New 50mm F-1.0, a good "standard lens" or a special case?

[kajabbi]

Francisco, with the advent of Digital, I doubt if the manufacturers will spend the necessary R&D on such a product anytime soon. HOWEVER, if the market should demand it, a lens that fast would theoretically possible.
It is my view, however, that if "digital noise" can be completely eliminated at higher speeds(ie. 400,800,1600.3200.) then the need for fast standard lenses will substantially DECREASE.

 

[Doug]

Hmmm... Sensitive media plus slow lenses with short focal lengths makes it hard to limit DOF. Well, we can add attractive bokeh electronically, can't we. 🙂

 

[kajabbi]

95% of the Digital users do so because they can look at the "TV" screne and know which way to point the "D-----" thing.

 

[pkn]

i've one in me bag. paul must be weaker than me 3 year old, hell it's only a pound and a quarter!

 

[jmsfoto]

I like the Nocto alot I love low light capability of it and love the look of portraits taken at f 1 , however, I don't use it that often and the f/2 stays in my bag always. ( I borrow the f/1 from my boss) that way I don't have to shell out $2K myself...I don't know if I would spring for one, but it is fun to use🙂

 

[jdos2]

That "fun" of course is the reason most people use any lens.

It's an interesting idea, that 1.0 lens. Completely impractical right now, but interesting.

 

[former member]

I have "Temporarily" satisfied my "Noctilust" with a Canon 50mm F0.95 for two reasons: I could not believe that any lens could be as bad as "some other" Leica Forums claimed it was; and I got it for $200 on a BIN over lunch. I lucked out and got the non-TV version. If you get a TV lens, I have seen instructions on the 'Net for adapting it to an M Mount.

This shot is the 2nd taken with the lens. RF was right on with my Canon 7, no fine adjustments required. Very limited DOF; but little or no vignetting wide-open. Shooting a few rolls with it did not produce the flare or other faults that "made it worse than the bottom of a coke bottle" according to some. In my opinion, overall sharpness compares with a Canonet QL17.

Now I just need someone to list a Noctilux for a $200 BIN thinking that it is an Elmar.

"Tough Day at Pre-K", Canon 7 w 50mm F0.95 wide-open.

 

[HelenB]

Goodness Brian,
That looks like a lot of depth of field for f/0.95!
Best,
Helen

 

[jdos2]

Um...
I did, in fact, answer my own question.

About a month before I went back to Portugal, I decided to trade in just about all other cameras I own, as I was going to finally commit to the Leica (in Portugal, pronounced "Leeka")
So I got a Noctilux, a 135 Elmarit, and a Contax IIIa Colordial (and working meter) which takes the CV 21mm and who's shutter is rather better than the Kievs...
Anyway.

It's a "Yes," by the way. The Noc is heavy, but completely usable as a normal lens. It does have its idiosyncrasies, but it's not nearly as hard to focus right as many have claimed. I have lots of practice on cameras without the sharp-edge spot of the Leica, and found the Noctilux just as easy to focus as any other. No blown shots for focus, exposure, or any other reason- a record for me.
It's a nice lens. I am used to carrying around a Mamiya Universal and though the Noctilux won't ever replace that wonderful f/2.8 100mm, it certainly falls in line next to the other lenses I have for my MP.

Bring along an 8x ND filter, a 60-62 step up ring, and slow film. Wide open in the daylight is fun!

I've found that I do spend lots of time in restaurants and other dim places, so it's a perfect all-arounder for me.

The attached picture is Tri-X shot at 1250, with a Wide Open Noc for exposure, in a sushi bar near the Ponte Salazar (apenas bricando!). A touch grainy, but not objectionably so. Not my best work, but the first out of the soup.

 

[aizan]

50mm summilux asph 50mm summilux asph 50mm summilux asph 50mm summilux asph 50mm summilux asph 50mm summilux asph 50mm summilux asph 50mm summilux asph

yeah, that.

 

[jdos2]

Ha!

Try to find one at a decent price. They don't yet exist at the "Black G2 plus 28,45, and 90mm lenses" pricepoint. "now" is better than "later," at times.

