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Decision Paralysis


drcamills

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I have glass fever and decision paralysis this is a bad combination and i've run out of reviews to read.

So I turn to this forum for my first ever question though it has answered many since becoming a Leica convert 8 months ago. (Thanks Jaap)

 

I'm changing my 50 cron for something a bit faster as the noise I get with higher ISOs on my M9 is affecting too many good photos. However I love the cron for when the light is good.

I'd like to here from those who have owned / used the 50 lux and the 50 nokton 1.1

From what I can tell from reviews / flickr - wide open the pre-asph lux and nokton look much the same but I'm interested to know how they stack up in good light and closed down.

 

Which one do you still own

 

How does the nokton handle flare / general out door work.

 

Other glass - 35cron, 75 summarit

 

Thanks

Chris

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Guest jarski

Noktons speeds comes with the price of size and weight. I own 50Lux non-asph and its just great. ideal for full frame M9, and camera stays in balance.

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I currently have both the Summilix Asph and the Nokton. There's no comparison. The Nokton is a wonderful lens that approximates, for much less money, some of the attributes of the Noctilux 1.0. But the Summilux ASPH is, in my opinion, the best Leica lens. Period. Full stop. (Sometimes I weaken and think it is the 75mm Summicron, but then I come to my senses: it's the 50 Summilux ASPH that takes the prize.) It is versatile -- great bokeh wide open, razor sharp across the spectrum. If you get the Nokton, it would be useful for you in some situations. If you get the Summilux, it will be useful in ALL situations.

 

Also, if the price of a new Summilux ASPH is daunting, I also once owned the pre-ASPH Summilux, and it is similarly an incredible lens in all situations.

 

If you want a comparison of the Nokton vs. the 1.0 Noctilux, there's a gallery on my Zenfolio site below you might appreciate.

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You are probably aware that the 50/1.4 asph is one of the most respected Leica M lenses. This lens is as close to perfect all around as you might find. It is also very expensive and in short supply .so expect to pay $3200-3500 for a mint lens. Very hard to find new.

 

The pre asph 50/1.4 runs about $1500-2250 depending on the mount/finish. The black anodized version can be found around $1500 and the chrome a little more. A black paint version is superb but the glass is the same . The big deal about the pre asph is that its lower contrast wide open and is less corrected for SA resulting in a very nice bokeh. Its rendering is a lot like the 50 summicron(but with better bokeh) as you stop it down and by 5.6 its has the strong leica look.

 

The ability to dial in the level of contrast is useful and makes the lens versatile . I like it better on the M8 were it served as a very nice short portrait lens . On the M9 ..I much prefer the 50asph...but its twice as expensive.

 

If you go with a pre asph look for the newest model with the pull out hood and the e46 filter as its focuses to 0.7M .

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I use a pre-a Summilux & was tempted by the Nokton, but studied photographs taken with it & decided I didn't like its bokeh. It tends to produce double-ringed blobs that look too harsh to me. The pre-a Lux produces just enough aberrations for Leica 'glow,' while the ASPH lacks that virtue or flaw (whichever way you look at it).

 

Kirk

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These lenses have different purposes and, more importantly, they render very differently, to my eyes at least, in terms of color and bokeh. This is why I keep both.

But if I had to choose one, it would be the Lux.

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These lenses have different purposes and, more importantly, they render very differently, to my eyes at least, in terms of color and bokeh. This is why I keep both.

But if I had to choose one, it would be the Lux.

 

This had crossed my mind however other people who help decide how I spend money consider two 50mm lenses excessive!

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Two 50mm lenses is not excessive (or two 35mm, either). I owned a Summicron and a late pre-ASPH Summilux. The 'cron was for perfection across the image field, when in manageable light. The old 'lux was not only faster (these were Kodachrome days) but also far more resistant to flare and internal reflections. But it had a bit of focus shift, and noticeable definition fall-off in the outer reaches unless I stopped it down to f:8.

 

So I sold both and bought the Summilux ASPH when it came on the market. It is in all respects a superlens. And still I own two 50mm lenses!

 

The other one is a collapsible 50mm Elmar 2.8 from 1960. It is perfectly practical on a M9, you must only remember to mount ot dismount the lens only when it is erected (but you can collapse it on the camera without any danger). Wide open, that lens gives me lots of 'Leica glow' while it is quite decent at 5.6 or 8. And it can be had for a song (OK, a Leica song ...)

 

Horses for courses and scratches for itches.

 

The old man from the Age of the Four Lens Elmar

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but I'm interested to know how they stack up in good light and closed down.

All I can tell you is that the 50mm 'lux asph is fabulous stopped down and wide open. Its a lens which exhibits little performance variation throughout its aperture range and compares far more than favourably with any other 50mm lens that I have ever owned (and I'm not going to list them). I don't know about the Nokton but can unhesitatingly recommend the 'lux.

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This had crossed my mind however other people who help decide how I spend money consider two 50mm lenses excessive!
The Summilux asph may well be the "best"photographic lens on the market, but it still is relatively heavy and large. It is not a bad idea to have the little Elmar-M collapsible on the side.
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The Summilux asph may well be the "best"photographic lens on the market, but it still is relatively heavy and large. It is not a bad idea to have the little Elmar-M collapsible on the side.

 

Don't dismiss the little Summarits either. The 35 or 50 are lovely little lenses, and are so sharp that you can almost hear the photons scream as they pass through the lenses. (They are also very inexpensive by Leica standards.) :D

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Guest jarski
so sharp that you can almost hear the photons scream as they pass through the lenses.

 

love this metaphor about screaming photons :)

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