X2D destroyed my love to modern Leica-Advise on lens lineup

[Uwiik]

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9 minutes ago, Viv said:

Wow, that keeper ratio is very poor.

On a typical day, I might take five shots and keep one or two.

First time using manual RF camera ever, first two weeks I thought something is wrong with my camera 😂  Hard to teach new trick top an old dog, that’s why I got myself a film camera exactly to force myself to be mindful when shooting…Please go easy on me, just re learning and re absorbing this fascinating hobby one more time in my life 😉

Edited May 4 by Uwiik

[Sandokan]

The 75 Noctilux and 90 Summilux are beasts to carry around and hold while focusing. Start doing weight training if you want either. My advice is avoid and get the 50 Noctilux 0.95 of 1.0. The 1.2 remake of the original is also lovely and not too heavy. 

The X2D is indeed fantastic and a viable solution away from Leica. 

Have you tried the 40mm focal length? It has become my preferred over 50mm and with Voigtländer there are mulitple choices including the Leica film era 40mm. Consider the 50mm pre-aspherical Summilux if you dont like the modern Leica look. 

[Uwiik]

11 minutes ago, PhotoCruiser said:

 

I took my D800 with 4 top class lenses around the world, but mostly Costa Rica (where i lived for 12 years 6 months) and Panama.
the first lens who developed lens fungus after 6 months was a Thailand made cheap Nikon zoom lens and Nikon replaced it after some discussions.
Subsequently all other lenses got infected what may be coming from the cheap lens or just because the humidity there, my guess is the cheap lens.
After this experience i bought a dry cabinet from Adorama and had it shipped to Costa Rica and same problem did not happen again on my Q2 i had there 2010-2023, but not 6 months per year.

My house had no AirCon (just bedroom for a good sleep) as i am used to hot and humid and had a scuba and a fishing company so i was all day out on the sea and i never expose my cameras to rain, i am rather pick with that.

@UwiikI strongly suggest to get a dry cabinet or make one room with upgraded aircon in dehumification mode as dry storage to protect the investment and never leave your camera gear inside a bag, thake all out and put it with a bit of distance on shelfs

Chris

Hi Chris,

thanks for the heads up. Like I mentioned the whole house is at 45% and always clean, do I still need dry box? It is readily available here locally but I was under assumption that 45% RH is plenty safe to avoid fungus? When I used my D800 for Scuba I always hyper meticulous with it and always use a lot of bulk fresh silica gel, spotless until sold. 

regards,

Uwiik

Edited May 4 by Uwiik

[jaapv]

24 minutes ago, Uwiik said:

Understood and doing it when I have the opportunity. Last month I did 5500 frames in a month and produced 225 worthy of keeping and improving. A bit stranded right now so mostly doing very limited dark indoor photos due to circumstances explained above. Everyone situation is different I suppose. 

If you take 5500/225 photographs a month it would surprise me if more than one of those 225 is really worth keeping. You are collecting snapshots.
As I said: quantity does not replace quality. Unless you are covering an event or something like that which is a different branch of image taking, you should strive to see the photograph you are going to produce, right down to the print you will make and ideally press the shutter once. That is called visualization and is the hallmark of good photography. 

As to the mass photography, people who are good at that are able to record happenings in a large number of images and, in between, instantaneously switch to visualization mode to get that one shot that makes them stand out as photographer. 

[Uwiik]

7 minutes ago, Sandokan said:

The 75 Noctilux and 90 Summilux are beasts to carry around and hold while focusing. Start doing weight training if you want either. My advice is avoid and get the 50 Noctilux 0.95 of 1.0. The 1.2 remake of the original is also lovely and not too heavy. 

The X2D is indeed fantastic and a viable solution away from Leica. 

Have you tried the 40mm focal length? It has become my preferred over 50mm and with Voigtländer there are mulitple choices including the Leica film era 40mm. Consider the 50mm pre-aspherical Summilux if you dont like the modern Leica look. 

As one gentleman here noticed, I am bias towards 50/0.95 right now, I perhaps just need a little nudge in that direction. 

No I am not looking away from Leica, I have X2D and I think the two are totally different and I use Leica way more. Just for fun planning to use X2D for scanning my 135 film using my Valoi 360 platform, that would be next level scan. 

I am not looking for anything else, I just wanted to simplify my gear and shrink 4 of my unused Leica lenses (35&50 FLE2, 21 summi, 70 APO) into one lens that I know I will enjoy, two heaviest contender are 75 Nocti and 50/0.95 Nocti…

[PhotoCruiser]

vor 13 Minuten schrieb Uwiik:

Hi Chris,

thanks for the heads up. Like I mentioned the whole house is at 45% and always clean, do I still need dry box? It is readily available here locally but I was under assumption that 45% RH is plenty safe to avoid fungus? When I used my D800 for Scuba I always hyper meticulous with it and always use a lot of bulk fresh silica gel, spotless until sold. 

regards,

Uwiik

Hehe, i still have a Hugyfot housing for my D800😎 but i am sure that the underwater use was not the root of the fungus problem and i never opened my housings on the boat, only in the hotel room and then wrapped in a towel to avoid heating in the sun and having fogging issues.

