Noctilux Photos

Here's one, and if martin s checks back this resembles the Elliot Erwitt shot he mentions.

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Dirk: great, thoughtful and lucid post. I'm blown away at the depth and expanse of your mind and overview of the Noctilux. You really are an excellent writer. I dare say that the assemblage of your words has its own unique signature. Very poetic. You just go ahead and make any future post as long as you want. I'll read every word. In fact, I'm inspired to go and shoot with the Noctilux. And even though I haven't seen your Noctilux images yet, I can tell you already get it and I'm really looking forward to more of your writing and what I'm sure will be stunningly beautiful images from the Noctilux.

Oleg, thank you very much for the encouragement. Very much appreciated.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

Gregory
 
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Nikkor AIS said:
Dirk, great thoughtful and lucid post. I'm blown away at the depth and expanse of your mind and overview of the Noctilux. You really are an excellent writer. I dare say that your assemblance of you words have there own unique signature. Very poetic. You just go ahead and make any future post as long as as long as you want. I 'll read every word. In fact Im inspired to go and shot with the Noctilux. And even though I havnt seen your Noctilux imgaes yet, I can tell you already get it and Im really looking forward to ore of your writing and what Im sure wil be stunning beautiful images from the Noctilux.
…
Gregory
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Thanks Gregory - too kind words though ;-)

C_R said:
Dirk, great writing. Love your term "angel dust" 🙂 I have my E60 version six weeks now, still in honeymoon mode... A great lens, always on my M9.
Waiting for your Nocti shots to come !
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Thanks Carsten - I can fully understand your feelings towards your lens 😀

Too bad, my better half has finally spotted, that I am with a new one since a few days - she must have sensed something 🙄

As I have promised, I picked some of the shots, I took during the last days and share them here.
I got a blog post here:
http://www.teknopunk.com/en/Blog/Entries/2010/7/15_Leica_Noctilux_f1%3A1_-_seeing_the_night.html
A small gallery of first shots here:
http://www.teknopunk.com/en/gallery_/Pages/noctilux.html#grid

You find a few from the focus target kinds and a few from Shanghai's streets. As I have written already, I am very impressed by how usable and easy to operate this lens is - focusing is quick and easy.
Most shots, you find from the Noct on my site are shot from a moving car - some even on also moving targets - I love this way of shooting actually ;-)

Some kids say - this is only possible with an AF body and image stabilisation - I say, you just have to looove shooting ;-)

Here is a few to share:

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"motor cycle taxi @ night" | south shanghai | M8.2 | ISO2500 | f1

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"motor cycle taxi @ night" | 1:1 crop

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"flashlight" | french quarter | M8.2 | f1

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"funky" | shanghai - xinzhuang | M8.2 | ISO640 | ~f2.8 | 1/60 + car shake ;-)

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"nosy" | shanghai - minhang district | M8.2 | f1.4

I never, ever display shots of people in improper situations - never!
This was such an awkward scene, as the car in front of us shortly stopped, I have seen the scene, chosen f2, exposure, focussed and waited about 1 1/2 sec, in hope, she would take her finger out of her nose, as she made for a beautiful image - I liked the scene. The car started to move on and she didn't give me a chance - f… it and trigger the camera.

It's a nice shot with wonderful detailed hair do, eye lashes, shoes and all - too bad, I won't be able to print or show it otherwise big :-(

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"the look - toll gate drive through" | shanghai - minhang district | M8.2 | ~f1.4

The moment, I pressed the shutter, she turns her eyes and looked directly in the lens - I smiled, she smiled in surprise, while we drove through.
When I saw her look on the screen, I thought "wow!"

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"the look - toll gate drive through" | 1:1 crop

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"bike shop" | shanghai - xinzhuang | M8.2 | ~f1.4

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"bike shop" | 1:1 crop - see her ear ring?

I am just amazed by the Noct + M8.2 combo!

This post was a bit technical - next will have just photographs ;-)
 
martin, this was taken in the head car of the Metro North train from Connecticut into NYC. I pulled this from the Gallery and it had been downsized so it doesn't do justice to the shot.
 
Dirk, you posted some really great shots. You are doing really well considering the short time you have had the Noctilux. It's great to see some images of Shanghai, especially at night. Fantastic atmosphere and mood in your shots. Have you gotten to use the Noctilux on a film body yet? Anyways, looking forward to seeing more of your work in the future.
I think you're right about stepping back on the truck and the cone. But what are you going to do. Thanks for the kind words about the cloud picture. I like that one too.

