The ND filter strength for the 50mm Noctiluxes

[setuporg]

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I've acquired the Leica 4x ND 60mm filter for the Noctilux and found it's sometimes a bit too much on the M10 when walking around Munich last year.

Now I'm planning to use the Nocts (0.95 and hopefully a 1.0) with the Monochroms (M246 and M10M) and wonder whether weaker degree of ND would be better to use across all the Ms.  Being stronger is OK on the Monochroms since they can go to a higher ISO easily.  The color Ms, M10 and Edition 60, not so much, especially the 60.

B+W makes 2x and 3x ones.  Leica and Heliopan make 4x.  Which ND filters do folks here use on the Nocts?

[Gobert]

2 times or 4 times, depending on the light circumstances. With 4 times, you indeed need sometimes to increase the ISO on cloudy days while 2 times won’t always do on sunny days.

Edited May 14, 2020 by Gobert

[evikne]

If I want to shoot wide open with my f/1.0 Noctilux in sunlight, I use a 3x ND filter. This is sufficient when using ISO 200 and 1/4000th sec. shutter speed here where I live (I never use ISO 100).

In addition, there is plenty of room for recovering at least one extra stop from my M10 sensor if necessary. 

[farnz]

I use a Heliopan VarioND ND filter when I need to use one.  

It's useful because it's variable up to about 12 stops max but some (cheaper?) variable ND's can produce a colour cast or produce a faint 'X' across the picture where the two polarising filters blend.  I haven't found this with the Heliopan.  The difficulty can be finding a 60mm VarioND but 62 mm ones are quite common and can be used with a step-up ring if you don't mind faffing about.

Pete.

[Gobert]

These variable ND filters might have more quality affect.

[Gelatino]

I use a B+W X-S Pro polarizer which darkens 1,5 stop, without  changing colors and a B+W ND 3 F-PRO I am not happy with as it is NOT neutral.

To go in same way as farnz, both are in 77mm  with a 60 to 77 step- up.

Next time I go to the States I will try Breakthrough photography filters.

[Bo-Sixten]

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In full sunlight you usually need to shoot at least at 2.8 and 1/4000 at ISO 200. That is three stops from 1.0, e.g ND3. ND2 will not do. If you plan to shoot at full aperture outdoors all day long an ND3 or ND4 works well. Even if you want to stop down to 1,4 or 2.0 or better contrast or depth of field, ND3 and ND4 still are ok. I use ND3 for my Noctiluxes and feel it covers most situations.

[BernardC]

Using the "sunny 16" rule, exposure in full daylight at ISO 100 will be f:16 at 1/100. Rounding-up to standard shutter speeds, that's the equivalent of f:2.8 at 1/4000.

That means you need three more stops (ND 0.9) to get you to f:1.0 at 1/4000. You would need four stops (or ND 1.2) at ISO 200.

You can get away with a lighter ND filter if you don't plan to shoot wide-open under the noonday Sun.

[Kl@usW.]

I bought a Heliopan ND 1,5 first --finding it too limiting I got a second; the Leica 0,9 which I find much more versatile. 

 

[ru2far2c]

Bought a set of Breakthrough ND's (3, 6 & 10 stops) in 62mm for my 50mm ƒ1.0 E58. Have found the 3 stop to be very useful working with the 50 noctilux.

I bought the ND's in 62mm so I could them with other lenses and systems. Can't use the lens hood working this way with step up/down rings.

 

Edit: the 6 and 10 stop are more landscape and long exposures. 

Edited May 17, 2020 by ru2far2c

[flipsa00]

I tried scouring the internet for forum posts covering this exact question. For those with an M10 and Noctilux (either .95 or 1.0), I've seen the most number of posts saying that 3 stops seems to be the most versatile and useful.

My B+W XS Pro (3 Stops) is coming in two days... I'll check back in then. 

[setuporg]

I got both 4 and 3 stops, two of each, the set spanning B+W and Heliopan and one from Leica (4 stops) I had before, to compare.  I could work the 4-stop Leica on the 1.0 all day yesterday at Santa Cruz, in bright sun, all the way to the sunset sky when I took off the ND to shoot the clouds and the afterglow.  Even the 4 stops was not enough on the beach sometimes. OTOH, with the 1.0 you have an option to hide the dark corners by stopping down, so I often do a couple shots, wide open and not.

[a5m]

58 minutes ago, ru2far2c said:

Bought a set of Breakthrough ND's (3, 6 & 10 stops) in 62mm for my 50mm ƒ1.0 E58. Have found the 3 stop to be very useful working with the 50 noctilux.

I bought the ND's in 62mm so I could them with other lenses and systems. Can't use the lens hood working this way with step up/down rings.

