Print

Vaseline – Test Shot.

Film, Inspiration, Kodak Tri-X 400, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Leica M3, Print, Q&A, Scanner - Plustek 8200i

People sometimes write and ask me how I test a given Leica lens + rangefinder combination for focus accuracy.

Well, for near distances I trust the good people at Vaseline.

On a related note, I dislike the grunt work of testing film equipment.  The arduous process of developing and scanning film seems even more arduous when the test results are off.  That is why I rarely sell gear that I know is working well (ha, ha…).

Fortunately, this time everything looks good.

—Peter.

↑ Leica M3, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH, Kodak Tri-X 400, and Plustek 8200i.

Enlarged prints are the final arbiter of image quality.

Inspiration, Print, Q&A, Teaching point

Earlier today, I second-guessed the image quality arising from my digital vs. film cameras so I decided to do something that has always helped clarify things for me:  print the images in a semi-large format (in this case 12 x 18 inches).

The verdict:  both the digital and film files look very good.  I’m sticking to both formats.

The Nikon D850, in particular, really shines when it comes to producing pleasing prints.  The files are exceptional.

The real shocker for me was the quality of the files arising from the sometimes-maligned Nikon 58/1.4G.  My goodness!  Despite what the objective tests involving brick walls show, the colours and perceived sharpness in the prints from the 58/1.4G are better than what I used to get from the highly regarded Sigma 50/1.4 Art.  Take that DxO!

—Peter.

 

 

Nikon 58mm f/1.4G Test Shot.

2018, Favourite, Inspiration, Nikon, Nikon 58mm f/1.4G, Nikon D850, Print, Q&A, Teaching point, Within 200 feet of My House™

The light hasn’t yet returned to Toronto so there won’t be anything worthwhile to post with my “new-old” Nikon 58mm f/1.4G lens for a while.  Therefore, as always, I’ve resorted to employing what little window light remains when I return from work to conduct a test shot or two.

The silky smooth output of the 58/1.4G is just as I remember it.  What’s different this time, however, is how much easier it is to achieve precise focus @ f/1.4 with the D850 vs. the D810 I previously owned.  In fact, it was this issue (unreliable focus) that made me sell this lens in the first place.

—Peter.

↑ Nikon D850 + Nikon 58mm f/1.4 G.

The Pianist, closer.

2018, Favourite, Film, Inspiration, Kodak Tri-X 400, Leica 50mm Summicron Dual Range f/2, Leica M3, Portrait, Print, Q&A, Scanner - Plustek 8200i, Teaching point, Within 200 feet of My House™

I made use of the close-focus attachment of the 50mm Dual Range (DR) for this image.

I have always admired the build quality of Leica M3 cameras but like many photographers often found the 1 m close-focus distance too limiting.  The DR solves this problem and gets me even closer than I’m used to when photographing with an M-series camera.

At first I thought that attaching/removing the extra hardware would prove impractical/cumbersome but in practice it hasn’t held me back.  In fact, the engineering and design behind the Dual Range is quite well thought out and the system is simply a delight to use.

—Peter.

 

f/2 @ 1/30 sec

↑ Leica M3, Leica 50mm Summicron Dual Range, Kodak Tri-X 400, and Plustek 8200i.