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Thread: Lens flare as "contrast contol" ?

  1. #31
    IanG's Avatar
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    Re: Lens flare as "contrast contol" ?

    There's an assumption in this thread that the flare from an un-coated lens (or coated) is even across the frame which is going to be rarely true in practice, often it can be quite localised. LP Clerc in his book Photography, Theory and Practice, mentions internal lens reflections causing false ghost images, and also the extremes of the central flare spot.

    The false ghost images are more like adding very weak additional slightly out of focus exposures to the primary exposure so quite different to a pre or post flashing exposure.

    When you look at contemporary prints made by photographers like Kertesz, Brassai etc made before WWII they have a very subtle jewel like glow from the un-coated lenses they were using, their negative were exposed comparatively more than we would now and processed to higher contrasts but the papers of the time were suited to the negatives. Mostly the printed quite small even though they often used 9x12 cameras, modern prints from the same negatives look quite different and lose the jewel like quality.

    Ian

  2. #32

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    Re: Lens flare as "contrast contol" ?

    Ian, I'm not disagreeing (other than the "jewel-like" reference) but how do you know the look you appreciate is due to lack of lens coating vs. lens type? For instance, heliar vs. dagor vs. petzval vs. plasmat, etc?

  3. #33
    IanG's Avatar
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    Re: Lens flare as "contrast contol" ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Old-N-Feeble View Post
    Ian, I'm not disagreeing (other than the "jewel-like" reference) but how do you know the look you appreciate is due to lack of lens coating vs. lens type? For instance, heliar vs. dagor vs. petzval vs. plasmat, etc?
    Because it's common to that era and the smaller LF formats common in Europe where it'll be most noticeable, I have seen a lot of work from that era and the Jewel like quality is because the images work best printed at quite small enlargements (usually less than 10x8 in) on the contemporary papers of the era.

    It's not particularly specific to lens type but there will be small differences of course and also extremes.

    Ian

  4. #34

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    Re: Lens flare as "contrast contol" ?

    I respect you, Ian, but I disagree with your premise.

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