sm23221 Posted February 5, 2018 Share #1 Posted February 5, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) I recently returned to film. I noticed that my Elmar-M 50, Noctilux 50, APO Summicron 50 and non-apo Summicron 50 all give the same high-quality results on film at any given aperture. Interestingly, my Elmar-M 50 is always soft in the corners with my digital Leica SL and MM. I assume this has to do with the film's emulsion thickness vs. a flat digital sensor? If so, why bother using higher quality lenses (APO-Summicron) with film when the results seem to be the same with my "not-so-digitally-great" Elmar-M 50? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 5, 2018 Posted February 5, 2018 Hi sm23221, Take a look here Film and lens quality. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Ko.Fe. Posted February 5, 2018 Share #2 Posted February 5, 2018 Isn't APO for correct colors on digital? But here is no correct colors on film and film grain has nothing to do with sharpness I'm glad I have Jupiter-3 for BW film and my 50 V4 gives it good enough on color films. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted February 5, 2018 Share #3 Posted February 5, 2018 Short answer: you don't need the latest and best lenses when shooting film. Digital sensors are much more sensitive here - the sensor glass cover can cause unwanted reflections especially in the corners of the frame which then leads to unsharpness and purple/blueish fringing effects. Less of an issue with FF sensors up to 24 MP, but more so for higher resolution sensors which might outresolve older M glass (which I consider less of an issue to be honest). Film much easier accepts all kind of older and less "perfect" glass - in fact older vintage glass might have something special in the final image which newer glass doesn't have. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted February 5, 2018 Share #4 Posted February 5, 2018 Isn't APO for correct colors on digital? But here is no correct colors on film and film grain has nothing to do with sharpness APO design attempts to focus primarily R, G, B at the same focused plane. Why does not that benefit color film? Certainly color film has layers, but each is not so thick that flat focus does not benefit. Grain can be a useful illusion, an apparent sharpness called acutance where edges appear exaggerated to the human eye. Grain is not the same as digital noise which rarely enhances acutance, especially in digital color. 8 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted February 5, 2018 Share #5 Posted February 5, 2018 Film pictures are difficult to view at "100% pixels". When I look at projected slides at "grain resolution", I appreciate the grains even if not sharp/focused Grains of film are viewed (by me) as beautiful while pixels are not so. The "roundness of contours" (less sharpness) may be present on old lenses. Old lenses may take that to account when calculated long ago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.