Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Bob McEowen wrote: >If I hadn't just bought a 24mm that would be easy . . . I'd go for the 21mm. >Given the choice today I'd take the 50mm, sell it and buy a "normal" 50 and a >90 and maybe another body. I just can't think of enough situations where I >would be able to make use of the narrow depth of field at f 1.0 to justify >that honking piece of glass. Hello Bob, But why couldn't you use it at high noon? It's only a matter of using slow asa film and the highest possible shutter speed to make wonderful images the likes of no other. But what's important is to truly believe in shooting at the "widest possible aperture and the highest possible shutter speed!" What really throws people off is, "Gee I always have to stop down to 8 or 11, as I like sharp pictures!" These are the folks who should get their eyes tested. The truth is, they don't know how to focus properly nor do they have the photographic understanding that they can be very creative working wide open! Most of the time the background isn't relevant to the image and is far better off being completely out of focus as a blur of colour or B&W. >Also, while I've never even held a Noctilux, I suspect that there really >isn't that much difference in low-light usability between the two lenses when >you take "hand-holdability" into account. I just can't imagine reliably >hand-holding that big 50 at much less than 1/60 while I'm quite confident >1/15 is a pretty safe bet with the 21mm>>>>>> Au contraire mon ami! It's much easier to hold a heavy lens and camera than a lighter one! I, and I know other LUG Noctilux members work quite regularly at 1/15th. When pressing my luck big time at....1/8th I win some lose some! :) Kinda like "available darkness" and you just can't do that with any other hand holdable lens unless it happens to be an f.1.0. >I'm sure I'm just not sophisticated enough to appreciate it but I view the >Noctilux and similar lenses as "freaks" -- toys for those hung up on >numbers>>> Wrong! I use mine in my work all the time, as I truly believe in "what you see with the naked eye you can photograph!" If you understand your equipment and processing of film! There isn't anything freaky about it at all, other than the wonderful images you put on film when all else fails. >and not really a practical tool for day to day photography.>>>>>> Nope! It's an every day to day lens. What it does is, it allows you to show "no fear" regardless of the light! I bet after you started to use one, you'd never want to be without it! :) Trust me, I've used mine since 1967! And it's a hummer of a lens! :) ted Ted Grant This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler. http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant