Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/10

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: UVa Filter unwanted effects.
From: Austin Franklin <austin@darkroom.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 19:44:27 -0500

>>but comparing a video studio situation to a photo situation
(studio or not) is a completely different set of circumstances<<
>> I can see where it would happen in a
video studio though, if care were not taken in the lighting<<

Why are they different?. I would think they are comparable.Could you
elaborate?

[Austin] That's a good question.  I thought a bit about it, and the video 
sets I have worked on, all have a LOT more lights than we ever use in the 
photo studio, also, the video cameras move around a lot more, plus there 
are more of them.  The most we ever move in the studio is probably a 10'D 
circle...if that, and the lighting is VERY structured.  Most video sets I 
have seen, have so many lights, and they are so far away...I could readily 
imagine it being a much more complicated problem with flare than in the 
photo studio.

>>I have
been shooting in the studio (and out) for 25 years, always using filters
and have NEVER seen any image problems at all<<

What filters are you using in the studio? Most of my shooting is in the
studio, and unless I need CC filters there is no need for a filter(for
protection). Just curious.

[Austin] Since I never noticed any difference, filter on or off, I just 
prefer to keep them on.  I've heard the pros and cons of using/not using 
filters for 25 years, so just to prove it to our selves, about 10 years 
ago, we ran a test, to see if anyone could identify 6 out of 6 sets of 
'identical' prints 6 shot with a UV(0) and six without.

We used a number of different lenses, half were studio shots, half outdoor 
shots.  The prints were all 20"x24".  All were B&W, cold light printed, 
Schneider 80mm Componon-S f4 enlarging lense, Tri-X or Plus-X, D-76/1:1 
+30% development.  I don't remember what paper they were printed on...

At least a dozen professional photographers tried, and numerous 'other' 
people.  Results...no one could tell the difference.  It averaged out to 
three (max was 4, and it was not repeatable...), so statistically, they 
were indistinguishable.

I mean damn, think about it.  If a lense has 6 elements, meant to bend the 
image all around and have it come out with no/incredibly minimal distortion 
on the other side, and they can get that right, they can't get a damn flat 
piece of glass right?

I personally use a UV(0) Hasselblad filter on all my Hasselblad lenses, 
plus I ALWAYS use a shade...even in the studio...