Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/11/20

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Noctilux - 1st impressions
From: Guy Bennett <gbennett@lainet.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 19:54:15 -0800
References: <200111202011.MAA29169@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>

>Guy Bennett <gbennett@lainet.com> wrote:
>
>> [ Excellent, long, glowing review of Noctilux 50mm ]
>
>>Anyway, just some initial thoughts on the Noctilux, which is a really
>>exciting lens. You definitely have the impression you can use it anywhere
>>for any kind of shooting.
>
>Guy,
>
>Er, you forgot to mention the 2-stop light falloff at the corners
>when wide open!  (Erwind Puts actually claims it is 3 stops, but
>I'll round it down for now.)
>Da lens has some good points, but it also has _some_ bad.  ;?)
>Regds,
>Andrew Nemeth

Andrew,

You're certainly right about the light falloff, the only problem is that in
virtually all of the shots I've made with the lens, it is not apparent.
Either the background is too dark and the vignetting is therefore
invisible, or there's a lively background with both highlights and shadows
and the vignetting is therefore invisible. The one place I have seen it is
in a few photos of my baby daughter in the tub, being given a bath by her
mother. (All "private" parts covered by the inevitable rubber duck - I am
an American after all.) The tub and tiled wall are a light color, and the
vignetting is indeed visible. It was a bit of a surprise when I first
noticed it, then remembered what I'd read and heard about the lens and
light falloff in the corners of the images. I'll keep this in mind when
shooting wide open against light colored backgrounds in the future. That is
perhaps the *only* downside that I've found in the Noctilux. (And since
it's mostly going to be used in low light situations, I don't think it'll
be a problem with me...)

Guy

P.S. I suppose there was no pun intended in your qualifying my review as
"glowing," 'cause only naives believe in a Leica "glow," right?
- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html

Replies: Reply from "W Larsen" <wlarsen@almondmedia.com> (Re: [Leica] Re: Noctilux - 1st impressions)