🙂

 

[jaapv]

D. Laney writes in his book (I have the German version, Leicaobjective in der Praxis)
" Certainly not an universal lens. In bright light the results do not even come close to
a Summicron 2.0". I would love to check that statement 😀

 

[M like Leica M6]

I own a similar lens, a Voigtländer 1.2/35mm. This lens is excellent, but heavy and big - the Noctilux is even heavier and bigger. After a day in the street I sometimes wish I had a 2/35 instead because my hand is aching from the weight, but on the other hand I would feel like a snob if I had two prime lenses of the same focal length. I am sometimes happy about the extra possibilities that a 1.2 lens gives me, but in 95% of the cases I could easily go without, and in fact I use my Summicron 2/50 very, very often, also because it is ultra-sharp. With a Mamiya 7 you are not really used to compact equipment, but try a Leica with a 2/50 or 2/35 and feel the difference.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Lovely bottle. I borrowed one from a very generous friend for a year. Yes, it's huge and heavy, which for me tells against it more than any lack of image quality as compared with the 50 Summicron (which I used so little I sold it 12 years ago). My 'standard' lens is the last pre-aspheric 35/1.4, which I love because it's so compact -- but I'm seriously wondering about borrowing another 50/1 for a forthcoming trip. ANY 50 is a bit specialist for me so being 'double-specialist' doesn't worry me too much. If I can't borrow the 50/1 I might even take my old 50/1,2 Canon, where the image quality is abysmal next to the Noctilux, let alone the Summicron: the speed matters more to me than the quality.

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)

 

[jdos2]

I keep with me a 35mm ASPH Summilux (also the widest I have) when I need a wider field of view. Mamiya 7? Ha! I sold THAT lightweight a while ago- the Universal with the 250mm weighs in at close to 4 kilos!

🙂

I'd someday like a Summilux ASPH 50mm, but the Noc is still a pretty good optic. I took lots and lots of pictures with it, and indeed it can be used as a standard lens, for me. The arguments of weight don't hold water, but that's personal, and I know it- many folks prefer lighter, smaller, and faster focusing. After I got practiced, none of it made a difference to me, and I've yet to miss a shot, or be uncomfortable as a result of what I mentioned.

I love the diversity of opinion as we express it on this forum, and thanks all!

 

[Beniliam]

This is my opinion: the super speed lens are fantastic for nightshots, but I believe that when you use an aperture like 1 - 1.2 - 1.4, you need a very accurate focus, because when you miss the focus at this apertures, the image appear blured. I think, for me, that the best option to take relative sharp pictures is make the photos between 1.4 and 2. Obviously the super speed lens are big, heavy, and probably enter in your viewfinder... I prefer lens smalls and portables

 

[egpj]

I's true that the Nocti is not known for tack sharp photos at f1 but if you are looking for that "painterly" effect then get the Nocti. I have used mine allot and it always performs well for me. That having been said I do not believe that I have mastered this lens after having it for a year. It is merciless if you try to use it at the one meter focus distance. I find that setting it at about two meters focus and then moving closer or farther away from the subject to fine tune my focus gives me better results. An amazing lens and you can see some examples of photos taken with this lens in my gallery. I like it allot for portraits in available light. That soft look with a beautiful women. Nothing like it!

 

[Doug]

JD, I'm glad you found the Noc to your liking! And I'm heeding your words too, since I don't object to packing around a 645 camera either (I do wish their lenses were faster). Not the Noctilux for me, I think, but I've been tempted by the 35 Nocton and Summilux.

 

[StuartR]

David Oliver, the great Australian photographer uses the noctilux to deadly effect. It is an excellent lens, but for that particular crazy bokeh quality, I just go for a summicron collapsible. Obviously it does not have the same miniscule plane of focus, but it is still pretty small at f/2 and it seems to have a similar character to it.

As for the 50/1.4 ASPH, I bought one last week and it is absurd. What a freaking amazing lens. I am working on a writeup on it and I just posted a few photos on the leica forum at photo.net. It can be had for a "reasonable" price if you look around. I got mine for 2200 new. Grey market, but 2 year warranty. It has perfectly damped focus and aperture, the locking hood is great, and it is not much bigger than the summicron. Its sharpness at f/1.4 is pretty darn close to the summicron at f/2. It only gets better from there.

 

[Doug]

The attached picture is Tri-X shot at 1250, with a Wide Open Noc for exposure, in a sushi bar near the Ponte Salazar (apenas bricando!). A touch grainy, but not objectionably so. Not my best work, but the first out of the soup.

JD, in further examining your photo I see something curious around the woman's arm... You know how illustrators often draw a sketchy line outside the line of the actual object to indicate motion? I see a faint hint of that particularly near her wrist, elbow, and shoulder. Was her arm moving, and was that a slowish shutter speed? Almost more noticeable peripherally than directly... And her fingers are more blurred, yet the menu (?) is not as blurred... odd.