Gregory
 
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some Shanghai shots from last night | strictly f1

some Shanghai shots from last night | strictly f1

Gregory, thanks for the comments ;-)
Enjoying your shots on the various fora - that cat shot in the truck looks vicious 😱
Whats up with the finger of the biker?

DoveVadar - love the shot in the train! Very beautiful and moody photo for every RF lover ;-)

Carsten - the hat shot is a wonderful catch!
I love, when you head home after shooting the night and think about which of the shots will turn out good or bad, when you re visit them in your head.
Sometimes, there are the surprisers - I love that!

Cron - more shots of the Caddy?

I am loving the Noctilux every shot, I have time for it ;-)
Had an interesting walk through Shanghai last night and watched people going after their life during closing hours through midnight.

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"man loves dog loves man"
… a very gentle master, caring for his little friend during a break from walking in the heat.

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"smoke"
… smoking at the red light after getting the groceries one the way home.

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"racing tricyle"
… heading home after work, racing through Weihai Lu. Learning to pan and focus with wide open lenses at Le Mans helped, to work the f1 lens closer up here.

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"closing shop"

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"dress"

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"the bird cage maker"
… was packing up to head home late.

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"the bird cage maker's shop"
… he works actually open air directly on the street.

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"bike for sale"
… these mini bikes are fashion with the youth. You find them either as cross or racing bikes, built on the street legal small bikes. This was up for sale, as the owner needed cash: 800,-RMB, as the writing says.

More on my website in a few minutes ;-)
 
Dirk, great shots of Shanghai. The racing tricycle is my favourite of this series but they're all terrific. The shot of the man and the little dog is also very nice. Thanks for the kind words about my work. The pay is nothing but I make up for it in volume 🙂. I also must say it's great to have you posting on the Nikon Cafe. You're a great addition and your contributions are appreciated.

One thing I've been thinking about is how Noctilux images remind me of the look I get with the Nikkor 300 2.0 IF-ED AIS.
Although the Nikkor is clearly longer and slower, the depth of field is very much the same.

Gregory
 
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Nikkor AIS said:
Dirk, great shots of Shanghai. The racing tricycle is my favourite of this series but they're all terrific. The shot of the man and the little dog is also very nice. Thanks for the kind words about my work. …
Gregory
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Gregory - here is one more, which I like (still in playing mode and panning the Noctilux @ 1/30 − 1/45 was fun):

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"chasing the pack"
… while two friends had a chat during their ride, no.3 silently is catching up in the chase.

Did I post the kitchen shots already?

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"busy kitchen"
… about 6 sqm, 3 cooks and a full restaurant

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"kitchen … chair"
… every shop during the night has a chair or two for having a small break, a smoke or just a short nap on the side walk, as its a hot night.

Carsten - the 3 children with ice cream is absolutely bliss! Great photograph - you know the beaten saying: "I wish, I had taken that one!" 😉
 
Fujitsu said:
Must say the f1 noct and digital dont play too well together... quite harsh bokeh. It looks way softer on negative film.
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I don't believe, this has to do with film or digital.
What many people still don't get is the fact, that fast lenses display different oof rendering depending on focus distance, subject to background distance, moon phase, mood of the photographer and of course the weather - be it a 5000 EUR lens or a 500 EUR lens.

The f1 Noct is known for it's character of either giving the smoothest looking molten background or psychedelic disk shaped highlights - the 60 Hexanon, which I was shortly interested in also before getting a Noct shows this as well, as many other high speed lenses.

Carsten's shot above is a rather extreme example of the busy oof background type - interestingly his shot of the trash can above shows a similar character, but way tuned down.

In my shots, I came never to such extreme situations (maybe because I didn't use it in daylight). In some, there is a hint of shaped oof details, but mainly they look VERY smooth.

Look above my portrait of Alex with his wife's new M8.2 - how creamy do you want it (this is shot at ~ f1.4 - f2 - I don't remember)? The "busy background" there is actually no highlights, but indeed round shaped camera lenses and silver lens caps - no strange "bokeh" there.

The new Noct looks in fact cleaner (thanks Vlad for the wonderful shots from the model and the car interior), but the "old one" is far from playing bad with digital ;-)

My shots so far all were made with a digital M8.2.
 
One of the things that I find challenging about using the Noctilux is the fact that the bokeh can't be seen in the viewfinder. You just kind of have to know what you're going to get from the experience. And I agree there are "many" factors that determine what your background is going to look like at the end of the image chain. I'm not so sure I'm willing to say that the Noct doesn't play well with digital. I wonder if film thickness has anything to do with the bokeh.

Gregory
 
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