Yes, i personally suggest you a additional dry cabinet, or thats what i would do and think about to get one for my house in Sardinia where it's usually below 40%.

Chris

[Uwiik]

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2 minutes ago, jaapv said:

If you take 5500 photographs a month it would surprise me if one of those 225 is really worth keeping. You are collecting snapshots.
As I said: quantity does not replace quality. Unless you are covering an event or something like that which is a different branch of image taking, you should strive to see the photograph you are going to produce, right down to the print you will make and ideally press the shutter once. That is called visualization and is the hallmark of good photography. 

As to the mass photography, people who are good at that are able to record happenings in a large number of images and, in between, instantaneously switch to visualization mode to get that one shot that makes them stand out as photographer. 

It was re learning and also new learning process, when I got really into photography long ago as a Scuba diver my only focus was macro and wide angle/fisheye, nothing else, before that I was in design school so mostly landmark and static products, processing the film alone already bankrupted me as a poor design student. People and street are totally new to me which I use my Leica for and struggled for a while, please don’t forget if you read my first post that I just got back into it the last 3 months so I just happily snap away without thinking much…Surprised me too that I got 225 worthy ones, but that might shrink further as I have more time to edit these. Not a good nor professional photographer at all and not looking into one, just doing this because it has been my hobby on and off for a really long time and now I finally can do it without being burdened with the finance. 

[Uwiik]

5 minutes ago, PhotoCruiser said:

Hehe, i still have a Hugyfot housing for my D800😎 but i am sure that the underwater use was not the root of the fungus problem and i never opened my housings on the boat, only in the hotel room and then wrapped in a towel to avoid heating in the sun and having fogging issues.

Yes, i personally suggest you a additional dry cabinet, or thats what i would do and think about to get one for my house in Sardinia where it's usually below 40%.

Chris

I always have a soft spot for Sea&Sea housing at that time, I just love how easy it is to use. Hated the dome material though… too bad they are no more… I never have the patience to wait until we are back at the hotel, always rent a bigger boat with roof and room, total CLA between intervals so I can only do 3 dives in a day, too worn out for the fourth always… It is amazing how UW photography gear got simplified these days, but also sad seeing the steep decline of the very niche hobby, all reduced to point and shoot camera nowadays.… 

Will do! Thanks for the heads up… I was thinking about custom making a display cabinet where you can view from the top similar to what you see in Leica boutique to display new lenses, put a room drier directly below the cabinet with filtered air intake and exhaust…. That would be uber clean and bone dry. As an antique collector I love how you can display old Leicas as a functional antique to decorate the room, an M3 with goggled 50 DR would look sick as a functional display hahahahahaha

[Uwiik]

3 hours ago, FrozenInTime said:

Have a look here for examples https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/297666-show-us-your-noctilux-wide-open-shots/ I think I posted a few there, but not recently ... it only gets out on specific occasions.

Again thanks for the pointer, very useful. Haven’t seen all 100++ pages but already reviewed more than 40% of the pages I think, way too many aimless random shots showing incoherent out of focus images with tasteless applications of extremely shallow DOF, had to really pay attention on selecting few good shots… Fortunately I was able to isolate a few shots that I can fully appreciate and showing the prowess of the lens being used. Funny that I found the most pleasing images for me as follow:

1. 50/0.95 tie to 50/1 V4 (3-2-1)

2. 50/1.2 re issue (seems like I am not alone, this lens just cannot nail focus wide open but lovely)

3. 75/1.25

IMO 50/0.95 and 50/1 (particularly V4 for me) are tie, they are equally good and I’ll be hard pressed to pick one, please correct me if I am wrong but I see more purple fringing with 0.95 than 1 V4 but 0.95 also produces ‘sweeter’ face while also edging dangerously into modern territory but not quite there yet, very stellar in that matter. While the F1 produces more ‘analog’ face while not being too overly ‘vintage’ as in Michael Jackson album cover glow ‘vintage’?? Excuse my made up language..hahahahaha…Funny the F1 never fell under my radar and I happen to know someone who has one mint V4 without the box for $1500 less than what I expect to pay for used mint 0.95, how different are the two in term of real world use? I mean the actual ease of use on hand, not subjective IQ.

After comparing side by side, I don’t understand the point of 75/1.25, to me the transition between sharp and blurry is way too extreme and IQ is downright clinical in the center highlighted by the surrounding area, on some samples it almost looked like AI generated bokeh where the object separation from background is very extreme as if the object is jumping out of the screen, but that’s just my opinion. 

