I had that allure once, it's a Siren Song. My wallet and I are much more comfortable with TRF Crown Graphic, which is easily set up for "Big Shot" portraits with 150-210mm lenses and accurate framing.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnj88
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I had that allure once, it's a Siren Song. My wallet and I are much more comfortable with TRF Crown Graphic, which is easily set up for "Big Shot" portraits with 150-210mm lenses and accurate framing.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnj88
Crown set up for "Big Shot" and two examples woman with horse on 210mm, woman with dog on 150mm.
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Boy, John, you really know how to open a can of worms. ;) Best portrait lens is so subjective. Read this from our home page to see what I mean.
https://www.largeformatphotography.i...rtrait-lenses/
A lot of portrait photographers own several different portrait lenses. That way they can have different "looks" whenever they want.
As for cameras, a heavy monorail is great for studio portraits. You're going to be fooling with your lighting set up, taking flash readings and posing the model. If you accidentally bump the camera, a heavy one is less likely to move. Also a strong front standard is needed for some lenses. Monorails also have plenty of bellows draw if you want to do a tight portrait with a 300mm lens. Many monorails are dirt cheap now so you can own one plus a field camera for shooting outdoors. You will probably want two tripods also. You need a sturdy one for a monorail or even better a camera stand if you have the room. A light carbon fiber model is great for the field camera.
“... As for lens choice, I personally use a 210mm Nikkor W for portraits.
I’d rather own a sharp lens and use a filter to soften it a bit than own a soft lens and be in a pickle if I decide to make big prints”
Except taking a sharp lens and diffusing it does exactly the opposite of a soft focus lens. The diffusing filter diffuses the shadows into the highlights. A true soft focus lens diffuses the highlights into the shadows.
Or why a true Soft focus lens image cannot be duplicated by filters and similar image modifiers. Only way to experience this is to make LOTs of images with a
proper soft focus lens .... and.... learn to used proper lighting required for soft focus lenses.
Bernice
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Salomon
Thank you for the precision Bob but again, I am not into the soft focus look, and OP stated that they “wasn’t sold on it” either, so perfectly imitating the effect of a SF lens -and wether or not it can be done- isn’t really the point of this thread.
In the end OP will pick whichever lens they want, a few members recommended SF lenses, a few recommended older studio lenses (Dagors and Ektars), one member said they were happy with their single coated tessar (Fuji L) and I for the sake of extra confusion added that there’s nothing wrong with using a modern plasmat for portraits. :)
Timely topic for me. Just got a 300mm Fujinar ("countless" aperture blades) and shot Thanksgiving portraits. Digging it. Also bringing to play with Imagon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Salomon
Yesterday, i won a Sinar Soft Focus 2 filter. Researching, I found this explanation of diffusion filters:
https://petapixel.com/2018/03/17/usi...ilters-1-to-5/
Seems counter to Bob's description, but I trust Bob.
Still, trying to figure out more precisely how an Imagon (or Fujinar) renders softness vs. diffusion filters. Is it partly thats filters apply across entire image (spread a "shimmering" layer?) while SF lens may affect a much smaller area of the image? I can see how applying lighting, that Bernice references, is key.
I think I just need to make more images, especially in controlled lighting.
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“... Still, trying to figure out more precisely how an Imagon (or Fujinar) renders softness vs. diffusion filters. Is it partly thats filters apply across entire image (spread a "shimmering" layer?) while SF lens may affect a much smaller area of the image? I can see how applying lighting, that Bernice references, is key.”
Take the Imagon, no matter which degree of softness you set it to there is always some sharpness in the center. Until you se the smallest center opening disk with all peripheral holes closed. And then it is very sharp all over. Plus wide open with no disk and then with the first disk fully open you have the same exposure value but 2 different degrees of softness. Close the peripheral holes you have the same exposure value as the second disk with all holes open but, again, 2 different degrees of softness. Close those peripheral holes you again have the same exposure as the third disk with all holes open but 2 different degrees of softness.
With the best soft focus filters, like the Softar, the softness is spread across the entire image. Additionally, except for the Softar, the degree of softness changes all over with aperture.