Noctilux 75 and Summilux 75 comparison?

[LocalHero1953]

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Has anyone compared these two lenses?
Would you pick one over the other? Why? (and don't mention price?)
How do they differ, in out of focus areas, aberrations or colour?
Does the Noctilux have unique character when stopped down, or is it only worth having if you shoot wide open?

My interests would be mainly (but not exclusively) portraiture, and I would most likely use it on a SL2-S, so viewfinder blockage doesn't come into it. I already have and like the Summilux M - and other L-mount lenses in that range.

(I admit this thread is motivated by sitting at home nursing a cold, a wish for distraction from the international news, and perhaps some GAS arising from NOT buying the SL3-S).

[Jan1985]

I can only tell you as a former owner of 75mm Noctilux that you don‘t buy it to shoot it at f/2. Makes no sense. And yes, it does have a unique signature. But it is not as much character as the 50 Noctilux 0.95 for example. Wonderful lens. I sold it because of the money.

[3D-Kraft.com]

I have never seen a direct comparison of these two lenses. But I could not resist the new Thypoch Simera 75/1.4 and have one on preorder. Will compare those, when it arrives...

What I read so far is, that the focusing of the 75mm Noctilux seems to be more consistent on a rangefinder across the entire focus range than the 75mm Summilux even though it's even thinner DoF. On the SL this will not be relevant.

From both I saw a lovely and unique bokeh. The 75 Noctilux has a more "modern" bokeh but still with a unique signature. I am pretty sure, that the performance (sharpness, detail, micro contrast, CA) wide open is better on the 75mm Noctilux.

The Noctilux has no unique character, when stopped down but rating from the MTF charts, it seems to beat every other Leica lens (we already had this discussion in another thread).

Edited March 2 by 3D-Kraft.com

[Jan1985]

Indeed the optimal performance is a lot better especially wide open. I really saw that when I compared shots of the Nocti 50 and the 75 side by side. For example CAs and sharpness. Bokeh is really creamy. 

The new 75 Thypoch seams to be a deal breaker. They bring something really good on the market for much less money.

[3D-Kraft.com]

Unless you are fixated on the Leica brand, from what I have seen of the Thypoch Simera 75 C (CINE version) so far there are few arguments in favor of the 75mm Summilux. The Simera is also much lighter and more compact (also compared to the Voigtländer 75/1.5).

Hopefully there are enough reasons (apart from the price) to not throw the Noctilux 75 into the recycling bin after the comparison. 😉

Edited March 2 by 3D-Kraft.com

[Eoin]

This thread is a funny coincidence, because I have a Summilux 75 inbound for much the same reason, to compare the three Leica M 75’s for my own curiosity.
If you have any specific requests, let me know what methodology you’d like me to use. But can’t guarantee a speedy turnaround due to busy work commitments at the moment.

 

[LocalHero1953]

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8 minutes ago, Eoin said:

This thread is a funny coincidence, because I have a Summilux 75 inbound for much the same reason, to compare the three Leica M 75’s for my own curiosity.
If you have any specific requests, let me know what methodology you’d like me to use. But can’t guarantee a speedy turnaround due to busy work commitments at the moment.

 

Portraits, wide open, with a 'difficult' background: small highlights, specular reflections, repeated lines (e.g. fences or railings), sharp edges, foliage....... Frankly anything you can show would be welcome, but this gives an idea of the sort of thing I look at.

As I wrote, I have the Summilux, and have owned (and liked) the Apo-Summicron-M 75. In L-mount I also have the Sigma 85/1.4 and the Summilux-SL 50.

Edited March 2 by LocalHero1953

[Eoin]

Not a problem, SL2S right?. Any other sensor request?, M10, M10R, M11M SL2 also available.

[3D-Kraft.com]

vor 30 Minuten schrieb Eoin:

This thread is a funny coincidence, because I have a Summilux 75 inbound for much the same reason, to compare the three Leica M 75’s for my own curiosity.

