Who has sold a Noctilux?

[tom0511]

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I am evaluating selling my Noctilux since I am afraid its just to difficult for me to handle the shallow DOF conbined with backfocus in a manual focusing system.

Also own a 50lux asph, its smaller, its easier to focus, no focus shift, it also has a nice bokeh.

Still hesistating since I think the Noctilux gives a special look also at f1.4 and f2.0.

So here is my question:

Who of you guys has sold the Noctilux and is now using another 50? Who is regretting having sold the Noctilux and why? And who is not missing it.

Who of you is owning the Noctilux and another fast 50 and can tell me good reasons to keep the Noctilux?

Cheers, Tom

[Guest Essemmlee]

Only sell it if you need the money. It's likely to be one of those decisions that you'll keep coming back to if you get rid of it. There's always a what if? at the back of the mind.

 

Having said that, any of the 50's will take great pictures and more easily than a nocti.

 

'orses fer corses.

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[wattsy]

I've owned and sold a Noctilux and, in doing so, the only thing I regret is selling it before the recent price rises and M8 lens buying frenzy.

[Peter Branch]

I sold my Noctilux after about 6 months use on the M8 and now use a 50mm Summilux ASPH with which I am absolutely delighted. With my M6ttl I used the Noctilux for about 6 years and it was a useful tool though it was very far from being perfect. I found with the M8 that its optical deficiencies, which are understandable perhaps in a >30 year old design, were just too obvious and got in the way of my enjoyment. I can see no point in the lens unless it is used at F/1 as at every other aperture all the other 50mm Leica lenses completely outperform it. If “soft focus” is the objective then a Zeiss Softar does the job better for a lot less money.

 

There are persistent rumours that the current design is no longer in production, certainly you can’t place an order for one, and the word on the street is that there is an f/0.9 replacement. No doubt ASPH / APO/ FE etc and at a price to make you think twice.

[plasticman]

I'm not qualified to consider problems with the lens on digital cameras, but in my experience the Noctilux has unique and beautiful characteristics that I've never seen with any other lens.

I frankly lose patience with people whose eyesight or other equipment does not enable them to use the lens in the way that is intended, and then blame the lens itself for their problems. Of course the way it renders is a matter of taste - just as with every lens and/or system - but to dismiss it as a 'soft-focus' lens is ridiculous. Get your eyes tested.

[j. borger]

I sold my noctilux and use a 50 lux asph or a vintage 50 rigid summicron instead.

The reason i sold the Noctilux had only one reason: i wanted to simplify the bag.

I still have too many lenses .... perhaps it's just me but owning too many lenses and having too many options lames my photography ........... you keep on testing and comparing instead of focussing on the pictures ..... that's why i wanted to get rid of it!

The Noctilux sure has a unique look ...... the lens lived on my R-D1and later M8 for almost 6 months ... and it suited me very well .... but after that i got bored with the F 1.0 look.... love was over ........ using a noctilux stopping down from f1.0 never made sens to me .. so it had to go!

[Shootist]

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I'm not qualified to consider problems with the lens on digital cameras, but in my experience the Noctilux has unique and beautiful characteristics that I've never seen with any other lens.

I frankly lose patience with people whose eyesight or other equipment does not enable them to use the lens in the way that is intended, and then blame the lens itself for their problems. Of course the way it renders is a matter of taste - just as with every lens and/or system - but to dismiss it as a 'soft-focus' lens is ridiculous. Get your eyes tested.

 

I have never owned, or even thought about buying, a Noctilux but from reports from respected members of this forum some of the problems with focusing and such with the Noct is not do to user error. Some are just off straight from the factory.

Yes it is true that some user error is cause by poor eyesight and the unwillingness of those users to get the correct diopter lens.

 

On to the OP's question. If I was given a Noctilux, I certainly wouldn't buy one, I'd probably keep it.

[Eoin]

With respect to Mani and his opinion which he's quite entitled to hold, I had the miss fortune to receive a new Noctilux which did indeed backfocus not only at f:/1.0 but also through every aperture 'till f:/8.0. I had to return it to solms twice for adjustment and after each trip some improvement was noted. While focus was spot on wide open after adjustment, there was a continued focus shift between and including the apertures of f:/2 to f:/4.

