Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/08

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Subject: Re: [Leica] noct performance
From: Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>
Date: Fri, 08 Oct 1999 02:22:27 -0700

Anthony Atkielski wrote:
><Snip> 
> > You don't buy it because at f5.6 it is or isn't as
> > good as, or better than, a Nikkor zoom. Who cares how
> > it compares to any other lens, except at the maximum
> > aperture?
> 
> It's an important consideration, because it helps determine whether you can use
> the Noctilux alone for general purposes at that focal length, or whether you
> need to buy a separate 50-mm prime for shots beyond f/2.  To make the decision,
> you need to know what quality the Noctilux will provide at smaller apertures--if
> it is as good as a Nikkor AF-S 28-70, and the latter is satisfactory to you, you
> need not invest more in another prime; but if it is worse than the Nikkor, then
> you'll need to get a separate 50-mm lens for the smaller apertures.  The
> difference is $1800 or so, if I'm not mistaken, which is not trivial.
> 
>   -- Anthony

No it's really not all that great for general purposes. If you are needing depth
of field other lenses make better images.
Have you read Erwins thing on it or not?
The size alone makes it not a general purpose lens.
I don't understand how it's comparison to a Nikkor AF-S 28-70 is a determining
factor. Down the line you're just going to have to get a Summicron as well and
find out what Leica is all about. A quality image and a compact nimble way of
working quietly and unobtrusively. And that's not carrying around a Monster lens
all the time.
Mark Rabiner