Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/09/09

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Subject: Re: 125/2.5 Hektor (recap to Ed)
From: Leikon35@aol.com
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 1997 01:44:06 -0400 (EDT)

 Ed -  
 Don't confuse blur with glow;  Blur is just an unsharp picture while 
 the "Leica Glow" refers to the emphasis on the contrast and clarity
 of the in focus area compared to the out of focus one.
    Both Marc Small &  G.Rogliatti have explained this in detail.  
  It pertains to an effect like a good quality diffusion disk can give
  and not to unsharpness per se.
    It lends itself particularily to b&w photography & is not popular 
  today with the majority of us shooting color.  In the past, disks
  silk hose, window screens & even vaseline on glass have been
  tried to capture this effect.  Some diffusion disks come close
  but it is the quality of the uncorrected Leitz glass that gave this
  effect and Zeiss & other lens makers called it a "cheap trick"
  because it was taking advantage of the excessive coma and
  other aberations of the E.L.W. glass.
    So Ed - if one cant recognize this or see this quality in the
  old Leica pictures (pre-color) then certainly one doesnt need it.
  *********************Marvin Moss*********************
   

      

 In a message dated 97-09-10 00:25:41 EDT,  Ed Meyers wrote:
 > 
 It used to be that we got that certain look when we didn't want it.
 Now that we want it, just go back to the old-time lenses. The most
 famous one (with the "look") is the 50mm f/2 Summar. It's uncoated and
 usually always much scratched. Use that near wide-open and I
 guarantee a wonderful soft look. Uncoated 50mm Elmars are too
 good. Forget them. I once had a 90mm f/4 uncoated Elmar with
 the "look". In the older days we got rid of those lenses as soon
 as we could afford the "good" ones. Ed Meyers
  >>