Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/09/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>My experience is that lenses may suffer more flare at small apertures, not >large >ones. If the principal cause of flare is internal reflections, and these are >more likely to come from metal than glass surfaces (due to modern coating >techniques) then it follows that the conditions for flare are least at maximum >aperture (when there is little or no intrusion by the iris) and most at small >apertures. Certainly my 35 1.4 Summilux-M ASPH can give flare under certain >circumstances at f/8 down, whereas I've never seen the phenomenon at f/1.4. The theory of flare at small aperatures is fine, except the metal parts are coated (or painted) with anti-reflective materials also. There are too many variables, such as subject (reflective %), radius curve of inner elements and air space depth, and many more. My theory is, if the lens in question makes a good image then keep it. John