Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/03/05

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Subject: [Leica] Biogon SWC (lack of) distortion
From: richard at richardmanphoto.com (Richard Man)
Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2012 13:30:53 -0800
References: <CAF8hL-GkmZMNOroyTUNH2SRzA+nn36Lr8P0YTHCZi7876aLgVQ@mail.gmail.com> <E88D4EA9-6EAC-4AE0-B1D8-2ACF0FADC9FF@mac.com> <CAF8hL-EdT6Vm3Y1Z656yWbE4DC1BHob8SEuWLX0xtpUNKUkmOg@mail.gmail.com> <20120305182634.GA17112@selenium.125px.com>

Thank you Joh and Tim, it makes sense now. Tim, your reference to the
square format particularly helps. Thanks

So the Biogon SWC is good - great in fact, but it's still limited by
physics :-)

On Mon, Mar 5, 2012 at 10:26 AM, Tim Gray <tgray at 125px.com> wrote:

> On Mar 04, 2012 at 04:04 AM -0800, Richard Man wrote:
>
>> Yes, but my question is, how come the SWC Biogon doesn't seem to have the
>> distortion of circles becoming oblong on the edges, or am I incorrect in
>> saying that?
>>
>
> You are incorrect in saying that.  What you are referring to is often
> called perspective distortion, and any lens that has a rectangular
> projection has it.
>
> What the SWC doesn't have is barrel, pincushion, wave, mustache, or other
> types of distortion that makes straight lines not straight.
>
> Personally I think the SWC downplays perspective distortion a bit
> (relative to 35mm lenses) because of its square format.  The diagonal field
> of view (FOV) is 91 degrees, similar to the diagonal FOV of 21mm on a 35mm
> camera.  But the horizontal/vertical FOV is only 72 degrees, which is
> slightly less than the horizontal FOV of a 24mm lens for 35mm format.
>  Lastly, it's vertical FOV is similar to a 15-16mm lens's vertical FOV on
> 35mm.  So in some senses (diagonally), it's as wide as a 21mm lens, in
> other senses (horizontally), it's narrower, and vertically, it's a good
> deal wider.  Compared to a 35mm lens, it's much more balanced in the FOV it
> provides in different directions on the basis of it being a square format.
>
> When I had an SWC, I wasn't putting peoples heads in the corners of the
> frame; if they were near the edge, they were much more likely near the top
> or the side, so you get a bit less perspective distortion there.
>
>
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> Leica Users Group.
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>  more information
>



-- 
// richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com>


In reply to: Message from richard at richardmanphoto.com (Richard Man) ([Leica] Biogon SWC (lack of) distortion)
Message from tcharara at mac.com (Tarek Charara) ([Leica] Biogon SWC (lack of) distortion)
Message from richard at richardmanphoto.com (Richard Man) ([Leica] Biogon SWC (lack of) distortion)
Message from tgray at 125px.com (Tim Gray) ([Leica] Biogon SWC (lack of) distortion)