RE: [Leica] Noctilux and seeing subtle differences

[tedgrant@islandnet.com (Ted Grant)]

Hi Robert,

Too bad about the weather, but it seems we are all experincing lousy stuff
whether we use Leica or not. :)

>You read my mind.  It is loaded with Tmax 3200, and I just got back from a
>walk downtown.  It started pouring rain out, so I didn't get many pictures.
> I knew about the vignetting.

The vignetting really isn't a problem as it only shows when you are working
where the background allows a clean "sky like" area to pick it up. And as
you say: "will probably not be noticed in low light scenes which are not
evenly illuminated". Well that's for sure, but occaisionaly the vignetting
works in your favour as in forcing the eye to greater concentration on the
main subject, something like very slightly burning in all sides of a B&W
print to add concentarion to the main body of the image.

>The prints that came from the one hour place cropped out the vignetting.  I
>usually shoot slides or B&W.  I do not print the B&W full frame, so it
>won't be a problem.  As for the slides, I will not probably use it wide
>open for scenic scenes and it will probably not be noticed in low light
>scenes which are not evenly illuminated anyways.

<<<<Have you ever used it with Kodachrome 200?>>>>>>>

Yes and it is wonderful, particularly at night on the street and around the
inner harbour water areas where we live . It makes it so easy to just walk
around and shoot without screwing around setting up tripod etc.  And on
occaison using K 200 at ASA 500 and the Noctilux allows for an even more
dramatic location image.

I meter straight through the M6 meter and when the little red arrows come
on I shoot! A bracket one side or the other and in most cases the straight
metered image is the one we select.

It is a lens you must "learn how to make the most use of the image effect"
and where you can shoot, where you wouldn't have ever gone before without
tripod and blurred images of people moving.

The only reason to own a Noctilux at it's cost,  is to use it at 1.0!!
Simply because if you don't use it at that aperture for the highest number
of frames, then for the money spent and not use it wide open as much as
possible, one might as well save the money and work wih the 1.4 Summilux
and or a cheaper slower lens.

Besides once you appreciate what the lens can do, you'll be looking for
locations and situations where you can use it wide open. And you'll see
quite a dramatic change in the "look" of your final prints or slides.

The most important thing is the very shallow depth of field..."like
non-existant!". But once you learn to make it work for you, man do your
pictures just jump off the screen or page or print. You'll love it.



Ted Grant
This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant