would you...?

[nwphil]

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Keep coming back to this same questioning regarding the 50mm noctilux - should I get it?

 no really need for it per se, but love the shallow DOF, rendering, etc.
I do have a nice kit with the M240, but feel less motivated to use it (I do have two other cameras, non-RF), hence thinking of making the M a one-lens rig just with one special lens.

To that extend, I would have to sell the Voigt 12mm v1, 21sem, 35 cron v4, 50 cron v3, and a 90 macro-elmar, otherwise it would never be the special  one lens kit.

Kills me a bit getting rid of theses lenses too

So, if you were considering become a single lens use with the M, would you really go this route and grab a noctilux (50mm)?

 Thanks for listening...

Phil

 

[lykaman]

Your giving yourself an unnecessary headache'  if you hanker after particular Lens, Rent it.. If you fall in love, do whatever you feel you need to do.. I would Not sacrifice your existing lenses for a what really is a special lens.. L

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[jdlaing]

Buy it.

[Stein K S]

If you have to stagger your curiousity... buy it. No big risk. BUT as others have stated; I would really hesitate to get rid of both your 35, 50 and 90. All beautiful... and small & light lenses as opposed to both the Nocti and possibly also your other gear. But then again size & weight might not bother you... 😉

[Pyrogallol]

There is a lot of discussion on the forum about the different Noctilux versions and several people seem to have got rid of them for one reason or another. It would be a pity to sell the nice lenses you have if you find later that you cannot get on with the Noctilux. Try one out if you can first, you may not like the weight or focussing accuracy needed. Discussion also seems to include the need to get bodies and lenses recalibrated to each other.

[nwphil]

well, this forum is the worst site I ever seen regarding providing some wise sensibility with  purchasing expensive lenses 

no, weight and size don't bother me that much (own a couple Otus lenses too)

I know that I will love it - after all owned the voigt Nokton 1.2 before, and always try to shoot wide open with the Otus. 

Time to take the kit out and see how much I would miss each one of them, if selling them out

 

Thanks

 

[DickieT]

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Keep the 21 and 35, sell the rest and buy the Nocti. But not before trying it - I love mine but it is not everybody’s friend. And you would be short selling your 240 with only a Nocti attached to it all the time ..

[Jeff S]

If you can’t make nice pics using any or all those terrific lenses, then a new lens isn’t the issue.  Even if you own multiple lenses, it’s easy enough to pick one for a day... or a year if desired. Have you even used the Noctilux for any extended time...borrowed,  demo or rental?

Jeff

[tom0511]

I had a 1.0, sold it, got a 0.95 ... sold it some moths ago, ...some months later got a 1.0, ...

For me the Noctilux(es) are in a way special and a big temptation, but in the end I find the smaller lenses (in case of 50mm the SUmmicrons) fit the M body and idea much better. 

So if you have to sell your believed other (slower) lenses I would say: dont

If yo can add a Nocti as a bomus dream additional lens: do it

As lovely as it is, I dont use mine much often

(Also keep in mind focusing at f 1.0 or 0.95 with a rangefinder means you need a perfectly aligned lens and body, plus its really difficult for anything other than not moving subjects.)

 

[spydrxx]

If you really believe the Nocti is your thing...rent one before you sell the family jewels. I owned one and found it wasn't worth the money for my work. Keep in mind the old adage to never sell a Leica lens unless you never use it and never expect to do so.

[earleygallery]

Just buy a Voigtlander Nokton. If you end up really liking it, and using it, then consider trading everything for the Noctilux.

Or buy an app that will give you extreme blurry images

[nwphil]

2 hours ago, Jeff S said:

If you can’t make nice pics using any or all those terrific lenses, then a new lens isn’t the issue.  Even if you own multiple lenses, it’s easy enough to pick one for a day... or a year if desired. Have you even used the Noctilux for any extended time...borrowed,  demo or rental?

Jeff

closest thing was the nokton 1.2 on a RF. Can't compare 1.4 on a DSLR.

I do agree with your statement 110% - not that I think my pictures are terrific.....

Renting it's about $100/day, so....a careful undertaking has to be consider despite the lens value nerveless - meaning, having the time and location to really enjoy the testing.

[nwphil]

1 hour ago, earleygallery said:

Just buy a Voigtlander Nokton. If you end up really liking it, and using it, then consider trading everything for the Noctilux.

Or buy an app that will give you extreme blurry images

had the nokton - not so pleased with it's color rendering

Leica does apps now?😜

[earleygallery]

2 minutes ago, nwphil said:

had the nokton - not so pleased with it's color rendering

Leica does apps now?😜

Saved you £5K https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.outthinking.imageblur&hl=en

[Sam]

Sell a kidney if you have, but get it. You know you're not going to rest until you do.