Now some would argue the Noctilux should be used wide open, after all that's what you bought it for. I disagree. I did in fact buy it to use at all apertures which to my horror I discovered it was usable at f:/1 to f:/1.4 and then from f:/5.6 onwards. At apertures I like to do available light between f:/2.8 and f:/4.5 it was to hit and miss trying to compensate for the focus shift which varied depending on the distance

 

In the end I decided seeing as this was a well known (to others) trait of the lens it didn't suit what I had in mind and there for there was no justification in having such an expensive piece of glass just for f:/1.0. I sold it and replaced it with a 50 Summilux Asph which is far better at rendering subjects at f:/1.4 than the Noctilux ever was. That Lens was also sent back to solms for total back focus at every aperture(not focus shift)

 

In terms of the fingerprint yes the Noctilux has softer tones and contrast when compared the the Summilux but in saying that, the Summilux is far more predictable in terms of bokeh and focus.

 

So leaving aside eye sight, the Noctilux can indeed produce soft focused images where the user was sure it was correctly focused and this is by product of the focus shift at given apertures.

 

I now use the 50 Summilux in place of the Nocti and don't feel I'm at a disadvantage. I keep an old tabbed Canadian Summicron in the bag for slightly softer tones / sharpness but I rarely feel the need to use it. I shudder to think what the cost of an updated Noctilux will be and in all reality with a medium high ISO and underexpose by a stop or two, pulling it back in post processing the Summilux can get me by in "lightless" situations.

[usccharles]

if you have the money, i would keep the Nocti.

 

i have both Nocti and summilux. summilux is by far a more versatile lens; its sharper wide open, its much smaller, lighter, usable in all conditions, it's much easier to focus, etc etc

 

but would i ever part with my Nocti? no way. when its all done correctly, there is no bokeh like nocti bokeh, IMHO.

 

but then again, i have taken my M8 in THREE times to calibrate it with the Nocti. it kept coming back off. i kept getting front/back focus with it and it irritated the heck out of me. thought about selling the lens after the second failed attempt to calibrate, but seeing how the market is these days, i knew i would never find another Nocti again if i wanted one again, and it will probably be more expensive than it is now. so i kept it.

 

back from its last calibration overhaul. its perfectly focused. and i'm so glad i didn't sell it.

 

i think focusing issues and M8 are inseparable. you just have to be patient. once the lenses get dialed in correctly, its really really fun

[Dan States]

The Noctilux must be the most resold lens in the Leica portfolio. They have so many compromises to reach that extra stop that most users in the end can't justify the purchase.

 

I sold mine after about a year, but I bought it NEW for 1899.00 and sold it used for 1800.00!

 

As this was only 4 years ago I find the current price absurd in every way.

[Daniel Ortego]

I don’t own one, although it really seems like a niche’ lens in a sea of more usable options. Likewise, the cost to performance ratio would either keep me away, or if I purchased it at the old price I would use it to finance my next two primes. Of course, I sure as heck wouldn't turn it down if I won it in a contest!

Regards,

[wparsonsgisnet]

Thomas, I owned and used a Nocti' for about 8 years. In the end, I no longer liked the images it made and got rid of it.

 

I used a 50 'lux pre-asph after that and bot the 50 'lux-asph as soon as it appeared. I've been using that ';ux-a since it's been around (5 years?).

 

I do not miss the Nocti' and find the 'lux-a superb and much easier to handle.

 

If you're looking for a candidate to improve your lens portfolio, get a 24mm f2.8. This is a magnificent lens.

 

Regards,

[hdrmd]

I have bought and sold the Noctilux twice, and bought it again with the M8 discount. Regardless of its problems I plan to keep it this time. DR

[tbarker13]

I sold mine and have never looked back. In fairness, though, I don't think I ever intended to keep it. I picked it up through M8 lens discount option offered to the eary users.

I just couldn't turn down the opportunity to make a little over $1,000 on the lens. (incidentally, it went to another member here who has made some nice images with it)

 

If I liked the 50mm focal length on the M8, it might have been a different story. But I just haven't been comfortable using it. (despite going through a 50 rigid summicron, 50 pre-asph summilux and 50 sonnar) I use a 75 lux for portraits and situations where I want very narrow DOF. I just love that lens. And for me it would have been one or the other.

