[Leica] Help with Nocti

[jbcollier at shaw.ca (John Collier)]

Hi Mark,

If I'd known this was going to upset you so much, I wouldn't have said 
anything at all. If you look at what I wrote, you'll find I replaced the 
Noctilux (50) with a Summilux (50). I mentioned the Summilux (75) to show 
that it wash't the narrow depth of field that put me off. I very seldom 
shoot with a tele. I either have a 35 or 50 Summilux mounted 90% of the time.

As to the why I bought the Noctilux, I shoot wide open a lot of the time so 
when a Noctilux came available locally, it seemed natural to try one out.  
However, it was my first normal/wide lens that only focused to 1.0 m. I use 
the M camera because it is one of the few cameras that doesn't get in the 
way of what I see. It's just a plain glass window to the world. Up until I 
bought the Noctilux, I never gave the 0.7 m close focus limit a single 
thought. The camera just worked. After I got the Noctilux I found myself, 
after framing my shot normally, frequently having to back up. Not all the 
time but often enough that I noticed. I don't want to notice my camera. I 
want it to disappear. I sold the lens.

John



On 2012-01-22, at 7:08 PM, Mark Rabiner wrote:

> One expects to see a portfolio in which the work revolves around 2 to 3 
> foot
> macro shots.  Is there a URL?
> The issue to me is not why one SELLS a Noctilux because it won't focus to 
> .7
> of a meter but why one BOUGHT one in the first place.
> I should think the portfolio of a Noctilux user would revolve around a 
> whole
> lot of low light shooting.
> Low light and close both?  Not that's a bit original!
> I'm not sure how many low light shooters are also close in shooters. It
> seems to me the ultra low light macro field remains wide open.
> You are not using a  75 Summilux to shoot what? Where?
> I don't see how a short tele replaces a normal focal lengh lens
> Id have thought a normal would replace a normal.
> 
> A normal which can feel wide when it needs to or tele with some inspired
> use. A 75mm lens is never going to feel wide. And I'd hate be the only lens
> on my camera.. If my main lens was not a normal it would be a wide.