Renting first is an excellent option but it's money you could be putting toward your dream lens.

I have walked with one on an M240 during many weeks of travel, so I know very well what it's like carrying the beast. And it's a cannonball on an M.  Large and heavy lenses on my Canon 5DMIV feel less heavy, and it could be because the camera body w/grip is so large and they balance better. The Noctilux 0.95 on an M feels heavy and unbalanced, but it's the price you pay for the magical photos it delivers. You have 2 kidneys anyway.

Don't forget you'll need a 3-stop ND filter for shooting @ f0.95 during bright days. Figure that cost into the equation.

I use the Rock N Roll strap made with 50 or 60 individual pieces of leather (sorry I forgot the model) and its springy/stretchy action lessons the load and makes for as comfortable carry as you're going to get. I would not like to carry the Nocti on a rigid strap.

It's an art lens and it's definitely not for everyone. Your hit rate goes way down @ f0.95, and I got best results with a EVF, although they are painfully slow on the M240. On my M10 focus accuracy is better and I can get good results @ f0.95, but if I *really* want to be sure I will nail it, I'll use an EVF.

[ru2far2c]

If at all possible try not to sell glass to buy glass. You may regret selling the lenses you sold later on. Yes, I understand you need to be fiscally responsible in order to purchase a new lens. I have a noctilux V1 which I plan on holding on to for a long time. Lenses for Leica are the only lenses I’ve ever regretted selling or trading several times in the past. So needless to say for me at least I’ll hold on to lenses and sell and trade bodies. Good Luck.

[Ko.Fe.]

I would sell this amount of lenses. Just change 50 v3 to non Leica 50 1.1. BH has one for 699$ :).

 

[leica5]

9 hours ago, nwphil said:

Keep coming back to this same questioning regarding the 50mm noctilux - should I get it?

 no really need for it per se, but love the shallow DOF, rendering, etc.
I do have a nice kit with the M240, but feel less motivated to use it (I do have two other cameras, non-RF), hence thinking of making the M a one-lens rig just with one special lens.

To that extend, I would have to sell the Voigt 12mm v1, 21sem, 35 cron v4, 50 cron v3, and a 90 macro-elmar, otherwise it would never be the special  one lens kit.

Kills me a bit getting rid of theses lenses too

So, if you were considering become a single lens use with the M, would you really go this route and grab a noctilux (50mm)?

 Thanks for listening...

Phil

 

 

9 hours ago, lykaman said:

Your giving yourself an unnecessary headache'  if you hanker after particular Lens, Rent it.. If you fall in love, do whatever you feel you need to do.. I would Not sacrifice your existing lenses for a what really is a special lens.. L

Sage advice, but his heart is set on Noctilux, what to do now; have to get one  just to feel""i did it my way"This gratification is temporary cure for obsessive/recurring thoughts.

[mich]

If you got tons of spare money, buy whatever you like, if it doesn`t work out, so what...

There is an old gambling advice: 'Never gamble with scared money!' Gambling can be as addictive as GAS, so I think this advice can be applied here too. 🙂

Don't listen to people who tell you to buy the lens, it's not their money, it's yours!

When you scroll through the works of the great masters of photography, how often do you feel that there is a shot that only works because it was taken with a Noctilux wide open?

Think about it. 😉

Cheers

 

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[Herr Barnack]

1 hour ago, ru2far2c said:

If at all possible try not to sell glass to buy glass. You may regret selling the lenses you sold later on. Yes, I understand you need to be fiscally responsible in order to purchase a new lens. I have a noctilux V1 which I plan on holding on to for a long time. Lenses for Leica are the only lenses I’ve ever regretted selling or trading several times in the past. So needless to say for me at least I’ll hold on to lenses and sell and trade bodies. Good Luck.

@Phil,

The above is probably the best advice in this thread so far, and I concur with ru2far2c 100%.  

Regarding the different Noctilux versions, I have the #11822 (made from 1993-2008) and that's the version I would recommend.  It is an outstanding lens, has a beautiful fingerprint and is significantly less costly than a new Noctilux 0.95 ASPH would be.

I would urge you to not be too quick to sell off the five lenses you currently own; shooting with one lens exclusively has its strengths but sometimes you really need options in terms of focal lengths.  I have traded away a couple of lenses that I have come to regret trading (50 Summilux millennium pre-ASPH and 28 Summicron ASPH) and have learned my lesson the hard way.  No more lens trading for me.  Thankfully I have had the good sense to keep my #11822 Noctilux since I acquired it in August of 2008.  In my view, it is a lens for life. 

All the above having been said, at the end of the day it's your decision - not anyone else's; you and you alone will live with the outcome of your decision.

Weigh your options carefully, make a good choice and hopefully everything will work out for the best.