Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/04/20

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

Subject: [Leica] Noctilux DOF Film vs M8
From: len-1 at comcast.net (Leonard Taupier)
Date: Sun Apr 20 07:31:53 2008
References: <D66AF68A-F211-47AA-A589-492C18022D56@comcast.net> <77F7A2BB-2C7C-481D-860C-6C16A64EBF2F@cox.net>

Hi Steve,

Don didn't ask for my M8, just the lenses. He still has them and I  
would expect for awhile as he's pretty busy.  Others on the Camera  
forum have done the same thing and report very good results.

Len


On Apr 20, 2008, at 10:15 AM, Steve Barbour wrote:

>
> On Apr 20, 2008, at 6:46 AM, Leonard Taupier wrote:
>
>> This is a very interesting issue. I don't know if anybody has  
>> mentioned what happens to the depth of field of the Noctilux, or  
>> any other lens, in a Leica film camera versus the M8 digital  
>> camera. It seems that nobody complains about the focus on a film  
>> body but all kinds of complaints on the M8, especially the  
>> Noctilux, Summilux Asph and the 75mm Summilux. Is there a  
>> difference? Yup, there sure is. I tested 16 leica lenses for depth  
>> of field at a distance of 8 feet. I tested 13 of the lenses with  
>> film using a .85 MP and compared the results to those taken with  
>> an M8 and a 1.25 Leica magnifier.
>>
>> In every case the DOF shifts away from the camera with the M8. In  
>> other words the lens appears to back focus. The worse lens for  
>> this shift is the Noctilux. But even on a film camera it is barely  
>> in focus. The typical back focus shift of any 50mm Leica lens is  
>> about 4 to 5 inches at 8 feet with the M8. The backward shift of  
>> the Noctilux is between 8 and 9 inches. This puts the focused  
>> point of the rangefinder outside the depth of field of the lens.  
>> The other thing I noticed is the DOF is better centered on the  
>> older LTM lenses then on the newer lenses. I don't know if this is  
>> a quality control problem now or if the focus point test has  
>> changed. I tested 7 LTM lenses, the Xenon, Summarit, Summitar,  
>> Summicron Coll, 50 Elmar RS, 90 Elmar and 135 Hektor. The focus  
>> point nicely stayed within the DOF on both cameras. Of the M  
>> lenses the best is the 1st 50mm Summicron rigid version followed  
>> by the current 50mm Summicron.
>>
>> I verified my results with a second M8. The MP body is one year  
>> old and purchased new. I also sent my Noctilux and 75mm Summilux  
>> to DAG for focus adjustment even though the lens is still in  
>> warranty. I'm also shooting more with film these days.
>
> hi Len,
>
> is it appropriate to send a Noctilux to DAG for focus adjustment,  
> without the body...
>
> does that work out OK?
>
> I agree that with film (bodies) I did fine with the Noctilux wide  
> open, with the M8 much less so...
>
> Steve
>
>
>>
>>
>> Len
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
> best, Steve
>
>
> "I never wanted to be famous"
> http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/186890
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information


Replies: Reply from faneuil at gmail.com (Eric Korenman) ([Leica] Noctilux DOF Film vs M8)
In reply to: Message from len-1 at comcast.net (Leonard Taupier) ([Leica] Noctilux DOF Film vs M8)
Message from kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour) ([Leica] Noctilux DOF Film vs M8)