Rob-F
Likes Leicas
Thanks, Ken and Meven, I'm all straightened out now.
Back to Leica talk: I think this is a wakeup call for me: time to return to the basics for which I originally bought the Leica. Back in the 1960's, I bought my M2, 35mm Summaron, and a 90mm Elmarit, in order to have a small, compact, but top quality outfit. I have added a lot more Leica gear since those days, and have had a lot of fun with it. But when I tried a Noctilux, it was too big and heavy, and I could find almost nothing to do with it. I sold it, and used the $$ to buy a used Tri-Elmar. I don't use that, either. It sticks out too far. I use my 24, 28, and 35mm lenses, mostly, for their compactness, angle of view, and for the way they handle on the camera. Same goes for the 40mm Rokkor and 40/1.4 CV. I use my 90mm Tele-Elmarit more than my Summicron ASPH, because it's smaller.
So based on my actual habits--what I select to shoot with--it would appear that I already have everything I really need. Well, I probably should get me one of those 28mm compact ASPH jobs, or at least the 28/3.5 CV. ANd A ZM body. Outside of that, I need to recognize that most of the gear I have been shooting with for years is all I really need. I don't have to have all the latest stuff, even if it is better in some way. I could even get rid of a few things that don't really help my photography. I didn't need a Noctilux before, what makes me think I'll find a use for it now?
Back to Leica talk: I think this is a wakeup call for me: time to return to the basics for which I originally bought the Leica. Back in the 1960's, I bought my M2, 35mm Summaron, and a 90mm Elmarit, in order to have a small, compact, but top quality outfit. I have added a lot more Leica gear since those days, and have had a lot of fun with it. But when I tried a Noctilux, it was too big and heavy, and I could find almost nothing to do with it. I sold it, and used the $$ to buy a used Tri-Elmar. I don't use that, either. It sticks out too far. I use my 24, 28, and 35mm lenses, mostly, for their compactness, angle of view, and for the way they handle on the camera. Same goes for the 40mm Rokkor and 40/1.4 CV. I use my 90mm Tele-Elmarit more than my Summicron ASPH, because it's smaller.
So based on my actual habits--what I select to shoot with--it would appear that I already have everything I really need. Well, I probably should get me one of those 28mm compact ASPH jobs, or at least the 28/3.5 CV. ANd A ZM body. Outside of that, I need to recognize that most of the gear I have been shooting with for years is all I really need. I don't have to have all the latest stuff, even if it is better in some way. I could even get rid of a few things that don't really help my photography. I didn't need a Noctilux before, what makes me think I'll find a use for it now?
Last edited:
summilux
Well-known
a pompous act, a waste of glass on leica's part.
peter_n
Veteran
This is Leica's strength - way beyond anyone else's glass. Not only do they compete, they are the leader, and they want to stay there. They will not be designing inexpensive dRF bodies. Exotic glass is where Leica excels and very fast wides is what M8 users have asked for and Leica has delivered. Can't criticize them for that.
sheepdog
Available darkness.
The one positive thing about all this launch is it has inspired me to mount my canon 50/1.2 on the m3 and go out hunt some atmospheric nightshots on iso400 bw film. Too much hoping for the Sony A900 to be something it is not lately..
awilder
Alan Wilder
The introduction of this lens and some other exotic high speeds indicates Leica commitment to photography. Hopefully this also means further improvement of their digital camera which is not as state of the art as with Nikon or Canon, not so much in megapixels but in digital noise at high ISOs. Imagine a digital camera as noise free as the Nikon D3 but able to take a 50/0.95. Wow!
icebear
Veteran
Not on a D3 but ... Eos40D
Not on a D3 but ... Eos40D
From today's NYT :
[
[SIZE=-1]Shawn McCully, a lawyer, above, made an adapter to mount an old manual-focus lens on his digital single-lens reflex camera. The old lenses are an alternative to expensive, contemporary models that do fit the new cameras. ][/SIZE]
Not on a D3 but ... Eos40D
From today's NYT :
[
September 11, 2008
[SIZE=-2]Photographs by Kevin P. Casey for The New York Times[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Shawn McCully, a lawyer, above, made an adapter to mount an old manual-focus lens on his digital single-lens reflex camera. The old lenses are an alternative to expensive, contemporary models that do fit the new cameras. ][/SIZE]
Ray Nalley
Well-known
I think the introduction of the Noct .95 is mostly a bragging rights stunt. At three or four feet, the DOF at .95 is the width of a Nat's eyelash. What that's useful for, I cannot figure.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Ray,
Shooting at longer distances?
