tashley Posted July 13, 2007 Share #1 Posted July 13, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've been offered a second hand Nocti by a friend for £1,000 to £1,200 (he has yet to decide what he wants but I think he can't be bothered to sell it on eBay, which is where he bought it. It has not been used by him for more than about twenty shots. I have it on loan. It is uncoded, Serial Number starts 039, and it has all documents except passport though the warranty card has not been filled in by the dealer and there is no original receipt. I ran a quick test on it using my tried and trusted 'ruler with a Canon filter box' technique and it seems to be very soft at F1 but most in focus at the point on which I thought I had focussed. Then (tripod, focus left unch.) as I stop down the clarity improves but the POF shifts backwards radically by 6cm at F2.8 and 8cm at F4 (distance to subject = 1M) The POF does not regain acceptable focus until F11. So, looks like a dog to me but that depends on how much Leica will charge to fix it (and can it be fixed: if it has best focus on selected POF at f1 then how can it be improved) and how much they will charge to code it. I can't see a Sean Reid review of the lens and it seems famously quirky. I like the bokeh but bokeh is no good without something being in focus! Any views from those with more experience of this than me? All thoughts gratefully received! Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 13, 2007 Posted July 13, 2007 Hi tashley, Take a look here Another Noctilux thread!. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Guest guy_mancuso Posted July 13, 2007 Share #2 Posted July 13, 2007 Tim sounds like it needs to be shimmed . I just sent my 50 lux nd 135 off to be shimmed . My 75 lux and 90mm are dead on along with everything else but these two are backocusing and its the lenses. I bet the same with the Nocti. Can it be fixed i am sure it can since it still is in production Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted July 13, 2007 Share #3 Posted July 13, 2007 It sounds much worse than the copy I have on loan, and my guess would be that Leica would be able to improve it, but perhaps not make it perfect. I think the one I have also backfocuses a little at medium apertures, but it is not bad and if I just twist a little extra, it would go away. Did you see the sample shots in the 75 Lux vs. Noctilux thread? I posted a bunch there, including some crops. That should make you able to compare. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tashley Posted July 13, 2007 Author Share #4 Posted July 13, 2007 It sounds much worse than the copy I have on loan, and my guess would be that Leica would be able to improve it, but perhaps not make it perfect. I think the one I have also backfocuses a little at medium apertures, but it is not bad and if I just twist a little extra, it would go away. Did you see the sample shots in the 75 Lux vs. Noctilux thread? I posted a bunch there, including some crops. That should make you able to compare. Thanks Guy and Carsten! I did see the comparison shots and I have to say that the sample I am using is not capable of anything like that. I think it is quite severely screwed but it is cheap and the guy who is selling it is well off and therefore a bit lazy about achieving best price. I have no idea what Leica would charge for fixing it and I was also in the middle of deciding that lens-wise, less is more, since I have too many now: but I always liked that dreamy nocti look and would like the opportunity to play with a good one for a while to see if it was a keeper for certain situations! Since my 28 cron was returned with correct focus I have used nothing else other than my beloved CV15 a la Milich. Which means I have a WATE, 35 CV and 35 Cron, 50 Lux (which I would NEVER sell!) 75 cron and 90 elmarit decaying slowly in their cases. Totally unused for weeks now. I might as well keep them with my 5D! Hmmmm. :-( t Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted July 13, 2007 Share #5 Posted July 13, 2007 Tim for that low a price it just maybe worth it anyway. i figure the most that it would be off is some type of shimming or a lose element. May not be that bad of a repair expense Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
huwge Posted July 13, 2007 Share #6 Posted July 13, 2007 Tim, not sure if it's anything to go by - but my allegedley repared 35 lux, including coding, cost €440 at Solms. The lens has had to go back as it is now worse than before it went. Can't imagine the Nocti being much more, unless they discover a problem with the actual glass. Huw (hoping the lens comes back before my hols) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hart Posted July 13, 2007 Share #7 Posted July 13, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I'd buy it at that price if I didn't already have one. I bought one for that sort of money about 6 months ago but have seen them since going for several hundred UKP more. My Noctilux and M8 are on their way to Solms as I write, to have the lens coded and the focussing sorted out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted July 13, 2007 Share #8 Posted July 13, 2007 I toyed with ordering the Noctilux with my 30% discount but I've owned one in the past and never really fully gelled with it. It is pretty soft at F1 in the close range (not always a bad thing) and is an ergonomic disaster as part of the M system. However, it is true that it does have a certain look to it (though I'm not sure it is often used to its strengths). Most people just shoot things up close at F1 and marvel at how out of focus the background is - a visual gimmick that gets boring very quickly. The real beauty of the Noctilux is when it is used to shoot stuff/people a bit further back into the scene. The narrow DOF combines with the vignetting to give a rather nice old fashioned large format look. The problem with the M8 is that it cuts out all the nice vignetting and the field of view is that rather less useful '67mm'. As such, I rather think that the Noctilux is a lens for a film M body and for that reason I chose to spend my 30% discount money elsewhere. Having said all this, if you can get the lens for a grand you have little to lose. