Noctilux or Summilux

[wilfredo]

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I've been toying with the idea of going for a 50mm Noctilux taking advantage of the Leica offer, or Summilux. Other than the obvious speed of the Noxtilux, is it a better performer than the Summilux, or is the Summilux a better option especially at say f/5.6, or f/8?

 

Thanks,

Wilfredo

Benitez-Rivera Photography

[wparsonsgisnet]

Wilfredo, I think they take very different pictures. I used a 'nocti for 8 or so years in all kinds of lighting and I finally couldn't stand the images any more.

 

I shot mostly b/w and found the images hard and cold. I also didn't like the quality of the rendered image.

 

I've since shot with a 'lux and a 'lux asph (current) and prefer the way it renders the image.

 

The 'nocti wasn't hard to focus, tho, considering its size.

[fjmcsu]

Wilfredo,

LFI magazine a few issues past had a nice sumary of the 50 mm Leica lenses,that might aid in your decision. I have the Noctilux & enjoy using it but I do not have a 50 lux to compare Since the Noctilux price went up so much recently I imagine the discount would be nice!

[marknorton]

Given the price rise outside of the 30% scheme, if you think you are ever going to want one, now is the time to buy. Its images are very different from the 50/1.4 ASPH but not every shooting situation benefits from that "dreamy" Noctilux look.

 

I find the Noctilux quite difficult to use, I regularly mess up the focussing. I guess I regard it like a week-end sports car. Good to use when you have the time and inclination but you wouldn't want to have to commute in it.

 

On balance, I'd go for the 50/1.4 ASPH.

[innerimager]

Hi Wilfredo- I have them both. I would rate the 50 lux asph as the finest all around lens I've ever used. It is easily the sharpest at 1.4 of any lens I've seen, and continues to have great sharpness, tonality, and excellent bokeh. I heard it was "harsh" in this regard, it is not at all. The Noctilux is much more specialized. If you want more painterly and moody images, of course at f1 or 1.4, it's the one to have. By 2.0 it seems similar to the lux, but I think the lux is still more fully revealing of details, more "accurate" not necessarily better. The lux is very fast to focus as well, the nocti more methodical. For sure, you'd make great images with either or both! best.....Peter

[stunsworth]

Wilfredo, I'd go for the Summilux if you're going to own just one 50. My personal opinion is that the alternative to the Summilux is the Nocti _plus_ a 50mm Summicron.

 

The Nocti works well at all apertures, but it's a bit big and heavy for someone only wanting one 50mm lens.

[nryn]

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I too toyed with the idea of using the 30% offer on a Noctilux and the price increase only tempted me more.

 

I think others have summarized it well: if you're ever going to want a Noctilux, use the offer or plan on winning the Lottery. The 50 Summilux ASPH is a much more usable 50.

 

I'm happy with my 50 Summicron, otherwise I'd be going for the 50 Summilux ASPH with the 30% off. Instead, I'm toying between the WATE and the 75 Summicron.

 

I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd one day be so lucky as to have such dilemmas.

 

So I take it your M8 came back to life?

[j. borger]

If you plan to use the lens mosttimes beyond f 2.0 .... it makes no sense to buy a Noctilux if you ask me.

I used the 50 lux asph and Noctilux both...

Although i used the Noctilux for about 6 months as my main lens ... i sold it a couple of weeks ago. The Noctilux is not hard to focus ,,,, but it is not fast to focus.

I see it pretty much as a portrait lens which only makes sens to use at f1.0 or f1.4.

But .... for short dof effects ..... i get shorter dof with my 75 lux and with the 50 lux ASPH by getting closer .... because these 2 lenses can be used at .7 m where the Noctlilux has a minimum focus distance of 1 meter: a serious limitation!

Since the Noctilux and the 75 Lux are both specialty lenses with the same application (for me) ... i decided to sell one: I kept the 75 lux because i prefer it's drawing!

 

For a general 50mm lens ... the 50 lux asph makes more sens!

[doug_m]

The 50 1.4 ASPH is my favorite M8 lens. The 66.5 mm M8 length is especially great for portraits. I don't own a Noctilux but from what I have heard and read it seems the only reason most of us would buy one is to take advantage of the discount- this might make sense if you can also afford to buy the 50 ASPH Lux and have 2 50s. However, to buy the Nocti and never own the 50 ASPH Lux seems like a huge mistake to make simply for the purpose of getting a good deal.

 

Furthermore, the size of the 50 Lux on the M8 allows for really great handling; whereas, the Nocti appears to be somewhat of a beast. With the lowest M8 ASA being 160 the F1.4 is also pretty darn fast.

[jamriman]

I have both. The 50 asph lux is THE best all around lens. I just bought the nocti since I got a nice deal on it. I love the dreamy look for portraits but I hate the 1 meter min. focus. Its incredible on the M8. I have not yet experienced any back focus issues. Its not a fair comparison IMO. The nocti is a specialized lens which is at its best at f/1.

[sps]

I second J. Borger's comment. With the longer distance to turn the focusing ring, I sometimes miss the moment with the Nocti (and it is very heavy compared). I don't own the 50/lux, but I own the 35. I find the 35/lux mounted frequently, and the Nocti getting mounted for evening/night shots.

[rosuna]

Is the Summilux 75mm a better all-round performer than the Noctilux in comparative terms?

I have read that if you work in the range f/2 - f/8, a Summicron is a better option in terms of image quality. However, the Summilux performs at a similar level than the new superperformer APO-Summicron (maybe the cron is visibly better at f/2).

