Review: Leica Noctilux 50mm f1.2

[M10Alpine]

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Anyone has the finest idea whats going on with the production? I pre ordered a black before Christmas and paid a deposit - they still have no indication when they will get any deliveries. 

What availability do you see? 

Edited February 9, 2021 by M10Alpine

[fabior]

availability is a question mark! especially if I consider that I had given a deposit in early September for the silver chrome version in a Leica store ... despite this, now they ( Leica local dealer ) say the chrome version is no longer even conceivable to have it for a somewhat improvised Leica  policy in my opinion. So , few days ago, I hijacked the choice on the black version, reluctantly, but for now I'm still confidently waiting . I'm actually very patient! I have no choice !

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[pedaes]

27 minutes ago, fabior said:

availability is a question mark! especially if I consider that I had given a deposit in early September for the silver chrome version in a Leica store ... despite this, now they ( Leica local dealer ) say the chrome version is no longer even conceivable to have it for a somewhat improvised Leica  policy in my opinion. So , few days ago, I hijacked the choice on the black version, reluctantly, but for now I'm still confidently waiting . I'm actually very patient! I have no choice !

That is very disappointing! I hope the store hasn't let you down, as having a order in with a deposit that early they should have secured the lens you want by ordering themselves somehow. Of course, at that time Leica would not officially admit to the lens coming .

I would certainly take the issue up with the main Leica base for your Region, or directly with Wetzlar, stressing the date that your dealer took your deposit.

Best of luck!

Edited February 9, 2021 by pedaes

[T25UFO]

I heard from my dealer there are just three chrome lenses coming to the UK.  No idea who will have them, but I guess they are all pre-sold.  I'm on the list for a black one and decided to pay up front to secure earliest delivery slot.  Don't know when that will be, but I am also patient!

[shirubadanieru]

Here in Asia too no updates at all. I have a reservation both in a Leica store & with an official reseller but nothing so far. They said February so still a few weeks to go

[farnz]

3 hours ago, T25UFO said:

I heard from my dealer there are just three chrome lenses coming to the UK.  No idea who will have them, but I guess they are all pre-sold.  I'm on the list for a black one and decided to pay up front to secure earliest delivery slot.  Don't know when that will be, but I am also patient!

Leica Mayfair told me last week that they had had one and that was all they would get.  (That one was already pre-sold and they have a 40+ waiting list that will not be fulfilled of course.)

Pete.

[wlaidlaw]

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I am surprised that there are that many Leica collectors with sufficient disposable funds looking to buy the chrome 1.2 Nocti. Are they really Leica collectors or Leica speculators? I wonder. The very substantial increases in film M and rare cameras like 250 Reporter valuations over the last 18 months, only means additional insurance premiums for me, as I am only very rarely a seller. I suppose that in due course, good Barnack values will also start to grow. 

Wilson

Edited February 9, 2021 by wlaidlaw

[Guest]

How do they replicate the hand polishing and grinding of glass performed by the 2 designers on the original?  and if they simply get around that stuff with modern techniques   does that mean the lens becomes a bit of a fraud?

How does leica go about replicating that type of painstaking operation regarding the glass elements of the original?

Edited February 9, 2021 by steve 1959

[shirubadanieru]

42 minutes ago, steve 1959 said:

How do they replicate the hand polishing and grinding of glass performed by the 2 designers on the original?  and if they simply get around that stuff with modern techniques   does that mean the lens becomes a bit of a fraud?

How does leica go about replicating that type of painstaking operation regarding the glass elements of the original?

When the lens was produced I don't think Leica did hand polishing of the ASPH elements just for the fun of it. There was simply no other way at the time of doing it and this led to a lot of unusable copies. Now pretty much all lenses are ASPH so obviously it's very easy to replicate ASPH elements without having to do it by hand. 

But who knows, maybe they did it for the chrome version just for the fun of it

[johnbuckley]

Still no sign of the f1.2 Noctilux in the US, so far as I can tell, other than in the Leica Store Miami presentation Saturday. But there is a development I appreciate.

Sean Reid, in his Reid Reviews (pay wall), has up an initial review of the lens, and it only heightens my interest. It is not yet his in-depth review - this is more of an impressionistic take on an impressionistic lens, and it very positive. He talks about its solid build, its great bokeh and precision stopped down. Most important, Sean has a number of images that push back against the impression I had gotten from some pictures published online: that the in-focus area wide open is just too soft. He makes clear that while this is by no means the lens that the f/0.95 Nocti is, it’s a very worthy modern lens. 

Yes, behind a paywall, and this isn’t meant to set off a new round of commentary between Sean’s fans and detractors, but like his friend Jono, I rely on Sean’s work and he makes a nice case for the 1.2 used with both an M10-R and an SL2. Can’t wait. 
 

[Flu]

My local Leica Store in the US source a black for me yesterday! They only received 1 so far so I'm very honored to get it. I'm hoping my luck continues as now I'm waiting on the silver one. #pray

Edited February 10, 2021 by Flu

[neekon]

8 minutes ago, Flu said:

My local Leica Store in the US source a black for me yesterday! They only received 1 so far so I'm very honored to get it. I'm hoping my luck continues as now I'm waiting on the silver one. #pray

Where is ur local Store?  Hoping it’s a sign of things to come 

[Flu]

6 hours ago, neekon said:

Where is ur local Store?  Hoping it’s a sign of things to come 

I'm in WA state.

[pedaes]

On 2/9/2021 at 6:47 PM, wlaidlaw said:

am surprised that there are that many Leica collectors with sufficient disposable funds looking to buy the chrome 1.2 Nocti. Are they really Leica collectors or Leica speculators?

I think for some you are spot-on. You will see the lens a week later for 40k listed by Schouten and Boris!

If Pete's figure of a 40+ waiting list is extrapolated to total demand, how can Leica pass on that much revenue? Like you I have difficulty to see such demand at the price set - and of course if it is not limited it takes the speculators out. Crazy times.

[mmradman]

It is not beyond resonable speculation that once the dust settles there will be likely "special" edition in chrome or some other exotic material, maybe cheese made from dr Kaufmann's own cows.  It will come with some minor twist not to piss off first buyers each coughing 15K for the lens. 

[colint544]

Reports that the price of the hard to find new silver chrome version is rocketing

[mmradman]

Assuming black & chrome manufacture cost is similar Leica is profiting 200 x 7500 = 1,500,000 on 200 chrome units alone.  What private speculators do is feeding into the company legend.  As i stated earlier it makes perfect sense to realise some more once initial dust settles.

[padam]

https://www.leicastoresf.com/blog/noctilux-vs-noctilux

[PhotoEd]

3 hours ago, padam said:

https://www.leicastoresf.com/blog/noctilux-vs-noctilux

Thank you for the link. I'm eagerly waiting for a copy of this beauty  🙂

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Hallo,

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[padam]

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