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tashley Posted July 13, 2007 Author Share #9 Posted July 13, 2007 I'd buy it at that price if I didn't already have one. I bought one for that sort of money about 6 months ago but have seen them since going for several hundred UKP more. My Noctilux and M8 are on their way to Solms as I write, to have the lens coded and the focussing sorted out. Thanks all, I think my issue is less whether it is a bargain, though that would be nice, but the irritation of having to send yet another bit of kit back to Solms for a trip that takes far too long. My first (chrome) M8 is in Solms for the second time at the moment and my black one had to go back with my 35 cron and has now returned with no adjustments: the (brand new) cron was at fault. On the other hand I did just take some shots in the garden and it does lovely things to flowers and foliage - it may not focus, but its lack of focus is quite lovely! Maybe I should keep it instead of getting a lensbaby... 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/28858-another-noctilux-thread/?do=findComment&comment=304797'>More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted July 13, 2007 Share #10 Posted July 13, 2007 Tim it looks like it has a point of focus. Really sounds like a shim needed Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted July 13, 2007 Share #11 Posted July 13, 2007 Tim, You might want to check with Leica CS about the cost of CLA'ing the lens, my guess based on the lenses I've had fixed is around £200 - £300. I sent mine directly (bought new from HK for $3030 which arrived with impossibly stiff focussing) to Solms, bypassing MK, for coding and adjustment, so they can certainly fix them. At the price, I think it's worth a punt. If you end up not liking it, I think you'd be able to move it on for what you paid or more, especially if you can say "just coded and CLA'd". Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted July 13, 2007 Share #12 Posted July 13, 2007 With the serial starting in the 39 range (039, the zero means nothing. Just try to enter that zero on the Leica customer web page and you will find you can't enter the last digit) which is fairly recent, in fact all my new lenses start with 399 (except the 24/2.8 ASPH which was a demo unit, or at least that is what I was told when buying it), I think Leica would fix this lens free of charge no questions asked. That is unless it is stollen. And you know how that goes. Not sure about other countries but here in the USA all lens serial #'s listed on the box start with 0 (zero) and on the lens itself the 0 (zero) is not present. So a lens that has serial # 3998765 would be listed on the box label as 03998765. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted July 13, 2007 Share #13 Posted July 13, 2007 My Nocti is 39847xx Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted July 13, 2007 Share #14 Posted July 13, 2007 39xxxxx numbers are really pretty new Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografr Posted July 13, 2007 Share #15 Posted July 13, 2007 Tim--One consideration might be that most people never use the Nocti at apertures smaller than f/2.0. So if it works satisfactorily from f/1.0 to 2.0, it will do nicely in your bag. I believe they are all somewhat soft at f/1.0 at close range--particularly when compared to something like the 50 lux asph. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografr Posted July 13, 2007 Share #16 Posted July 13, 2007 My Nocti is 39847xx Interesting, Mark. My Nocti has SN# 3984747. Must have been pretty close to yours on the assembly line. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted July 13, 2007 Share #17 Posted July 13, 2007 Tim, I have heard of a Noctilux which was dropped and suffered damage, and which cost 600 Euro to fix, so at the price you are looking at, plus potentially up to 600 Euro, you still come in slightly below the market value of the lens. If you are at all curious about it and don't have to suffer financially to buy it, I would say go for it. I am ordering mine as a 30% lens, although I don't expect to use it much. It is something to see for portraits. I am sorry I can't post more portraits in the thread, but I would have to ask a bunch of colleagues for permission, which I am not keen to do. If you want, I could send them to you directly. PM me if you are interested. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapp Posted July 13, 2007 Share #18 Posted July 13, 2007 Backfocus is normal maybe not to that degree. Even before the M8 age people already had their specific M Leicas send in to adjust camera and lens as a single system. You need to send it to Leica. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
innerimager Posted July 13, 2007 Share #19 Posted July 13, 2007 Hi Tim-A few of mine with this lens at f1 first 2 with M7 M8 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted July 13, 2007 Share #20 Posted July 13, 2007 Interesting, Mark. My Nocti has SN# 3984747. Must have been pretty close to yours on the assembly line. Exactly 20 different! What we don't know is whether this means they were made on the same day (doubtful), same week, same month, same year. Same month would be my guess, this is not a high volume lens. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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