Official Talk Leica thread

justpix said:
Hi, I bought my VOIGTLÄNDER Nokton 1,2/35 years ago used (€ 700) for 2 main reasons (apart from GAS): to get a fast lens, and as a Noctilux test to find out how much I would
like using a 490 g lens.

I liked the speed, not the bulk and weight. I use it rarely.

There are many good reasons to buy - or not to buy - a lens, depending on haptic preferences and usage patterns.

For street photography, especially at night, the 1/50 Nokton may be perfect, and one accepts its weight ... ---

Back to my old-iron portfolio ... :

In Schwetzingen (M9 - Summarit 2,5/35 ; crops)

f 2,5 :

View attachment 379084



f 2,8 :

View attachment 379082


(The bokeh is not bad for a low-cost compact aspheric Leica lens, I think ... )
Click to expand...
You are probably going to hate this but:
The out of focus highlight in the blue car bonnet (hood) in the first shot at f/2.5 makes me think of the oof highlights my iPhone 12 pro suffers from :( (The one on the right lower third just behind the bonnet hinge.)
 
justpix said:
There are many good reasons to buy - or not to buy - a lens, depending on haptic preferences and usage patterns.
Click to expand...
Thank you Immo

as a lux 50 asph owner I think that’s prob already the best blend of speed, size, weight and IQ.

But GAS is not a rational thing! :ROFLMAO:
 
zx9 said:
You are probably going to hate this but:
The out of focus highlight in the blue car bonnet (hood) in the first shot at f/2.5 makes me think of the oof highlights my iPhone 12 pro suffers from :( (The one on the right lower third just behind the bonnet hinge.)
Click to expand...

Hi, why should I ?

This is a pic with one of my 5 35mm M mount lenses. Others might have performed better in this situation.

But I always take just one lens for an outing, so there are no A-B comparisons ... ---

And if someone thinks the 2,5/35 Summarit is a bad lens because of its performance above, he can avoid it now,
 
Last edited:
zx9 said:
Because when something like that, that I have not noticed is pointed out to me it really bugs me and I am for ever noticing it.
Click to expand...

Hi, you are hinting at the problem of un-seeing certain phenomena. - I have experienced this with onion-rings ...

But again, I do not know if and how my other 4 35mm M mount lenses would have performed differently.

Maybe, I should design a BBC-test (Blue Bonnet Comparison test)

I must think a little about the name. It may already be used :)
 
Last edited:
justpix said:
I know, Adam ... :)

A review of the Nokton 1/50 ... :
Click to expand...

yeah I really should just stick with the 50 lux, smaller and lighter, less vignette (it looks), built in hood, coded to work on my M.

I’d be an idiot to get the CV 50/1 really (and the 50/1.2 make’s little sense owning a lux)










so I’ll probably order one next week then :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
Adam Bonn said:
yeah I really should just stick with the 50 lux, smaller and lighter, less vignette (it looks), built in hood, coded to work on my M.

I’d be an idiot to get the CV 50/1 really (and the 50/1.2 make’s little sense owning a lux)










so I’ll probably order one next week then :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...

Enjoy! I am looking forward to your pics here! :)
 
justpix said:
Enjoy! I am looking forward to your pics here! :)
Click to expand...
Seriously I doubt I’ll get it… the 1.1 and 1.2 versions are so much cheaper (and the 1.2 seems to be the same IQ anyway) I already have two 50s, I more use the cron because it’s smaller and lighter, and really If I HAVE (and I really don’t) to get a new lens because of GAS then the 40/1.2 makes more sense I think as I own no 40s and these days 35mm is my most used FL so 40mm might actually be useful!

Back to the 50/1 the fact that most reviewers state the need for a decent EVF to focus it also puts me off (I have the M10 EVF but I don’t like to use it)
 
Adam Bonn said:
Seriously I doubt I’ll get it… the 1.1 and 1.2 versions are so much cheaper (and the 1.2 seems to be the same IQ anyway) I already have two 50s, I more use the cron because it’s smaller and lighter, and really If I HAVE (and I really don’t) to get a new lens because of GAS then the 40/1.2 makes more sense I think as I own no 40s and these days 35mm is my most used FL so 40mm might actually be useful!

