Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/02/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]This thing about skin textures is very real. Believe it or not, I shot a B&W portrait of my sister-in-law (probably a mistake in the first place) using really soft available light through a window using the R Vario Elmarit 28-90 Asph at 90mm. I stopped it a 5.6 for a little bokeh beginning just behind her ears. Me? I was very proud of it. A really great likeness of her with, typical Leica Elmarit gradations using Ilford XP-2 S Super. Minimal Contrast and Brightness adjustments and a very minor crop in Photoshop Elements. Says she hates it. So I Photoshopped it. A crease here, a mole there. Nothing draconian. You know the drill. She still hates it. Why? You got it; too detailed. I have the portrait in my home office. I still like it. But now I know why, years ago, Zeiss came up with their Softar lens line, and why a lot of old portrait and Hollywood movie photogs had a jar of Vaseline in their Grip Bag. Imagine cleaning that off the lens after the shoot. Yuk! Alas... Oh - one more thing: The 28-90 stays, dammit!!! Cheers Bob On Feb 23, 2007, at 7:59, Slobodan Dimitrov wrote: I have to agree with Doug on this difference between the two. s.d. http://sdimitrovphoto.com/ On Feb 23, 2007, at 6:18 AM, Doug Herr wrote: > On Feb 23, 2007, at 5:52 AM, Benjamin Marks wrote: > >> Anyone have a view on the image quality of these two R lenses? Price >> differential (used) these days between the two seems like on the >> order of >> USD$100/150. Is the Summicron the same image quality at one stop >> faster or >> are there substantive differences between the way these lenses render >> the >> world? > > The Summicron is not as good as either version of the Elmarit at close > range or at full aperture; at normal distances and moderate apertures > they're all excellent and it's unlikely you'll see much difference. I > like the Summicron for its gentle treatment of skin at larger > apertures, its exceptionally good bokeh and the greater ability to use > selective focus. > > Doug Herr > Birdman of Sacramento > http://www.wildlightphoto.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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