ELAN Posted June 26, 2018 Share #1 Posted June 26, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) 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 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! 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/285964-noctilux-f1-soft/?do=findComment&comment=3544244'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 26, 2018 Posted June 26, 2018 Hi ELAN, Take a look here Noctilux f/1 soft?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
ELAN Posted June 26, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted June 26, 2018 M10, Noctilux @ f/1, ISO 100, 1/1000 sec, at 1-meter, OOC, LR 6.13 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! 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/285964-noctilux-f1-soft/?do=findComment&comment=3544246'>More sharing options...
albertknappmd Posted June 26, 2018 Share #3 Posted June 26, 2018 somethig is wrong.. send back for calibration and analysis to Leica Albert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted June 26, 2018 Share #4 Posted June 26, 2018 Call Don and send pics. He’ll advise. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steamboat Posted June 26, 2018 Share #5 Posted June 26, 2018 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. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
anickpick Posted June 26, 2018 Share #6 Posted June 26, 2018 I think this is what you can expect of a Noctilux f/1. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted June 26, 2018 Share #7 Posted June 26, 2018 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) 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 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELAN Posted June 26, 2018 Author Share #8 Posted June 26, 2018 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. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted June 26, 2018 Share #9 Posted June 26, 2018 (edited) 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 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted June 26, 2018 Share #10 Posted June 26, 2018 You are not using a filter, are you? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M11 for me Posted June 26, 2018 Share #11 Posted June 26, 2018 You are not using a filter, are you? Such a thing as a blur filter does not exist :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted June 26, 2018 Share #12 Posted June 26, 2018 (edited) 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 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsleica Posted June 26, 2018 Share #13 Posted June 26, 2018 (edited) 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 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
evikne Posted June 26, 2018 Share #14 Posted June 26, 2018 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. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELAN Posted June 26, 2018 Author Share #15 Posted June 26, 2018 You are not using a filter, are you? No Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted June 26, 2018 Share #16 Posted June 26, 2018 Such a thing as a blur filter does not exist :-) Sure it does. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted June 26, 2018 Share #17 Posted June 26, 2018 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." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Lord Posted June 26, 2018 Share #18 Posted June 26, 2018 (edited) 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. 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 June 26, 2018 by Adrian Lord 8 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/285964-noctilux-f1-soft/?do=findComment&comment=3544421'>More sharing options...
ELAN Posted June 26, 2018 Author Share #19 Posted June 26, 2018 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. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted June 26, 2018 Share #20 Posted June 26, 2018 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 . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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