You figured I was going to chime in here at some point...
In my experience, a less contrasty lens works slightly better
for B&W photography as it tends to help out the shadow detail
ever-so-slightly. An overly contrasty lens can cause you to
easily exceed the latitude of the film. By rendering the scene
a little flatter, and by giving just enough light (flare?) in
the shadows it's sometimes just enough to give a slight bit more
exposure to the film which brings in details otherwise lost.
Also, I find that the less contrasty lenses are a closer match
for Velvia and Provia. I don't get the "Disney Colors" that
some of you purists talk about. Or maybe, it's all subjective,
anyway.
Strange thing, though. When it comes to shooting portraits,
weddings and events, I prefer the flat Portra NC. Of course,
the subject is completely different--and the forgiveness is a
plus. Besides, I'm almost exclusively shooting Portra with
flash which adds a bit of contrast.
In Conclusion...
Not every lens is ideal for every style of shooting. The
earlier series of Zuiko lenses work just fine for me as I have
not only altered my shooting style to accomodate the lens
characteristics but also selected film to "match" the lenses.
If I were to completely switch systems, I'm positive that the
new lenses will be so foreign to me that it will take maybe 3-4
years to adjust my style.
AG-Schnozz
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