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M9 & f1 Noctilux vignetting...


colorflow

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I'm afraid you've only got the entry level Noctilux. For better vignette performance you need the new and improved Noctilux pro ... and another $5k for f/0.95. ;)

 

As mentioned, it comes with the territory. If I recall correctly the Leica folks remarked about maintaining much of the film character of the Noctilux with the M9, as in correction was restrained to avoid lifting the vignette level and introducing ugly noise into the processed image.

 

I've had two Noctilux's and they both performed as you describe on film, to a much lesser degree with the M8, and on the M9. If the vignette bothers you it's one of the simplest adjustments to make in pretty much any decent image editor, even Lightroom :p

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"I'm afraid you've only got the entry level Noctilux. For better vignette performance you need the new and improved Noctilux pro ... and another $5k for f/0.95. ;) "

 

Well, I guess I'll just have to chuck that piece of junk :)

 

"...Leica folks remarked about maintaining much of the film character of the Noctilux with the M9, as in correction was restrained to avoid lifting the vignette level and introducing ugly noise into the processed image."

 

That't interesteing. I haven't heard that before...

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762009910_ujFxv-L.jpg @ f 1.0

 

762305372_LRyMB-L.jpg@8/11

 

It's true that the Noct will vignette at F 1.0 however, I have found that stopped down the dark corners go way. These two taken on M3 and 50 1.0 Noctilux and XP2

 

This one was taken on M9 and 50 1.0 Noctilux @1.0 in the camera store with a demo M9.

 

722823219_gVs7J-L-3.jpg

 

Taken with Nikkor 45 2.8 ED P.C and D3 and SB-900 flash on TTL cord off the roof.

 

Gregory

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"...Leica folks remarked about maintaining much of the film character of the Noctilux with the M9, as in correction was restrained to avoid lifting the vignette level and introducing ugly noise into the processed image."

 

That't interesteing. I haven't heard that before...

 

Check out: Stephan Daniel Interview about 31min in ... they didn't want to risk over correction.

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"I'm afraid you've only got the entry level Noctilux. For better vignette performance you need the new and improved Noctilux pro ... and another $5k for f/0.95. ;) "

 

 

Obvious vignetting on the M9 with the ASPH Noct.

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if i had a nocti, i wouldn't be too annoyed with the vignetting, but i'd be extremely annoyed that it isn't the same amount on all 4 corners. it ruins the photo in my opinion.

 

In my experience the vignette is even. I'm assuming the examples must have been cropped on the right.

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In my experience the vignette is even. I'm assuming the examples must have been cropped on the right.

I've seen similar uneven vignetting on M8 cameras when I was trying to find the longest lens hoods that could be used without causing vignetting. I suspect the unevenness was caused by the center of the sensor being displaced from the lens optical axis - there is a mechanical tolerance which varies from camera to camera.

 

Bob.

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Interestingly, I used the nocti at 1.0 with the m9. lots of night shots. I didn't notice vignetting at all. VERY similar look to nocti shots with the m7

When you shoot at night the corners will be as dark as the rest of the image, anyway, I presume? :D

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Sorry I havnt been here in a while. No cropping, no wait a minute, this is from scan from Super store processing :rolleyes:, so Im sure it is cropped the standard 3% and I doubt very much that they load the neg perfectly centered. Not to mention Im using a polarizer or a Nd filter which makes the vignetting even better :p.

 

767406535_R336f-L.jpg

 

Leica M6 Noctilux 50 1.0 with B+W ND filter on XP2 film.

 

Gregory

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Yes, it's not great and reminds us the M9 exposes the border of deteriorating lens performance which the M8 conveniently crops out, and not just on the Noctilux.

 

The same is true when you move from cropped sensor to full frame elsewhere, there are Nikon users who have found the 28/1.4 they paid over the odds for is pretty awful out there in full-frame corner land.

 

The 75mm Summilux, the Noctilux's first cousin, behaves similarly though not nearly as badly and it's no coincidence Leica thought these designs dating from the 60s were past their sell-by date. Mandler may have been a genius designer but he could only do so much with the materials and fabricating and design techniques available to him at the time.

 

I like the old Noctilux - in a worn out pullover sort of way - but it's far from a general purpose lens.

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If you look at the published graphs from Leica the level of vignetting is clear. It is only actually f1 at the very centre and the light drop-off starts immediately one moves from the centre. It is easy to see if you look at the front of the wide open lens then move the lens so you are looking through the lens from a slight angle, the mechanical obstruction of the aperture is evident immediately.

This is very common with fast lenses and much reduces spherical aberrations size and cost (!).

I am not aware of any fast lenses for normal photography, as opposed to macro or other specialised uses which does not vignette some. If they did not they would be softer, bigger, heavier and much more expensive.

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Mark Im not sure your information is accurate on the Nikkor 28 1.4 AF D , Check out my Nikkor 28 1.4 AF D thread on the Nikon cafe for some sample images. As far as the vignetting on the Noctilux that's why I bought it. The way the Leica 50 1.0 draws is like no other. Not for everyone but I love it.

 

794956042_NfpPK-L.jpg

 

791521491_dRHRH-L.jpg

 

both taken with Nikkor 28 1.4 AF D on D3 @1.4

 

762029837_JRJFc-L.jpg

 

Noctilux 50 1.0 @ 1.0 with polarizer on M3 and XP2 film.

 

722593712_XEUzM-L-3.jpg

 

Lecia 50 1.0 Noctilux on M9 (loaner) @1.0

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