Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/11/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]sam wrote: > > You LUGers frightened me into being less than forthright. I jump in my > seat every time someone writes "Don't put junk in front of Leica glass" > (meaning a $59 B&W double-coated glass filter). So intimidated was I > that I omitted the specs of the photo in question. Not from dishonesty, > but from fear. The truth is much worse than any UV filter in front of > Leica glass: > > Camera: M6 > Lens: 75mm CV > > (Not too bad yet, but...) > > Ilford Multigrade #4, pearl surface. > > Kodak Diffusing Disc #1 (circa 1912) used over the El-Nikkor enlarging > lens). > > Print was flatbed scanned to obtain an image for the net. > > The #1 disc really only lowers contrast; starting with disc #2 real > diffusing begins to take place. > > Sam S > With the 75 you'll probably miss your focus if you shoot wide open anyway and you'll get all the softness you need! And plenty of Bokeh with vital nutrients! Sam, diffusion of the enlarger spreads the darks into the lights. When you have it in front of your camera lens it spreads the whites out which is a nice happy thing although pretty much not in style. Having the darks spreading is like the evil stuff is coming out of the cracks. Bad vibes. Has a negative feeling to it. Plus you loose your grain structure. Not good. It's not often done and most printers would advise to avoid it. You could pretty much call it a No No. As Maxwell Smart would say. But I did it once on a rough forehead of a girls portrait with a slightly dirty piece of saran wrap on a cloths hanger. For about a third of the total time of the exposure. But people have told me stuff like that and I've told them all to go screw themselves! I've replaced enlarger lenses which had gotten ever so slightly cloudy on the inside with a new fresh one (Nikons do that) and boy what a difference! Most would recommend the highest clarity possible in an enlarger lens. Ansel said if you don't dust off your lens you loose a grade of contrast! I'd call that a stretch. In an early photo series The Print book. Again if you really feel you need diffusion most would advise doing it in camera NOT enlarger. Mark Rabiner Portland, Oregon USA http://www.rabinergroup.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html