leicashot Posted July 8, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 8, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have had many requests for pictures taken with this lens and many I could not release until now. All of these were shot at 0.95 wide open, and un-cropped. Slight processing with some skin smoothening in some images, and all shot with the Leica M9. I have so many more images I'd love to share but cannot as they're only for work purposes and not approved for showing, so i hope you'll be happy with these. Many of these were taken during the making of a Leica M9/noct video that never saw the light of day, and unfortunately never will:cry: I was using the Noct in many professional and personal applications and it has been my equally most (with VC Nokton 35/1.2) enjoyable lens to shoot, in daylight or nighttime. The most challenging thing about using this lens is to use it appropriately. While many would think it would be the focus, which is challenging (especially without the 1.4x magnifier) it is most difficult to control what applications in which you use the 0.95 aperture. What I mean is that it is all too easy to point this lens at any subject and try to make the bokeh the center feature, trying to turn a boring picture into something artistic. I see all too many images posted in the net attempting this style of photography and it really is a waste of time and money. For that kind of application I'd recommend the f/1 version due to the un-corrected optical formula of the lens. I don't want to turn this into a review because I'm not a reviewer, so without any further waiting, here are my pictures- hope they help many of you understand the nature of this amazing lens... FLICKR Gallery here: Noctilux 0.95 - a set on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 Hi leicashot, Take a look here Leica Noctilux 0.95 Unplugged. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
thighslapper Posted July 8, 2011 Share #2 Posted July 8, 2011 Fantastic. Reaffirms my view that I MUST try this lens or I will forever be wondering what I am missing.... maybe it won't be for me.... or impractical in everyday use..... but I will have to give it a go to find out ..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerard Posted July 8, 2011 Share #3 Posted July 8, 2011 A fantastic set. You wield the Nocti well. And there's plenty of inspirational stuff on your stream. I noticed in a couple of wide open, close focus shots that it retains some aboration in the bokeh. Reminds me of my 75 Lux. Nice to see such character. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_g_wolf ✝ Posted July 8, 2011 Share #4 Posted July 8, 2011 These NOCTILUX- photographs are incredible, leicashot !! Your clients must adore your work. Thx for sharing. Best wishes GEORG Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonel Posted July 8, 2011 Share #5 Posted July 8, 2011 not too sure about the graveyard shots but simply stunning, thanks I am happy with my lux,I am happy with my lux,I am happy with my lux,I am happy with my lux,I am happy with my lux,I am happy with my lux, ... its still working, but for how long Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtorrents Posted July 8, 2011 Share #6 Posted July 8, 2011 Incredible shots! A pleasure to see what a Noctilux can do in the good hands! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindolfi Posted July 8, 2011 Share #7 Posted July 8, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) leicashot, although we can have differences of opinion about the posing, subjects etc. (all matters of taste), you certainly have both the camera, the lens and (not least) the post processing firm in hand. Some very nice images. ... it retains some aboration in the bokeh... Yes, that is "chronic adoration", the psychological variant of "chromatic aberration". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jager Posted July 8, 2011 Share #8 Posted July 8, 2011 A lovely, lovely series, Kristian. Excellent work! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackDE Posted July 8, 2011 Share #9 Posted July 8, 2011 I have had many requests for pictures taken with this lens and many I could not release until now. All of these were shot at 0.95 wide open, and un-cropped. Slight processing with some skin smoothening in some images, and all shot with the Leica M9. I have so many more images I'd love to share but cannot as they're only for work purposes and not approved for showing, so i hope you'll be happy with these. Many of these were taken during the making of a Leica M9/noct video that never saw the light of day, and unfortunately never will:cry: I was using the Noct in many professional and personal applications and it has been my equally most (with VC Nokton 35/1.2) enjoyable lens to shoot, in daylight or nighttime. The most challenging thing about using this lens is to use it appropriately. While many would think it would be the focus, which is challenging (especially without the 1.4x magnifier) it is most difficult to control what applications in which you use the 0.95 aperture. What I mean is that it is all too easy to point this lens at any subject and try to make the bokeh the center feature, trying to turn a boring picture into something artistic. I see all too many images posted in the net attempting this style of photography and it really is a waste of time and money. For that kind of application I'd recommend the f/1 version due to the un-corrected optical formula of the lens. I don't want to turn this into a review because I'm not a reviewer, so without any further waiting, here are my pictures- hope they help many of you understand the nature of this amazing lens... FLICKR Gallery here: Noctilux 0.95 - a set on Flickr Great gallery! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sm23221 Posted July 8, 2011 Share #10 Posted July 8, 2011 Excellent photos! I've always maintained that f/0.95 in combination with a photog that knows what he/she is doing can make this lens shine and produce photos that no other lens can. I believe you've settled the discussion. Great job. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted July 8, 2011 Share #11 Posted July 8, 2011 Looks great! Thanks for posting. You're not helping me stay away from it though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldhrads Posted July 8, 2011 Share #12 Posted July 8, 2011 Beautiful set Kristian, really shows what can be done with this lens/camera combination. When I first got my nocti I had M8.2 and didn't really appreciate it for what it could do until I put it on the M9. Now I don't like to be without it, even if I end up not using it in favor of another lens, I like to have it with me! