Young Stanley Kubrick vs. famous cinematographer 

I love this story. It's a classic story about someone who knows exactly what they want versus someone who wants to do what they've gotten used to. Most Directors of Photography work for directors who have no idea how different lenses work. A technically clueless director will try to act savvy with the person who is, literally, in charge of how their film will look. "What sort of lens are you using? 149 mm? Good choice!" There's no such thing as a 149 mm lens, but a DP will make up a lens to see if the director has the faintest idea of the craftsmanship he's counting on the DP to have. Kubrick knew his stuff - and his films never look average. Today, people sneer at the idea of perfectionism. It used to be a respected and envied trait.