johnbuckley Posted December 3, 2017 Share #1 Posted December 3, 2017 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) I will admit that the advent of the 75mm Noctilux had me reach for my 50 Nocti 0.95, to make certain that the 50 focal length was right for me. (It is.) But having taken some pictures in my garden yesterday with my Monochrom in flat light, this morning I took some pictures of the same leaves using my SL and Noctilux. And it got me to thinking, this might be a good moment to see how the SL 50 Summilux does vs. the M 50 Noctilux. What follows are some comparison shots where I've tried normalizing the histogram between the comparison shots -- one is at f/0.95, the other at f/1.4, so therefore different levels of light -- but otherwise done no further processing. See what you think. This first image is the Noctilux. I was focusing on the tip of the leaf, but believe the slight mis focus stems from my swaying in and out of focus range, not an issue of back focus. And I've pretty seriously down-razzed the image to meet the LUF's requirements. Oh, and in case this isn't clear, the camera used with both lenses is the SL. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited December 3, 2017 by johnbuckley 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/279464-noctilux-50-vs-summilux-sl-50/?do=findComment&comment=3409755'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 3, 2017 Posted December 3, 2017 Hi johnbuckley, Take a look here Noctilux 50 vs. Summilux SL 50. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
johnbuckley Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share #2 Posted December 3, 2017 Now, here is the SL 50 Summilux with more or less the same image. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/279464-noctilux-50-vs-summilux-sl-50/?do=findComment&comment=3409757'>More sharing options...
johnbuckley Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share #3 Posted December 3, 2017 Here is a Noctilux image from a foot or so away, to be followed by its Summilux 50 counterpart. Again, trying to focus on the front of the main leaf, and again, normalizing the histograms between the two images. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/279464-noctilux-50-vs-summilux-sl-50/?do=findComment&comment=3409759'>More sharing options...
johnbuckley Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share #4 Posted December 3, 2017 (edited) And here is its Summilux counterpart. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited December 3, 2017 by johnbuckley Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/279464-noctilux-50-vs-summilux-sl-50/?do=findComment&comment=3409762'>More sharing options...
johnbuckley Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share #5 Posted December 3, 2017 Again, I believe the slight mis focus of the two Nocti images is my slight swaying as I stood there, having magnified the image in the viewfinder in order to get it focused correctly, but then having the image go back the unmagnified size just as the shutter was pressed. With the autofocus on the SL lens, there was no such problem. That said, I think the Summilux 50 images are very pleasing, and hold up well against the Noctilux. I had in the back of my mind that if GAS overwhelmed me, and I wanted to get the 75 Nocti, I might trade in the Summilux SL 50 + my M 75 Summicron. But a) I don't think the 75 focal length for the Noctilux is right for me, at least not compared to the 50 focal length. And I really like the look of the Summilux SL 50 in this set of comparison shots. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBabyEarl Posted December 3, 2017 Share #6 Posted December 3, 2017 I’ve used both on the SL and felt like the SL 50 gave me the same if not better quality or wow factor with a higher hit rate because of AF. They both are bulky lenses. The benefit of the Noctilux is that you can use it on a film camera. For SL it’s a toss up. Right now I have the SL 50and really love it. Square mode b&w with AF is fun. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnbuckley Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share #7 Posted December 3, 2017 Advertisement (gone after registration) BigBabyEarl -- interesting. You've done me an enormous service by having me try this in 1:1 aspect ratio. If I didn't know better, I'd swear this was a shot using the Nocti. But it's the SL. With focus right where I wanted it. Thanks for the advice! Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/279464-noctilux-50-vs-summilux-sl-50/?do=findComment&comment=3409774'>More sharing options...
FlashGordonPhotography Posted December 3, 2017 Share #8 Posted December 3, 2017 I prefer my SL50 'lux to my Noctilux. I know this lens gets a bagging because of it's size/cost/focus but it cost less than a Noctilux and focuses faster than any M lens on the SL. I'm a fan. Gordon 7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsprow Posted December 3, 2017 Share #9 Posted December 3, 2017 Personally I am not a fan of excessive "bokeh" or what I would call "out of focus areas" and don't find these images attractive. I had a Noctilux but sold it quickly due to weight and long throw focussing. The Grinch 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LD_50 Posted December 3, 2017 Share #10 Posted December 3, 2017 Personally I am not a fan of excessive "bokeh" or what I would call "out of focus areas" and don't find these images attractive. I had a Noctilux but sold it quickly due to weight and long throw focussing. The Grinch Not liking bokeh pretty well rules out any reason for the Noctilux. Why did you buy it if not for the large aperture? It’s also the reason for the weight and focus throw. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeicaR10 Posted December 4, 2017 Share #11 Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) JohnBuckley, Based on your comparison images, IMO the SL Lux has better color, contrast and bokeh. I have owned both the Noctilux and now the SL Lux. For me, I found the SL Lux far more useful in the field and my clients liked images taken with the SL Lux. It will get down to your genre of photography and personal taste of what you are portraying in your images. Nobody can do that for you. In either case, both lenses are superb tools for what they are designed to do....help create images that makes one, stop, look, think and feel. r/ Mark Edited December 4, 2017 by LeicaR10 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnbuckley Posted December 4, 2017 Author Share #12 Posted December 4, 2017 I agree. The Noctilux has a unique look, and is an incredibly useful artistic tool. But can the 50 Summilux SL compete with it in certain situations? The answer is yes, in my opinion, given its accurate focus on the SL, and other significant characteristics. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alistairm Posted December 4, 2017 Share #13 Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) I am another Noctilux owner who also prefers the 50 Summilux SL. Love them both, but if I had to give one up it would be the Nocti. Edited December 4, 2017 by Alistairm 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingo Posted December 4, 2017 Share #14 Posted December 4, 2017 I've sold my noctilux the day after I used the SL-50mm the first time. Fit's better to my needs. 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom0511 Posted December 4, 2017 Share #15 Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) I also have sold my noctilux 0.95 (but now own a 50/1.0). I like the 50/1,4 SL a lot and find AF very usefull, but in your comparison images the Noctilux images look even more "round" and pretty in my eyes. But then AF is sooo usefull for accurate focus for anything not being still. 75 Noctilux is too special and too expensive to be interesting for me. Edited December 4, 2017 by tom0511 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IkarusJohn Posted December 5, 2017 Share #16 Posted December 5, 2017 (edited) I'm still wondering about the size and performance of the 75 & 90 Summicron-SL lenses (and the price, to be honest). Really, f/2 is more than enough for 90% of my photography, provided everything else is equal ... and that is the issue. So far, the 50 Summilux-SL just looks amazing to me. Edited December 5, 2017 by IkarusJohn Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted December 5, 2017 Share #17 Posted December 5, 2017 Well, we do know that the SL 35, 75 and 90 Summicrons will be the same size, whatever that is. Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LD_50 Posted December 5, 2017 Share #18 Posted December 5, 2017 You can see the size of the Summicrons on Steffen Skopp’s Instagram page. He shows the lenses in multiple photos. https://www.instagram.com/steffen.skopp/ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IkarusJohn Posted December 5, 2017 Share #19 Posted December 5, 2017 Interesting. The Leica page suggests that the 35-75-90 Summicrons are significantly smaller than the 50 Summilux, yet they're still quite big. Comparatively, the 35 Summicron is huge (for what is traditionally a reasonably diminutive lens)! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted December 5, 2017 Share #20 Posted December 5, 2017 http://www.reddotforum.com/content/2016/09/setting-a-new-standard-with-leica-sl-lenses-a-discussion-with-peter-karbe-at-photokina-2016/ Jeff 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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