Even if you got the 58mm it wouldn’t have worked with the hood, as I learned...

 

[flipsa00]

On 5/17/2020 at 1:40 PM, flipsa00 said:

I tried scouring the internet for forum posts covering this exact question. For those with an M10 and Noctilux (either .95 or 1.0), I've seen the most number of posts saying that 3 stops seems to be the most versatile and useful.

My B+W XS Pro (3 Stops) is coming in two days... I'll check back in then. 

In a dramatic twist of events...

I ended up buying a used SL body from a local dealer. I was struggling with focusing my 75 Noctilux on an M10, and it seemed like the EVF on the SL was a much better focusing experience. It helps with my 50 Noctilux f/.95 too.

All this to say that I probably don't need the NDs anymore if shooting with the SL and will probably return the ND filters. Still deciding if I want to keep the 3-stop B+W one in case I want to walk around with my 50 Noctilux on the M10.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful! 😅

[giannis]

On 5/14/2020 at 6:34 AM, setuporg said:

I've acquired the Leica 4x ND 60mm filter for the Noctilux and found it's sometimes a bit too much on the M10 when walking around Munich last year.

Now I'm planning to use the Nocts (0.95 and hopefully a 1.0) with the Monochroms (M246 and M10M) and wonder whether weaker degree of ND would be better to use across all the Ms.  Being stronger is OK on the Monochroms since they can go to a higher ISO easily.  The color Ms, M10 and Edition 60, not so much, especially the 60.

B+W makes 2x and 3x ones.  Leica and Heliopan make 4x.  Which ND filters do folks here use on the Nocts?

A 4x ND is just 2 stops, it's pretty much the weakest ND you can get barring 1-stop NDs that pretty much only cinematographers use. I'd find a 2 stop ND of limited use, if I were to carry a single ND it would probably be a 3-stop ND at least, probably a 5 stop one with film bodies. Also, if it's getting too dark with the ND, you can just take it off. I can't imagine a situation where a 2 stop ND is too dark. How could it be? It forces you to shoot below 1/125, for your ISO and aperture? Just take it off and shoot 1/500 without it. Even the oldest film bodies can do 1/1000.

[setuporg]

42 minutes ago, giannis said:

A 4x ND is just 2 stops, it's pretty much the weakest ND you can get barring 1-stop NDs that pretty much only cinematographers use. I'd find a 2 stop ND of limited use, if I were to carry a single ND it would probably be a 3-stop ND at least, probably a 5 stop one with film bodies. Also, if it's getting too dark with the ND, you can just take it off. I can't imagine a situation where a 2 stop ND is too dark. How could it be? It forces you to shoot below 1/125, for your ISO and aperture? Just take it off and shoot 1/500 without it. Even the oldest film bodies can do 1/1000.

It's probably a misnaming it on my part -- it's called 16x and it is 4 stops.  I since got a 3 stop ones as well and a variable one...  although the variable one, Heliopan, is said to cause vignetting on the Nocts.  Since 1.0 is already vignetted I thought I could try anyways.

[farnz]

3 minutes ago, setuporg said:

and a variable one...  although the variable one, Heliopan, is said to cause vignetting on the Nocts.

I use a Heliopan Vario-ND and I haven't noticed any additional vignetting when using my 50/1 Noctilux wide open.  I tried a few different variable ND filters and the Heliopan was the only one that didn't cause a colour cast or a faint 'X' where the polarising filters were 90 degrees out of phase.

Pete.

[M11 for me]

I bought the Leica Filter in first place. But I was not happy at all. Its any way a filter that is bought in and just labeled. Then I went for "FORMATT HIGHTECH Firecast Ultra". Have a look into that. This is an excellent filter. Even the 10x (ND 3.0) barely changes any colours. 

[Ecar]

Has anyone here tried one of these?

https://mygobe.com/shop/lens-filters/nd-filters.html

Prices are attractive and I've read a couple of very positive reviews, but I'm wondering if it's just "environmentalism hype" (they claim to plant 5 trees for each product sold) or if they are genuinely good.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[farnz]

1 hour ago, Ecar said:

Has anyone here tried one of these?

https://mygobe.com/shop/lens-filters/nd-filters.html

Prices are attractive and I've read a couple of very positive reviews, but I'm wondering if it's just "environmentalism hype" (they claim to plant 5 trees for each product sold) or if they are genuinely good.

I haven't tried the ND filter but I do have a Gobe metal filter cap that works nicely with a Manfrotto Xume magnetic filter holder and allows instantaneous removal or swapping of filters without the drudgery of unscrewing and re-screwing.  The metal cap is nicely made, does its job, and (I presume) caused a few trees to be planted.  Which is never a bad thing.

Pete.