Interview with Peter Karbe "The Perfect Noctilux" at overgaard.dk

[Overgaard]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I've published the second part of my interview with Leica lens designer Peter Karbe where we talk about the 75mm Noctilux and other Noctilux lenses as well as 'rock and roll' lenses. Enjoy!

http://www.overgaard.dk/Leica-75mm-Noctilux-interview-rock-and-roll-lenses-thorsten-overgaard-peter-karbe.html

 

 

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Fedro]

I really enjoyed it, thank you for sharing

[OR120]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[evikne]

Great article and interview, and very interesting. Already after reading the first part of this interview I was thinking the same as in the final paragraph here:

"I feel that Peter Karbe and the folks in Wetzlar have all their focus on perfection and L-mount lenses where there are no limitations on size. I wonder - with a silent hope - that I might have shaken him a bit with the idea that small and imperfect lenses is still in demand."

Of course high performance is very important too, but to me, it must not be at the expense of compactness. So the M system will still be my preferred platform.

[Guest]

Great read, thanks Thorsten!

[Exodies]

Poor Mr Karbe.

[Del-Uks]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

10 hours ago, evikne said:

Of course high performance is very important too, but to me, it must not be at the expense of compactness. 

This 75mm Noctilux is no doubt an amazing technical lens.

Then, so far and from what I can see over the web, I much prefer the rendering of Mandler's 75mm Summilux to that of the new Karbe's Noctilux.

Just about the same way I much prefer the "poetic" images of my Noctilux 50mm f/1 v.2 over the more precise (surgical) images of the Noctilux 50mm f/0.95.

That said, neither the Noctilux 50mm nor the Summilux 75mm of Mandler's era are truly compact.

[scott kirkpatrick]

Ahh, Unaffordia made out of Unobtanium!  I've used both of the Shangri-La 75's, but only for a brief moment with each one.  Carsten Whimster let me use his Mandler 75 on my M8 or M9, when we met over coffee years ago.  I got a nice headshot in bad office lighting with David Farkas's store demo 75 Nocti last summer.  I would be happy to spend more time with either one, but the 75 Summicron-SL is probably more my style.  Now to read the article.

[evikne]

Karbe’s job is to make the best lenses possible, so of course we can’t say he does anything wrong. And lots of people appreciate the new extreme performance lenses. But still there are many who prefer smaller cameras and lenses, and even those who prefer less “perfect” image quality. Lenses with a bit more "rock & roll", like Overgaard says.

Edited February 27, 2019 by evikne

[Fedro]

24 minutes ago, evikne said:

Karbe’s job is to make the best lenses possible, so of course we can’t say he does anything wrong. And lots of people appreciate the new extreme performance lenses. But still there are many who prefer smaller cameras and lenses, and even those who prefer less “perfect” image quality. Lenses with a bit more "rock & roll", like Overgaard says.

Karbe's job, and that of those that came before him, is to continue looking for excellence and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. If predecessors did not have that attitude, the Lux 75 would not exist, and probably Leica neither.

I think it is great that we continue with that spirit, and that we have choice between several great lenses - and hopefully continue to add more in the future

The rest is down to personal taste, aesthetics and, frankly, semantics 

[Milan_S]

I think Leica and Mr Karbe's team focus is indeed on creating perfect lenses for all camera systems but in the same time with the classic line Leica the Thambar and the 28mm Summaron they keep on producing Rock 'n roll and re-introducing lenses from the past.

I love the sharpness and perfect of the SL and S lenses (workhorses) but the M lenses are jewels with a perfect balans between size and performance. 

[albertknappmd]

very illuminating!

Albert 😔

[geddon_jt]

Great article as usual Thorsten.

[Arrow]

I would have loved to read more thoughts on the Thambar. 

[hanexp]

Great article, Thorsten. It is educational and helps me better articulate the values I appreciate the lenses I prefer.  

[LichtUndDunkelheit]

The (so far most) perfect Nocti is the Mandler 50/1.0 ! 😛

While the beginning bored me to no end, I was very amused about the part about getting the best flare, and getting "rock and roll" lenses, and theres more funny stuff even after the interview ("The instruction manual on the lens say it is "not permitted" to use the lens thread. Offenders go to prison and the lens goes back to Leica.").

By the way, I like the Thambar. And soft focus lenses in general. 😀