Re: [Leica] Contax color rendition

[Alan Ball <AlanBall@csi.com>]

Mark Rabiner wrote:
> Hate to but in here but it seems like what is happening here is one
> fellow is mad at the other fellow because his direct experience doesn't
> conform with known facts.

Not quite, Mark: I also have direct experience, I value it not that
high, but certainly as high as my main contradictor's in this
discussion. I am not "mad at the other fellow" because of his direct
experience. I get angered by posts which use very opiniated arguments of
authority one day and that are negated or modified in a following post
by the same person the following day.

> Photography is full of direct experience not conforming with known facts:
...<snip>...
> These lens color items don't hold my particular interest but if a guy is
> looking at two slides of the same thing taken at the same time processed
> at the same time in the same soup I would believe him more than what the
> ISO standards say what SHOULD be happening.

Again Mark, this was not a case of one guy relaying what he saw "on two
slides of the same thing taken at the same time processed at the same
time in the same soup", it was a discussion on statements arguing of
general casts on whole ranges of equipment recognisable on a brand to
brand basis. The unfounded repetition of statements of that type also
end up creating what you call "known facts". The Internet is a powerful
tool for the spreading of information as well as misinformation.

From what I've followed on this thread, only Bob Figlio did such
experiences "years ago" and concluded that (QUOTE) "each company's
lenses had a character to them although some lenses did not exhibit the
same color or image character as the remainder of that company's line"
(UNQUOTE). This is not as general a statement, it does not cover whole
ranges and it is dated. I never argued he did not see what he saw, even
if I suggested possible methodology traps. I take that into account but
do not weigh it as sufficiently strong evidence against my personal
experience cumulated with test labs comments found credible by hundreds
of thousands of photographers. 

OTOH, I am very curious of Erwin's coming comments on the matter because
it will cover current production lenses and most probably use a very
reliable methodology. 
If he ends up declaring that Carl Zeiss is visibly blue to the human eye
and across the range, then I will humble down and eat my hat (as we say
in French). I'll even offer a bottle of the best Belgian trappist beer
to each of my contradictors on the matter. Really. You may quote-unquote
this when the time comes... ;-)

Till then,

Friendly regards,

Alan.