Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]- - thanks to all who responded to my last query re parallax error using 24mm. Being new to rangefinder I had never thought of parallax error in relation to foreground obscuring background. - I had the Noctilux 50mm on trial and after shooting a test roll with this lens I returned it to the shop and bought something else (The 75mm Summilux f1.4). The main reason I can't ever use this Noctilux lens is ridiculous - the things a bloody cuckoo! It's too big for the M6. When it's on the M6 and you look through the viewfinder it's all you can see, it really obscures half the finder!! So I certainly found that not being able to see what you're trying to photograph - A BIG PROBLEM. The dark vignetting in the corner of the shots was extremely bad and nine out of ten shots required much cropping. This factor could be critical for e.g. if sending original slides or negs to a magazine publisher who layout originals without cropping facilities, and so on. Of course composition through the viewfinder is affected by taking the vignetting into account. On the other hand I did get some fantastic reproduction on the slide film that I shot with the Noctilux. The colours and tones as captured by the Noctilux in low, artificial lighting were remarkable. However, I would need to do more tests with it to say that the Noctilux 50mm f1 has unique and outstanding characteristics that outweigh its defects. You've really got to see it to disbelieve it. Leica certainly don't list any of these major problems with the lens in their glossy brochure - quite the opposite. Even though they are trying to sell, I think Leica should be more honest in their brochure about their products. When surprised with problems like these I am now suspicious about any Leica equipment that I am considering to buy. Try before you buy. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy my M6 system. Regards, Barry Dinan ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com