Jump to content

NEW Nocti within a year?


pappa

Recommended Posts

x
  • Replies 71
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Surely probable : the Noctilux is the only lens still made in Canada... there is a problem of cost of some special glass (threads on this topic months ago) and surely the Canadian factory (no more owned by Leica for many years) has not a specific interest to continue the production of such a small volumes item... so they charge a lot to Leica Co., that in turn has raised the end user price; it's clear that, as a product, the Noctilux as it is now, is an industrial oddity... weren't it that Leica customers are a special breed they would have ceased the production time ago. But having this magic "1,0" on their price list is anyway a sort of added value to their product line... so isn't strange that, in due time, they plan for another Nocti... will it be a 50mm ? We will see...

Link to post
Share on other sites

But having this magic "1,0" on their price list is anyway a sort of added value to their product line... so isn't strange that, in due time, they plan for another Nocti... will it be a 50mm ? We will see...

 

I hope to see it. There are many 50mm at this moment: the superb Summilux, the Summicron, the Summarit... but the Noctilux is necessary, just because it is a very interesting tool (and different to anything in the market) and due to brand recognition and M-line prestige. If the price is reasonable I would buy a new Noctilux ASPH f/1.0 (or f/0.95 :D ). The current Noctilux was designed in 1969, but the production started several years later (*). It is a very "old" design. Even the Summicron 50mm or the Summilux 75mm were newer designs. The Noctilux is "different", but spherical aberration and performance stopping down could be improved... in order to get a better real tool for actual standards. I would buy one!

 

I would like to see a confirmation. Many dealers talk... but these gossips often are not confirmed by the facts. Do you remember the imminent new flash? Etc, etc.

 

(*) Source: Jonas, R. P. y Thorpe, M. D. (2006): “Double Gauss lens design: a review of some classics”, Proceedings SPIE 6342, pp. 1-15.

 

.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I guess spreading rumors in the customer forum is not a problem ... LOL

 

So to add my humble 2 cents ... a new Noct doesn't have to be a f/1.0. The first generation of Noct introduced in 1966 is actually a f/1.2 ... I think that they might do it again because this would maintain the cult status of the 1976 Noct and also greatly satisfy the desire of the must-have-it-all crowd.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm not unhappy with the Nocti as it is...I like it's character on film. It does lose a bit of that when mounted on the M8 - which may be part of the attraction to new owners.

 

I'm still surprised at the resurgence of interest in this lens.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest darkstar2004

If Leica is going to release a new Noctilux, hopefully it will be in 135mm focal length.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I couldn't resist...

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm still surprised at the resurgence of interest in this lens.

 

I guess this might have something to do with the number of newcomers ventured into the rangefinder arena with the introduction of the M8 ... which is perfectly normal, and people want to try out just about everything out there. This, together with the not so wide angle tri elmar have never been popular in the film era. Unless one is serious in collecting Leica or do have some special interest in this lens' character ... the interest in these exotic optics will fade away ... my very humble 2 cents.

Link to post
Share on other sites

If you believe the statistic that the break-even point to cover production, development and tooling costs is 6000 lens, a new Noctilux seems unlikely.

 

Do you mean 6000 per lens or 6000 lenses to break even? 6 thousand Noct is about 18 million dollars (suppose they'll come at 3 grand each) ... my humble guess is 1.8 million should be sufficient to cover the dev, prod and promo costs and that'll translate into only 600 lenses.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I guess this might have something to do with the number of newcomers ventured into the rangefinder arena with the introduction of the M8 ... which is perfectly normal, and people want to try out just about everything out there. This, together with the not so wide angle tri elmar have never been popular in the film era. Unless one is serious in collecting Leica or do have some special interest in this lens' character ... the interest in these exotic optics will fade away ... my very humble 2 cents.

 

yup...well said

Link to post
Share on other sites

yup...well said

 

Indeed. I'm guessing it tends to be people new to the system that are trying the most 'exotic' glass. Look at the lenses that sometimes seem to be mentioned most, Tri-Elmar, Nocti, 75 Summilux. None of them really popular in the film days.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Indeed. I'm guessing it tends to be people new to the system that are trying the most 'exotic' glass. Look at the lenses that sometimes seem to be mentioned most, Tri-Elmar, Nocti, 75 Summilux. None of them really popular in the film days.

 

 

....and some Nocti owners were ridiculed for their lust / obsession / cultlike fascination with the lens. The Tri-Elmar never appealed to me - but the 75/1.4 and the Nocti always have.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Me too. The 75 1.4 and the Nocti are the closest I can get in the M system to the 80 1.4 R--a lens I dearly love.

 

The 75 1.4 is a no-brainer in this regard, but imagine my shock when finding out that on the M8, anyway, the Nocti is also close to this lens in look. Yes, it vignettes and does all kinds of wild stuff wide open. So does the 80 R Lux!

 

Tri-Elmar? Feh. Who needs a zoom? :) Ok, I do, and I was kidding, but in truth the Tri-Elmar results don't inspire me the way a lot of (exotic) Leica glass does.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, it vignettes and does all kinds of wild stuff wide open. So does the 80 R Lux!

 

The 75mm-M Lux is very controlled and predictable. The 80mm-R Lux and 75mm-M Lux are siblings, but they seem to be a bit different in fingerprint.

Link to post
Share on other sites

35mm 1.2 would be nice

 

...Too direct comparision with CV for a lens that must be a flagship with a premium price... (probably 4-5 times the CV price...) . But I also think that maybe they won't do it at 50mm... which will be the interest for 50s in 2/3 years or so ? 35mm f1...:) this would be a striking announcement... maybe with a kind/subtle advice that "Wide Open this lens gives its better performance on M8"... just to avoid too severe reviews when used on film Ms...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...