That "Special Quality" - Please read first post first.

WestEndFotoWestEndFoto Posts: 3,742Member
edited February 2015 in Other Manufacturers
Here is an example of an image taken with the Noctilux-M 1:0.95/50 ASPH by a Flickr user named "✻ EdGuY ✻".

https://www.flickr.com/photos/92493660@N05/16407977681/

I believe that this lens has a special quality that this image represents well. It is not the fact that the lens can go to f/0.95 (!!!!!!!), as this image was shot at f/2.4.

There are components of this image that can be shot with any approximately 50mm lens. Composition is an example. Love or hate the composition, model etc., it is the qualities of the lens too which I am referring, not the artist.

So one question and one challenge.

Question:
What is the special quality?

Challenge:
How close can you come? Please post your best image taken in this style.
Post edited by WestEndFoto on

Comments

  • WestEndFotoWestEndFoto Posts: 3,742Member
    edited February 2015
    This is the best that I can come up with on my "westendfoto" account:

    Cheers Dad!

    As much as I like the subject, it does not have the magic of the image above.

    Not even close.
    Post edited by WestEndFoto on
  • PistnbrokePistnbroke Posts: 2,443Member
    edited February 2015
    I find that image very confusing ..the wine glass throws me until I work out what it is and then the age of the subject and working out what sex it is pulls my eye to the chest area for information.....
    I personally dont think its anything to do with the lens other than choosing the right focal length ,subject matter being paramount and then PP
    Post edited by Pistnbroke on
  • kenadamskenadams Posts: 222Member
    I find that image very confusing ..the wine glass throws me until I work out what it is and then the age of the subject and working out what sex it is pulls my eye to the chest area for information.....
    I personally dont think its anything to do with the lens other than choosing the right focal length ,subject matter being paramount and then PP
    That comment ... seems a bit out of line to me... to say the least

  • sevencrossingsevencrossing Posts: 2,800Member
    edited February 2015
    Here is an example of a fabulous image taken with the Noctilux....
    ............I believe that this lens has a special quality ...................

    Question:
    What is the special quality?
    ....../blockquote>

    There is no silver bullet to quality

    It is always a combination of factors

    Subject matter
    Composition
    Lighting
    Point and angle of view
    Camera
    Lens
    Shutter speed
    Aperture (dof)
    Focus
    Timing
    Post production
    The empathy of the photographer with the model
    The mood of the model
    The mood of the photographer
    The atmospheric conditions


    EdGuY has combined these factors to produce something special

    People who believe that using a specific ( often very expensive ) lens, is the key the creating that special quality, that they cannot achieve with their existing equipment, are IMHO mistaken





    Post edited by sevencrossing on
  • haroldpharoldp Posts: 984Member
    I use Leica regularly in addition to Nikon, and the most common 'nonscientific' answer in the Leica community to this phenomenon is that Leica pays a lot of attention to 'microcontrast' in it's designs, and were the first to design for contrast characteristics, even at the cost of resolution.

    Leica 50mms are also not retrofocus designs since they do not ave a mirror to clear. SLR lenses (for full frame) up to 58mm are usually retrofocus.

    I o not ave a noctilux, but the 50/2.0 summicron has the same 'painting' characteristics and I often prefer it's images t the asph Summilux which is a better lens by any measured standard.

    Similarly, my 35/2.0 summicron (series 4 which is a symmetrical double gauss design) produces images (of people) that I prefer to my asph 35/2.0 summicron, even though the asph measures slightly better.

    all of course IMHO.

    The real reason could be related to the reason that despite great effort and expense by large and capable companies, no-ones engines sound like Ferrari's.

    .... H

    D810, D3x, 14-24/2.8, 50/1.4D, 24-70/2.8, 24-120/4 VR, 70-200/2.8 VR1, 80-400 G, 200-400/4 VR1, 400/2.8 ED VR G, 105/2 DC, 17-55/2.8.
    Nikon N90s, F100, F, lots of Leica M digital and film stuff.

  • MsmotoMsmoto Posts: 5,398Moderator
    IMO the "special quality" is the model. My guess is if this were a less attractive female, the image would be nothing. I have a lot of difficulty in the composition, but all this is just personal taste.

    Technically, i find the alteration in dynamic range is very consistent with the "mood" and I like this. But, this is probably not all that difficult to do, given the right model.

    And, now that I have spouted off I suppose I have to find a model and shoot something similar.....LOL.