 

As for my profits from the Noctilux sale - I bought a 35 nokton which I think is quite good for those times when I really need a heavy low-light lens.

[Paul Hart]

Sold my first one a few years back. Snapped up the chance to get a current version a year ago, and had it coded and calibrated to focus properly with my M8.

 

I have a current, coded Summicron alongside it for 'normal' use, and find the combination works well. There would be some sense in having just the Summilux ASPH to cover all angles, but there are some things that only the Noctilux can do, and I fear seller's remorse (and the new, high price of re-acquisition).

[MP3]

If you are not in need of the money right now, I would suggest to keep it and explore further by taking more pics with it.

 

My story... I bought mine as an M8 discounted lens, found it to be quite backfocused even at f1 that it is hard to make shadow dof portrait with sharp eyes. At that time, I also thought the long focus throw is too slow to focus. Sold it... only to rediscover the brilliant pics it is capable to make... sharp at the right focus point, unique rendition of contrast and atmosphere, cream floating bokeh. I then make a research on the various version of Leitz Noct from f1,2 e58 e60v1 e60v2 to the latest e60 with build in hood. If money is not an issue and mint examples are accessible, I would go for the f1,2 or e58. As minty examples of these 2 are really drying out, I finally settle again on an e60v2 at much higher price than my 1st 6-bit Noct.

 

Interesting thing is, it didn't backfocus at all at f1 and I can focus fairly fast with it.

 

I now own five 50mm lens in my Leitz outfit, Lux Asph, Lux 23xxxxx, Rigid Cron, Red Scale 12xxxxx and the 11812 Noct. Frankly, I don't think anyone of them can replace each other in terms of image characteristic, fingerprint and portability. Yes, like vintages in cellar.

[rosuna]

The Noctilux isn't an outdated lens. At f/1.4 it performs very similar to the Summilux 50mm pre-ASPH, and at f/2 and it is very similar to the Summicron:

 

Leica and Rangefinders Forum: For those interested, Noctilux, Summilux and Summmicron compared - photo.net

 

It is very good stopping down too.

[tom0511]

MMmhh. thanks for all the interesting answers.

I get the impression that from the head/ratio the Noctilux doesnt make that much sense but from the stomach/heart there are quit some people here who still like the Noctilux.

 

Besides the focus shift issues I would like to mention two things:

1) I dont think its a low contrast lens. In various situations I rather had the feeling that from 1.4 and up its contrast is stronger than that of the other 50mm lenses

 

2) I also think that its not soft, expect between f1 and f1.4. I just think the "resolution" (if its the right word?) is different than than of a 50lux asph. Its like the Noctilux has stronger "grain", like using panf (lux asph) vs fp4 or even hp5 with the Noctilux, Cant explain it

 

I am still undecided. I find a reason to like and keep each lens, but then I also would like to simplify my life and make me free from pixel peeping and gear heading.

 

regards, tom

[Fin]

Thomas, I owned and used a Nocti' for about 8 years. In the end, I no longer liked the images it made and got rid of it.

 

This, to me, is THE criteria for rejecting/ selecting a lens. Forget ease of use, size, weight etc - what do the images do for you.

 

I have a Nocti and would never part with it because I love the images it draws - be it night or day, wide open or stopped down. Sure, there are focussing issues but I am not a pro and therefore the settings versus minds eye picture criteria are not that exact - in other words I'm happy to be sometimes surprised at the resultant image and the beauty of digital, of course, is: Don't like it? Try again!

 

Having said that, it's my only 50 and I don't have experience of the 'lux or 'cron. It's a singular lens and, as such, tends to polarise opinion but I return to Bill's quote: If you like the images - keep it, if you don't - get rid.

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[peter_n]

Who of you is owning the Noctilux and another fast 50 and can tell me good reasons to keep the Noctilux?

Tom I'm using a Noctilux, a pre-ASPH Summilux and an ASPH Summilux. I keep the Noctilux for it's totally unique rendering of the OOF areas at f1.0, as others have.