Noctilux f/1 soft?

[ELAN]

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I have finally acquired a Noctilux f/1. It was made in 2003, s/n 395xxxx, and is in practically new condition. Nonetheless, I send it to DAG for CLA and focus calibration.

Once back from DAG I tested it in good light, at f/1 and 1 meter. I was surprised how soft and un-sharp it is compared to my 50 Summilux asph.  I did many tests, in different lighting, and all the photos turned out equally soft (see samples below and next post).  My M10 was just calibrated in Wetzlar and I’m confident that the RF is spot on.

My question, do others with a Noctilux f/1 see similar softness, or is it just my copy?

I also noticed that at f/2 there is focus shift, about 1cm back focus at 1 meter. Is this Noctilux known for focus shift?

M10, Noctilux @ f/1, ISO 100, 1/180 sec, at 1-meter, OOC, LR 6.13

 

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[ELAN]

M10, Noctilux @ f/1, ISO 100, 1/1000 sec, at 1-meter, OOC, LR 6.13

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[albertknappmd]

somethig is wrong..

send back for calibration and analysis to Leica

Albert     

[Jeff S]

Call Don and send pics. He’ll advise.

 

Jeff

[steamboat]

somethig is wrong..

send back for calibration and analysis to Leica

Albert     

 

Think in terms of shipping the camera, lens and SD card with the test images to Leica. That said focusing the Noctilux at f1.0 @ 1-meter is a bit tricky but something should be sharp. I was looking for front or back focus and to my eyes nothing looked sharp. I have a 50mm f1.0 Noctilux on my M-P typ 240 right now. It's been on the camera for a few days now. Partly it's an indication that surgery to repair a massive tear of my left rotator cuff  is doing well and I can work with "heavier" lens now. Anyway, good luck with your lens. It's a good one should be a lot of fun to use.

[anickpick]

I think this is what you can expect of a Noctilux f/1.

[a.noctilux]

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I think so as anickpick.

 

- Noctilux 1.0 has some focus shift even if RF is calibrated

- at 1m, f/1 ... that is the worse case to use Noctilux 1.0 = paper thin depth of field

- sometimes, using LV or EVF gives better result than RF = focus on sensor and at aperture used

- it's normal that Noctilux is "softer" than Summilux asph. at same aperture from f/1.4

Edited June 26, 2018 by a.noctilux

[ELAN]

I think so as anickpick.

 - at 1m, f/1 ... that is the worse case to use Noctilux 1.0 = paper thin depth of field

 

Yes, but something should be sharp... I don’t see anything sharp in the photos above.

[pgk]

I had one but could not get on with it. I'm in agreement with anickpick too. In the first image the eyelashes on the left are out of focus but on the right they are resolved but not well resolved - they are clearly somewhat in focus but soft, as are strands of hair to the right of the eye - and that was my experience precisely. This lens is soft wide open and as such it cannot compete with a 50/1.4 aspheric or even come close. For use as it is it can produce quite pleasant soft focus images given the right lighting and subject, but its never going to exhibit the bite of a modern design wide open

Edited June 26, 2018 by pgk

[pico]

You are not using a filter, are you?

[M11 for me]

You are not using a filter, are you?

Such a thing as a blur filter does not exist :-)

[a.noctilux]

Yes, but something should be sharp... I don’t see anything sharp in the photos above.

 

Noctilux 1.0 would not give "sharp" (as modern asph. lenses do) at f/1.

 

To irritate pico, have a look at the MTF at 1.0 of this "old design lens" beginning life in 1975 !

 

even the new 0.95 Noctilux-M asph. is not that 'sharp' at f/0.95.

Edited June 26, 2018 by a.noctilux

[tsleica]

A rangefinder and F1.0 in closeup....well..thats a solution...looking for a problem..

If you want the noct look but sharper..try F1.4 to f2.8...and use f1.0 only when you have to..

It's a lens you have to sit with for a year or 2..to figure it all out..like the 35mm f1.4 pre..takes time...

And try it for video as well..as the lens is..astonishing..all thru the range..

Edited June 26, 2018 by tsleica

[evikne]

I have both 50 Summilux ASPH and Noctilux f/1.0. I think the sharpness is almost as expected. You cannot expect the Noctilux to look like a modern ASPH lens. It is not made for pixel peeping at 100 %; you have to look at the "whole picture". 

 

Try some selective sharpening in the post editing, and it will probably become as good as it gets.

[ELAN]

You are not using a filter, are you?

No

[pico]

Such a thing as a blur filter does not exist :-)

 

Sure it does.   

[pgk]

In the first photo there is a light halo where the girl's cheek is against her darker hair - spherical aberration which is one of the causes of the f/1 Noctilux lacking bite wide open see: http://photo.imx.nl/leica/lenses/lenses/page56.html and to quote: " Closeups at full aperture, however, are not the Noctilux’s forte. But then who will use this lens in such a situation? The depth of field at f/1,0 and 1 meter is a mere 1-2 cm! Portraits at this distance and aperture are bound to disappoint, from a technical perspective that is."

[Adrian Lord]

This I took on Sunday M9 f1, at f1. This is my second nocti f1 and it is sharper than the first one I owned. I think calibration is important, but they never have that sheer bite at f1. They paint pictures not etch them.

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Edited June 26, 2018 by Adrian Lord

[ELAN]

Thanks Paul... I like shooting portraits from 1-meter and wide open, the reason I got this lens. I just didn’t expect the plane of focus to be this soft, which is why I thought something may be wrong with my copy.

 

I wonder if the 75 Lux exhibits the same softness - I debated between the two lenses but prefer the 50 focal length.

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[a.noctilux]

Such a thing as a blur filter does not exist :-)

 

Sure it does. 

 

https://hoyafilterusa.com/product/hoya-diffuser/

 

or Carl Zeiss Softars, cheap ( far ...) "Thumbar look" for every lens if one hasn't vaseline .