soft lense vs sharp lense: Newbie here again...doing research and discovering there is indeed soft lenses and sharp lenses...however, I'm having some problem understanding...anyone out...

KellyNunna Loc: Pennsylvania

Newbie here again...doing research and discovering there is indeed soft lenses and sharp lenses...however, I'm having some problem understanding...anyone out there care to elaborate for me! Thank you...

billypip Loc: nottingham England

generally speaking KELLY, cheaper lenses dont tend to be as sharp as the more expensive ones. Prime ( fixed focal length ) also tend to be sharper than a zoom but there are exceptions, ie: when you move up to professional quality glass. As if that were not enough, you can actually get soft-focus lenses . Welcome to photography !!

jbmauser Loc: Roanoke, VA

I am by no means an optical expert but I do know that there are a few lenses that are designed to be soft. When they are in correct focus the image is clear but crisp detail is not captured. They are primarilly designed for portrait work. It may not be desirable to see the pores on the surface of a models nose. Today you can achieve the soft look with post processing software.

The term soft can also be applied to lenses that just do not have the tolerances and quality built in mainly to keep the cost down and they are just not sharp when focused properly. I know them as I have owned a few in my life. They can be "good enough" but if you blow shots up the detail falls off greatly. A sharp lens on the other hand is crisp even when the image is enlarged. Much of it has to do with the ability of the lens to gather the light and pass it to the film plane without the light scattering a bit. I will let others who are more knowledgeable chime in. JB

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

jbmauser wrote:

I am by no means an optical expert but I do know t... (show quote)

JB, your response was very concise and clear. And Kelly, thanks for asking the question. Many of us who aren't "new" still can learn a WHOLE lot! :)

GrahamS Loc: Hertfordshire, U.K

Page 2 of the Zeiss Newsletter No 12 is interesting. While it discusses the Zeiss Softar attachment filter, it makes interesting comments about the desirability if lens sharpness in certain situations:

http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B8B6F/EmbedTitelIntern/CLN12e/$File/cln12e.pdf

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Kelly, another thought: are you looking for the most sharply detailed (crisp) images you can get via a lens within your budget? Or just wanting clarification on the terms?

The interesting article link provided by Graham reminded me of a topic I started in December called "How crisp is too crisp?" It may or may not help you as you develop (no pun intended) your style and area of interest. Here is the link:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-85532-1.html

martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida

Here's a good read. In fact you should check the whole website out. This guy explains it plain and simple, doesn't take himself to serious and talks about Taking Pictures, not talking about Taking pictures, a Big Difference. http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/lens-sharpness.htm

KellyNunna wrote:

Newbie here again...doing research and discovering there is indeed soft lenses and sharp lenses...however, I'm having some problem understanding...anyone out there care to elaborate for me! Thank you...

martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida

Never heard of a lens purposely manufactured to give a Soft Results. You have the cheap add on single glass converter/filter but a Lens?? Please give an example.

jbmauser wrote:

I am by no means an optical expert but I do know t... (show quote)

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

fstop22 wrote:

Never heard of a lens purposely manufactured to give a Soft Results. You have the cheap add on single glass converter/filter but a Lens?? Please give an example.

Rodenstock Imagon lenses for one, though I think most of the effect has to do with the aperture inserts.
I had something similar for my Mamiya RB 67 (see link) and made some DIY for my Mamiya C330.
http://harrysproshop.com/Imagon/imagon.html

another for Canon:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-135mm-f-2.8-with-Softfocus-Lens-Review.aspx

martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida

I learned something today, Thanks.

GoofyNewfie wrote:

Rodenstock Imagon lenses for one, though I think most of the effect has to do with the aperture inserts.
I had something similar for my Mamiya RB 67 (see link) and made some DIY for my Mamiya C330.
http://harrysproshop.com/Imagon/imagon.html

another for Canon:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-135mm-f-2.8-with-Softfocus-Lens-Review.aspx

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I though it ironic to buy the sharpest lenses, only to put a soft focus filter on it. Zeiss makes a Softar filter that has little "lenses?" all over it. It gives an amazing effect. Sharp, but at the same time soft, if that's possible. Worked great on the Hasselblad 150mm!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=171014891058&item=171014891058&vectorid=229466

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

fstop22 wrote:

Here's a good read. In fact you should check the whole website out. This guy explains it plain and simple, doesn't take himself to serious and talks about Taking Pictures, not talking about Taking pictures, a Big Difference. http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/lens-sharpness.htm

Fascinating article, if a bit wordy and redundant (he needs a good editor!).

jbmauser Loc: Roanoke, VA

FYI - Pentax soft focus lenses sell for a premium. here is one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pentax-SMC-85mm-2-2-Soft-Focus-Manual-Lens-85-F2-2-/251250601727?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3a7fb3eeff

Never owned one.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Copied from a wiki...
"Because soft focus is a technical flaw, many older lenses had soft focus built in as a side effect of their construction. Newer lenses are optimized to minimize optical aberrations, but there are lenses such as the Canon EF 135mm lens f/2.8 with Softfocus[1] and Pentax SMC 28mm f2.8 FA Soft Lens, to name but two, which have adjustable levels of spherical aberration at wide apertures. The effect can be disabled entirely as well, in which case the lens is sharp."

fstop22 wrote:

Never heard of a lens purposely manufactured to give a Soft Results. You have the cheap add on single glass converter/filter but a Lens?? Please give an example.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Some older T mount & manual focus soft focus lenses were the Spiratone Portragon & the Sima 100mm.. They were very simple lenses that tried to recreate the "dreamy" looks of even older lenses