Sure, narrow d-o-f at 1 metre is a concern. But I comparatively rarely use a Noctilux at 1 metre. Nor, I suspect, do most others. It's great for theatre photography, for example, at 3 to 10 metres. I can think of a number of other times I'd love to have had one for 3-5 metres: Losar (Tibetan New Year) ceremonies in Dharamsala, for example, which start before dawn. Next year is of course the 50th anniversary of the Lhasa uprising against Chinese occupation, and the escape of HH Dalai Lama to India.
Just because you don't have a need for one, it doesn't mean that no-one does.
Cheers,
R.
Last edited:
monochromejrnl
Well-known
agreed - it is no doubt a specialty lens and definitely a 'halo' lens for Leica (as the previous Noctiluxes have been)... it may not be for me, or for Mr. Nalley but obviously it's not being made for people like us... though i am sure they will be a market for it... as there are for 400-500HP electronically limited cars that cost well into the 6 figures...
enochRoot
a chymist of some repute
this was shot at f:1 from a distance w/ the old noctilux. as roger said, not everything needs to be close focus 
Ray Nalley
Well-known
Roger, most photos I've seen shot with the Noct at f1 that are posted and everyone oohs and ahs over have impossibly narrow depth of field or are completely out of focus (likely because either the camera wasn't up to the task of focusing such a fast lens or the photographer wasn't). I'm sure the Noctilux is fine at a distance as well as at other apertures, but that doesn't seem to be why people buy the Noctilux, if posted photos are representative at all.
peter_n
Veteran
I'm just a film guy but I would have thought the reverse: that the introduction of very fast lenses temporarily alleviates the pressure on Leica to "fix" the high ISO noise on the M8. With a couple of extra stops on the lens you can use slower film...
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
One of the two or three, you forgot to mention.He's one of the shooters who put the lens to good use.
A fast 24 would be nice, a fast 21 even more so, but it'd be a rather large lens in all probability.
Philipp
Ray Nalley
Well-known
Peter, I think they took the only route they could. They can't significantly improve the M8 for at least a couple of more years less they be accused of making cameras subject to becoming quickly obsolete. They've got to go at least five years, I would think. Fast lenses buy them some time. I think the physical size and weight of the fast lenses might discourage some M users from buying them, though. If I want huge, heavy lenses, I'll use the DSLR instead of my M's.
kully
Happy Snapper
This sounds grand, but, I can't understand getting het up about the price - there are lots of things which are too expensive for me but not for people who need them and vice-versa.
peter_n
Veteran
Indeed Ray, the size of the new wides is a concern. I'm really interested in the 24 as I love that focal length but I think this thing is going to be as hefty as a 90/2 AA. I would need an extra Rapidwinder to put on the camera so I could retain a grip of it. Also I wouldn't be able to take it on trips like I can with the 24/2.8 - too heavy.
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
sockeyed
Well-known
You guys out west never did want to learn French!
To be honest, it would be far more sensible for us to learn Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog or Punjabi.
2006 Census of Canada, Greater Vancouver
Mother Tongue: One language (single response)
English 57.8%
Cantonese 6.1%
Chinese, not specified 5.8%
Panjabi (Punjabi) 5.7%
Mandarin 3.4%
Tagalog (Filipino) 2.2%
Korean 2.0%
German 1.5%
Persian (Farsi) 1.3%
Spanish 1.3%
Link
French doesn't even make the top 10!
Leicabug
Established
What would happen to the price of old Noctilux? Anyone cares to predict? Some had predicted the price will fall dramatically. But with the price of new Noctilux at $11,000, I don't see much room to drop.
Nando
Well-known
When I was saving up for a 35 Summicron-ASPH, I noticed that the prices for the version IV lens remained quite high. It seems reasonable to me that the price of the old Noctilux will depend a lot on how the new one performs. Perhaps, if it is too "clinical" the old Noctilux will still be in sufficient demand to command a high price. It does have a unique signature.
Ostrich syndrome is good sometimes. For me, the Noctilux is at the bottom of my list of things to worry about just below the Mats Sundin situation with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Honestly, I'm much more intrigued by the 21mm and 24mm Summiluxes. Tom, are you going to get one (or both) of these?
Ostrich syndrome is good sometimes. For me, the Noctilux is at the bottom of my list of things to worry about just below the Mats Sundin situation with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Honestly, I'm much more intrigued by the 21mm and 24mm Summiluxes. Tom, are you going to get one (or both) of these?