[Leica] M8 love - Noctilux or Nokton?

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

On 1/17/07 3:54 PM, "Eric Korenman" <faneuil@gmail.com> typed:

> OK - I'll try not to gush, but I am in love with the M8.
> Had it for about a week now.
> Of the many cameras that have passed in and out of my hands, it is the
> closest to that 'ideal' camera many of us have been looking for.
> The blending of M body with quiet winder works for me. I like shooting
> series SLR/winder style.
> 
> Things to fix: The embedded profile is lousy. Replacing with ACR's
> profile helps tons.  Using the Phase one software is annoying but
> results are magnificent and better than ACR.
> If Lightroom could use other profiles I'd be REALLY happy. I guess
> this supposed to be in the final version of LR.
> 
> Anyway..
> The 50mm summicron (sadly) has moved from #1 lense to my #3.
> The 35mm summicron has taken up permanent residence followed by a
> Zeiss 25mm which hops on every now and then. Both produce splendid
> results. Love the Zeiss focus ring with 'bump' tab.
> 
> I have shelved the Noctilux dreams and would like to know if anyone is
> liking the Voigtlander 35mm 1.2 Nokton on the M8?  50mm  with 1.33
> crop is just too tight for me.
> 
> Cheers,
> Eric
> 

Perhaps first find out how viable your ASA 1600 or thereabouts files are.
I think with digital it ups your ASA by a few stops for a lot of people.
I think a lot of people who shot 400 speed film now find themselves
defaulting at 1600 when they get into digital.
If that's the case at least with you then a high speed lens is not really
what's really needed. I think this tends to be the case and the market shows
that. With digital zooms take over even more.
I think in the industry with digital prime lenses with their higher speed
are being used and sold less than slower flexible in their sense zooms.
Which are fast enough as digital you're already shooting faster. And has
great dark shadow grabbing power.
And a zoom makes for less lens changes which are to be avoided more and done
more carefully with digital.

Is a 46.55mm 1.2 lens what you need?
To shoot what?

I think a person who had Noctilux dreams now going digital would perhaps
shift those dreams to the new superwide tri Elmar.
THAT'S the SUPER lens to use with digital Leica.

Taking your choice of 28-24-21-18-16
The higher for digital.
Maintain a film body for ultrawide
F 4 is plenty fast enough for digital.
And its not like you need the speed to help you focus on a groundglass.

I'd think shooting and M8 with the new 28-24-21-18-16 tri Elmar (Penta Elmar
in effect) a photographer would have an edge over the DSLR shooting hoards.
Lowlight. Or otherwise.
Another m8 outfit not so much.





Mark Rabiner
New York, NY
40?47'59.79"N   
73?57'32.37"W

http://rabinergroup.com/