So you plan to compare the incoming Summilux 75 with ... what else? Noctilux and Summicron?

Edited March 2 by 3D-Kraft.com

[LeicaR10]

LocalHero1953,   I have owned both lenses and used the same for my work using the SL2 system.  Both are unique in rendering.  I thought you might like to see the results by using these two links.  This is a most excellent site to compare many various lenses and cameras.  It might help you make a decision what is best for your genre of photography.  r/ Mark

75 Noctilux Try:  https://onfotolife.com/lens_sample_photos?lens_id=1382&page=1&focal_min=0&focal_max=800&aperture_min=0&aperture_max=32 

75 Summilux Try:  https://onfotolife.com/lens_sample_photos?lens_id=385&page=1&focal_min=0&focal_max=800&aperture_min=0&aperture_max=32

[Eoin]

Yes, exactly that, but I don’t have the APO Summicron SL 75 unfortunately, went for the 90’s for something slightly different.

[TheGodParticle/Hari]

3 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

Has anyone compared these two lenses?
Would you pick one over the other? Why? (and don't mention price?)
How do they differ, in out of focus areas, aberrations or colour?
Does the Noctilux have unique character when stopped down, or is it only worth having if you shoot wide open?

My interests would be mainly (but not exclusively) portraiture, and I would most likely use it on a SL2-S, so viewfinder blockage doesn't come into it. I already have and like the Summilux M - and other L-mount lenses in that range.

(I admit this thread is motivated by sitting at home nursing a cold, a wish for distraction from the international news, and perhaps some GAS arising from NOT buying the SL3-S).

My personal experience:

Noctilux is significantly front heavy, the 75 lux doesn’t feel as bad on M bodies. I did prefer using the Noct on the SL2S.

Focus throw on the Noct is much quicker, the 75 lux has a long focus throw. 

The 75lux has a more pleasant rendering to my eyes, even though the Noct is better corrected and renders the background in a neutral way. Like the APO50. In some cases I liked this, in others the images looked boring. 

Point of focus razor sharp wide open with the Noct, the 75lux doesn’t have the same level of micro contrast. Understandable given the age difference and different design philosophy. 

Both lenses are great for portraits. Beyond the wide open look (for which you are paying 10K for the Noct), you would be hard pressed to differentiate between both lenses at f5.6/f8 

All in all, buy it if you got the itch, it didn’t impress me as much as the 0.95 wide open. Or the f1 versions. 

I keep it as part of the collection, but it’s not a fav or a frequently used lens for me 

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Edited March 2 by TheGodParticle/Hari

[LocalHero1953]

40 minutes ago, TheGodParticle/Hari said:

My personal experience…..

Thank you Hari - a helpful comparison!

[LocalHero1953]

9 hours ago, Eoin said:

Not a problem, SL2S right?. Any other sensor request?, M10, M10R, M11M SL2 also available.

Yes, SL2-S. I have no other digital ILC - other than a Blackmagic CC6K, and have no plans to use 75mm lenses on that!

[LocalHero1953]

8 hours ago, LeicaR10 said:

LocalHero1953,   I have owned both lenses and used the same for my work using the SL2 system.  Both are unique in rendering.  I thought you might like to see the results by using these two links.  This is a most excellent site to compare many various lenses and cameras.  It might help you make a decision what is best for your genre of photography.  r/ Mark

75 Noctilux Try:  https://onfotolife.com/lens_sample_photos?lens_id=1382&page=1&focal_min=0&focal_max=800&aperture_min=0&aperture_max=32 

75 Summilux Try:  https://onfotolife.com/lens_sample_photos?lens_id=385&page=1&focal_min=0&focal_max=800&aperture_min=0&aperture_max=32

Excellent - I shall look at those later.