Is that true?

[bsmith]

If you absolutely need a f1.4 66.5 mm lens get the Lux. Remember , it's a 66mm not a 50 on your M8. BUT for portraits it's still a 50mm and not a wise portrait choice. The beauty of the Noctilux is it's unique "look". Buy it for the "look", not the focal length. In your SLR world, you probably never wished Canon or Nikon made a 66.5mm f1.4 lens. Why do you now "have to have" a 66.5mm ?? For most situations the 28, 35, or 75 mm lenses are a better choice. I would never by the 50 Lux because I seldom find 66.5mm the "perfect' focal length. I bought the Noct for it's special look,and I deal with the odd focal length. Most of the time I wish it was a "true 35 or 50mm " But the Noct is sharp at f1 and razor sharp at f1.4 and up.

[BerndReini]

I own a 50cron, a 50lux aspherical, and I am going to get the Noctilux with my discount. The 50lux is a fantastic lens all around and beats the Noctilux at all apertures as far as sharpness and detail. The biggest shortcoming of the Noctilux at all apertures is actually the chromatic aberration. It gets horrible purple fringing around highlights at any aperture, also the ghosting of bright lightsources caused by the IR filter is much worse since the filter size is bigger. Compare the two pictures and look at the lightsources and their double images (toward the bottom of the frame). I shot these with my 50 1.4 and my friend's Noctilux. I get mad at him when he uses the Noctilux at any aperture higher than f1, because there is definitely a better tool available for that.

 

The top picture was taken with the Noctilux. Note the blue fringing around the lightbulbs and the floating ghost reflections over the people's heads.

 

The bottom picture was taken with the summilux, which in this situation performed better in every respect. Both lenses had B+W Ir filters attached. There is still ghosting with the summilux in this extreme situation, but much less than with the Noctilux.

 

The noctilux is not an allround lens. I love using it for medium-distance portraiture, and special atmospheric pictures, but I woul be reluctant to use it in a coherent project together with other lenses, since it does have a look of its own.

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[BerndReini]

William,

 

I agree that one should only buy the Noctilux for its special look, but I disagree that it is sharp. the Noctilux is a comparatively soft lens, and at close distances, it is a very soft lens. And, I am not talking about focusing problems either. If you focus on a receeding plane, even the sharpest point of the plane will not be nearly as sharp as the focus point of the summilux. I welcome the softness of the Noctilux for certain applications, but I would never choose it when I want ultimate sharpness.

 

This was taken with the summilux at either f1.4 or f2. And this is my definition of sharp.

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[bsmith]

William,

 

. the Noctilux is a comparatively soft lens, and at close distances, it is a very soft lens. And, I am not talking about focusing problems either. If you focus on a receeding plane, even the sharpest point of the plane will not be nearly as sharp as the focus point of the summilux. I welcome the softness of the Noctilux for certain applications, but I would never choose it when I want ultimate sharpness.

 

I strongly disagree. My Noct is VERY sharp at f1.0. Much sharper than the Canon at 1.2/

By 2.8 it's as sharp as any lens I've seen. The Noct captures shadow detail better than other lenses as well. As far as your lantern street example, the bottom one was NOT at f1.4, look at the dof. It's a very poor and unfair comparison. Nothing about the top and bottom images are fair comparisons. Even the 35mm Lux will "blue fringe" on hot light sources at 1.4. By 2.8 and f4 it's gone ,... even on the Noct. As far as the reflections and ghosting, a pro wouldn't shoot this scene with any (not just ir) filter on. With any lens your asking for ghosting in this scenario with a front filter on your lens. Who cares if the Lux is "less" ghosting defects. (that's like saying my shot was less out of focus than his)

[Bill Sievers]

Wilfredo,

 

In considering the Noctilux, take a look at these images from Flickr. It is big and special purpose. But it is spectacular.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/noctilux/interesting/

[tashley]

Hi Wilfredo- I have them both. I would rate the 50 lux asph as the finest all around lens I've ever used. It is easily the sharpest at 1.4 of any lens I've seen, and continues to have great sharpness, tonality, and excellent bokeh. I heard it was "harsh" in this regard, it is not at all. The Noctilux is much more specialized. If you want more painterly and moody images, of course at f1 or 1.4, it's the one to have. By 2.0 it seems similar to the lux, but I think the lux is still more fully revealing of details, more "accurate" not necessarily better. The lux is very fast to focus as well, the nocti more methodical. For sure, you'd make great images with either or both! best.....Peter

 

 

I agree. The 50 lux is the uber lens. I can tell, even browsing through in Lightroom, which shots were taken with it. It absolutely pops at wide apertures if you nail focus but is very smooth as you stop down. If all other lenses were to be denied me, this would be my keeper with no margin of doubt at all.

 

And this is why I love it:

 

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t

[jrc]

There's always the greedhead answer: the prices on the Nocti went up more than the Summilux; so get the Nocti with the discount, use it for a while, and if it's not to your taste, sell it, buy the Summilux and pocket the difference.

 

I notice that B&H has no more Noctis in stock...

 

JC

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[Guest guy_mancuso]

For me the Noctilux will be the last lens i buy in my setup if at all. I love the 50 lux and i think there is more lenses i would much prefer first than a Nocti. I have a lot now but adding it will really for me be a special moment deal and maybe not worth it. 30 percent or not it's still money that i could put towards other lenses that would get more use.