Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Alastair, I did not use a hood, but in many of the shots I believe it really would not have mattered. In several cases I was shooting in a well shaded and relatively dark area. (At a temple in rural Japan on a cloudy day, shaded by heavy trees and a large gate.) There was no direct light shining on the camera at all. Only a distant cloundy background in a small portion of the center of the frame. In these shots the shadow detail was washed out with exactly the same flare you showed in your scans. Indeed, if my very unscientific guess is correct about the cause of the flare, a hood will do nothing, since the cause is mechanical and internal, not optical. It's interesting to compare a lens like the Contax 90mm Sonnar G, with has really outstanding flare control, to the Tri-Elmar. The inner barrel of the Sonnar is jet black, with a velvet lining. NO light boucing around in there. When printing in black and white I typically had to use 1 full contrast grade higher when the shot was taken in the 50mm setting. Only when the light was to my back, was the contrast close to the 28mm or 35mm settings. By the way, to be fair, the 35mm setting was quite superb. Nearly as sharp as my Summicron and no distortion or flare. That said, it's a pretty expensive f 4.0 35mm lens. At the 28mm setting I found the resolution to be lower, distortion very high and flare well controlled. Sorry, now I am starting to repeat myself. Dan States >From: Alastair Firkin <firkin@ncable.net.au> >Reply-To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us >To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us >Subject: Re: [Leica] The Tri-Elmar flare thing >Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 10:41:06 +1000 > >Thank you for this summary: Did you still have flare even when using a >hood? I too have been taken aback by the flare problem, in situations where >I was NOT expecting problems. The hood is very expensive and if this does >not really help the problem, then my lens may go on sale as well. > >Cheers >On Saturday, Apr 26, 2003, at 10:17 Australia/Melbourne, Dan States wrote: > >>Sorry to rehash a subject, but I have been out of town for a few days and >>did not get a chance to respond during the discussion about the tri-elmar. >> >>Yes indeed, the Tri Elmar does have a flare problem. In particular at the >>50mm setting. I have a stack of slides that were trash because of the >>unpredictable nature of this lens at the 50mm setting. >> >>What was baffling to me was that the flare occured in shots that would not >>normally be a problem for most modern lenses. >> >>I found that hazy/bright days gave the tri elmar fits. The flare was >>identical to that seen in the shots posted earlier on this forum. The >>character of the flare made me believe that it has to do with reflections >>in the inner barrel of the lens, between element and camera, not between >>lens elements themselves. If you look into the back of the TE while >>pointing it at a light source you can see that a LOT of light reflects off >>the inner barrel in the 50mm setting. Little or none at the 28 or 35mm >>setting. I also noticed that the inner barrel is painted more of a flat >>grey than black, when compared to my other Leica or Contax lenses. >> >>If this was an SLR lens you would be able to see the flare before taking >>the shot...and correct for the situation by reframing or changing >>magnification. Since you can not see THROUGH the lens you are left >>unaware until you get the ruined shots back. >> >>It was this nasty traight along with a ton of distortion at 28mm that made >>me give up my TE. The fact that these issues have not been more of an >>issue with the LUG and especially with Erwin Puts has suprised me. How >>the TE is constantly refered to as one of Leicas "best" really has me >>stumped. Am I too picky? Are most users not seeing the problem in the >>snapshots they are getting back from walmart? >> >>Best wishes >>Dan States >>Grand Forks (Americas wonderland) ND >> >> >> >>_________________________________________________________________ >>The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE* >>http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail >> >>-- >>To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html >> >> >Alastair > >-- >To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html