If you had to choose today: Noctilux f1 vs Noctilux f1.2

[fil-m]

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3 minutes ago, Bear said:

Lovely photographs! Thanks for taking the time to make these comparison shots. Really feels like you invited me over for coffee at your home   To my eyes, the F1appears to be less contrasty across the frame with slightly less saturated colors. If I had to choose based on your photos alone, I'd take the F1 for the more subdued look which I think fits my style (or style aspirations) better. 

 

With pleasure.

Take care,

Philippe

[Bear]

8 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

I am sorry if I had missed what you are after - are you looking for that creamy swirly look or the Mandler glow? Or something else in those Noctiluxes? Is the 0.95 not an option?

I do think I'm partial to the Mandler look. I like glowiness of bright highlights and the sharpness fall off when moving towards the edges of the frame. I think the 0.95 may lack that, also my wallet tells me it's not an option haha.

 

Edit: I should say that I already own the 50 Lux Asph v1. Any Noctilux would be a complement to that. 

 

-Lee

Edited September 27, 2023 by Bear

[Ouroboros]

1 hour ago, Bear said:

 

....Ah, that's the beauty of not having children. Have to dispose the income somewhere before I die  

So do I, but a noctilux is no substitute for having kids.  Maybe you'll find out one day.

[a.noctilux]

1 hour ago, Bear said:

Any Noctilux would be a complement to that.

Why wait ?

[Bear]

12 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

So do I, but a noctilux is no substitute for having kids.  Maybe you'll find out one day.

Definitely a topic for another thread LOL!

2 minutes ago, a.noctilux said:

Why wait ?

Well I can't have both, so I want to be sure I pick wisely  

[Bronco McBeast]

A summilux will never be a substitute to a Noctilux. It’s bland in comparison. Lacking the drama. 

And the f1.0 is a masterpiece 0ptic. From the special formulation of the glass, to the color rendition, to the final image.

[Bear]

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8 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

I am a bit confused - in this thread you said about the lux "I just find it too physically long, and too front heavy. I always seem to have issues focusing it a 1.4"...
Oh boy you will be in for some surprise when you mount the Noctilux f/1...

I knew someone would bring this up eventually and fair point. I'll try to describe my rationale. Choosing to shoot with the 50 Lux is already an intentional choice for me because it's far larger, heavier, and requires more attention for me to get it properly focused wide open than my other lenses. In my mind, if I'm already going through this trouble, why not go through it with a Noctilux in hand. 

Ultimately, this wasn't intended as a what lens should I buy thread. Just wanted to hear folks thoughts on F1 vs F1.2 now that the reissue is widely available. 

[Ouroboros]

46 minutes ago, Bear said:

Definitely a topic for another thread LOL!

Well I can't have both, so I want to be sure I pick wisely  

In that case you have your answer! Buy both noctiluxes.  
Treat yourself, you’ll always make a profit on them when you decide to sell them (unlike kids). 

[fabior]

I am lucky enough to have the three variants of Noctilux. Sometimes I think it would be right to sell at least one but then I don't. In any case the first one I would sell would be the 0.95 surely , then the second would be the 1.2 but then I would never sell the f1 (48mm) which I have now owned for at least 15 years because it has the ability to create images of another world and out of time. Naturally according to my tastes. I would add, however, that since I purchased the re-edition of the f1.2, the lens of the three that I use the most is precisely this one by virtue of its size as well as the colors and contrast it offers.

[yanidel]

I'd go for the 1.2 for its smaller size and swirly bokeh. 

[TomB_tx]

Between the two, I’d still punt and choose a Summicron, as I did in 1969 when I could have bought a new 1.2 Noctilux for under $700. I’ve used the Summicron ever since.

[jakontil]

6 hours ago, Bear said:

I do think I'm partial to the Mandler look. I like glowiness of bright highlights and the sharpness fall off when moving towards the edges of the frame. I think the 0.95 may lack that, also my wallet tells me it's not an option haha.

 

Edit: I should say that I already own the 50 Lux Asph v1. Any Noctilux would be a complement to that. 

 

-Lee

food for thoughts, from what i had tried, the 50 lux asph v1 renders very similar to those of noctilux 1.2 reissue

i kept the latter but i would be intrigued to look for another good copy of v1 and keep both if allowed

[jakontil]

3 hours ago, fabior said:

I am lucky enough to have the three variants of Noctilux. Sometimes I think it would be right to sell at least one but then I don't. In any case the first one I would sell would be the 0.95 surely , then the second would be the 1.2 but then I would never sell the f1 (48mm) which I have now owned for at least 15 years because it has the ability to create images of another world and out of time. Naturally according to my tastes. I would add, however, that since I purchased the re-edition of the f1.2, the lens of the three that I use the most is precisely this one by virtue of its size as well as the colors and contrast it offers.

that size of the noctilux 1.2 matters most out of the three noctiluxes.. i still keep the 0.95 though as i like the sharpness and creamy bokeh 

[Cronilux]

After playing with both back and forth for a long time, for me the decision is clear.
50/1 is the clear winner. My biggest issue with the 50/1.2 reissue is, that the sharpness really is only in the dead center and it´s not even a larger circle.

