Noctilux Delight!
- Thread starter Ascender
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 40
- Views 8K
Ascender
Established
Two More
Two More
These are all with the Noctilux at around ISO 640 and I think wide open. The one of the 'Hanging Chair' was from a restaurant in Rio De Janeiro called 'Marius'. Quite possibly the best seafood/steak I've EVER tasted in my life. The decor was great to in that they had furniture and miscellaneous objects hanging from the roof. highly recommended.
The Noctilux doesn't capture images, it paints them. It's mainly for this reason that it's become my favorite M lens.
-charlie
Two More
These are all with the Noctilux at around ISO 640 and I think wide open. The one of the 'Hanging Chair' was from a restaurant in Rio De Janeiro called 'Marius'. Quite possibly the best seafood/steak I've EVER tasted in my life. The decor was great to in that they had furniture and miscellaneous objects hanging from the roof. highly recommended.
The Noctilux doesn't capture images, it paints them. It's mainly for this reason that it's become my favorite M lens.
-charlie
Attachments
Last edited:
Ororaro
Well-known
I sincerely think there are better M lenses as far as "painting" goes (75mm summilux and 5CM summarit comes to mind). However, no lens approaches the Noctilux when impossible is not an option.
Peter Klein
Well-known
gdi
Veteran
Great examples of why this lens exists - capturing the ambiance of such intimate scenes.
Tony C.
Established
The Noctilux is my favorite lens as well, and not only for the obvious low-light applications. Here's are a couple of example of what I mean...
Last edited:
bankcheck
Established
Just to share a shot taken today with 5cm Summarit and R-D1, ISO @ 1600, aperture ~f/1.5-2. Sorry to be off topic.
Attachments
visiondr
cyclic iconoclast
Those are some great shots, Charlie. This lens does seem to give a painterly feel. That's helped a lot in this case by the muted, earth tones in the images. They remind me of paintings of some of the old masters; Rembrandt comes to mind.
ferider
Veteran
Thanks for sharing, S.
Damaso
Photojournalist
Can't wait to get mine!
Ascender
Established
Hmm....
Hmm....
Interesting. I beg to differ. I have both the 75 Cron. and the 75 Lux. They are great lenses especially the former however, I don't think that they quite do what the Noctilux does in the way of painting. I was actually one of the naysayers when it came to the Noct. despite having had two of them in the past. I used to compare it a lot to the 50 Lux. and I, along with many others would criticise it saying it was over-rated and nowhere in the league of the Lux due to it's lack of sharpness wide open and it's wacky interpretation of bokeh especially if one had a lot of detail in the background like foliage for example. I then realized that it was the same wacky interpretation when used in bright light, that was also responsible for the magic that the lens produces when put to it's originally intended use. At the risk of stating the obvious, I discovered that there was a perfectly good reason why this lens was named 'Noctilux'.
It's Latin reference suggests that when used optimally ie, at night, magic can happen. This is why it has become my favorite lens in my M lineup
-charlie
Hmm....
Interesting. I beg to differ. I have both the 75 Cron. and the 75 Lux. They are great lenses especially the former however, I don't think that they quite do what the Noctilux does in the way of painting. I was actually one of the naysayers when it came to the Noct. despite having had two of them in the past. I used to compare it a lot to the 50 Lux. and I, along with many others would criticise it saying it was over-rated and nowhere in the league of the Lux due to it's lack of sharpness wide open and it's wacky interpretation of bokeh especially if one had a lot of detail in the background like foliage for example. I then realized that it was the same wacky interpretation when used in bright light, that was also responsible for the magic that the lens produces when put to it's originally intended use. At the risk of stating the obvious, I discovered that there was a perfectly good reason why this lens was named 'Noctilux'.
It's Latin reference suggests that when used optimally ie, at night, magic can happen. This is why it has become my favorite lens in my M lineup
-charlie
Ororaro
Well-known
No need to test the lens thoroughly in order to understand the perfectly good reason why the lens was named Noctilux. The f1.0 aperture alone indicates why the term "Noct", as in Nocturnal is used... which in Latin means night, darkness. Nothing new, really, and nothing related to magic, except being able to shoot in otherwise difficult conditions.