Edited May 4 by Uwiik

[farnz]

I think can help you.  If you didn't like the 50/1.4 Summilux asph because it is 'too dead to your liking' then you won't like the 50/0.95 Noctilux asph either.

To explain: I like a little 'character' in the lenses I use and my favourite lens for the past 15 years has been the 50/1.0 Noctilux v4, which some like, some don't.  My previous favourite lens had been the 50/1.4 Summilux asph, which produced perfect, clean, very sharp pictures but my taste has changed and perfect, clean, very sharp pictures lost their appeal.  I found a 50/0.95 Noctilux asph at an acceptable price and decided to try it alongside my 50/1.0 Noctilux v4 and keep the one that I liked better.

After six months it was clear to me that the 50/0.95 Noctilux asph produced perfect, clean, very sharp pictures and was really a larger, faster version of the 50/1.4 Summilux asph so I sold it and kept my 50/1.0 Noctilux.

I've never had the 50/1.2 Noctilux re-issue so I can't really comment but the pictures I see from it have a little bit of the 50/1.0 Noctilux v4 about them but don't remind me of Summilux asph pictures.  Some of the re-issue pictures I've seen suggest that it goes a little crazy under certain circumstances - but not in a bad way.  I confess I am not a fan of 'swirly bokeh'.

During the Pandemic I was fortunate to acquire a 75/1.25 Noctilux asph and it produces gorgeous pictures that also remind me a little of the 50/1.0 Noctilux's pictures and those from the 50/1.2 Noctilux re-issue that I've seen but has a character of its own.  It is a heavy lens but since I'm used to my 50/1.0 Noctilux I don't notice the weight very often. 

Between the 50/0.95 Noctilux asph and the 75/1.25 Noctilux asph I suspect that you would prefer the 75 Noctilux.

I hope the above helps and good luck with what you choose.

Pete.

(PS, Cross-posted with your last post.)

[Uwiik]

14 minutes ago, farnz said:

I think can help you.  If you didn't like the 50/1.4 Summilux asph because it is 'too dead to your liking' then you won't like the 50/0.95 Noctilux asph either.

To explain: I like a little 'character' in the lenses I use and my favourite lens for the past 15 years has been the 50/1.0 Noctilux v4, which some like, some don't.  My previous favourite lens had been the 50/1.4 Summilux asph, which produced perfect, clean, very sharp pictures but my taste has changed and perfect, clean, very sharp pictures lost their appeal.  I found a 50/0.95 Noctilux asph at an acceptable price and decided to try it alongside my 50/1.0 Noctilux v4 and keep the one that I liked better.

After six months it was clear to me that the 50/0.95 Noctilux asph produced perfect, clean, very sharp pictures and was really a larger, faster version of the 50/1.4 Summilux asph so I sold it and kept my 50/1.0 Noctilux.

I've never had the 50/1.2 Noctilux re-issue so I can't really comment but the pictures I see from it have a little bit of the 50/1.0 Noctilux v4 about them but don't remind me of Summilux asph pictures.  Some of the re-issue pictures I've seen suggest that it goes a little crazy under certain circumstances - but not in a bad way.  I confess I am not a fan of 'swirly bokeh'.

During the Pandemic I was fortunate to acquire a 75/1.25 Noctilux asph and it produces gorgeous pictures that also remind me a little of the 50/1.0 Noctilux's pictures and those from the 50/1.2 Noctilux re-issue that I've seen but has a character of its own.  It is a heavy lens but since I'm used to my 50/1.0 Noctilux I don't notice the weight very often. 

Between the 50/0.95 Noctilux asph and the 75/1.25 Noctilux asph I suspect that you would prefer the 75 Noctilux.

I hope the above helps and good luck with what you choose.

Pete.

(PS, Cross-posted with your last post.)

Dear Pete,

it was your pictures that made my head turned to F1 V4 and it just gliding further after that…It is an honor to hear all these from you the creator of the pictures that made my head turned towards F1. Eventually based on what I personally think about 75/1.25, I think I have made my decision…It will be 50/1 V4 for me…. Again, I thank you. 

Sincerely,

Uwiik

PS: Funny that I failed to see any similarities between 50/1.2 re issue and 50/1, at least from what I saw from the thread, but visual perception varies slightly person to person and that’s a scientific fact. 

Edited May 4 by Uwiik

[FrozenInTime]

Just remember that the f/1 has rather a lot of focus shift away from f/1 until at least f/4

[Uwiik]

Just texted the other vendor, the V4 is local and I can play with it as long as I want inside the shop, having my 1.2 notorious for impossible focus but a keeper, I certainly want something that is at least possible to focus if I am getting another Noctilux…Let’s see what happens next weekend but I need to unload the 4 lenses I never use. 

