Jump to content

The Glow (M8 and Summilux)


Bill Sievers

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 47
  • Created
  • Last Reply

This is definately not the way this lens should perform. Long ago when i was still using Nikons i had a 21mm that used so extensively that the coating on the front lens was totally wasted from years of lenscleaning with the tip of my shirt :rolleyes: . My pictures looked like the first one. Bright points in my images seemed like they were radiating light. This lens was totally worn out and in the end we used it as a 'presse papier' on our photodesk.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think my personal favourite lens is the version two 35mm Summicron. Some of the photo's I took with that blow me away. I don't care that it's not as "sharp" as the newer versions, and I don't care about it's shortcomings. I just love the look. OOF areas and aborations add to the images in a lot of instances. Not for everyone though. Just wish it had a thread for a IR filter, then I wouldn't have sold it!

Link to post
Share on other sites

This is almost comical. Is this what the digital age has brought us.

 

I once owned a Nikon 35 1.4 that had this monochromatic aberration when wide open, I looked at it as a the lens being pushed to it's outer limits. I'm really glad my aspherics don't do this wide open.

 

But then again, when Leica comes out with a full frame M, I am almost certain some progressive advertising shooter will make good use of this very look.

 

I don't mean to be rude but if I am interpreting the "glow" to mean a type of monochromatic aberration (called spherical aberrations) then, I will pass.

 

From what I understood in the past, the Leica glow in HC-B's images are due to the fact that he was using older lenses which are *not* as well corrected as the current ones; thus, producing less contrast and more aberrations. The lower contrast allowed him to shoot in high contrast situations and yet produced images that he was after. The spherical aberrations surrounding light sources or highlights gave you "the glow".

Link to post
Share on other sites

Are you sure this is not some software effect????

 

Here's two pictures. The second shot was done using Dreamy Suite effects. If I fine tune it, I can probably come very close to the effect in the flicker post. This shot was done with the M8 and 35mm Summicron.

 

Cheers,

Wilfredo+

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Link to post
Share on other sites

No processing on the Hau Fook and Fruitstand images. If I have time I am going to go and do an A/B demonstration using the 35 Cron and the Lux. I have the 35 Cron.That Hau Fook shoot was literally the third shot with the lense (wide open). I know it looks radical, but it demonstrates a characteristic of the lense. I like having the ability to dial up that effect.

 

I don't normally shoot high speed lenses wide open in daylight shots unless I want Bokeh. I got the lense primarily for night shooting (at a price slightly higher than the Nokton 35)

Link to post
Share on other sites

@ KM-25

 

...right you are. the physical limitation of the lens mutates to a pure stilistic device. like it or not. i`d love a summilux ASPH if i could afford it, but would never let go of the older version...

 

 

i also think that playing the software game is not very satisfactory, even though one could achieve more or less the same goal. If i were to shoot a wedding, for example, i could not resist to use pictorial effects to some extent, though (modern post-processing can make a picture look like anything anyhow). but using an old lens for my personal work where it suits fine, even with an almost perfect m8, is no contradiction in terms for me. just gives me the leica feel. let it glow like hell, why not. If i need outstanding picture quality, i just switch lenses.

by the way, any other pictures for illustration, anybody? just curious...

 

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

 

http://www.julianfels.de

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

Bill, not to spoil your fun but you have a wrong perception of what is considered "glow" the examples you shown are poor photographic results. I don't believe the image artifact in those pictures are desirable by most people. To each of their own though.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Horses sweat

 

men perspire

 

Leicas glow.

 

What we have seen is nothing I would describe as 'glow'. It is coma and straight spherical aberration, resulting in hideous amounts of veiling glare extending (when wide open) from the highlights to nearly the entire image. You have to stop that lens down to at least f:4 to get an acceptable image. At f:8 it is nearly as good as a last version pre-asph. Summicron as long as the contrast is low to medium. Otherwise, flare and stray light do still degrade the image.

 

The old Summilux does not 'glow'. It stinks.

 

I sold it and got myself the ASPH lens instead.

 

The old man from the Age of Photography

Link to post
Share on other sites

How much more glow do you need

tri-elmar / tri-X

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Link to post
Share on other sites

No processing on the Hau Fook and Fruitstand images. If I have time I am going to go and do an A/B demonstration using the 35 Cron and the Lux. I have the 35 Cron.That Hau Fook shoot was literally the third shot with the lense (wide open). I know it looks radical, but it demonstrates a characteristic of the lense. I like having the ability to dial up that effect.

 

I don't normally shoot high speed lenses wide open in daylight shots unless I want Bokeh. I got the lense primarily for night shooting (at a price slightly higher than the Nokton 35)

 

Hi Bill,

 

Well, the gang seems to be nonplused but if you like the look, you like the look. In the end, it doesn't so much matter why the lens got you there so long as you like where you end up. Taste is taste and ain't no one can tell ya what yer taste should be. There ain't jus' one kinna' glow cept' maybe the one on your face when you see what you like.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...