Let`s discuss "distortion"!

[imported_Bence]

Do you remember when we talked about "pass"? As it turned out, it meant different things for different people, but after we cleared that up, we could reach a good consensus. The same happens with "distortion". It is one of the shadiest terms here. When talking about carnauba vs. sealant finishes, some people conclude that a carnauba distorts the overall look, yet the DOI, clarity, reflections, flakiness are top notch.



For me, this word is rather a negative, subtractive one. But I`m yet to see negative aspects of a carnauba finish. It always enhances bare paint. True, its coating is more light absorbent than certain sealants but there are VERY reflective ones as well which are on par with those synthetics. Sealants and carnaubas amplify different attributes of the paint, providing characteristic optical signatures. When you observe bare, unprotected paint (but highly polished), basically all LSPs skew the final appearance, "distorting it" in a certain way. So, what does "distortion" means to you?

[wannafbody]

distortion to me means a somewhat fuzzy look to the reflections. Some sealants offer mirror like sharpness to reflections. that distortion can also be caused by orangepeel.

[lbls1]

I believe that it is a purely subjective term in reference to waxes vs. synthetics. I have noticed with some highly refined waxes that they were able to produce clearer and deeper reflected images, whereas most of the sealants that I`ve observed failed to produce similar images with the same range and depth perception as to some of those waxes that I observed. That isn`t necessarily saying that one is better than the other, but in terms of reflective depth and sharpness, IMO I have noticed a distinct difference between some carnaubas and many sealants.



If you really want to be true to the meaning, then the only way to not have any distortion is to not put any lsp or coatings on your paint. Let the paint show its pure finished form. Depending on the paint quality, however, you may or may not have the same finish qualities as you would with a prepped finished surface using an lsp.

[imported_Bence]

I absolutely agree with orange peel, because that IS distortion. Similarly, I agree with Lester, because how could a coating which is not as reflective as a sealant (ergo more "absorbent"), be distorted, when it produces deeper, better DOI?



It reminds me of the ancient analogue or digital question (or normal vs. audiophile), and I am still amazed by a quality audiophile set. They produce such fidelity, clarity, stage, etc, that NO REAL orchestra can duplicate. You hear unimaginable details; a loose hair on the strings, but you are not able to detect these details during a live concert. When I am in the concert hall, there are no basses and trebles like you`d hear on the fine home system, yet it is more real.