Noctilux on RD-1 ?

fgianni

fgianni

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Given the short base of the RD-1 rangefinder, and the fact that with a crop factor of 1.5 the DOF of a 50mm lens is equivalent to the DOF of a full frame 61 mm lens, how difficult is to accurately focus a Noctilux at f1.0 on the RD-1?

Has anyone actually tried, and with what results?
 
It can be done (and I have done it), but the accuracy is a bit hit and miss (I should say that, given the razor thin DOF you might even encounter this problem on an M3). Note that unless you are using a tripod (kida moots the point of a fast lens, don't it?) the amount that I move back and forth normally when not braced against something like a wall or a doorjamb can obliterate good focus (quite apart from the camera shake issue). I have also run into this problem with a 90/2 wide open, a 50/1.4 wide open and a 135 wide open-- you get the idea. The problem is worst near the close-focus limit of the lens. The further away your subject, the less of a problem it is. Unfortunately I am not at home and can't post an example, but if you e-mail me a reminder at benmarks2003-at-yahoo-dot-com, I can send you some Epson RD-1 pics taken in February with a wide-open Noctilux.

Now having said all of this, it can be done and I have done it, but the Noctilux is a big, heavy, expensive lens and you have to be prepared to get a lower-than-usal number of technically accurate shots when using it wide-open and close up.

Sean, want to weigh in here?

Ben Marks
 
I was thinking tha twith the crop factor, it would make a nice portrait lens, I have been extremely pleased with my nokton's results, but not by the focal lenght (40mm is equivalent to 60mm which is too tele to be normal, and too wide to be a portrait lens), of course money is an issue, but weight and portability are more so. Maybe I should consider a lighter and cheaper solution (summilux?)
 
I find that the VC 50mm f1.5 is a superb lens on the R-D1 for portraits. At 75mm (effective), it works beautifully.
 
Have you checked out Sean Ried's review:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/fastlensreview.shtml


As for my personal experience...

I use the Noctilux as my main 50mm lens. That is mostly because I do a lot of low light shots of people and it is perfect for that application. You gets shots that you wouldn't have otherwise. Most of my shots are of people who aren't aware that I'm photographing them.. so I'm not sure if I would call them portraits. Some are close to being portraits. Certainly the field of view is good for portraits. I've taken some lovely portraits at a wedding using the Noctilux, but I think that the aperture was closer to f2.0 for the better portraits.

Just some personal impressions of the resulting photos when the aperture is wide open (these are opinions only and not meant to denegrate the lens itself). Wide-open noctilux photos have a different feel to them.. I often feel a strange sensation in my stomach when I look at Noctilux photos.. it is almost a physical effect rather than an emotional effect (it isn't just because I have a special affection for the lens :) ). Many talk about the painterly effect of the lens. The out of focus areas can look nice in some cases, and distracting in other cases. The distracting in cases are where the backround has lots of small light and dark patches and the lens paints these in a swirling pattern that can dominate the picture (I suppose this can be a good thing if you want that effect).


Benjamin Marks said:
It can be done (and I have done it), but the accuracy is a bit hit and miss (I should say that, given the razor thin DOF you might even encounter this problem on an M3).
Click to expand...

As Ben said, focus can be a bit hit-and-miss at f1.0, but I am happy enough with the number of in focus shots.

Note that unless you are using a tripod (kida moots the point of a fast lens, don't it?) the amount that I move back and forth normally when not braced against something like a wall or a doorjamb can obliterate good focus (quite apart from the camera shake issue).
Click to expand...

I've never quite worked out if I have this problem. At the moment I've begun using a monopod for extra support when using the 90/2.0 without the instrusiveness of a tripod. I will probably use this with the Noctilux too.

Now having said all of this, it can be done and I have done it, but the Noctilux is a big, heavy, expensive lens and you have to be prepared to get a lower-than-usal number of technically accurate shots when using it wide-open and close up.
Click to expand...


The lens is heavy, and at first I used to get a sore wrist, but I don't notice it any more. I think that the weight of the lens probably helps reduce camera shake. The focussing mechanism is more difficult to turn than for other lenses, and the throw is longer... this enables better focussing, but it makes the Noctilux difficult to use with faster moving objects. (That said, I've used it to photograph live dancing with some success.)

A quote from Sean's review:
I would not choose to use the R-D1/Noctilux combination at large apertures for fast work in low light, but would use instead the 50/1.4 Summilux or the 50/1.5 Nokton. Though the latter two are a stop slower than the Noctilux, they allow me to focus accurately and quickly on the R-D1 and they’re much sharper, lighter and more compact.
Click to expand...


The new Summilux 50/1.4 Asph will give you noticeably sharper shots at all apertures. I am considering whether it is worth me having the 1.4 as well as the Noctilux for those cases where f1.0 and f1.2 are not necessary. I can certainly survive OK with just the Noctilux.

I haven't looked into the CV 50/1.5, so I can't comment on it.

Phil
 
Ed Schwartzreic said:
I have never had much trouble with the Noctilux on my R-D1, once the RF had been carefully adjusted.

Ed
Click to expand...

How do you adjust the RF in the RD-1? (even if, at least with the 40mm Nokton at f1.4 mine seems spot-on, f1.0 is a completely different matter)
 
Thanks much, LCT.
The pictures in the first thread were indeed shot at f.1.
The first picture in the second thread was shot at f/2.8 if I remember well.

Best,

Dirk Van der Herten
 
Phil,

Thanks for saving me a lot of typing. Much obliged. Most of what I could think to say about the Noctilux on the R-D1 is in that review already.

Best,

Sean
 
fgianni said:
How do you adjust the RF in the RD-1? (even if, at least with the 40mm Nokton at f1.4 mine seems spot-on, f1.0 is a completely different matter)
Click to expand...

If you already have good focus wife open with the 40/1.4, then your rangefinder does not need adjustment. Mine was close-focusing when new, and I opted to have it adjusted (see archives) rather than request a new body.

Ed
 
Please check out my Noctilux Group in Flickr

Please check out my Noctilux Group in Flickr

Hi! Thank you to refer to my Nocti Photos on PBase.
I'd like to introduce you all that I have a lot more Noctilux shots on my Flickr Group which I'm organizing myself. Please come and check all the Nocti shots by the members. Cheers!
http://www.flickr.com/groups/noctilux/
;)
 
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