Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/12/08

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Subject: [Leica] Nokton on an M8 - now some lenses better on digital
From: kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour)
Date: Mon Dec 8 12:11:55 2008
References: <120820081739.4422.493D5BE3000373CB00001146219791280203010CD2079C080C03BF9 70A9D9F9A0B9D09@mchsi.com> <p06230906c56310ade3ca@[10.0.1.200]>

On Dec 8, 2008, at 11:12 AM, Henning Wulff wrote:

> At 5:39 PM +0000 12/8/08, grduprey@mchsi.com wrote:
>> Steve,
>>
>> I also have seen that my 35 Summilux pre-asph does seem to perform  
>> much better with my M8.  I cannot explain it, but that has been my  
>> experience.
>>
>> Gene
>>
>> -------------- Original message ----------------------
>> From: Nathan Wajsman <photo@frozenlight.eu>
>>>
>>> Steve, in the context of other lenses and systems, I have seen
>>> statements on the Olympus and Canon fora to the effect that some
>>> lenses exhibit quite different characteristics depending on the
>>> capture medium. Why that would be the case I have no idea, but I  
>>> have
>>> seen enough comments to that effect to consider it valid.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Nathan
>>>
>>> Nathan Wajsman
>
>
> I've also noticed that some lenses seem to perform relatively better  
> on digital than film. I have a thin 90 Tele-Elmarit which I always  
> liked in the sense that I enjoyed the handling and made a lot of  
> images with that I was happy with. They were often not as good  
> technically (from a lens point of view) as pictures I made with  
> 'better' lenses, but they were successful. Now, on the M8, even the  
> technical quality is really quite good and I'm very happy that I  
> didn't get rid of it.
>
> On the other hand, the 90 AA that I bought when it came out and sold  
> last year, which able to make outstandingly sharp and contrasty  
> images with really no discernable faults, in the end got sold  
> because I was not able to make many images with it that I liked. So  
> my fast 'longer' lens remains the 75 Summilux, and when speed isn't  
> needed da-di-da, it's the 90 T-E for me.
>
> I think this has to to with the MTF performance relative to the  
> sensor pitch. If the performance of the lens is such that the shape  
> of the transfer function corresponds quite closely to what the  
> specific sensor would like to see with an optimum anti-alias filter  
> in place, the performance will be seen as very good, even though  
> with a finer pitch sensor or film the performance will not be as  
> good as a lens that can produce the same contrast at a higher  
> frequency.
>
> As far as 'bokeh' is concerned, and that was Nathan's question, I  
> don't find the difference in performance between digital and film  
> that great. The main difference is that caused by the angle of view  
> and the effect that has on the relative size of out-of-focus blobs  
> etc at a given distance. In that respect the Nokton is still  
> extremely unappealing.

very thoughtful and interesting Henning...and makes sense.

It would be interesting if some parameters can be fixed, but not bad  
bokeh...

that would make the quixotic property of bokeh one of a lense's most  
immutable features,

Steve






>
>
> -- 
>   *            Henning J. Wulff
>  /|\      Wulff Photography & Design
> /###\   mailto:henningw@archiphoto.com
> |[ ]|     http://www.archiphoto.com
>
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In reply to: Message from henningw at archiphoto.com (Henning Wulff) ([Leica] Nokton on an M8 - now some lenses better on digital)