Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/01/25

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Info requested on Softar softfocus filter
From: Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 13:51:14 -0800

Pascal wrote:
> 
> What softfocus filter would the group suggest for use with my Summilux-R
> 80/1.4:
> - Contax Carl-Zeiss Softar 1, 2 or 3
> - B&W Carl-Zeiss Softar 1 or 2
> 
snip

Soft focus filters have fallen way out of fashion, check magazines and
fine art books, the internet etc. If you are not a follower of fashion
(good for you) the Zeiss is the classic which B&W would apparently have
purchased the rights for. So either would be equal I should think.
Tiffen seems to specialize in a huge variety of ways to delightfully
degrade your image using netting and Lazor beams and you name it. I
would seriously get some material from them if softening really fits
your vision. But I don't think your modern average serious tasteful
photographer is lacking without one in his/her arsenal.
I think the best way to degrade your image is to not; but to get an old
cheap lens with its own flavorful imperfections that add character and
soul to the lifeless ultra sharp flat field landscape. Its own
fingerprint. And let your new lens be as sharp as it wants to be.
It's a shame you can't put an ASPH filter over an old whale oil ridden
SM lens to sharpen it up, but that's a shameless troll.
Mark Rabiner