Edited May 4 by Uwiik

[pgh]

4 hours ago, Viv said:

Wow, that keeper ratio is very poor.

On a typical day, I might take five shots and keep one or two.

On the contrary, no matter how much anyone shoots, I’m not sure I can find a photographer in the course of history who produced that many keepers in that amount of time.

The ratio really doesn’t matter - unless you’re stating such a thing to imply that you’re superior in some way.

But if you ever show your photos anywhere no one is wondering how many you had to work through to get to that point. People work differently, and shooting a lot isn’t any sort of metric to judge quality by. 

[Viv]

1 hour ago, pgh said:

On the contrary, no matter how much anyone shoots, I’m not sure I can find a photographer in the course of history who produced that many keepers in that amount of time.

The ratio really doesn’t matter - unless you’re stating such a thing to imply that you’re superior in some way.

But if you ever show your photos anywhere no one is wondering how many you had to work through to get to that point. People work differently, and shooting a lot isn’t any sort of metric to judge quality by. 

Your point is?

[pgh]

1 hour ago, Viv said:

Your point is?

If you missed it I’m not sure I can help further. 

[Sandokan]

10 hours ago, Uwiik said:

As one gentleman here noticed, I am bias towards 50/0.95 right now, I perhaps just need a little nudge in that direction. 

i…

I think I did say "go for the 50/0.95"  But I also hinted the f1.2 or f1 would suit your tastes better. As Pete also said, the f0.95 may be too clinical for you. (dont tell him I said so, but he is a very good photographer, IMO and his having the 75/1.25 swayed me in that direction)

8 hours ago, farnz said:

..

After six months it was clear to me that the 50/0.95 Noctilux asph produced perfect, clean, very sharp pictures and was really a larger, faster version of the 50/1.4 Summilux asph so I sold it and kept my 50/1.0 Noctilux.

..

 

[IkarusJohn]

I would sell the lenses you don’t plan to use (however, I think I would spend some time with them first, to be sure).

Then I would use the X2D and the 80/1.9 XCD for a bit before buying another Noctilux.  That lens is big and heavy, but is phenomenal, with an equivalent field of view of 63.20 mm, and certainly on a par with the 50/0.95 Noctilux (I have both).

There is pleasure, no doubt, in putting together what you feel is the perfect kit.  But I would say that this pales in comparison to taking pleasing photos and making the most of what your lenses have to offer.  If you like the 50mm field of view, work out from the images you have what’s missing.  I suspect that using the X2D/80 combination might clarify what you think is missing.

[Jeff S]

13 hours ago, Uwiik said:

Not a good nor professional photographer at all and not looking into one, just doing this because it has been my hobby on and off for a really long time and now I finally can do it without being burdened with the finance. 

It’s important to recognize your goals, and nothing wrong with enjoying gear purchases and experience more than becoming a better photographer.  Just remember that buying all that gear won’t make you a better photographer.  Be happy.

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[3D-Kraft.com]

vor 11 Stunden schrieb Uwiik:

After comparing side by side, I don’t understand the point of 75/1.25, to me the transition between sharp and blurry is way too extreme and IQ is downright clinical in the center highlighted by the surrounding area, on some samples it almost looked like AI generated bokeh where the object separation from background is very extreme as if the object is jumping out of the screen, but that’s just my opinion. 

Strong subject seperation (or even isolation) usually is, what you are looking for, when using a 75/1.25 or a 85/1.4 for portraits. Very helpful when you cannot control the background of the subject enough (e.g. other people walking around) and want to melt it away. If you are shooting portraits, the DoF is already too thin for headshots - here you would typically stop down to f/2.8 ore even further. So the sweet spot for me, when using the Nocti 75 is, when shooting 1/2 to 2/3 body portraits. It allows you to do that from a decent distance and in that case most of the person is already kept inside the sharp part of the DoF and seperates it perfectly from the background.

So the decision between a 50mm and a 75mm Noctilux is more about the preferred application area than between particular lens characteristics.

Regarding 50/0.95 vs. 50/1.0: It should be noted, that the focus throw of the 50/1.0 is significantly longer. For me, this is helpful, but the shorter focus throw of the 50/0.95 may be more helpful for video applications. But the main difference between them is the unique way, how the 50/1.0 renders "bokeh bubbles" from highlights in the background. You'll either love it or hate it.

When looking through the "Show us your Noctilux wide open shots" thread, I noticed that some of the pictures are not shot "wide open" and some of them are not even with a Noctilux (e.g. this was shot using a 35mm Summilux: https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/297666-show-us-your-noctilux-wide-open-shots/?do=findComment&comment=3785591)

Edited May 4 by 3D-Kraft.com