[Leica] FS: Noctilux

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

Why, oh why, don't most people get the fact that the Noctilux is a
special purpose lens. It is NOT a "standard" lens, as are most 50s. It
is designed for one thing - capturing images when nothing else will
capture them. It's big; it's bulky; it's heavy; it doesn't focus close
enough; it has weird bokeh; and it has non-existent depth of field. But
as Ted and some other folks have demonstrated, but there is no light,
the Noctilux supplies it. So if you find that you regularly miss shots
because you need that extra stop, it makes great sense. But if you don't
shoot that way, a Summicron, Summilux - or Nocton - makes much more
sense.

B. D.

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Feli di Giorgio
Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 2:34 PM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] FS: Noctilux


On Fri, 2004-05-28 at 11:17, John Collier wrote:
> Crazy, yes but it is not funny!
> :-)
> I tried out the current Summilux at the LHSA spring shoot and I was
> pleased with the results. Only two things annoyed me. The 
> auto-collapsing hood and that there was no focusing tab. The new 'lux 
> solves both and may even match the performance of my 35/1.4 Asph. That

> is nothing to sneeze at.

Ok, I confess. I sold my Noctilux a few days ago. I too was very fond of
it but there were two things about it that I simply couldn't deal with.
One was the weight (I like to wander around with just a camera and a
50), the other was the long, stiff focus throw. I simply couldn't focus
the darn thing quick 
enough in fast moving situations, unlike the Cron or Lux in particular.

So, I used the money to buy a demo Leicavit and user E46 Summilux
1.4/50. I had a Summilux a while back for a short time and really
regretted selling 
it. Back then I had no time to really take a close look at the negatives

and make some real fiber prints. So, there I was in the darkroom,
muttering 'SOB!' to myself as I examined the prints... There really is
something 
special about the signature of the Lux v02. You could classify it as the
epitome of the old med contrast/high resolution school of thought in
designing lenses...I still have a new style Cron for those razor sharp,
crisp shots.

Feli



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