Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/12/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Dec 12, 2007, at 11:49 AM, Philip Forrest wrote: > I have some fantastically sharp Leica lenses (Summicron DR amongst > them) as > well as a low contrast Nikkor 105 f/2.5 for portraits and a few very > high > contrast Japanese optics. I actually like working in lower contrast > & adding > the contrast in prints. I can add density to a low contrast print > but not as > easily take it away from a high contrast negative. As I'm sure most > photographers here use a lens for a certain purpose each of my > lenses has a > unique purpose and I use them to display these properties. The > Xenon happens > to be a wonderful lens wide open for portraits and stopped down its > great for > general photography. It's a TINY camera that is ultimately > pocketable as > well and this is what I've been looking for. The same result can't be > duplicated by just throwing a modern lens out of focus. I used to > love tack > sharp, but I'm not taking photos for scientific purposes. I'm just > capturing > a fraction of a second in time as art. That's all we do is make > art. I > don't sit over images of a brick wall with a loupe & try to buy my > way into > the next sharpest lens. I like capturing life in photos & if I've > got a > working camera from WWII with a lens that works very well is there > any harm > in that? > Add to this that I'm a poor college student and I think my broken $9 > Adox > which I repaired and cleaned up is a nice accomplishment. For me at > least. snob... :-) Steve > > > PhilFo > > > > On Wednesday 12 December 2007 13:08, Daniel Ridings wrote: >> Dem's fight'n words! >> >> :-) >> >> I just happen to like my Elmars and think they're pretty sharp. These >> two have been submitted to the yearbook. >> >> http://www.dlridings.se/paw/2007/20.html >> >> and ... >> >> Well, another Elmar shot. >> >> Daniel >> >> On Dec 12, 2007 7:49 AM, Nathan Wajsman <nathan@nathanfoto.com> >> wrote: >>> While I like the first image, I must admit that I do not understand >>> the point of purposely using uncoated, low-contrast, flare-prone >>> lenses when perfectly good and affordable modern equivalents are >>> available. The people who designed the old lenses 50 or 70 or 100 >>> years ago were not aiming for any "painterly" effects. They >>> attempted >>> to design lenses to deliver as much sharpness as they could, given >>> the technology at their disposal. While these lenses may have >>> historical interest today, I honestly do not see any purpose in >>> forsaking the progress that has occurred in optical technology >>> during >>> the last several decades. >>> >>> If you want an unsharp picture, you get always get one with a modern >>> lens--just throw the lens off focus, or use a slow shutter speed, or >>> do some Photoshop magic. But you cannot get a sharp picture from an >>> unsharp lens. >>> >>> Nathan >>> >>> On 9-dec-2007, at 2:26, Philip Forrest wrote: >>>> I finally exposed a roll of XP2 today with the "new" Adox Adrette. >>>> That Xenon >>>> lens has a nice soft look to it at the wider apertures. As the >>>> camera is >>>> scale focused, I need to get better at my distance estimation. >>>> I encountered a light leak but that has since been rectified. The >>>> film is >>>> still off in vertical register slightly, but that is an issue of >>>> take-up >>>> spool thickness. The correct spool is on the way as I write. >>>> >>>> Here are a few photos with little to no manipulation in the >>>> computer, light >>>> leak and dust included. Regardless, I'm really liking the >>>> "painterly" effect >>>> of the uncoated, low contrast, flare-prone Schneider lens. >>>> >>>> http://tinyurl.com/2vp7lv >>>> http://tinyurl.com/2mzjny >>>> http://tinyurl.com/2re2hn >>>> >>>> More to come. >>>> PhilFo >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Leica Users Group. >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more >>>> information >>> >>> Nathan Wajsman >>> nathan@nathanfoto.com >>> General photography: >>> http://www.nathanfoto.com >>> http://www.greatpix.eu >>> http://www.frozenlight.eu >>> Picture-A-Week: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws >>> Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information