Voigtlander Nokton 50mm F1, Test Photos, Comparisons, and Discussion.

Bill Blackwell said:
Thank you for posting these, Brian. It's nice and sharp throughout, but I'm just not into the bokeh. I'd sure like to see a direct comparison with the CV 50mm f/1.2. And how much more DOF do you get with the extra ~1/3 stop?

This makes me appreciate (and regret selling) my Noctilux f/1 v.4 all the more!
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I will be taking the three super-speed Noktons out when I get the chance. I'm keeping all three. I like them. And my wife told me: "If you use it, keep it. If you like it, keep it. If you do not use it and you do not like it- sell it."

I equate the 50/1.1 Nokton to the Noctilux 50/1.0, all spherical optics, focus shift, and a older and unique rendering. I have no trouble with the focus shift. The 50/1.2 Nokton- about the size of my 50/1.2 Nikkor, but the aspherical optics of a Noct-Nikkor. Not selling it, either. These three lenses are destined to be classics. I did trade off a Canon 50/0.95, the TV version. Only because I have the RF version.
 
How about the new version of the Noctilux 50mm f1.2? Nobody interested?

Erik.

32121579275_d82793b019_o.jpg
 
The 50/1.2 Noctilux re-issue: Not at the $7,800 price Leica wants for it, hard to justify given the price of the 50/1.2 Nokton. There was a time when Leica lenses might cost 2x to 3x as much as the competition, but these days- it is 5x to 8x the cost. If I walk into an antique store or estate sale and find one at a good price- it's mine. Last week's "Lens Haul" put me out just under $3.5K. That included the 50/1.0 Nokton and a 1932 5cm F1.5 Sonnar. I would rather have the first-batch Sonnar and my 5cm F1.5 Nikkor over the Noctilux.
 
50mm_F1_1_Nokton_LC_VM_.jpg


This is the design of the Nokton 50mm f1.1, very much like the Leitz Xenon, Summarit and Summilux v1. I prefer the Summilux v1 over the Summilux v2, less distortion and sharper. Now, with the tests of the new Nokton 50mm f1, I prefer this design over others again.

The only drawback is the spherical aberration. All lenses of this design seem to have that: the well-known double light contour in strong backlight, see this picture:

gelatin silver print (heliar 50mm f1.5) leica mp

Erik.

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jonal928 said:
With all the enhanced capability the new 50mm f/:1 CV has to offer, I do not see myself easily giving up on my old 50/:1.1 Nokton.


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ME NEITHER! And at the price of $700 that Cameraquest is selling them at, I've advised several people pining for a 50/1.0 Noctilux re-issue to get one.
EDIT: Cameraquest price for the 50/1.1 is at $899 now, same as the 50/1.2 Nokton. This tells me the supply of New-Old-Stock lenses is probably close to gone.

I should get a line-up of my F1.2 and Faster lenses. Start with my perfect-glass 1957 Canon 50/1.2 up through this one.

My 50/1.1 Nokton, wide-open on the M9. I've had this lens for almost 12 years now.

L1018787.jpg


Subject did not stay still for me to focus.

AND THEN- they turned the lights off.

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ISO 2500, F1.1, 1/125th second.
 
Sonnar Brian said:
ME NEITHER! And at the price of $700 that Cameraquest is selling them at, I've advised several people pining for a 50/1.0 Noctilux re-issue to get one.

I should get a line-up of my F1.2 and Faster lenses. Start with my perfect-glass 1957 Canon 50/1.2 up through this one.
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You're right, it's better to buy them now, than to regret it later.
 
There are a couple of threads on this lens over at Fred Miranda. I am in the middle of some comparative testing of it vs. the 50/1 Noctilux, and the 50/1.4 Summilix-M ASPH. Started posting some of them there, as Edward Teller (long story), on the page linked below, but the entire thread is interesting. Will post more later, but it’s a nice lens.

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1732339/26#15853994
 
Larry Cloetta said:
There are a couple of threads on this lens over at Fred Miranda. I am in the middle of some comparative testing of it vs. the 50/1 Noctilux, and the 50/1.4 Summilix-M ASPH. Started posting some of them there, as Edward Teller (long story), on the page linked below, but the entire thread is interesting. Will post more later, but it’s a nice lens.

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1732339/26#15853994
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I'll be happy to see your images posted here!

The Nokton 50/1.0 is an optical feat.
 
The Voigtlander Nokton 50mm F1.0 is the result of the best that modern technology has to offer: Aspherical optics computed to the nth degree, exotic glass, precision computer-automated machining. I'm amazed that this lens is under $4000, let alone under $2000.
The 50mm F1.0 Noctilux was developed using state of the art glass of 50 years ago, where the engineer used mainframe computers to validate designs- not to guide a design. Much more Human in the trade-offs. The Voigtlander 50mm F1.1 is a more modern implementation of the design concept of the 50/1.0 Noctilux. Focus shift- Yes, but carefully controlled to give a unique rendering of the out-of-focus areas. First shot I took- looked at the OOF circles, tried to figure "How did they do that". Spherical aberration is caused by the focal length of the lens not being equal across the full area of the lens. That's why when you see bright edges that look like donuts on the OOF circles. The change in focal length controls the density of the OOF circles. The 50/1.1 Nokton: the engineer gave a lot of thought on the slope of the change of the focal length as you stop down.

So if Stephen had not sold out all of his 50/1.1 Noktons at $700- maybe he'll decide to keep them another 5 years when they hit Noctilux prices. Remember when everyone dissed the Canon 50/0.95? I picked up a pair at $200 each.
 
raid said:
There was a few days ago a meeting of psychics in Pensacola! I should have gone there to ask the future seers about the fate of the 50/1.1.
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Cameraquest is going to announce a new Crypto-Currency tied to Lens Prices.

"Camera-Coin". Makes more sense than most of the ones out there. Raid and I cashed in on some "Camera-Coin" recently.
 
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