Back to the 50/1 the fact that most reviewers state the need for a decent EVF to focus it also puts me off (I have the M10 EVF but I don’t like to use it)
Click to expand...

Hi, I see your point. A purchase should be a step forward, bringing something different, and new. 40mm is a useful FL, I had in my ROLLEI 35 days.

But I am not sure which frame-lines 40mm lenses bring up in an M body. -

Most Leica M users appreciate compact lenses. And one should not spoil the beautiful lines of an M body by an EVF, I think.
 
Last edited:
justpix said:
Hi, ... :

Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

[news][s]About the Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton lens[/s]The new Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton is Cosina's fastest full frame lens to date and it is ca...
www.fredmiranda.com
Click to expand...

yeah I read every page of that (skipped the waffle though)

it seems a great lens with amazing IQ and with only the trade offs that come from such a lens design, with a FLE to boot and all at a price that (in the context of Leica) is reasonable

(for context for any non Leica folk reading this, it’s a 50mm F1 ground glass asph lens for approx. €150 more than Fuji want for their 50/1)

From the image samples the rendering reminds me a lot of my lux asph, which is no bad thing but perhaps not what I really want… a lens I’ll almost certainly be stopping down when I want to be sure(er) of focus acquisition and to remove the vignette… or put another way it’ll probably end up being a massive, heavy, VF blocking 1.4/2 lens, which seems pointless.

So I’m currently thinking either

1. Stop being a dick and just use the two 50s I do have

or

2. Be more of a dick and get the nokton f1.1 for the unique character, accept it’ll be a speciality lens and use it for when I want funky looking photos (plus its over a thousand euro cheaper) I had a 7artisans 50 for a while (I broke it accidentally) and whilst the IQ was on paper terrible it did make some interesting shots… and I’m thinking that I really have the whole fast fifty optically great thing covered with the 50 lux

(first world problems!)
 
Hi, there is no easy decision here ... The 1,2/50 Nokton performs well in the FM review. But on the other hand it is a kind of halfway decision, if you have a Summilux.

Even first world problems are problems ... ---
 
PJH99 said:
Just go for the 0.95 Noctilux and be done with it :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
Jokes aside, according to fredmiranda the CV 50/1 smashes the n’lux 0.95 in every metric: performance, size and price (especially price)
 
Adam Bonn said:
Jokes aside, according to fredmiranda the CV 50/1 smashes the n’lux 0.95 in every metric: performance, size and price (especially price)
Click to expand...

Hi, if one wanted to buy rationally, there are possible considerations:

-looking back: which pics would have been better with this lens ?

-looking forward: how often would one use this lens, and how much would one like using it ?

-looking around: has it better or at least similar performance compared to the NOCTILUX ?

(The more lenses one has, the more difficult decisions become (and even more difficult if one has several camera systems) ... ---)

Another one of my rarely used lenses ... (M9 - LEITZ Tele-Elmar 4/135 f 4) :



L1029643_DxO-L135-4-c.jpg


(I am not the perfect advocate for rational purchasing decisions, perhaps. I have 2 Tele-Elmars. The first I bought was somewhat worn,so I bought another one in better condition.

The Tele-Elmar reminds me of 1950s products. Perfect manufacturing quality, DEUTSCHE WERTARBEIT ... ---)
 
Hi, a rendering comparison LEICA Noctilux 1,/50, VOIGTLÄNDER Nokton 1/50, Leica Summilux 1,4/50 p.6 , #7 ff :

Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

[news][s]About the Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton lens[/s]The new Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton is Cosina's fastest full frame lens to date and it is ca...
www.fredmiranda.com
 
The only advantage that I see for the Noctilux in that comparison is the CA control wide open. Not worth the extra ££££ to me.
 
