Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/11/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In message <971126043922_178781358@mrin83.mail.aol.com> Leikon35@aol.com writes: > The best example of a photograph having the "Leica Glow" is on pg93 > of Lager's "Leica Literature" and it was taken with the infamous Leitz > Thambar (probably wide open). As someone else has already stated, > according to Leitz "The characteristic of a lens (such as Noctilux or > Thambar) is only apparent at maximum aperture", stopped down past > f:5.6, most lenses lose their special qualities. The Thambar is a special case, and a very difficult lens to use. At around f5.6, it has excellent resolving power and quite good contrast. Wider open than this, the results are very rapidly affected by abberations. A special disc is available (supplied with the lens) for blocking out the central portion entirely and _just_ using the outer part of the lens to accentuate the abberations. There's a separate f-stop scale for when the central stop is in use. Very much a 1930s soft focus idea. It would be fun one day to mount one on a digital camera and watch the effects in real time. I do have one Leitz lens (and only one) that is a real disappointment wide open - it's a 135mm Elmarit. To make up for that I have a 90mm Summicron that seems to outperform others' expectations. Another interesting lens (but mine is long since sold, to buy a 75mm) is the 85mm Summarex. It has a kind of coma in the corners at wide apertures and can be real fun to use. - -- Phil Payne