New Leica M Nokton 50mm F1.2

[ktmrider]

I picked up the lens about two weeks ago. It replaced the 50f1.1 Nokton which seems to need a calibration (bought used and not used much). Without the lens hood, there is no blockage of the 50mm frame line in my MP240.

I picked up a vented 52mm hood from eBay for $7 as $110 seems a bit steep for a piece of metal, especially one which does not bear the Leica stamp. The hood seems to be a pretty standard size and fits the 52mm UV filter just fine. So, without hood no blockage and with hood about 10%.

 

[35photo]

I picked up the lens about two weeks ago. It replaced the 50f1.1 Nokton which seems to need a calibration (bought used and not used much). Without the lens hood, there is no blockage of the 50mm frame line in my MP240.

I picked up a vented 52mm hood from eBay for $7 as $110 seems a bit steep for a piece of metal, especially one which does not bear the Leica stamp. The hood seems to be a pretty standard size and fits the 52mm UV filter just fine. So, without hood no blockage and with hood about 10%.

Thanks for the info! Do you have any color image shot with it you could share? Interested in the color compared to the Lux 1.4 APSH...

 

[giganova]

On you tube today on photographer was saying the 50mm f1.2 Nikkor let more light through than the canon 50mm f1.2?

It lets more of the better photons through. 😛

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

50mm12__1 by Peter_Christoph_Ross, on Flickr


50mm12__3 by Peter_Christoph_Ross, on Flickr


50mm12__5 by Peter_Christoph_Ross, on Flickr


50mm12__4 by Peter_Christoph_Ross, on Flickr


all @ f1.2

oh! yorckstr. / großgörschenstr.? i used to live up hochkirchstr. years ago. hello.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

I recently acquired the CV 50mm Nokton f/1.2 for a very good price. Although I haven't yet done a direct comparison with my other fast 50mm lenses (CV 50mm f/1.1, CV 40mm f/1.2, and Leica 50mm Asph Summilux), I've been underwhelmed by the 50mm f/1.2 so far. It has the worst barrel distortion of any 50mm lens I've owned. While it is easily correctible in Photoshop, I find it annoying nonetheless. While Flavio Bosi points this out in his review, he downplays it - other reviewers don't even mention it.

As much as I've complained about the CV 50mm f/1.1 renderings over the years (I'm on my fourth copy), at this point I'm finding it much more compelling compared to the CV 50mm f/1.2.

Leica M10-P
CV 50mm Nokton f/1,2 - note the barrel distortion on the horizon (requires a -3 correction)

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I've been using mine on the M9 for the past week, on vacation. Brought it as it uses the same 52mm filters as the 35/1.2 Nokton.
Ended up leaving the 35/1.2 on the M Monochrom.

 

[Archiver]

I recently acquired the CV 50mm Nokton f/1.2 for a very good price. Although I haven't yet done a direct comparison with my other fast 50mm lenses (CV 50mm f/1.1, CV 40mm f/1.2, and Leica 50mm Asph Summilux), I've been underwhelmed by the 50mm f/1.2 so far. It has the worst barrel distortion of any 50mm lens I've owned. While it is easily correctible in Photoshop, I find it annoying nonetheless. While Flavio Bosi points this out in his review, he downplays it - other reviewers don't even mention it.

As much as I've complained about the CV 50mm f/1.1 renderings over the years (I'm on my fourth copy), at this point I'm finding it much more compelling compared to the CV 50mm f/1.2.

Interesting about the barrel distortion, I don't think I've used any 50 with noticeable barrel distortion. Maybe the CV APO 50 would be a better choice, aperture aside.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

The USS Wisconsin?

 

[Sonnar Brian]

USS North Carolina-

 

[Bill Blackwell]

This is really bad!!!

Leica M10-P
CV 50mm Nokton f/1.2
Some of the worst pincushion distortion I've ever seen in a 50mm lens. I don't think I'm going to be keeping it.

 

[sebastel]

Do you really mean barrel distortion?

For your reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distortion_(optics)

 

[Bill Blackwell]

Do you really mean barrel distortion?

For your reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distortion_(optics)

That's exactly what I meant. ...

Barrel distortion describes a type of distortion wherein lines that are straight in real life appear to curve inwards (like the walls of a barrel). ...

 

[Sonnar Brian]

From Kingslake, Lenses in Photography. 1951.

This Internet site

https://www.masterclass.com/articles...cal-distortion

"What Is Barrel Distortion?


Barrel distortion describes a type of distortion wherein lines that are straight in real life appear to curve inwards (like the walls of a barrel)."

Seems to have it described incorrectly. I am inclined to not want to pay the $15/month membership fee to take classes from that author. The book by Kingslake was less than that in a used bookstore. I'm having a hard time envisioning a barrel that curves inwards.

As shown by the Kingslake Figure, Barrel Distortion described the condition where straight lines are imaged as curves bowing out, away from the center. Pin Cushion distortion is the reverse, straight lines are imaged as curves bowing towards the center. A diagram in the "masterclass" article would have helped. You correct either distortion by applying the reverse. You need to make the curves of the image suffering from Barrel distortion curve inwards until they are lines again. Easy to do with modern image processing software. Took a little more work in FORTRAN.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

Okay - makes sense. Thanks for the clarification, Brian.

Whatever you want to call it - it's bad.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The 50mm F1.2 Noctilux of the 1960s was tested with pronounced barrel distortion.

So if you put it back-to-back with the Nokton, would correct the image.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Found a good example- shows the Pincushion Distortion. EDIT: I need to use this lens Uncoded.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Pin Cushion Distortion will make people look thinner. Barrel Distortion makes people look fatter.

Most of the classic F1.2 50mm lenses suffer from moderate to pronounced barrel distortion. Maybe the Cosina optical engineers got tired of people yelling at them that their lenses made them look fat.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Given that the Leica 50/1.2 Noctilux suffers from pronounced Barrel Distortion, it is probably best to not code the Nokton as the Leica 50/1.2.
Applying the geometric correction for a lens without barrel distortion will make it appear to show pincushion distortion.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

Given that the Leica 50/1.2 Noctilux suffers from pronounced Barrel Distortion, it is probably best to not code the Nokton as the Leica 50/1.2.
Applying the geometric correction for a lens without barrel distortion will make it appear to show pincushion distortion.

Actually, that has occurred to me. But, some reviewers have noted pincushion (at least one calls it "barrel") distortion form the Nokton f/1.2 requiring a -3 correction; some of my pics require a -4 correction.

I'm going to try the lens on film to see if it makes a difference.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Results on film will be interesting- I look forward to the results.