Noctilux Versions

[jayproth]

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Hello All!

 

Please excuse the noob question, but will someone please list down the differences between the 4(?) versions of the Noctilux from the 1st generation to the newest?

 

I've tried searching the forums and the only difference I can seem to find is in the placement of the lens hood.

 

Thank You,

Mike De Leon

[Ivar B]

Hello All!

 

Please excuse the noob question, but will someone please list down the differences between the 4(?) versions of the Noctilux from the 1st generation to the newest?

 

I've tried searching the forums and the only difference I can seem to find is in the placement of the lens hood.

 

Thank You,

Mike De Leon

 

The first Noctilux is the 1.2/50 with aspherical elements, from 1966. That lens is completely different from the 1.0/50 and is one of the most sought after and expensive of all Leica M lenses.

 

The 4th must be the current with E60 filters and built in lens hoods.

 

In between there are 2 versions with detachalble hoods, and I wonder if there is also a 58mm vs. 60mm filter thread difference.

[ddp]

This is an excerpt from a post I found on photo.net - it appears fairly accurate to me. I don't have the Lager lens book to back up the info though...

 

"Five versions of the noctilux that I am aware of: #11820: f1.2 - 58mm filter size - made between 1966-1975; #11821: f1 - 58mm filter size - detachable hood #12503 - made between 1976-1978; #11821: f1 - 60mm filter size - detachable hood #12539 (mounts on two posts on lens) - made between 1978-1982; #11821: f1 - 60mm filter size - detachable hood #12544 (attaches to lens via spring loaded clips) - made between 1982-1994 #11822: f1 - 60mm filter size - built-in hood - 1994 - SIP "

[thrid]

As has been already mentioned there is the f1.2/50 Noct and the f1/50

 

All of the 1/50 versions share the same optical formula and perform identical.

The biggest difference are the hoods and filter size.

 

The first version had a hood that twist locked onto two pins. I think they stopped using this method, because the pins would snag on things and in some casesbreak off.

 

The next version had a hood that looked like a giant version of the vented 12585 and clipped into a groove. I used to own this version of the Noct and think it's the best solution.

 

The current version has a collapsible hood that I'm not too fond of. It's relatively shallow and I don't think it provides enough protection from impact (that front element is pretty big...and expensive to replace).

[jayproth]

Thanks alot for the informative answers!

 

Mike De Leon

[lars_bergquist]

There is some confusion in the literature as to what constitutes a 'version'. Let's keep the optics and the mechanics apart.

 

Optically, a new version would seem to be one where the optical formula has been materially altered. This would mean number of elements and groups, changes of spacing, new types of glass etc. It is however a fact that minor adjustments are being done more or less all the time, for manufacturing reasons. If we adopt however the criterion that performance should be visibly altered, then the number of 'versions' shrinks considerably. I think that since its inception, the Noctilux 1:1.0 may have been given improved coatings, for instance, but the drawing or MTF values or 'fingerprint' (whatever that may mean) has not changed. – If change is the criterion, then the number of versions of the 35 mm Summicron decreases by one, because the traditionally cited versions 2 and 3 are optically really the same. The versions of the 50 mm Summicron increase by one, because though early and late seven-element rigid Summicrons look the same in section, late lenses (from around 1960 on) do exhibit higher contrast. This may indeed be an effect of better coating.

 

Mechanically, the issue is simpler, as long as we do not start counting screwheads or different looks of the front ring engraving ... In that case we have two versions of the Noctilux 1.0, with clip-on hood, or built-in pull-out hood. Period.

 

The original 1.2 Noct, with its two large more or less hand-ground aspherical surfaces, was of course not a different version, but a different lens entirely.

 

The old man from the Age of the Summarit

[dkCambridgeshire]

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As has been already mentioned there is the f1.2/50 Noct and the f1/50

 

All of the 1/50 versions share the same optical formula and perform identical.

The biggest difference are the hoods and filter size.

 

The first version had a hood that twist locked onto two pins. I think they stopped using this method, because the pins would snag on things and in some casesbreak off.

The next version had a hood that looked like a giant version of the vented 12585 and clipped into a groove. I used to own this version of the Noct and think it's the best solution.

 

The current version has a collapsible hood that I'm not too fond of. It's relatively shallow and I don't think it provides enough protection from impact (that front element is pretty big...and expensive to replace).

 

And the metal bits in the hood went rusty and were impossible to clean

 

Dunk