monochrom and the .95

[gooomz]

some of the draw of using the .95 or the f1 noct is the ability to shoot in low light situations.

with that said, does the .95 and the f1 lose some of their appeal with these new 10,000 and 6400iso on the new "M" and MM?

why lug around a .95 on the monochrom when you have 6400iso usable?

a 1.4 lux can provide great bokeh and 1.4 is fast enough with these new sensors.

just saying.

 

[Hosermage]

But now you can go even "lower" light, dungeon style! Seriously, I was thinking about this just the other day, not about the f/0.95 but about the f/2.8 Elmarits. Since many Elmarits are actually pretty good lenses with smaller footprints, I was thinking they might become more versatile with the increase in ISO capabilities.

 

[Double Negative]

We still live in a world where higher ISOs mean more noise and grain. When ISO 10,000 looks as clean as 160 - then we'll talk.

 

[borge]

We still live in a world where higher ISOs mean more noise and grain. When ISO 10,000 looks as clean as 160 - then we'll talk.

I think grain adds a lot to especially B&W images. It depends on the grain structure though. "Natural looking" grain can be very nice especially on B&W images, it adds a lot of texture by itself.

The grain that the MM produces at high ISO is beautiful compared to what most sensors with color filter arrays generate. Color noise is usually not very nice to look at.

But I guess this is a personal matter/taste

 

[gooomz]

with these higher iso sensors does the .95 lose some of its value $$?

prices on this bad boy have been dropping and are now in stock.

 

[StephenPatterson]

Falling Noctilux prices have more to do with speculators scrambling to unload inventory they've been advertising for thousands over list. Now that production at Leica has ramped up many of these bottom feeders are running for the door.

This is probably the very best time to get a new Noctilux, because once the new M is released, and perhaps an EVIL full frame from one of the other guys, demand could very well spike again.

 

[Double Negative]

Agreed, Stephen. Once you can do video with the Noctilux (by buying the M) I suspect they'll be in short supply again... Look at the whole RED experience.

I think grain adds a lot to especially B&W images. It depends on the grain structure though. "Natural looking" grain can be very nice especially on B&W images, it adds a lot of texture by itself.

The grain that the MM produces at high ISO is beautiful compared to what most sensors with color filter arrays generate. Color noise is usually not very nice to look at.

But I guess this is a personal matter/taste

You're right, grain (given the right structure) does really look nice (and why a lot of us still shoot film, at least in part). The MM does do really well with it. Color? Eh. Not so much.

 

[StephenPatterson]

with that said, does the .95 and the f1 lose some of their appeal with these new 10,000 and 6400iso on the new "M" and MM?

I actually don't like the name "Noctilux", but apparently Leica didn't think my suggestion to call the 50/0.95 an "UltraShallowDepthOfFieldLux" sounded very good...

 

[ashwinrao1]

LOL, nice, Stephen. Now, you are my hero.

 

[MCTuomey]

I actually don't like the name "Noctilux", but apparently Leica didn't think my suggestion to call the 50/0.95 an "UltraShallowDepthOfFieldLux" sounded very good...

Hmm ...

Obscurolux? Tenebraelux? Extremalux? Magnalux? Maxilux?

 

[Double Negative]

And what's the plural of Noctilix? Is it Noctilii? Or Noctiluxen?

 

[GrahamWelland]

And what's the plural of Noctilix? Is it Noctilii? Or Noctiluxen?

I believe that the collective term (noun) is a 'Spherical Aberration' of Noctilux's.

 

[algrove]

I own two Noctiluxi and I do believe they are not as useful with an MM unless one needs f0.95 or f1.0. After handling the M at Photokina, I do believe using the aforementioned Noctilixi will still be de riguer.

 

[StephenPatterson]

I own two Noctiluxi and I do believe they are not as useful with an MM unless one needs f0.95 or f1.0. After handling the M at Photokina, I do believe using the aforementioned Noctilixi will still be de riguer.

Not sure I understand your comment above regarding the Noctilux not being as useful with an MM. Are you referring specifically to using the Nocti on the MM, or a general comment comparing the Nocti to other slower Leica 50mm lenses on all M cameras? Thanks!

 

[Paratom]

I would say there are several reasons to use a Noctilux:
1) to be able to shoot in low(er) light without having to use very high ISO
2) to create shallow DOF
3) because the bokeh looks different (better? I say yes but question of taste) even for comparable f-stops
4) I also find the color coming from the Noctilux 0.95 looks different than that from my Summilux

Of course point #1 is not as important any more after higher ISO have become better in cameras.
But there are stil situations where the Nocti can also be usefull to keep ISO down.

So overall this is still a special lens for me and one of my favorites.

 

[algrove]

Not sure I understand your comment above regarding the Noctilux not being as useful with an MM. Are you referring specifically to using the Nocti on the MM, or a general comment comparing the Nocti to other slower Leica 50mm lenses on all M cameras? Thanks!

Sorry for the unclear statement. Must be jet lag. What I meant about using the MM with any lens-first you easily adjust the ISO a bit higher (1 or 2 stops) without undesirable noise to make up for a slower lens (versus a Nocti) and, second, I have found that instead of going out for first and last light for landscapes, with the MM I can shoot landscapes all day long and generally do not need a fast lens for this daytime shooting.

We all use our cameras in different ways, but I am just trying to say that an APO 50/2.0 or any other 2.0, 3.4 or 3.8 or 4.0 will function very nicely with an MM and a Nocti is not a requirement.