This makes the lens pretty unusable. A good and nicely maintained 50/1 can focus smoothly enough, has the better bokeh, you can focus and recompose without having no more sharpness at all and renders better for my taste.

The biggest advantage of the 50/1.2 is it´s size. It´s really nicely balanced on my M10-P, but I just love the 50/1. It´s best Noctilux in my humble opinion.

[DrM]

On 9/28/2023 at 1:23 AM, yanidel said:

I'd go for the 1.2 for its smaller size and swirly bokeh. 

Haha, for me the reason to go for the 0.95. The swirl is nice for a couple of images, but personally I get bored by it. The 0.95 is heavier, but has a nice balanced character to use it in a lot of situations. Also, I like the shorter focus throw better than the f1 and f1.2, quicker but long enough for my eye sight to nail focus.

[Brilliant Observer]

if you spend a lot of time on M3,6,or 7, then go for f1

[RexGig0]

Having just re-read this discussion, I agree with DrM regarding swirly bokeh: nice for a limited number of images, but I would not want swirly bokeh in all or most of my 50mm images.

The Summilux-M 50mm ASPH had the look/character that compelled me to add the Leica M system, in early 2018. That Summilux look/character prompted me to add a pre-owned APO Summicron-M 75mm ASPH, in 2022, rather than acquire any version of pre-owned Noctilux. (Peter Karbe described, in at least two interviews, how he based the APO 75’s design on that of the Summilux-M ASPH.)

If I were to be blessed with unlimited funds, it would be nice to acquire at least one version of the Noctilux f/1, plus a Noctilux f/0.95, and, perhaps a re-issued classic f/1.2, in that order, but, realistically, post-2022, I struggle to spend more than $4K US for any single lens purchase, so, paying two to three times that much, for a niche-use-case lens is quite unlikely.

[High_n_Dry]

I was deciding between these 3 lenses. On the used market, they all are very close in price.

I ended up going with the 1.2 as I thought that I would likely not carry around a big 50mm on a M. I've been pleasantly surprised with the sharpness, color, and rendering of the lens. 

I never thought that I would use the Noctilux as an EDC, but it is quite sharp stepped down and pretty compact.

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[aires35iii]

On 9/27/2023 at 7:00 AM, John Black said:

The 50/1.2 is wonderfully sized and balances nicely with the M10 / M11 bodies.  Mine had a light focus action.  No built-in hood though and if dealing with light just outside of the frame, that hood is needed.  The 50/1.2 has a very small area of sharpness at F1.2 and that area doesn't really get big enough to use in most case until F2 or F2.8.  That said, I think the 50/1.2 has a really nice rendering at F2.8.  

The 50/1 is larger and their focus ring is generally stiffer.  It has the built-in hood which is handy vs toting around a clip on lens hood.  I think 50/1 is sharper wide open and does better F1.2, but at F1.4 my 50 Lux ASPH's are sharper.  If going for the wide-open look, my vote would be the 50 Lux ASPH (version I, not the new close focus one).  The 50 Lux ASPH is cheaper & easier to find too.

I never compared the 50/1 and 50/1.2 side by sides, can't really say much about that.  Some recent pix with the 50/1.2 with the Leica Monochroms & M11.

https://www.pebbleplace.com/gallery/rangefinder/leica_50mm_noctilux_f12.html

 

Mr Black, why do you prefer the 1st version of the Summilux ASPH ?

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[aires35iii]

M Bear, unfortunately I didn't experienced the Noctilux 50/1. However, I am a lucky owner of the 1.2 re-issued, and also possess a Summilux-Asph V1. The latest always impress me by  producing stunning images. It never deceives. But I felt in love of the 50/1.2 from now 2 years. I was afraid to become annoyed of its special rendering after some time but for now it is ok. Even at 2.8 the Summilux is better in crispness but lacks a bit of chatacter for my taste. More importantly, this Summilux exhibits a warm tone that I don't like. Even with that, as a Leica, it is capable of unique transparency compared to its other brands competitors.

The Noctilux 50/1.2 is neutral and delivers wonderful colors which with its contrast and unique rendering may justify the investement (see the picture below). Besides I wouldn't say that it is not sharp. To me it is, but the images are like a superposition of a sharp on a blurred one, the second progressively vanishing with the apeture. It exhibists huge distortion.

I would choose the f/1.2 for film as sensitive to hi-contrast and the f/1 for digital since apparently old and low contrast are well-suited. Think also if you can bear the typical blurred effect of the 1.2. Being an amateur I am taking few pictures and each made with the 1.2 is a delight, but I may have been annoyed of it after some intensive use. This is a comment I read about a more "neutral" in its blur hi-speed lens, the famous Contax 645's 80/2 Planar.

(Medlars, Noctilux 50/1.2 Portra 160, f/2 perhaps ?)

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Edited December 27, 2023 by aires35iii