coz Posted January 18, 2020 Share #1 Posted January 18, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) Greetings, Can I ask users of the Noctilux 0.95 and Summicron apo 2.0: If you stop down the Noctilux to 2.0 is the performance equivalent to the Cron APO at 2.0? Or is the Summicron technically superior? I'm trying to decide on of these two. I was leaning towards the Summicron but started to think about the above. Of course considering cost and ergonomics are vastly different too. I've only used the latest 50 summilux on various cameras. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 18, 2020 Posted January 18, 2020 Hi coz, Take a look here Noctilux 0.95 vs Summicron APO 2.0. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Stealth3kpl Posted January 18, 2020 Share #2 Posted January 18, 2020 Whatever the answer is, get the Summicron. You'll get tired of carrying that Noctilux and will stop taking it out. Pete 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coz Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share #3 Posted January 18, 2020 Hah, for sure that is a major consideration! Thanks 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
padam Posted January 18, 2020 Share #4 Posted January 18, 2020 The APO-Summicron is a lot sharper at f/2 across the frame, the Noctilux is optimised to be sharp at the central area of the frame at wide apertures. https://www.opticallimits.com/leicam/860-noctilux50asph?start=1https://www.opticallimits.com/leicam/678-summicron50?start=1 And that is only the 'old' Summicron, they haven't tested the APO 50, but it should be sharper still. But again, these are different lenses that not necessarily worth comparing with charts, just look at the images. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted January 18, 2020 Share #5 Posted January 18, 2020 Leica’s MTF data suggests the 50mm Noctilux never catches up with the APO-Summicron. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkinners Posted January 18, 2020 Share #6 Posted January 18, 2020 I have been in the exact situation, Noctilux 0.95 or APO50. I ended choose the APO50 and not regretting one bit for following reasons 1. Noctilux just too big and heavy for Leica M system 2. 0.95 wide open is very hard to nail the focus for RF and I do not like using EVF. 3. APO50 just a marvelous little lens from the engineering standpoint and the image quality stand point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gobert Posted January 18, 2020 Share #7 Posted January 18, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) Two completely different lenses. Incomparable. Despite the weight, I prefer the Noct., being my holy grale. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
padam Posted January 18, 2020 Share #8 Posted January 18, 2020 2 minutes ago, Gobert said: Two completely different lenses. Incomparable. Despite the weight, I prefer the Noct., being my holy grale. True, albeit one is the most expensive current production 50mm with the other coming in second, so in that way they are going to be compared. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coz Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share #9 Posted January 18, 2020 Great points thanks for the comments. I guess a case can be made to own both as said many times. I think I'm going for the summicron and may rent a noctilux one day to experiment. Best 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
evikne Posted January 18, 2020 Share #10 Posted January 18, 2020 I don't quite understand the logic of the opening question. If the performance of the Noctilux at f/2.0 isn't equivalent to the APO Summicron, isn't it worth having? What about the more than two extra stops that the APO Summicron lacks? The question should rather be whether you want/need these extra stops or not. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coz Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share #11 Posted January 18, 2020 4 minutes ago, evikne said: I don't quite understand the logic of the opening question. If the performance of the Noctilux at f/2.0 isn't equivalent to the APO Summicron, isn't it worth having? What about the more than two extra stops that the APO Summicron lacks? The question should rather be whether you want/need these extra stops or not. Agreed that makes sense. I was hoping to get the Noctilux have the speed advantages and then I was asking was if I stop it down am I missing anything at 2.0 that the summicron delivers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkinners Posted January 18, 2020 Share #12 Posted January 18, 2020 24 minutes ago, evikne said: I don't quite understand the logic of the opening question. If the performance of the Noctilux at f/2.0 isn't equivalent to the APO Summicron, isn't it worth having? What about the more than two extra stops that the APO Summicron lacks? The question should rather be whether you want/need these extra stops or not. I think the question make perfect sense. The OP could have been wanting to use F/2.0 most of the time but would love the flexibility to have 2 extra F stops in some extreme low light situation. In the perfect world, one could have bought both of them and 2 camera body to go with each of them but we are not always living in the perfect world. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
evikne Posted January 18, 2020 Share #13 Posted January 18, 2020 I think the APO is best from f/2.0 and down, and the Noctilux is best from f/1.4 and up … 😉 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted January 18, 2020 Share #14 Posted January 18, 2020 Well, given the foregoing surely the answer is the 50mm Summilux-M ASPH! f1.4, 335g, doesn't block the viewfinder, superb resolution. (Yes, I have one...). 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
evikne Posted January 18, 2020 Share #15 Posted January 18, 2020 12 minutes ago, Keith (M) said: Well, given the foregoing surely the answer is the 50mm Summilux-M ASPH! f1.4, 335g, doesn't block the viewfinder, superb resolution. (Yes, I have one...). Yes, the Summilux is the obvious compromise between the two lenses. And by far the cheapest. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrostl Posted January 18, 2020 Share #16 Posted January 18, 2020 (edited) MTF isn't everything, but Lens Rentals has a comparison of the two (and more) at https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/06/comparing-rangefinder-and-slr-50mm-lenses-version-0-7/. Verdict: APO is well ahead in the center, way ahead in the middle, and massively ahead on the edges when both are at f/2.0. Edited January 18, 2020 by astrostl clarification 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 18, 2020 Share #17 Posted January 18, 2020 3 hours ago, evikne said: The question should rather be whether you want/need these extra stops or not. +1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.liam Posted January 18, 2020 Share #18 Posted January 18, 2020 The only effect of stopping down the APO is changing depth of field. It s razor sharp at all apertures. Same can’t be said of the Noctilux. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
evikne Posted January 18, 2020 Share #19 Posted January 18, 2020 But the Noctilux is definitely sharp enough also wide open when using selective focus (f/0.95 is not meant for having everything in focus). And a consequence of some areas being very blurry is that the sharp areas appear even sharper. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
darylgo Posted January 19, 2020 Share #20 Posted January 19, 2020 (edited) The noctilux will perform very close to the Summilux at similar apertures, but the apo summicron renders detail that neither of the other two could match. I find I don't often need the detail of the summicron including landscapes, shooting the Summilux mostly, the others sit idly but very much loved. Edited January 19, 2020 by darylgo 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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