meanwhile back in the real world of Adam's actual camera bag contents... here's 28mm :ROFLMAO:

I Saw the News Today, Oh Boy by Adam Bonn, on Flickr

M10R (well from now on all the pics are either M9 or 10R, because I sold the M10... hence the unnecessary lens GAS, I mean the GAS 'account' is actually in the black and that almost never happens :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:)
 
justpix said:
Hi, a rendering comparison LEICA Noctilux 1,/50, VOIGTLÄNDER Nokton 1/50, Leica Summilux 1,4/50 p.6 , #7 ff :

Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

[news][s]About the Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton lens[/s]The new Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton is Cosina's fastest full frame lens to date and it is ca...
www.fredmiranda.com
Click to expand...

Assuming one has to stop the CV 50/1 down to at least 1.4 to have a hope of focus, not to mention hold all that extra front heavy weight steady there doesn't seem a great deal of point of ownership over my lux asph 1.4.... (335g vs 484g)

IMHO it's quite an annoying comparison (but thanks for sharing) - personally I don't think you buy an F1 lens to stand 1.5 meters from something and destroy the background (you can do that quite well with F2.8 or even better with 90/2.8), that F1 advantage comes when the subject is some meters away and you want the subject to stand out like a large ship far away on a flat ocean. Of course other people will have different usage requirements, like portraits etc but for me the allure of F1 is that...

PJH99 said:
The only advantage that I see for the Noctilux in that comparison is the CA control wide open. Not worth the extra ££££ to me.
Click to expand...

(y) I think CV used to be well it's not as good as M glass, but it's cheap. Then it was well it's almost as good as M glass but it's huge and a funny shape and now it's just about getting to be about as small (or smaller) and to most purposes just as good. CV's new 28/2, 35/2 35/1.5 50/1.5 and 50/1 really seem to be close to on par with their M glass equivalents I think for about 99.9% of users and usage cases they'd be no practical differences

I tend to be a bit of sucker for M glass because (bar my lux) I don't own anything that exotic (2 crons and an elmarit and a summarit) and I like the integration with the body, the 6 bit coding for the actual lens (not one that the internet told you should work ok) and the convenience of the exif data and adobe lens profiles... but if I had to start over it would IMO be very hard to justify M glass over modern CV options
 
zx9 said:
That is a great shot, I like the classic car in the left background, contrasts well with the modern retro Triumph which I love photographically but not a bike of the style I would have ever ridden.
The Sonnar done good. (and lighting and photographer! )
Click to expand...
Thank you for the friendly appreciation of my efforts, Keith. :) The pic was taken a meeting, so results are to a great extent due to serendipity (luck).

Most things are beyond control. Having a good camera and lens helps, of course ... ---
 
  • Like
Reactions: zx9
My guys, is there anybody here that lives in London and has Lecia Q2 by any chance?
 
chris_panas said:
My guys, is there anybody here that lives in London and has Lecia Q2 by any chance?
Click to expand...
Hi,

Sorry, I neither live in London nor do I have a Q2. I don’t think any of the regular posters in here do either. It might be worth posting on the main page.
 
Gutted!! My new Leica needs returning - suffering from the M11 freeze! Tried all the common problems such as memory cards etc - going to ask for a replacement.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: zx9
Ah I’ve heard of problems with some of them. Seems to be fairly common with the M11. I hope yours gets sorted quickly.
 
Jammy Dodger said:
Gutted!! My new Leica needs returning - suffering from the M11 freeze! Tried all the common problems such as memory cards etc - going to ask for a replacement.
Click to expand...
Gutting! Have you updated to the latest firmware and/or tried different SD cards - I’ve read recently that those two options often solve the freeze issues.

I don’t have the M11 so can’t offer much else. Hope you get it sorted.
 
Jammy Dodger said:
Gutted!! My new Leica needs returning - suffering from the M11 freeze! Tried all the common problems such as memory cards etc - going to ask for a replacement.
Click to expand...

