Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/09/16

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Subject: Re: Re: Noctilux 50/1 versus 50/1,2
From: "Henning J. Wulff" <henningw@archiphoto.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 16:18:20 -0700

In the early 70's, I had the 50/1.2. Since it was as fast as it got on the
Leica, I was satisfied. When the 50/1 came out, I tried it and was more
satisfied. Yes, it does vignette significantly more, but it gave me images
that I liked better.

I did not test them the way Erwin Puts tests the lenses, but I am extremely
grateful that he does, and provides an understandable starting point in
comparing leses.

My impressions, from the early comparisons I made, were that the 1.2
performed and gave results that were more comparable to a low quality
Summicron, while the f/1 lens was in a class by itself, with no real
comparison to other lenses possible. I can look at slides taken with the
f/1.2 and show them next to 90 T-E shots or 28/2.8 shots, and they fit
right in, even if under close examination the f/1.2 does not perform as
well. If I show slides taken with the f/1, they stand out (not always
positively). The vignetting, the color balance, and the contrast rendering
are quite different. As you stop both lenses down, most of their unique
qualities die down (except the color balance) and the shots taken with them
become harder to identify.

I would say that the 50/1.2 fits reasonably well into an outfit with a
number of other Leica lenses, but the 50/1 is almost best used on its own.
The f/1.2 is helped by use of the diaphragm; the f/1 is not.

It's impossible to say which is absolutely 'better', but I find the 50/1
much more useable in low light situations, and not just because it is 1/2
stop faster.

BTW, I sold my first f/1 around 1986 because I hadn't used it much for a
few years, but bought a mint second version (60mm filters, bayonet hood) a
couple of years ago again because I missed the type of pictures that that
lens alone produces. I tried one of the last third type (clip-on hood) and
found that performance seemed to be identical with mine. Since 8 or nine
years elapsed between my owning the first two versions, I can't really say
which was better, but I don't 'feel' there was much difference, IMHO.


   *           Henning J. Wulff
  /|\     Wulff Photography & Design
 /###\      henningw@archiphoto.com
 |[ ]|     http://www.archiphoto.com