New Noctilux

[JHAG]

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First shot I saw don't seem to retain the same signature as the f 1.0.

More "clean" and apparently far less prone to distortions.

Is the cleaner the better ? Not sure. Might be more a "technical"

than poetic lens.

[alifie]

If the current f1 was released after the 0.95 we would all say, "What an awful lens..." or maybe not, perhaps there is a market for a plain window glass filter! To work properly it wold have to be made of 17th century glass though, churches world wide will have bits of their stained glass windows removed.

 

I'll swap my f1 for a 0.95 anytime, yes I will.

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[leicabug]

Havn't seen any photos yet. Too early to judge... Would someone post some photos please?

[Guest]

Leica Camera AG - Fotografie - NEU: LEICA NOCTILUX-M 1:0,95/50 mm ASPH.

[leitz_not_leica]

If shot wide open, why is there a polygonal highlight in the background?

[rsh]

Better or worse. New Noctilux vs old Noctilux. As always, the answers will be subjective. There will be no better or worse, just different. A different look, a different interpretation, a different view. Choices we all make.

[JBA]

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If shot wide open, why is there a polygonal highlight in the background?

 

Exactly what I was wondering.

[dpattinson]

Exactly what I was wondering.

 

Could be that the iris doesn't actually open fully for 0.95 - but that would seem to be a glaring oversight for a lens that many use primarily for it's bokeh.

[SJP]

Maybe it is using a pre-production simplified iris (with less leaves or whatever they are called) The top of the line lenses have a circular iris even when stopped down but I guess that required some additional design & precision manufacturing. The lens at photokina was a non-optimalised prototype so maybe that applies to the sample picture as well.

[endustry]

The rendering of this lens reminds me a lot of the Konica 60mm f/1.2. I'd like to see a sample of the .95 shot on a full-frame film M so we can see if/how bad it vignettes. I personally like the "ghostly lightbulbs" look of the old Nocti bokeh over the smooth smear of this image. I bought a 75 APO ASPH to see if I'd prefer it over my 75 Lux and kept the Lux because ithad more character to the OOF areas.

[guywalder]

perhaps there is a market for a plain window glass filter! To work properly it wold have to be made of 17th century glass though, churches world wide will have bits of their stained glass windows removed.

 

Lensbaby in Leica M mount??

[Guest darkstar2004]

Maybe it is using a pre-production simplified iris (with less leaves or whatever they are called) The top of the line lenses have a circular iris even when stopped down but I guess that required some additional design & precision manufacturing. The lens at photokina was a non-optimalised prototype so maybe that applies to the sample picture as well.

If that is the case, it makes no sense for them to do so IMHO.

 

If I were going to part with $10,000 to $11,000 American, I'd want to see images from a standard production run Noctilux before the financial bloodletting, not images from a hurry-up slapped together prototype.

[j. white]

I fully expected the new lens to draw differently than the non-aspherical version, and think the sample image shows some pleasant qualities. This definitely indicates a signature more aligned with the Summilux 50mm ASPH.

 

I agree that we really do want see shots from the the prooduction versions of the and that examples shot on film are important to understand the new designs vingetting properites.

 

Mostly though, I look forward to seeing more examples.

[Guest DuquesneG]

I am wondering, of all the new lenses they just released, who Leica expects will buy the new Noctilux at that price. Surely not a young, aspiring candid/street photographer ...unless he has a cushy trust-fund as HCB did. Surely not a newspaper photographer...unless the paper buys the lens. A wedding photographer, for candid shots....how long to amortize that kind of expenditure on one esoteric lens? I don't want to raise the "rich doctor/dentist/lawyer/collector" stench, but really, $10-11K for a 50mm lens (rather an in-between focal length, cropped by an M8's sensor) that's only a little bit more than just a stop faster than the Summilux-ASPH costing around a third (or quarter, used) as much? The Noctilux was always a slow seller in very limited quantity, and the price differential between it and the Lux was never even close to what it is now. Is this lens going to be a working lens for working photographers, or more of a Faberge egg?

[JHAG]

Its a glad product and a lab lens.

With it, Leica can claim and detain the title of "fastest lens" in the world's

maker.

Why Mercedes or Honda do formula one ?

They should have quite enough wealthy clients to justify such a development.

[mym6is12]

Yes - to justify this lens, one would presumably already have been regularly pushing the 50 f1.4 ASPH to it's limits.

 

For me the 21 and 24 f/1.4 are far more lust worthy, providing such a retina burning leap over the current f/2.8 lenses.

[Riccis]

I am wondering, of all the new lenses they just released, who Leica expects will buy the new Noctilux at that price. Surely not a young, aspiring candid/street photographer ...unless he has a cushy trust-fund as HCB did. Surely not a newspaper photographer...unless the paper buys the lens. A wedding photographer, for candid shots....how long to amortize that kind of expenditure on one esoteric lens? I don't want to raise the "rich doctor/dentist/lawyer/collector" stench, but really, $10-11K for a 50mm lens (rather an in-between focal length, cropped by an M8's sensor) that's only a little bit more than just a stop faster than the Summilux-ASPH costing around a third (or quarter, used) as much? The Noctilux was always a slow seller in very limited quantity, and the price differential between it and the Lux was never even close to what it is now. Is this lens going to be a working lens for working photographers, or more of a Faberge egg?

 

I am a working wedding photographer and I may buy it. I am waiting to compare its size, focus throw and ease of focusing with the old, slow Noctilux and if I feel it will help me in my line of work, it will definitely make its way to my bag... Like I stated before, I can not make art with the money in the bank and I'm fortunate to be in a position to recover my investment on my first wedding commission.

 

Cheers,

[JHAG]

I waited 2 years prior to buy the Noctilux 1.0.

I wouldn't buy it new of even second hand for 4 or 5 quids.

I wanted one, and I got it, when I found it for 2,4.

I might do the same in a few years from now, when Riccis

will sell me his before he buys the 0,85.

Meanwhile, the slow 1.0 fits me perfectly.

[fastdap@mac.com]

Yes - to justify this lens, one would presumably already have been regularly pushing the 50 f1.4 ASPH to it's limits.

 

For me the 21 and 24 f/1.4 are far more lust worthy, providing such a retina burning leap over the current f/2.8 lenses.

I love the "retina burning leap"!

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Hallo,

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[Riccis]

I waited 2 years prior to buy the Noctilux 1.0.

I wouldn't buy it new of even second hand for 4 or 5 quids.

I wanted one, and I got it, when I found it for 2,4.

I might do the same in a few years from now, when Riccis

will sell me his before he buys the 0,85.

Meanwhile, the slow 1.0 fits me perfectly.

 

:D I'll let you know... The main factor for me to buy does not depend on the 0.95 instead of f/1, but rather on wheter I can focus faster... Right now, I depend on the STEER to focus my Nocti which helps me tremendously.

 

Cheers,