Noctilux: Why do you love it, or why not?

[Elsu]

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For 6 months I did research on the ultimate combo M9+NX095. Now I have been shooting for a month now with the setup. Most of the time I shoot at f 0.95.

The lens is just a crazy object in many senses:

- the price

- the weight - heavier than M9

- the bokeh

- the light power - most of the time outdoors I need to put on a ND filter to slow it down!

 

And with this new love there came along new headache:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/130268-noctilux-095-m9-green-fringes.html

 

All said, I would not trade it any time soon, if ever. Good thing is its availability is very low, and if Leica keeps raising prices every year, it can be an investment almost as good as gold these days

[Epimetheus]

I'm constantly thinking of replacing it with Summilux ASPH because of the weight. It's just not practical and it's too expensive for not to use it every day in my opinion.

 

Here's my latest pictures with it: Pictures with Leica M9 and Noctilux | Photoblog of Mr. Markus Puustinen

 

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[doug_m]

I'm constantly thinking of replacing it with Summilux ASPH because of the weight. It's just not practical and it's too expensive for not to use it every day in my opinion.

 

Here's my latest pictures with it: Pictures with Leica M9 and Noctilux | Photoblog of Mr. Markus Puustinen

 

 

Very nice photo. You should keep the Nocti and buy a 50 lux ASPH as well. If you don't have the money now, save up and buy one later. Or buy a new 35 lux. But whatever you do, keep the Nocti 0.95 forever.

[peter_n]

No, my advice is to sell the f0.95 Noctilux and buy the 50 ASPH since you're only going to lose 1 stop with more-or-less very similar rendering. Then with the change left over get an f1.0 Noctilux...

[wilfredo]

The 0.95 Noctilux and the M9 are quite the combination, aren't they? Here are a few recent images with the combination.

 

Kurt

 

Those are some nice clean shots. You are getting a lot of bang from this lens on your M9.

 

Going back to the original question, what's not to love about the Nocti? The bokeh is literally dreamy. The only thing not to love is the price. I recently purchased a 50mm Lux ASPH and even that made my heart pound when I pulled out the plastic to pay for it. Nevertheless I am very happy with it, no regrets, and for the sake of simplicity, it will be my only 50mm M lens.

Edited July 11, 2010 by wilfredo

[Nikkor AIS]

 

 

Noctilux 50 1.0 @ 1.0 on Leica MP on Ektapress 160

 

 

Gregory

[menos I M6]

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Gregory - saw this one on the Café and love it - he starts early, to steel himself ;-)

[vintola]

Noctilux 0.95 has disappeared from the Leica's www-pages. When You go to photography > m-system > lenses > 50 mm, there are no Noctilux. Anybody knows about this? Has the production stopped?

- vintola -

[250swb]

Noctilux 0.95 has disappeared from the Leica's www-pages. When You go to photography > m-system > lenses > 50 mm, there are no Noctilux. Anybody knows about this? Has the production stopped?

- vintola -

 

Somebody else has just posted this. Is it a conspiracy to start a panic, or paranoia? Of course the Nocti is listed, its here

 

Leica Camera AG - Photography - Lenses

 

 

 

Steve

[menos I M6]

Somebody else has just posted this. Is it a conspiracy to start a panic, or paranoia? Of course the Nocti is listed, its here

 

Leica Camera AG - Photography - Lenses

 

 

 

Steve

 

Steve - here it is not:

 

Leica Camera AG - Photography - Lenses

 

… for whatever reason

 

Maybe Leica is afraid of taking away the Noct from the Brits, as they already took the repair shops?

 

(this is very much tongue in cheek - don't bite me )

[proenca]

Why the Noctilux ? Because its a beautifull lens, that produce unique results..

 

Its just too good ! I own the 1.0 version and I'm rallying up money to upgrade to a 0.95 one of these days - its sharper full open but to be honest, I didnt bit the bullet yet since I upgraded to the M9 and the 1.0 its really good.

 

Why you say ? Because of these :

 

 

 

 

And if you stop the beast down, its PLENTY SHARP ACROSS THE FOCAL PLANE... but dont take my word for it :

 

 

 

Love this lens. Best money every spent on Leica. Unique fingerprint. Insane low light capabilities.

[250swb]

Steve - here it is not:

 

Leica Camera AG - Photography - Lenses

 

… for whatever reason

 

Maybe Leica is afraid of taking away the Noct from the Brits, as they already took the repair shops?

 

(this is very much tongue in cheek - don't bite me )

 

Well the only explanation is that Leica have decided they don't want you to have one.....ha ha.

 

 

Steve

[menos I M6]

Well the only explanation is that Leica have decided they don't want you to have one.....ha ha.

 

 

Steve

 

Didn't help them much - sneaked around their embargo a few days ago .

Oh and I loooove it

Seriously, I am wondering, why it is listed on only some countries site .

[Nikkor AIS]

 

"Sam The King".

 

 

Taken with Leica M7 Noctilux 50 1.0 @ 1.0 with Vivitar 285 HV fill flash bounced off roof 160 Ektapress

 

The great thing about the Noctilux 50 1.0 is it's ability to take the common place person/place/thing or even house cat:p and emparting it's own unique signature.

While It's true all most any camera/lens could have taken this shot the only the Noctilux can give you this look. Now I get that some may not care for the look, and thats fine, however that donst deminsh the fact that it has one.

 

 

Gregory

[amedick]

Because it allows me to take pictures like the following....

 

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

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But I must admit it was a steep learning curve the first two weeks. All photos M9 and f1.0 Noctilux shot wide open.

[pico]

I used to think the Noctilux was expensive until I made a necessary visit to the hospital emergency room. Whew!

 

"So when the doctor gave me his bill, I said, "Oy! That looks like a car payment!" He replied, "It is. Mine." I'm going to buy him a 1973 Ford Pinto.

 

Oy! Oy! (Don't say that too often, for people will call you an Oyster.)

 

Love the cockpit shot, amedick.

[NB23]

 

 

[peter_n]

Love the 3rd one amedick!

[menos I M6]

A quick portrait @ f1.4:

 

 

I love everything about it, that is different from what people on the internet pretend to know about this lens. After using it now for a week, I know, that this lens is not:

- not sharp,

- slow to use,

- too big,

- too heavy,

- not working well with Leica RF bodies

- difficult to match to Leica RF bodies

- difficult to focus,

… and all the other talk about it.

 

I see the Noctilux as the "super zoom of all prime lenses" - you can carry one 50mm at all times and have just the right amount of usable light at your disposal, whereas you can enable the image character, you want - be it super sharp and detailed or with a special dreamy look, as you adjust the aperture.

 

The waiting time for my Summilux repair is of no concern to me anymore - Leica can keep it a few weeks longer, if they wish ;-)

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Hallo,

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[Nikkor AIS]

Interesting observation Dirk. It's great to see you and your Noct have already bonded. Have you use is on a Lecia M film body yet.?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taken with 50 1.0 Noctilux @1.0 with ND filter on Leica M3/M7/MP on Ektapress 160/800

 

 

Gregory