Morca007
Matt
I bought this Nokton 50 about two months ago, but didn't get to use it (moving complications) until this past weekend. I am quite happy with it and glad to finally be using a modern lens instead of my Jupiter-8.
Compared to the J-8:
-It is much larger and heavier; With the shade on it blocks about 25% of the 50mm framelines on my Bessa R.
-Much better flare response.
-Sharper/More contrasty.
APX 400 @ EI 320 in Diafine:
Probably the only roll of APX 400 that I have actually liked, and the first I've exposed at under box speed.
Arista Premium 400 (Tri-X) @ EI 640-800 in Diafine:
I should probably rate this stuff closer to 1200.
Processing notes:
Developing- Twist agitation every thirty seconds.
Digital capture- Scanned on Canon 8600F flatbed at 1200DPI with as little correction applied as possible.
Photoshop- Crop, Levels adjust, Dust/Scratch removal, resize.
Compared to the J-8:
-It is much larger and heavier; With the shade on it blocks about 25% of the 50mm framelines on my Bessa R.
-Much better flare response.
-Sharper/More contrasty.
APX 400 @ EI 320 in Diafine:
Probably the only roll of APX 400 that I have actually liked, and the first I've exposed at under box speed.
Arista Premium 400 (Tri-X) @ EI 640-800 in Diafine:
I should probably rate this stuff closer to 1200.
Processing notes:
Developing- Twist agitation every thirty seconds.
Digital capture- Scanned on Canon 8600F flatbed at 1200DPI with as little correction applied as possible.
Photoshop- Crop, Levels adjust, Dust/Scratch removal, resize.
mdspace
Established
One of my favorite lens
One of my favorite lens
Nice photos. I one of my favorite lens for portrails.
Congratulations! You will not regret about this lens my friend.
One of my favorite lens
Nice photos. I one of my favorite lens for portrails.
Congratulations! You will not regret about this lens my friend.
nome_alice
Established
very nice photos. the more you use the nokton 50 the more you'll love it.
it's my favourite lens of all time, and one of the cheapest.
it's my favourite lens of all time, and one of the cheapest.
P. Lynn Miller
Well-known
I like the Nokton 50/1.5 so much that I have 2 of them. Is my most used 50mm for sure, the lens that lives on my M5.
Nice photographs and enjoy your Nokton.
Nice photographs and enjoy your Nokton.
Gaspar
Established
I got one whith my bessa r. It is the reason why I use a rangefinder. The lens is my favourite 50mm for both colour and sharpness.
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
Me too. I have one in LTM mount and one in Nikon SC mount. Truly a bit of an unsung hero among medium fast 50's. Sharper than the pre-asph Summilux 50 and considerably cheaper too. This was one of the first lenses I got in the CV line. This was the first run and it does chip paint a bit, but that does not affect performance at all!
Ron (Netherlands)
Well-known
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M. Valdemar
Well-known
Am I missing something? I don't think any of those posted photos are particularly sharp.
(Don't know if it's the lens or focus error though)
(Don't know if it's the lens or focus error though)
Morca007
Matt
Most of them were shot wide open and probably have bit of focus error.
M. Valdemar
Well-known
So why don't you post some sharp photos if you're talking about how sharp this lens is?
No offense, but those photos could have been taken with a Brownie Starflash. Plus, you're blowing the highlights.
No offense, but those photos could have been taken with a Brownie Starflash. Plus, you're blowing the highlights.
Morca007
Matt
Not that I feel like feeding the trolls, but I've got a roll of Ektar coming this way and I'll make sure to take a few photos at f/8 of a brick wall, just for you.
M. Valdemar
Well-known
I'm not trolling, serious question. You discuss the lens sharpness, why not post some sharp photos?
M. Valdemar
Well-known
This was taken with an Epson R-D1, and a Russian Jupiter lens that had a big crack in the front element that I bought for a dollar:
This guy wanted to look at my camera and told me he was also a "photographer".
This guy wanted to look at my camera and told me he was also a "photographer".
Phantomas
Well-known
That cracked lens sure is one crackin sharp mother! Nice.
nome_alice
Established
sharpness won't save a boring photo.
what the original poster's photos show is the character and rendering of the nokton which to me is more important than sharpness.
if i was after sharpness i'd collect knives.
what the original poster's photos show is the character and rendering of the nokton which to me is more important than sharpness.
if i was after sharpness i'd collect knives.
35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
nice work. dont feed the trolls. you think its cracked, wait until you rip some Ektar. WOW> I bought 20 rolls brought new life to the old folder!
Its Potra 160NC and Ektar 100 for this MP.
Its Potra 160NC and Ektar 100 for this MP.
climbing_vine
Well-known
Look, Valdemar may or may not be a d**k, but his question here wasn't trolling. I thought the same thing. There are plenty of forums around where a bunch of people just sit there saying, "Yeah, great capture!" to goof-off blurry shots of someone's cats, or their friend standing on the corner. Lord knows we don't need another. And the OP wasn't even claiming that these were anything but test shots, for god sake's, so what's the deal with the internet heroes trying to defend his honor which he is perfectly capable of defending himself, as need be? Get a life.
To the OP: I can't tell anything about the lens from those shots, without you saying more about what you think you're seeing. Can you talk more about your evaluation vis a vis the J-8?
To the OP: I can't tell anything about the lens from those shots, without you saying more about what you think you're seeing. Can you talk more about your evaluation vis a vis the J-8?
35mmdelux
Veni, vidi, vici
climbing_vine
Well-known
Sorry, my friend, you've mistaken me for someone else.
I never melt down. Everyone can take their junior troll police act back to the kiddie pool or the sandbox or wherever it came from, is all I'm sayin'.Morca007
Matt
I can't tell anything more than you at this point, as I've only shot the two rolls (mostly wide open, and carelessly exposed). I just wanted to share some photos, not conduct a lens test. Although, on the next roll I shoot I may do some side-by-side comparisons with the J-8.
Edit: To add to that, I suppose I can talk about the physical qualities of the lens. The Nokton feels much better built than the J-8, though it isn't a fair comparison, given that my Jupiter was probably built a good 35 years before the Nokton was even designed.
It is interesting to switch over from the Jupiter's completely stopless aperture ring, though it is not as abrupt as it could be since the Nokton has click-stops every half stop from f/2.0 up to f/16. Combined with the Bessa's - o + meter the stopless ring was quite convenient.
Edit again: Valdemar, I'm surprised the lens even works with a large crack, and yet it looks plenty sharp. Good find.
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