Allowing Lens Availability to Dictate Format Choice

[Bernice Loui]

Yet those Italian ones are often used as a point of reference, point of standard, why?

Not all Strads are created equal, nor do sound the same in varied ways. One story about Jousha Bell's Strad:
https://csosoundsandstories.org/how-...o-joshua-bell/

There were many other string instrument makers from Cremona.
Guarneri played by Yehudi Menuhin is one of many examples.

For those interested:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA4...-ezOM_L6dpPMEQ

Documentary on this topic, within this documentary there is a comparison between modern/vintage violin.. which is preferred, watch to find out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNzRHuqvMxQ&t=56s


Bernice

I don't think all judgments of musical instruments' quality are entirely subjective.

That said, some modern fiddles are at least as good as the best old Italian ones.

[Bernice Loui]

You're not going to be able to tell squat from the audio track of a youtube video played back in absurdly inadequate 'puter speakers in a room that is absolutely questionable and much more.

The more valid comparison would be done in a proper musical performance space with a world class violinist playing violins to be compared.

Can you present recordings of your solo musical performances and/or recordings made with your recording skills without intervention of a producer?


Bernice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkMVThdIUYc

As someone who was a professional musician in a couple of orchestras, has three degrees in music, and has been a recording engineer for well over a decade with a lot of experience listening critically to musicians playing classical music: no, they can't.

[Bernice Loui]

Question is, how does one gain the ability to discern these visual differences, how to place value on them and why does any of this make any significant difference?


Bernice

Agreed. Even on the large format forum, about half the folks think of soft focus as "smear some Vaseline on the lens, or put a stocking over it." But then, I wouldn't be surprised if half the students at a Le Cordon Bleu cooking school ate lunch at Taco Bell...

[jp]

Question is, how does one gain the ability to discern these visual differences, how to place value on them and why does any of this make any significant difference?


Bernice

Value is more related to rarity/historical aspects... P&S for example is pretty rare and were used by the accomplished photographers of the day..

Sort of like different coffee grinders make more or less appropriate coffee grounds based on various settings and subjective choices and desired end results, lenses are the same.... You can't easily see the differences; you can develop a taste that will teach you the difference. After a few hundred photos with a 7.25" verito and a few hundred with a 9" Hyperion, and quite a few with a 305 kodak portrait, I can tell the difference. If you ask me to tell the difference between lenses I don't have experience with, I'd be making guesses. Cosmically big picture, none of this makes a difference. Practically, we want something repeatable that we can get to know and predict the soft behaviour in all light every time we use it. Vaseline doesn't do that.

[jnantz]

Vaseline doesn't do that.

you need the mustard

[Bernice Loui]

***Core to this problem, if the audience does not appreciate, value or believe what is being offered is of value to them the offering dies***

Goes back to the number of number of folks who's offerings-creations were not valued until some event, individual or such created the perception of value for the offering.


Bernice

Value is more related to rarity/historical aspects... P&S for example is pretty rare and were used by the accomplished photographers of the day..

Sort of like different coffee grinders make more or less appropriate coffee grounds based on various settings and subjective choices and desired end results, lenses are the same.... You can't easily see the differences; you can develop a taste that will teach you the difference. After a few hundred photos with a 7.25" verito and a few hundred with a 9" Hyperion, and quite a few with a 305 kodak portrait, I can tell the difference. If you ask me to tell the difference between lenses I don't have experience with, I'd be making guesses. Cosmically big picture, none of this makes a difference. Practically, we want something repeatable that we can get to know and predict the soft behaviour in all light every time we use it. Vaseline doesn't do that.

[Bernice Loui]

Neither Mustard or Vaseline will stay put, clear finger nail polish works and stays put once dry.


Bernice

you need the mustard

[John Kasaian]

Vaseline doesn't do that.

But K-Y is water soluble, so it's easier to clean it off your lens. It's also a decent shutter lubricate in freezing temperatures.

[jnantz]

Neither Mustard or Vaseline will stay put, clear finger nail polish works and stays put once dry.


Bernice

clear nail polish is collodion so it makes sense it stays put. The mustard works very very well, especially with pretzl lenses . With fancy lenses
you really need grey poupon nothing else will do.

[Roger Thoms]

Interesting discussion, which has me thinking, if I’m out shooting b&w film and forgot my yellow filter can I just smear a little mustard on the lens?

Roger