What a disappointment ... ---

Freezing, also discussed in the FM forum, and colour calibration issues, mentioned by Throsten Oovergard, make the M11 less attractive (to me) ...

Perhaps one should give new Leica cameras some time to mature. ---

I wish you luck!
 
justpix said:
Perhaps one should give new Leica cameras some time to mature. ---
Click to expand...

I think it's a bit ironic, the m11 has many new and modern features that appeal to people that perhaps wouldn't have previously considered an M as their camera and this broadened appeal has possibly increased their market, but the teething problems are having the opposite effect.

IMHO it's the 240 again... Tons of modern bells and whistles, the purists aren't too keen but it's attracting fresh blood to the brand and like the 240 it's gonna take a while to iron the kinks out
 
Adam Bonn said:
I think it's a bit ironic, the m11 has many new and modern features that appeal to people that perhaps wouldn't have previously considered an M as their camera and this broadened appeal has possibly increased their market, but the teething problems are having the opposite effect.

IMHO it's the 240 again... Tons of modern bells and whistles, the purists aren't too keen but it's attracting fresh blood to the brand and like the 240 it's gonna take a while to iron the kinks out
Click to expand...


Not quite so sure about 'all the bells and whistles' it is still very basic rangefinder.

I own old film cameras and love them, If I wanted bells & whistles I would have got a Sony.

I just think there is so much hype with German cameras as there is with their cars - I suffer reliability issues with the Rollei but nothing with the Nikon.

Still love the Leica and want to own one as my only digital camera.
 
Jammy Dodger said:
Not quite so sure about 'all the bells and whistles' it is still very basic rangefinder.
Click to expand...

the M11 has permanent off sensor metering, a selection of modes to chose from (like highlight weighted) customisable Fn buttons and a 3.7mp EVF if you need it.

an M9 has no live view, no EVF no Fn buttons and only one metering mode that measures light reflected from the shutter blades.

In Leica parlance the M11 has a lot of bells and whistles, even if the spec sheet reads like something Fuji/Sony made 4 years ago
 
Jammy Dodger said:
Not quite so sure about 'all the bells and whistles' it is still very basic rangefinder.

I own old film cameras and love them, If I wanted bells & whistles I would have got a Sony.

I just think there is so 1)much hype with German cameras as there is with their cars - I suffer 2)reliability issues with the Rollei but nothing with the Nikon.

3)Still love the Leica and want to own one as my only digital camera.
Click to expand...

Hi, I can fully understand your disappointment. I would be even more outspoken than you.

ad1) One should not overlook that Leica is an SMB company, a small company with a big name, like LOTUS or Morgan, and comparable quality.

You could take their sales, take 10% of this for R&D. divide by 200000 €, and you arrive at their R&D FTEs (full time employees).

I am no camera industry expert, so I do not know about Leica's vertical integration. But they do not make all camera parts themselves.

For Leica suppliers, Leica component purchases are low volume. - I had contacts with a car component supplier making hubcaps for ROLLS ROYCE.

They saw this low volume business more as a marketing engagement.

Talking about German car quality (leaving aside English car quality, which was not always a dramatic success) it is not well known that TOYOTA gave
manufacturing development aid to PORSCHE. And MERCEDES was stunned when TOYOTA brought out the LS430, and held their S-class back for further
development.

ad2) I have used many ROLLEIs (and still have them somewhere). The 35s were reliable, only one (of 4) had mechanical shutter problems.
The 6x6 GX had no poblems whatever, but was only rarely used. NIKON quality is excellent. I never had any problems with my 2, and my wife with her 4.
My SONY A7xx never had any problems, NEX-5N showed problems, I threw them away.

ad3)I am sure the M11 is a great camera. I am not so sure if one can be happy with it as the only digital camera.

One should not have a MORGAN or a LOTUS as the only car, I think.

I am a happy LEICA owner and user since 1988 (M6). (I also, had other cameras then.)

But I am quite happy now with my digital cameras SONY A7, A7R2 (2x), NIKON D500, D850, LEICA M9 (2x), and others ...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top