The "3D" effect

Spud10 · 08-01-2011

I know CZ lenses are known for the 3D effect that they render on photos. I'd personally would love to see some great examples of this.

Also, how about Leica glass? Any comparisons that someone could show?

Looking forward to seeing your shots!

Harry S. · 08-01-2011

I find my 50/2 Planar is great for this. Sorry I dont have any examples uploaded.

tlitody · 08-01-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spud10

I know CZ lenses are known for the 3D effect that they render on photos. I'd personally would love to see some great examples of this.

Also, how about Leica glass? Any comparisons that someone could show?

Looking forward to seeing your shots!

I think you can do this with any lens. It is your main subject position relative to background, lighting and aperture that you need to control.
Have your main subject removed from background so that at your sharpest aperture, which is usually around f5.6, provides a tad of soft blur to the background. Then some nice side lighting to give plenty local contrast in main subject with a slightly darker background.
And if you are using B+W film, then develop in a staining developer and print on graded paper (definitely not VC paper) and your main subject will poke you in the eye regardless of which lens you are using.

Strangeluv · 08-01-2011

Not a very interesting picture, but I think it shows that 3D effect some of us like.
M8 and Zeiss C-Biogon 35mm 2.8

outfitter · 08-01-2011

In the day LF lenses were said to have a 3D effect in portraits if you could work the aberrations to leave the eyes and nose tip in focus while throwing the ears out of focus. The original Heliar was particularly noted for this: a zone of fuzziness at wider apertures and sharp all over when stopped way down. Many lenses for the Graflex (eg Wollensak Raptars) get bad reps because people don't understand that they were designed to only sharpen up at small apertures - indeed the f4.5 Tessar's optimum aperture is f/22.

This of course had to do with a style of photography that has now grown out of fashion. One should remember, however, when evaluating a classic lens to put it into the context of the photographic style of its era. Certainly a pre-war lens design famous for its 3D effect might not be what we are expecting given our mania for super sharp, aberration free lenses.

efix · 08-01-2011

http://www.efixmedia.de/photography/tag/biogon-282-8/
http://www.efixmedia.de/photography/tag/biogon-352/
http://www.efixmedia.de/photography/tag/planar-502/

Feel free to have a look!

md2008 · 08-01-2011

Not a great photo, but the best example of "3D effect" I have. This is a Hexar AF 35mm f/2 lens. You were asking for CZ or Leica glass, but I thought I'd just throw this in as another comparison.

elmer3.5 · 08-01-2011

Hi, in deed Zeiss glass givees you that "3d"

Biogon 35/2 @ f4 on M8

"The Cleaner" (Car cleaner)

Bye.

gavinlg · 08-01-2011

It can be done any lens - it's got to do with perspective, aperture, distance from subject, camera format (the larger sensor/film format, the more 3d effect - anything under aps-c struggles to achieve it as easily as formats larger than aps-c) and lighting. However in my experience some lenses seem to exhibit the '3d' look more than others, and definitely Zeiss lenses are somewhat famous for it. My Zeiss (for canon) 35mm f2 distagon was brilliant at it - some of the photos just looked like they popped out at you! The pentax 67/105mm f2.4 takumar does it a lot too.

Zeiss ze 35mm Distagon @ f4ish

Canon 35mm f1.4L @ f1.4

Canon 35mm f1.4L @ f1.4

The Canon 35 1.4L for dslr's is another lens that does it quite often...

jiri · 08-01-2011

This is an example with Summicron 50:

shadowfox · 08-01-2011

Look closely on the texture of the tree barks and tell me you don't feel that they are "three-dee"

Zeiss Distagon 35/2.8 - Contax SLR version.

reptkeu · 03-14-2013

Sorry to bring back this topic, but I found it interesting and I wanted to add a bit.
It could be worth looking at how painters do this. I know some of the technics involve making the subject brighter, sharper, more coloured, and a lot more contrasted than the background/surrounding. Go to a museum and see. I think it comes from the observation that atmosphere reduces clarity and colours everything with a slight blue tint in the far sight.
Another way to achieve 3d can be done by shooting with a powerful flash, the subject will be well lit, with good contrasts and everything, while the background will be darker, less contrasted, etc.

SlappyPeterson · 03-14-2013

Zeiss Planar 50mm

reptkeu · 03-14-2013

and just to back-reference, there is a prior post on this topic:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/foru...ead.php?t=9361

Vics · 03-14-2013

I've always thought of the "3-D" effect as a product of roundness of faces and objects produced not by depth of field, but of micro-contrast. It's the very smooth and gradual gradation from light to shadow. Very difficult to achieve with grainy materials. I'm talking about roundness of cheekbones and eyes. I think older Leice lenses do it really well, as do Rolleiflexes with Zeiss and Schneider glass.

CrisR · 03-23-2013

Some pop you you.

On The Dam by Cris Rose, on Flickr

Raindrops On My Nose by Cris Rose, on Flickr

Taxi Rush by Cris Rose, on Flickr

and *aherm*

Into The Swing by Cris Rose, on Flickr

TKH · 03-23-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrisR

Some pop you you.

Into The Swing by Cris Rose, on Flickr

Definitely 3D!!

CrisR · 03-24-2013

Went out in the snow yesterday with just the Planar and M9, i think i got some solid popping!

A Swoop In The Snow by Cris Rose, on Flickr

Photographer, In A Landscape by Cris Rose, on Flickr

Black · 03-24-2013

Leica M8.2 w/ ZM Sonnar 1,5/50

Photo_Smith · 03-24-2013

I don't know if a certain lens or make can be considered 3D mainly I think the effect is to do with point of focus.
url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/51840227@N02/7490705846/]

[/url]
Fiona by Photo Utopia, on Flickr

Possibly light and shadow also contribute

Both of those images were shot on Zeiss Tessar lens on a Rolleiflex, but I think the effect could be made on any make of lens...

Richard G · 03-24-2013

I think this is the 35 C Biogon, or the ZM 21.

Back Stairs by Richard GM2, on Flickr

Nigel Meaby · 03-24-2013

Another with the 35mm C-Biogon which I'm really appreciating on the M9. Will shoot film with it for the next few weeks. This lens is one to stay.

redisburning · 03-24-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black

Leica M8.2 w/ ZM Sonnar 1,5/50

this is the shallowest dof picture I have ever seen that shows the effect we are discussing here. really nice shot overall.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photo_Smith

Both of those images were shot on Zeiss Tessar lens on a Rolleiflex, but I think the effect could be made on any make of lens...

I think the Rollei tessar is actually one of the very best at doing it. other medium format contenders are the Minolta tessar derivative in the autoocord and the pentax 105/2.4 and 78/2.8 for their 6x7 system.

but without question the one lens which I have seen this the most consistently from is the Zeiss 100/2 MP. If I was making money on images I be would using one regardless of my feelings towards telephotos.

photony texas · 03-24-2013

CrisR · 03-25-2013

I think the "pop" is more easily produceable with any lens/subject, when there is strong Bokeh behind and no visible gradient, as in Black's photo of the reveller, which of course doesn't stop it being a cool photo.

However, Nigel's shot of the sitting gentleman has neither of these aspects, yet still seems 3D and is a far greater example of what this thread is about in my opinion.

Both great shots, no doubt aided by the same lens qualities.