Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/06/08

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Subject: Re: [Leica] lens choice (on-topic)
From: Alfred Breull <puma@hannover.sgh-net.de>
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 00:11:44 +0200

Alan wrote:
>Thanks for the responses about print enlargement size ... All understood
except for the remark by Alf:
>>  Keep in mind also, that the size
>> of your enlargement depends on the observer's distance. 

Alan, my remark is ambigious. What I meant:

Usually it is necessary to perceive a picture as a total, even if you
(later) look for details. So, you need to allow any observer to select
his/her individual distance sensed as "pleasant" or "crresponding" to the
picture's size.

When you enlarge (and frame) i.e. onto 8x10, the observer usually has a
chance to select distance him-/herself, because the picture is small enough. 

When you increase size, but don't allow the observer enough space to get the
picture as a total with one glance, he/she will look at the details within
the picture, or the grain etc, which is neither important (for the picture
as a total) nor intended by you.

On the other side, some type of pictures, pictures with many detail
information, require a bigger enlargement than pictures with little detail
information. For these, a 8x10 might be sensed as too small, but i.e. a 10.5
x 15 correct. 

In example, a face has comparable little detail information, while an object
with importat but complicated structures (i.e. fractales, sorry no better
example) has many detail information, meaning that a face basically doesn't
need the same enlargement as a complicated structure.

That's all ;)

Alf


- --------------------------------------------------

Alfred Breull
http://members.aol.com/abreull/index.htm