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.