Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/09/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I agree A lower contrast lens is "poorly implemented". In most cases though its an old lens from many previous decades which people are loving the characteristics of through the filter of their nostalgia. The lens is just old. In many cases needs to be cleaned. In modern terms its just a lower end lens. A lens in which less money has been invested. In older terms a lens with no or more privative coatings and with a more primitive optical design from what they knew then with more privative glass choice possibilities. And no pocket calculators helping them out. To make an image from a lower contrast optic means we have to jack up the contrast in the end. Resulting in more grain or noise. We then deal with that. Lower contrast optics are lovingly descried as "easier to print" but I've always found them more difficult to print as I've said above.. And I've seen few actually examples of these "easier to print" lenses on my screen or in hand. I'm not sure if the Leica M 50/2 Dual Range Summicron is a classic example of a lower contrast optic or not. I don't think low contrast is the defining characteristic of this lens. I think it has a bundle of positive attributes and may be a tad low in the contrast end. I'd love to be using one. -------------------- Mark William Rabiner Photography mark at rabinergroup.com > From: Herbert Kanner <kanner at acm.org> > Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> > Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:29:20 -0700 > To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> > Subject: Re: [Leica] Salgado S2 > > As someone who was once a physicist before I went really wrong and > became an incompetent computer programmer (Physics Ph.D. 1951, U. of > Chicago) I want to comment on what could make a "low contrast lens". > A lens per se cannot manipulate contrast, it merely refracts what is > there. But miscellaneous scattered light not coming from the image > will reduce contrast as if the film (or sensor) had been exposed to a > low level of miscellaneous distributed light before or after the > actual taking of the picture. It is the same phenomenon that we try > to avoid by using a lens hood: scattered light inside the lens. So, > in my opinion, a "low contrast lens" is just a poorly implemented > lens: failure to coat internal elements, shiny internal structural > parts, whatever. > > Herb > > > >> If Salgato is looking for a "low contrast lens" then it would have been >> better he took some photo courses instead of economic courses As that's >> photo dumb stuff 101. He's thinking a "low contrast lens" will give him >> more >> latitude he's wrong. Presumptuous of me to say? Well you do hear some real >> misconceptions about basic photo craft coming from some top level people >> old >> timers or young timers. People who go to school to methodically study >> something but when they switch to photography when they get out they >> decide >> they're just going to be self taught deal. With photography being mainly >> an >> avocation or self taught vocation there's going to be lots of wrong stuff >> floating around. And now we have the internet. >> >> -------------------- >> Mark William Rabiner >> Photography >> mark at rabinergroup.com >> >> >>> From: Richard Man <richard at imagecraft.com> >>> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> >>> Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2010 22:23:01 -0700 >>> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> >>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Salgado S2 >>> >>> Heh, my summary of the talk I attended by Mr. Salgado a couple years >>> which >>> has pretty much the exact information is still my most popular blog post. >>> People still find it and link to it... >>> >>> There is no evidence that he has switch to the S2... yet. He said he is >>> looking for "low contrast" lens so I'm not sure whether the S2 lens would >>> do... >>> >>> On Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 10:15 PM, Mark Rabiner >> <mark at rabinergroup.com>wrote: >>> >>>> " On a more technical front, Sebastiao Salgado spoke about film vs. >>>> digital. >>>> He no longer shoots with film as the reasons to go digital mounted >>>> up.?The >>>> silver in current medium format films, are currently at levels that 35mm >>>> was >>>> 25 years ago.?The 600 rolls of 220 he carried on shoots weighed about 60 >>>> lbs.?After 9/11 the security checkpoint that he goes through with >>>> exposed >>>> film (he told us 7 on the last trip) has affected the grain and >> contrast of >>>> the exposed film.?Plus there was the inevitable fight at each >> checkpoint to >>>> hand check the film. His assistant almost quit on his last trip from the >>>> constant battles.?So now it's a Canon DSLR for him. 21 megapixels >>>> strong. >>>> But he is also looking at that new LeicaS2 with 37 megapixels.?And his >>>> "film"? about 1.5 lbs of cards." >>>> >>>> >>>> >> http://www.examiner.com/photography-in-national/sebastiao-salgado-the-genesi >>>> >> s-project<http://www.examiner.com/photography-in-national/sebastiao-salgado-t >>>> he-genesi%0As-project> >>>> Or >>>> http://tinyurl.com/365nozf >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> -- >>> // richard <http://www.imagecraft.com/> >>> // icc blog: <http://imagecraft.wordpress.com> >>> // photo blog: <http://www.5pmlight.com> >>> [ For technical support on ImageCraft products, please include all >>> previous >>> replies in your msgs. ] >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > -- > Herbert Kanner > kanner at acm.org > 650-326-8204 > > Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, > for they are subtle and will pee > on your computer! > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information