Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/11/18

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Subject: [Leica] 35mm normal vs. ASPH or aspherical lens
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Thu Nov 18 15:11:21 2004

> The 1.4 Asph gets my vote.
> 
> I'm fascinated by the stories of the beautiful bokeh of the old 35/2
> and 35/1.4 and one day I'll get one or both, just to see.  But I doubt
> I would dump my Aspherical lens after being seduced by bokeh.
> 
> my 2 cents.
> 
> Rick Dykstra.
> 

I'm with Ted Grant whose position has always been I'm pretty sure that a
shot is more about what's IN focus than what's OUT of focus.
This would or should sound obvious but the way half these guys on the list
talk about glass it would seem to me mainly about Bokeh.
I think there is a real Gestalt crisis going on.
Things have gotten more yang yin than yin yang.
Be it Bokeh could be the coolest revelation since sliced bread about what we
peons can understand about the whole voodoo of lens design but lets get real
here.
Lets get focused.
I'm just not with many of my friends on list and else ware who feel there is
some negative hard edged Bokeh or elsewise thing about the newest ASPH
designs.
I never met an ASPH I didn't like!
And DO feel I know an ASPH from a hole in the ground.

I agree with this post of Ricks 100% - I've got mainly current glass now but
am fascinated by what in time the older glass might do for my imagery. But
am now there as I just got a mid 70's vintage 40 Summicron Wetzlar a few
weeks ago.

I just tweaked 5 rolls I just got back with CD's.
The Bokeh is clearly different than what I think I'm used to.

Real noticeable because I had lots of little lights in the background out of
focus in a lot of the shots. They really rendered interestingly.  Actually
almost TOO interestingly and I'm almost thinking the opposite of the going
opinion that the Bokeh issuers are with the new stuff not the old.

My gut feeling tells me if you've got a silky smooth look than that's the
look in the stuff I want IN focus. And I don't want my IN FOCUS stuff to be
silky smooth. 
I want it to be (apologies to Erwin!) SHARP!


Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/





Replies: Reply from Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com (Frank Dernie) ([Leica] 35mm normal vs. ASPH or aspherical lens)
In reply to: Message from rdcb37 at dodo.com.au (Rick Dykstra) ([Leica] 35mm normal vs asph or aspherical lens)