New Noctilux will be launched...

[Leitzmac]

In response to people's protestations regarding price, I recall something my father used to say "There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person's lawful prey"

Leica make fantastic gear that enables the photographer to create excellent images, but the other point which is important to me is that it tends to be very robust and therefore you only need to pay a very high price once. So many things today have a limited life expectancy and we "buy cheap, buy twice" (or more times). I agree that the Noctilux was a very expensive lens, but I'd rather buy gear once, pay a bit more and be able to depend on it than worry that it might let me down. What price for peace of mind in the digital age when computers, mobile phones, cameras employing complicated electronics etc. constantly, inexplicably malfunction?

The other point is that despite the Noctilux being a weighty lens it is wonderfully versatile, the properties others have mentioned including shallow DOF (wide open), light fall off towards edges (wide open), ethereal softness (wide open) and low light capability convinced me to buy the lens and I can tell you that it rarely comes off one of my bodies. I don't even use my Summilux 50 anymore because if I want a crisper image with greater depth of field and less corner shading I can simply stop the Noctilux down. Mind you the performance at 1.4 may not be as good as the Summilux.

I was slightly intimidated by the price (second hand in my case), but I've never for a moment regretted spending that money. I'd be curious to see what a new Noctilux had to offer but I think I'm happy enough with mine and wouldn't want to sell it and having two Noctilux (even if they did have slightly varying signatures) might be just a little too decadent for me!

*fascinating information on the anneal span, never knew so much time was needed to produce the finished product - thanks to those who posted those comments*

[maddoc2003jp]

... maybe a new, refined Noctilux will be made, maybe not. I am glad that I bought mine used at the end of last year, when I still could afford one. It is a very good lens for low light use but as others have stated, it can be used stopped down a bit also quite well:

@ f/5.6