Any enthusiasm for the upcoming 1.25/75mm Noctilux?

[Linford]

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The 0.95/50mm Noctilux has been my goto lens choice for the past several years. For the past year I have been fighting off the temptation to find a nice 1.4/80mm R-series lens for portraits because I have heard of the eminent arrival of a portrait length Noctilux. For fun, I sometimes slip on a converter and break out my circa 1985 1.4/85mm Nikon E-series lens just to get the feel. I'm pretty excited about the new Noctilux offering and was curious what your thoughts are??? Cheers--linford

 

[Jeff S]

Lots of fans here, too, for the Summilux-M 75 f1.4.

 

Jeff

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[pico]

No enthusiasm because I doubt it will be more affordable than the Summilux 75mm f/1.4 and given the new optics design of Leica lenses I do not trust it to deliver the aesthetics of Mandler.

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[colint544]

I'm skint and won't be buying one. But I think it's great that Leica continue to strive for what's possible with current technology. There aren't too many camera manufacturers who perpetually have something extremely desirable on the horizon, something tantalising and (for me anyway) just beyond reach.

Edited September 23, 2017 by colint544

[NB23]

No enthusiasm because I doubt it will be more affordable than the Summilux 75mm f/1.4 and given the new optics design of Leica lenses I do not trust it to deliver the aesthetics of Mandler.

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... and especially the construction. You bet it's going to wobble.

[coupdefoudre]

I love the 75 Lux; was out today shooting with it on the M246 Monochrom at the Farmer's Market.

 

But, it has a very long focus throw, is large and very heavy. Thru time and practice I have adjusted to these attributes.

 

I have read that the 75 Lux has a smaller Depth of Field than the Noctilux (not sure whether that was the old f1 or the newer f0.95.) When you get a wide-open shot spot-on it is fantastic.

 

Given the trend I would guess any new version with a larger f-stop would tip the scales at Euro/$ 7K+. Not sure whether this would bump the already rising price of the no-longer-manufactured 75 Lux or depress it.

 

So... already owning the 75 Lux and the 75 APO-Summicron, I just cannot get excited about it.

 

But... you all know what suckers we are for any perceivable edge in the Leica lens world.

 

If it does get manufactured and

I get to sample one and fall in love -

 

all bets are off! (Assuming I can save a stack of dollars to buy one.)

 

NOTE: I tend to like and appreciate the Mandler look but do have a number of the Karbe lenses and love them, too!

Edited September 24, 2017 by coupdefoudre

[lct]

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Not sure what the point is with such a lens. Getting one sharp eye and the other blurred? The softness of the Summilux is welcome to minimize this effect but a sharp lens? Sounds like an exercise in style but i may be wrong.

[onasj]

I suspect the 75 Noct will be at least $10,000, unfortunately. If it performs as well as the recent crop of Leica M releases it might even be worth it though.

[adan]

I suspect the 75 Noct will be at least $10,000....

 

A bit more - back in the day of the 50 Noctilux 1.0 and 75 Summilux, the 75 ran about 95% of the Noctilux price. Which would be around $10375. Given that both will be claiming the "Noctilux" title, and a 75 Nocti is more exotic - $11495 wouldn't surprise me much.

 

But given that we are talking about a lens that only exists on rumor sites quoting other rumor sites.... I'll worry about the price when I actually see the lens.

Edited September 24, 2017 by adan

[NB23]

14995$, why not.

[Ecar]

I'll stick to my Summilux then.

[otto.f]

Nope! It will be too heavy for me, the weight of my 75lux is just acceptable but only because it's Leica's best M lens in my view. Best in the sense of beautiful, unique identity, etc. I believe the 50/0.95 comes close, but €8000,= for a poor 1m as the closest distance for a lens that's meant for selective focus: sorry.

I'm not gonna carry two heavy 75's and I will not say goodbye to my 75lux for the third time, since it seems my best copy thus far. I use it mainly for B&W and my APO Summicron 90 for color. The new 75/1.2 would be redundant in that park.

Actually the whole idea of owning a Nocti/Summilux-line is so-so, one Summilux is enough. I own the 35FLE for instance, nice, but in practice I grab to the Summicron 35 pre-asph more often, not because of weight and volume, but it renders so sympathetic.

I guess that the new 75 is interesting for those who have always preferred the Summicron 75 above the 75lux thus far.

Edited September 24, 2017 by otto.f

[jlindstrom]

Nope, doesn’t interest me one bit. If I were in the market for a 75, it would be the Summicron variant. But alas, I’ve owned and sold both 75 Summilux and 75 Summicron. Both lenses were fantastic in their own right, but 75 is not for me.

 

For a fast portrait lens I’d rather buy the 90 Apo Summicron. But I don’t miss 90 enough to warrant the price. I used to however own the 90 elmarit-m, which I also sold and miss greatly - was a stupid decision from my part. Most likely will buy another one at some point.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[anickpick]

Imo the 1.25/75mm Noctilux lens will be too big and heavy for an M camera.

 

However, on the SL it will most likely shine.

[horosu]

I don't like the idea of big, heavy lenses on a rangefinder. Leica & Zeiss seem to compete for the sharpest, best, heaviest, most expensive lens in any give focal length instead of producing small, moderate aperture lenses in a high-quality body. The latter were exactly the philosophy of rangefinder lenses in the 50's and 60's - think Summicrons 35 and 50, collapsible Elmars etc. The M10 and M246 are capable of such high-iso performance that a  2/2.8 lens is perfectly usable for the most part. True, there are applications for f 0.95/1.4 lenses, but I personally miss a 35/2.8 lens in brass and tabbed, for example.

[otto.f]

Maybe because the Summaron 35 is still unbeatable

[lik]

I really liked the Lux 75 which I had for a year on the M9. But focus (my mistakes) was an issue very often. 

After my M9 bought the Noctilux 50 on the M240 - and meanwhile the M10 - the Noctilux is by far my favorite and most used lens. 

I like wide open aperture photography - so I'm pretty sure a 75/1.25 will be very tempting.

But:

1. To me the Noctilux 50 has the more versatile focal length. 

2. Its bokeh is almost unbeatable - also for portrait. At least it is very fine and I never had complaints. 

3. Since giving up my 50 Nocti is simply unthinkable - to have both? This would mean to carry a redundant system.

[Linford]

Great feedback, gang! I feel pretty sure that we will see this lens fairly soon. Like some of you I fear that the size and weight may be an issue. If it is anything proportional to the 50mm Nocti the size and weight could be too much. I am excited to see if they can generate the excitement. I agree with many of you, the 75-lux is a great lens and a successful lens and that makes for an even greater challenge for this potential offering. I suspect it will come with a pretty hefty price tag: $10-11K. That will make about any of us shutter. Let's hope we get pleasantly surprised. Cheers--linford

[otho]

But given that we are talking about a lens that only exists on rumor sites quoting other rumor sites.... I'll worry about the price when I actually see the lens.

+1

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Leicaiste]

On my SL maybe, on a M never.