictions on the possibilities for photographic composition. The high-performance optics give impressive reproduction of even the finest details and nuances, with minimal distortion and vignetteing even at the shortest focal lengths. Further security for a successful picture is derived from the integral protection against camera shake (O.I.S.), which can be switched on and off at any time. This reliably protects against camera shake in all photographic situations, since small movements of the hand are systematically compensated. Whether at twilight, during indoor shots, for snapshots or in zoom operation – the result is always a sharp picture without the need for a tripod.
“With the LEICA D VARIO–ELMARIT 2.8-3.5/14-50mm ASPH, a wider target group of digital photographers can profit from the unique performance level of Leica lens technology. The combination of the most modern digital technology such as optical picture stabilization and a quick and precise auto-focus with the well-known outstanding Leica reproduction performance is almost revolutionary” says Marius Eschweiler.


"The Leica {Lens} is a tool for developing creativity, in the way that you can create things a little bit different.
If you have the intention of becoming an artist – or are an artist – Leica helps you."
- Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, January 2013

"Aperture is only for depth of field, not light control."
- Peter Karbe, September 2010 (on how to use the 50mm Noctilux-M ASPH f/0.95 lens)

John Straton