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted July 8, 2011 Share #13 Posted July 8, 2011 Putting aside the use of the cemetery, the pictures on Flickr are stunning set of commercial images. Not having a Noctilux (out of the question) nor a Summilux (but top of my shopping list), I wonder how the results from the Summilux would have compared, if taken alongside the Noctilux shots. Would the difference in the the way the models stand out from the background be so much less as to render them non sale-able? I am a mere amateur enthusiast with no intentions towards commercial activities but I just wonder at the ratio of investment -v- potential return twixt Noctilux and Summilux. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmond_terakopian Posted July 8, 2011 Share #14 Posted July 8, 2011 Absolutely stunning; a wonderful set of pictures. Wonderful, creative and beautifully taken :-) Edmond Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicashot Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share #15 Posted July 9, 2011 Fantastic. Reaffirms my view that I MUST try this lens or I will forever be wondering what I am missing.... maybe it won't be for me.... or impractical in everyday use..... but I will have to give it a go to find out ..... Yes the Noct is much more user friendly than the previous generation, but i stress strongly that this lens does go against the grain of the small Leica M system, and, it isn't a lens designed to turn a bad picture into a good photo. It takes work and discipline, so be prepared to have your skills and effort challenged ;-) ...but with such a challenge comes great rewards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicashot Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share #16 Posted July 9, 2011 A fantastic set. You wield the Nocti well. And there's plenty of inspirational stuff on your stream. I noticed in a couple of wide open, close focus shots that it retains some aboration in the bokeh. Reminds me of my 75 Lux. Nice to see such character. Yes the lens's bokeh does distort elements out to the edges but not too badly, and much better than other fast lenses I've used, except for maybe the Konica Hex 60/1.2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicashot Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share #17 Posted July 9, 2011 leicashot, although we can have differences of opinion about the posing, subjects etc. (all matters of taste), you certainly have both the camera, the lens and (not least) the post processing firm in hand. Some very nice images. Yes, that is "chronic adoration", the psychological variant of "chromatic aberration". Well, I'm not exactly a hit around Leica-town as many of my views on photography with a Leica go heavily against the general grain, but glad I'm getting a little love here :-) thanks mate K Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicashot Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share #18 Posted July 9, 2011 Excellent photos! I've always maintained that f/0.95 in combination with a photog that knows what he/she is doing can make this lens shine and produce photos that no other lens can. I believe you've settled the discussion. Great job. While its true that the Noct requires a standard of skill to acquire great images, I want to stress that i believe that some of these images wouldn't have been of a lesser quality of shot with a Summarit or even a compact, maybe even better with a little added depth of field. My style of shooting is not of the obvious kind because I choose my style dependent on what the requirements of the individual photo are. Decisions on aperture are more important than just choosing the fastest available. I've ruined many potentially great images by choosing the fastest aperture and now battle the idea off by remembering what really is important to the photograph. Sometimes (most of the time), that extra depth of field can 'make' an image what would only be a face amongst blur without it. Leica photographers are notorious for over-exploiting the use of shallow depth of field because of the high quality gained from the first class Leica engineering. This is a mistake. Aperture can be changed for a reason, and while I shot ALL of these (bar one) at maximum aperture, I only did it for a review I was doing, which has now been canned. Although, yes, it is really the ONLY aperture people want to see form this lens, because stopped down to f/1.4, this is just like the Summilux ASPH, or any other lens onwards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicashot Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share #19 Posted July 9, 2011 Putting aside the use of the cemetery, the pictures on Flickr are stunning set of commercial images. Not having a Noctilux (out of the question) nor a Summilux (but top of my shopping list), I wonder how the results from the Summilux would have compared, if taken alongside the Noctilux shots. Would the difference in the the way the models stand out from the background be so much less as to render them non sale-able? I am a mere amateur enthusiast with no intentions towards commercial activities but I just wonder at the ratio of investment -v- potential return twixt Noctilux and Summilux. IMHO, the images from a Summilux would of been of no lesser quality. A good picture requires more than just shooting at maximum aperture and the Summilux gives amazing definition at it's own max av of f/1.4. Like I said earlier, many of these images could have used that extra bit of depth of field, but were shot wide open to either demonstrate it's signature wide open, and/or to keep the ISO down/shutter up in low light. The NOCT WILL NOT make any images more saleable, and those seeking a return on investment will only achieve that in their own state of mind. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted July 9, 2011 Share #20 Posted July 9, 2011 Thanks for taking the time to respond to everyone's questions and comments. An interesting thread to accompany the stunning set of images. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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