Noctilux 0.95 vs Summicron APO 2.0

[IkarusJohn]

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On 1/19/2020 at 8:02 AM, coz said:

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.  

They are really quite different lenses, aside from size & weight, speed and depth of field - the Noct is a very capable all round 50, but it draws in a very different way tot he APO Summicron (yes, I have both, and the 50 Summilux).  The AA Summicron is a modern lens with little to no aberrations - it is close to perfection (though out performed by the 50 Summilux-SL and, apparently, the 50 Summicron-SL).  Conversely, the Noctilux has character - its out of focus treatment is sublime, it can be used in very low light or with ND filters to get a very shallow depth of field.  In my view, it has a different character at all apertures.

At f/2, would you notice which was which if I posted one without the other?  I doubt it.  You could pixel peep in a normalised, side by side comparison, and probably pick one over the other, or not ...

As for focusing, I find the Noct easy to focus - its long throw allows for accuracy - it just takes practice.  One word of warning, though - the Noctilux purple fringes like crazy if you're not careful about high contrast in bright sunlike.  On the SL, not so much (actually, not at all).

Both are lovely lenses, as is the 50 Summillux-M ASPH.

Edited January 20, 2020 by IkarusJohn

[footsurg]

I have both and we could long debate the differences of these great lenses.  They both have very attractive aspects.   But, to me the bottom line these days has become one of practicality.  And the Noct is a shlep.  I drag it out just for special situations and it is a thrill to use.  But the APO 50 is easy to carry around and the images are also a thrill.  

[didier]

On 1/18/2020 at 6:58 PM, coz said:

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.

 

 

I own both, and as other forum members wrote, they are very different.

The APO is practical (so small, light, fast to focus), and has a unique (among Leica M 50s), amazing, clarity. Pictures are just different : Colors are more « pure », pictures stand out.

The Noct is a dream lens (for me) for portrait with fantastic bokeh. I find it keeps its character at f2. But is huge on a M. Slower to focus. Handles better with the SL.

Before owning both, I used my M ‘lux 50 ASPH most : I just don’t use it anymore : when I need a compact lens, the APO is so much better than the lux : cleaner pictures, wonderful sharpness, those amazingly pure Colors, even nicer bokeh with the APO at f2 than with the lux M.

And for special occasions, the Noct. You get results you don’t get with any other Lens.

I recently added a 50 ‘lux SL : same clean pictures, sharpness, and smoother bokeh than the M 50 APO. But the Noct is lightweight and small compared to it !!

Didier

[Arrow]

50mm lenses are a nightmare. There are too many of them. 

[evikne]

12 minutes ago, Arrow said:

50mm lenses are a nightmare. There are too many of them. 

I know. I have three, and I still want more … 

[IkarusJohn]

Just now, evikne said:

I know. I have three, and I still want more … 

Amateur!

Summitar-LTM, Summilux-M ASPH, APO Summicron-M, Noctilux-M 0.95, Summilux-SL, 35 Summilux-TL & XCD 80/1.4 (does that count?) 🙄

[insideline]

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1 hour ago, IkarusJohn said:

Amateur!

Summitar-LTM, Summilux-M ASPH, APO Summicron-M, Noctilux-M 0.95, Summilux-SL, 35 Summilux-TL & XCD 80/1.4 (does that count?) 🙄

Lets see: 50's I have F1.2 Noctilux, E58 F1.0 Noctilux, E60 F1.0 Noctilux, 50 black paint Pre-Apsh Summilux, 50 M APO, Japan 50 1.4 LTM Summilux Pre-ASPH, 50 Summicron Rigid then the other focal lengths, sold my 50 2.8 M Elmar and not sure why. 

[evikne]

3 minutes ago, insideline said:

Lets see: 50's I have F1.2 Noctilux, E58 F1.0 Noctilux, E60 F1.0 Noctilux, 50 black paint Pre-Apsh Summilux, 50 M APO, Japan 50 1.4 LTM Summilux Pre-ASPH, 50 Summicron Rigid then the other focal lengths, sold my 50 2.8 M Elmar and not sure why. 

I really feel like an amateur. 😢

[IkarusJohn]

7 minutes ago, evikne said:

I really feel like an amateur. 😢

You do very well with the Noctilux, and if that was your only 50, you'd still be doing great work 👍

[didier]

8 hours ago, evikne said:

I really feel like an amateur. 😢

I am a (little) amateur as well with my 6 50s

Elmar M, Summicron IV chrome, APO, ‘lux ASPH, Noct 0.95 and the recently bought ‘lux SL

😊

 

 

[digger1914]

I am suffer with only the 50mAPO, 50 ‘Lux ASPH and the Planar.  I reckon the Planar is an under rated lens, which unfortunately I use far too little.

[RexGig0]

On 1/18/2020 at 3:34 PM, astrostl said:

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.

Thanks for posting the link. I knew that I had seen this article, once upon a time, but had not been to find it again, probably due to entering less-than-best key words.

Lloyd Chambers’ paid site is enlightening, too. I subscribed, primarily to learn more about the differences between newest Summilux-M 35mm FLE and the Zeiss Distagon 1,4/35mm ZM, but material on the various 50mm lenses is also interesting.

Charts can tell me which lens I would rather use for landscapes and architecture. Field curvature can hinder such shooting.

My 50mm experience, with Leica M, is with the Summilux-M ASPH, Summicron-M with generation IV optics, and Elmar-M, so I cannot address the Noctilux or APO ‘Cron ASPH. I certainly do not see the Summilux-M ASPH as a compromise, but as the perfect portrait fifty, that does many other things well, too.

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by RexGig0

[jrp]

Yes, the Summilux is hard to beat for its (very attractive look).  But the APO-Summicron and Noctilux all have theirs.  Like one of the earlier posters I"d use the APO-Summicron for places and the Summilux / Noctilux for people, if you needed a rule of thumb.

[coz]

Definitely need a few more cameras for all these 50s!   Starting with the apo:    

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[lexontario]

COZ   Hi   I like the looks of your camera strap. what brand/manufacturer is it ?

[coz]

Hi,   I got it at Leica but I think it's a cooph.  Nice feel easy to grab so far so good.

Best

[Schittra]

On 1/19/2020 at 2:54 AM, evikne said:

Yes, the Summilux is the obvious compromise between the two lenses. And by far the cheapest.

Completely agree. In my humble opinion, I have been using Lux50 since 2008 and always have nice images from it. I am in the market for Noct50/0.95 and wonder the market position of APO 'Cron 50.

[PeterGA]

According to my favourite dealer the two most traded lenses in second hand market are the M 50APO and the 50 Noctilux - often they are traded one for the other and often traded again...speaking from personal experience with the Nocti - I am about to re-buy my 4th Noctilux in 20 years and can't wait to put it on the SL2 - where it balances very well and focuses much easier wide open .. I think this time I will give the lens a name and thus make it harder for me to change my mind again 4 or 5 years from now. I'm thinking of calling it - 'fatso'.

Edited March 4, 2020 by PeterGA