[fil-m]

The Noctilux 75 has a unique signature, in my opinion. Compared to the Summilux, it offers smoother bokeh, a more pronounced out-of-focus transition, significantly higher sharpness (APO level), and stronger—but not excessive—contrast. Its color purity is also superior. It shows minimal fringing, even on the M11 (none visible on my M9).

In a way the Summilux 75 quite similar to the Noctilux 50/1 in terms of rendering: it has slightly less "character", it is slightly sharper at the center. 

Unfortunately, I can’t provide direct comparisons, as I didn’t keep the Summilux 75 for long, using it mainly for family portraits before eventually replacing it with the 50/1 and for the 75-90mm range, with the Noctilux 75 in combination with the Summarex 85. The latter is a rather understated gem among longer focal lengths and more interesting (IMHO) than the lux 75 when I seek "character".

[jto555]

Just a suggestion to the OP. Get a good 50mm Nocti AND a TTArtisian 90mm F1.25.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TTArtisan-Metal-Bodied-Compatible-Mount/dp/B0BP2RYR84/ref=sr_1_4?adgrpid=1188573785419007&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2I9SrHVuGMLEUEx-lzGbb6dkTaKPhC07nDEPbkdDb6zWpvKdB5sXoAWjvsBVhE_57aJavqUgfAnsd5MNdCzrWMTZcNwXDDQh4-w_Sv91HdLNOX7nEUxjDU31pKT2LT0OcDmTp4rH0zUVAHL1N08CB5hwU5DVJ_RWpWAYCzUgFzpEwgIjdT_pnRoFe1S-etOn91vxsgZWIXeujryRC47fQrjRShj2u2vXi59o9kAZHvA.E92UR8EZVqJ-MMfTq81MQWq-NLJzGgX8SMVK8d84_Tg&dib_tag=se&hvadid=74286062191775&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=150385&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=p&hvtargid=kwd-74286118203824%3Aloc-92&hydadcr=3955_2133752&keywords=ttartisan%2B90mm&mcid=1e643109dcce3489ad0eba4bbc7a8bd2&qid=1740992174&sr=8-4&th=1

About €600 for the TTArtisan lens. I use the "M" version and find it great. It isn't as well built as the Leica lens but optically it will be very close. 

[3D-Kraft.com]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb jto555:

Just a suggestion to the OP. Get a good 50mm Nocti AND a TTArtisian 90mm F1.25.

About €600 for the TTArtisan lens. I use the "M" version and find it great. It isn't as well built as the Leica lens but optically it will be very close. 

I have both (the TTArtisan 90/1.25 and the 75mm Nocti) and would definitely not say "optically very close". The TTA 90/1.25 - although non-ASPH - performs surprisingly well and it is amazing, what a huge amount of glass and metal you get for that price tag, but in the "wide open" performance there is still quite a gap. You should also be aware of the fact, that you will have to calibrate the RF-coupling of that lens by yourself (it comes with a tool for that).

Here I made some (quite boring and technical) comparisons of the Sigma 85/1.4 DG DN Art, the TTA 90/1.25, the 75mm Noctilux and the 7Artisans 75/1.25 on a Sony A1: https://www.sonyalphaforum.de/topic/5433-bokeh-monster-portrait-brennweiten-mit-frontlinse-60mm/?do=findComment&comment=173758

The best performer is clearly the Sigma 85/1.4 but it lacks the "secret sauce" you find sometimes in the Noctilux shots.

The interesting thing on the TTA 90/1.25 was, that it performs better in the intrmediate area ("mid zone") and at the edges than in the center. I thought it was a special "feature" of my sample, but I saw this confirmed also in tests by others.

[anickpick]

vor 17 Stunden schrieb 3D-Kraft.com:

The Simera is also much lighter and more compact (also compared to the Voigtländer 75/1.5).

Not true. The Voigtländer is slightly more compact and lighter than the Simera.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Jeff S]

Well, since you have some time to kill, this old video may provide some sense of rendering effects based on his pics and comments (and provides support for use on an SL camera rather than an M).