There is an article on the Noctilux in the February LFI magazine which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Worth a look...
There is an article on the Noctilux in the February LFI magazine which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Worth a look...
Ascender
Established
Tony C. The portrait is magical.
-charlie.
-charlie.
Ascender
Established
Listen mate....
Listen mate....
When I use terms like 'magic', it's a metaphor intended to be taken as one and not literally as perhaps only a three year old might. I was merely sharing my experience with this lens and was honest enough to express how I came to understand it's intended use rather than start some kind of 'Who knew and who didn't know what the name Noctilux meant' debate.
NB23, you might wanna just relax in your tone of text a little. We're just sharing not critiquing.
-charlie
🙂
Btw, your images are amazing.
Listen mate....
When I use terms like 'magic', it's a metaphor intended to be taken as one and not literally as perhaps only a three year old might. I was merely sharing my experience with this lens and was honest enough to express how I came to understand it's intended use rather than start some kind of 'Who knew and who didn't know what the name Noctilux meant' debate.
NB23, you might wanna just relax in your tone of text a little. We're just sharing not critiquing.
-charlie
🙂
Btw, your images are amazing.
Last edited:
Ororaro
Well-known
Charlie,
I am a mucho relaxo Hombre and I was not critiquing in any way. I too, love your shots and at f1, you clearly took advantage of all what the lens had to give. I just had to point that, personally, I find other lenses have a more unique look throughout their f-stop range Versus the Noctilux which has its unique look wide open, mostly. Actually, I prefer it this way because it lets me shoot landscapes at f5.6. The Noctilux is ma favorite lens, too.
I am a mucho relaxo Hombre and I was not critiquing in any way. I too, love your shots and at f1, you clearly took advantage of all what the lens had to give. I just had to point that, personally, I find other lenses have a more unique look throughout their f-stop range Versus the Noctilux which has its unique look wide open, mostly. Actually, I prefer it this way because it lets me shoot landscapes at f5.6. The Noctilux is ma favorite lens, too.
Ascender
Established
You are right.
You are right.
Ned,
I really love the images on your site. There's one in the Belgrade & Nis series of a woman carrying a red shopping bag with her child. This conjures up such emotion in me and I love it. I don't know why it does this as there are arguably, technically better images on your site like the one of the guy laying on the side walk with the shadows of onlookers (is he dead?) which is a superb capture. However photographs have an uncanny habit of triggering different things in different people which is I guess why we do it. That image has some reference to me, perhaps my childhood and is probably one of the reasons why it caught my eye. If you're interested in selling a print to me let me know. I would also buy the Montreal one as I think it's brilliant.
-charlie
You are right.
Ned,
I really love the images on your site. There's one in the Belgrade & Nis series of a woman carrying a red shopping bag with her child. This conjures up such emotion in me and I love it. I don't know why it does this as there are arguably, technically better images on your site like the one of the guy laying on the side walk with the shadows of onlookers (is he dead?) which is a superb capture. However photographs have an uncanny habit of triggering different things in different people which is I guess why we do it. That image has some reference to me, perhaps my childhood and is probably one of the reasons why it caught my eye. If you're interested in selling a print to me let me know. I would also buy the Montreal one as I think it's brilliant.
-charlie
tmfabian
I met a man once...
Oh...I see what you did there Ned....haha.
gripper2111
Member
Charlie,
Great shots, I really love the Noctilux, they certainly nail it when nothing else can. I have only shot with it on film but now I am back with the Leica M8 I am lusting after one again.... I've only had the M8 for a couple of days but loving it so far.
Mark
Great shots, I really love the Noctilux, they certainly nail it when nothing else can. I have only shot with it on film but now I am back with the Leica M8 I am lusting after one again.... I've only had the M8 for a couple of days but loving it so far.
Mark
cmogi10
Bodhisattva
I wouldn't mind a Noct.
This shot is when I got to borrow one for a day.
This shot is when I got to borrow one for a day.
MikeL
Go Fish
Carl, Erik has 2, he might give you one of his?