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Re: [OM] Skies with the XA

Subject: Re: [OM] Skies with the XA
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2000 19:33:06 +0000
I would pull all the filters off the OM lens and find out!  Unless it's a
yellow, green or red for B/W, and very occasional polarizer use, the only
others I use outdoors are color neutral, multi-coated UV's.  A good UV does
cut down the UV haze component in the distant horizon (doesn't do much for
SMOG or heat haze).  Even a UV will lighten the sky slightly, so the effect
is a tradoff between haze reduction and a little less blue in the sky.  If
you're using a skylight all the time, it will lighten blue sky even more.
Film responds to low UV just above visible spectrum with visible blue
response on the film.

Discovered a while back that I really must look closely at how blue the sky
really is when doing landscapes.  Found it can vary quite a bit depending
on altitude, dust, SMOG, and humidity.  Also found that it can be
significant lighter at the horizon, especially in the direction of the sun.
 The brain is a wonderful filter in this regard, leaving an impression of
deeper blue unless I very deliberately look at the color.  Same applies to
distant haze.

High reflectance subject material, such as concrete and granite buildings,
or marble monuments, can create a very deep blue sky if exposure is set for
the much brighter subject material.  Same would apply for sand or snow.
I'm not into super-saturated sky, so most of mine are a medium blue on a
very clear day, maybe slightly darker, but with decent contrast against
white clouds.

Now for the real reason . . . film processors secretly know whether the
film was run through a P&S or a "serious" camera, and will set different
color balance and contrast accordingly, with a special "Disney Color"
setting for the P&S film.

-- John

At 16:15 9/24/00 , you wrote:
>Dear Zuiks, this circle of sweetness and light ;-).
>
>I have noticed that my XA gives me beautiful blue skies, without a 
>polariser of course.  Can anyone suggest a reason for this?
>
>My thought at the moment is that it does not have a pinkish Skylight 
>filter on the lens and is therefore recording more accurately (?) 
>than my OMs with their protective filters mounted.
>
>Of course, the influence of Doris F is such that I am gradually 
>moving towards filterless lenses - even my expensive ones such as the 
>21/3.5 and the 40/2.
>
>Any ideas?
>
>Chris


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