    Here is a portrait which has received a lot of comments locally, but is primarily because of the subject. Taken in a Starbucks Coffee with available light.

    Cowboy at the Coffee House
    Msmoto, mod
  • Rx4PhotoRx4Photo Posts: 1,200Member
    I think sevencrossing covered all of the key factors with creating this type of photo and look. Shutter speed was very slow, so that helped creat a cleaner image as opposed to one with more noise. I will admit that I've gotten to where I enjoy cleaning skin then slightly dodging and burning my portraits before posting them online, thus creating a more beautiful image. Considering beauty, as Msmoto said, without the model in that slinky skirt the image might likely be less appealing.
    Now, all that said, I will agree that the lens has to have something to do with the smoothness of the final result. I have noticed that the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art does create more pleasing out of focus edges even shot at f/2.8 than my Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 at 50mm. When back at home maybe I'll find something to post.
    D800 | D7000 | Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 | 24-70mm f/2.8 | 70-200mm f/2.8 | 35mm f/1.8G | 85mm f/1.4G | Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art | Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art | Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM | Zeiss 100mm Makro-Planar ZF.2 | Flash controllers: Phottix Odin TTL

  • heartyfisherheartyfisher Posts: 3,186Member
    edited February 2015

    That comment ... seems a bit out of line to me... to say the least

    I dont think it is .. asking pitchblack to comment on a picture is like asking your doctor whats that rash .. you would expect ..... detailed comments.
    Post edited by heartyfisher on
    Moments of Light - D610 D7K S5pro 70-200f4 18-200 150f2.8 12-24 18-70 35-70f2.8 : C&C very welcome!
    Being a photographer is a lot like being a Christian: Some people look at you funny but do not see the amazing beauty all around them - heartyfisher.

  • kenadamskenadams Posts: 222Member
    I may be way off here, but looking at west end's flickr stream, I'm going to venture a guess here and say the boy is his son. Now read the above comment again. To me, it sounds like you post a pic of your wife and someone goes "ugly, no tits, bad nose job, why'd you choose that woman as your model?" Critique the picture, but not the subject.

    But maybe that's just me...
  • spraynprayspraynpray Posts: 6,545Moderator
    You may be being a little sensitive there Ken, I think Pistnbroke is saying that the wine glass is a strange thing to see in the hands of a minor and that skewed his brain so that he had to hunt around for clues as to the age and gender of the subject.
    Always learning.
  • MsmotoMsmoto Posts: 5,398Moderator
    @haroldp

    As I remember the "old" days, it was accepted the German glass had better edge contrast, but the Japanese could produce a sharper image.....And, this was apparently due to the source of the materials from which the glass was produced.....

    OK, this was only a rumor, from the 1960's.......true or not? Have no idea but its goes along with the idea of micro contrast....
    Msmoto, mod
  • WestEndFotoWestEndFoto Posts: 3,742Member
    edited February 2015
    I may be way off here, but looking at west end's flickr stream, I'm going to venture a guess here and say the boy is his son. Now read the above comment again. To me, it sounds like you post a pic of your wife and someone goes "ugly, no tits, bad nose job, why'd you choose that woman as your model?" Critique the picture, but not the subject.

    But maybe that's just me...
    Funny!

    I thought Pistnbroke was talking about the image in the first post, which of course I only have a link to for copyright reasons (Mods, is my assumption correct that I can only post the link, not the script that displays the image in these threads like PAD?).

    I though, now why would you have to look at the chest to figure out the gender of that!?!?!?!?

    Seriously, I can't even see her chest, but there are some other clues that give away the gender:

    Mojito time

    (Mods, am I offside here).

    So I was thinking, "Hmmm......I wonder if his inability to determine sex effects his wedding photography business?"

    But now I get it. Pistnbroke merely missed the point in a big way. I have done that on several occasions here.

    So Kenadams, I don't take offense, but I appreciate you thinking of me. You have to be truly arrogant/offensive or "incredibly repeatedly" socially clumsy to give me offense or exasperate me. However, I appreciate that some people may under the same circumstances take offense. I apologize to all of those in advance when I fall into that trap.

    So let's get back to the topic. I will be googling "edge contrast" when I can find a few moments.

    PS:
    Yes, the boy is my son. He is 9, though 8 in the picture. His name is Taiki and he is begging me to join Nikon Rumours. He is always reading your guys' posts over my shoulder.
    Post edited by WestEndFoto on
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