[Leica] Noctilux ramblings

[jbcollier at shaw.ca (John Collier)]

Well as you all know I recently sold my Noctilux to finance the 
purchase of the new Summilux. I thought I would post my thoughts on the 
Noctilux before the new lens comes and colours my views.

The Noctilux is not sharp wide open. The Noctilux is not a light lens 
by most measures and is simply gargantuan by M standards. The Noctilux 
does not focus close and its focusing is slow and ponderous. The 
Noctilux vignettes wide open in a manner more reminiscent of a lens of 
the late 1800s rather than one designed just a few decades ago. The 
Noctilux's bokeh varies from creamy smoothness ? perhaps we should 
judge cream by how closely it resembles the Noctilux? ? to disturbing 
and nausea inducing at certain subject/foreground distances.

So what the hell gives? Why is it a simply stunning piece of glass?

First and foremost it is the most flare proof piece of glass I have 
ever used. I have photos with large bright light sources right behind 
the subject and every hair is clearly defined and the subject is as 
crisp and clear as if you were photographing on cloudy bright day with 
a scrim. It took my breath away and I am going to miss that quality the 
most. Yes, it was so good in this regard that I find it difficult to 
believe I will ever find its match again. I won't complain if the new 
Summilux comes close but I will be surprised.

Contrary to popular report, the Noctilux is excellent stopped down. It 
is as crisp and clear as most other normals out there. Perhaps the 
corners are not quite as crisp as the Summicron ? when both are at f2 
to f2.8 and enlarged to four feet by six feet ? but, I hate to break 
the news, this just doesn't matter in handheld photography. Handheld is 
all I do and that is why I use M cameras (your habits and needs may 
differ). Once I tried the Noctilux, my Summicron went on the shelf 
permanently.

On my Rapidwinder equipped M6TTL, the Noctilux balances very nicely and 
is a joy to use. Perhaps not a joy to have hanging off the neck as you 
are walking about but, once up to the eye, everything falls into place. 
The controls are nicely weighted and stay where they are put.

It is remarkable just how far that aperture ring turns! It never seems 
to stop. If you can see the subject then you can get a decent handheld 
shot with 400 ISO film. Yes it vignettes badly wide open but it really 
does not show in the photos as the light conditions tend to be very low 
when you are at f1. Yes it is not remarkably sharp wide open but the 
ability to use fine grained low speed film makes up for this. Done 
right it produces drop dead gorgeous, take your breath away photos when 
everyone else has had to switch to flash.

So why did I sell it?

The main reason is that i found myself constantly struggling with the 
1.0 meter focus limit. I needed to be closer. The photo I saw in my 
mind required me to be closer. It was very frustrating as it would only 
have to be a little bit closer as I never had the same trouble with the 
0.7 meter limit of the Summicron. I hoped that over time i would adjust 
but after two years of the Noctilux as my normal of choice, it is time 
to admit defeat.

The other reason is that my back has suffered from years of strain 
doing mechanical work and it is now not a pleasure to carry a heavy 
camera and lens around my neck. No searing shooting pains, yet, but my 
one arm goes numb. I have tried various exercises which help relieve 
the problem once it has developed but none have solved the problem. I 
hope to be actively photographing until I die and, if losing a stop now 
will help down the road, that is what I am going to do.

I have tried and sold on many pieces of M glass over the years. All 
have gone with no regrets. I am not a sentimental man. If it does the 
job, I keep it. If it doesn't, it goes. There is a magical quality 
about shots into the light using the Noctilux. My lips purse into a 
silent "oh" when I look at them. This was a tough call where my emotion 
and reason struggled with the obvious. While there is no doubt it had 
to go and I will not be buying another, I will miss the Noctilux.

John Collier