a quick question on Leica glow

biakalt

biakalt

Long Tran
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Hi all!

this is a shot I took recently, notice the glowy bit on top of the baby's hat. I'm just wondering if this is the Leica 'glow' or just merely flare? thank you for your advice
4769214368_88b53d3f99_b_d.jpg


Taken with Summicron-C 40/2.0 and M6
 
I once heard the Leica glow explained as nothing more than a bunch of “uncorrected lens aberrations.”

As for your lens, I think that what you illustrate is the Leica glow, as well as flare.

Jim B.
 
I can only say this about Leica glow: years ago I shot some B&W thru Nikon glass; then I shot thru Leica glass. When I compared the two rolls of film the diff was very apparent. In the Leica rolls I found transitions from darks to lighter colors that were nowhere to be seen in the Nikon roll of film. Leica glass is like a pair of handmade shoes, not the shoes you'd find at Payless. Do a comparative, then you'll start to notice the difference.
 
Thank you all for your replies!

I kind of notice the difference between my Leica and Nikon F glass. But I'm still very confused between flare and glow. Can anyone provide a clearer definition on glow please?

4425545093_4860c3b180_b_d.jpg

Massive flare, obviously. But is that 'glow' on the pinacles of the church tower? (Taken with Summarit 50/1.5)


4421519324_b8dc840f4d_b_d.jpg

Is there any 'glow' in this shot? What are those in the highlight? Flare? (Summarit 50/1.5 again)

Thank you for your advice.
 
The lens coatings contribute to the look of the images in addition to the glass configuration. Try shooting with a hooded, uncoated lens and you'll see extreme examples of that.
 
I actually see more of this stuff going on in Zeiss lenses than Leica! Every Zeiss lens I have will exhibit some type of flare when the conditions are right!
 
This is the trouble with using vague terms to describe optical characteristics.

So I will just show an image instead.

picture.php


The space shuttle glows, the SR71 does not. Not accurate- they both glow on re-entry.
 
hi, not sure about the glow, but I noticed that the summicron has a distinct 3d look sometimes. I think it's a combination of shallow DOF and the Leica lglass.


glow1.jpg
 
Brian Sweeney said:
This is the trouble with using vague terms to describe optical characteristics.

So I will just show an image instead.

picture.php


The space shuttle glows, the SR71 does not. Not accurate- they both glow on re-entry.
Click to expand...

Brian, where is this? National Air and Space Museum? I didn't see this view in the USAF museum in Ohio.
 
I've heard it said that Leica Glow = Urban Legend, used to prop up lens prices on the used market.

Well, not to be entirely cynical, I'm sure there are visible artifacts from each lens brand and model that are unique to that design that could be construed as a signature. I'd believe that; but to call it "glow" is just marketing semantics, intended to imply that somehow one's pictures taken with said lens will somehow be "better," all else being equal. I'm a firm believer that it's the dummy behind the camera that makes the most difference in image quality, not the lens in front of the camera.

~Joe
 
Kind of this "glow" can happen when film is scanned and the mirror / lens in the scanner dirty. I just recently cleaned the mirror of my Coolscan 4000ED and after re-assembling and testing, lots of the "Leica glow" was gone ... ;)
 
yes

yes

Older Leica lenses have superior microcontrast relative to other lenses, the veiling flare is smoothed out, or gradated, not present, and then cut-off.

None of the photos above show it. I can show it from many of my 35 lux wide open images, if someone needs to see it.

35mmdelux said:
I can only say this about Leica glow: years ago I shot some B&W thru Nikon glass; then I shot thru Leica glass. When I compared the two rolls of film the diff was very apparent. In the Leica rolls I found transitions from darks to lighter colors that were nowhere to be seen in the Nikon roll of film. Leica glass is like a pair of handmade shoes, not the shoes you'd find at Payless. Do a comparative, then you'll start to notice the difference.
Click to expand...
 
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