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The Nokton Thread (35 mm f/1.2, 40 mm f/1.4, 50 mm f/1.5, 35 mm f/1.4)

leicashot

New member
Even though some lenses loose their "signature" when stopped down significantly...there are those that maintain a great deal of their character, even when shot at f4 and f5.6. It may be nothing more than their "roundness" and pleasing rendition as opposed to ultra sharp presentation of subject. The Leica 75mm Lux falls into this former category.

Dave (D&A)
Honestly I never been able to distinguish a lens after it's stopped down 1 or 2 stops. They always seems to look the same....but thats my eyes of course.
 

D&A

Well-known member
Honestly I never been able to distinguish a lens after it's stopped down 1 or 2 stops. They always seems to look the same....but thats my eyes of course.
I can certainly appreciate that and it doesn't apply to every lens that a signature of "look" can still be seen after stooping down a couple of stops. It depends on a number of factors..possible how the lens handles flair, or certain lighting conditions or the way it presents it's bokeh. Just one average ( simple) example....the M-Hexanon 28mm lens has wonderfully smooth but soft corners and a touch of corner light falloff wide open. It's not the usual poor resolution corner smears when used at open aperture but a delightful vintage look. Sometimes a bit more resolving power is necessary for the corners for certain images, but still retaining the "look"...so this lens is then used at f4 or even f5. At these apertures, the character of the lens is still retained and very identfiable and very different than any other rangefinder 28m I've used. Not the best 28mm, but one where a look and a unique fingerprint is desired.

Dave (D&A)
 

kevin2i

New member
When dealing with Leica photographers, they love to show off the ability to shoot at shallow depth of field, while maintaining a lot of sharpness at the focus plane, compared to other cameras. While this 'can' make for a nice unique looking image, the photograph does lack the 'more important' information needed to make the picture work as all of the relevant information has been made out of focus. I do bring this up a lot, but really in a thread like this for a super speed lens, you're not going to be seeing images stopped down much past 1 stop from open aperture. A lens's signature is usually only evident around open aperture. Otherwise the picture will look like it was taken with just about any lens.

. . . .
Not just family candids, but (some) surroundings in-focus are essential for street work and environmental portraits.
 

RF_Licks

New member
Great shots everyone! :thumbs:

Hmm, am I on the right thread? Is this a picture thread or is this now a discussion on selective focus? :eek:

Back to pics. Re-post of some of my earlier CV 50/1.5 shots. Both shot wide open :bugeyes:

Joe :)

with M8


with M9
 

leicashot

New member
Not just family candids, but (some) surroundings in-focus are essential for street work and environmental portraits.
I agree. one only has to look at all the best documentary and street work done in history to see that....or just visit the home of the bets in the business- Magnum. They only shoot wide open when they 'have to'.
 

Jerry_R

New member
Thank you for discussion and great photos!
I love the spring landscape @1.2 :)

In childhood I used analog bodies, no fast lenses. Then, quite long break.
And came back with digital - 5D II (35 1.4 + 85 1.8). I had some calibration issues, even when using adjustments. Focus missed too often.
I migrated to u43. I startet to love the system. One day - my friend shown me his M8. At that time M9 was already on the market. Before that meeting - I didn't realize, that there was already mirrorless FF body. I started to read Steve H portal.

And... I migrated to M9 :rolleyes: It was HATE and LOVE in parallel. I had some issues with 100% exact framing, which I was used to with u43. Also separate magnifiers, external viewfinders, no HSS with flash, color shift, CornerFix - it all pissed me off.

I sold M9. Came back to u43. Turned off all dispalys and tried to use it more manually. You know what? Family started to ask me questions and giving comments - hey, your pictures were so nice, but since last change they miss something they had :cool:

After some time, from little distance - I compared many pictures from last months. And... through short experience with NEX and Zeiss lenses - I came back to M9 world. I gave myself more time this time, read more about history of rangefinders and... LOVE it now again, without looking into past :eek:

Sorry for long digression. Am still showing chronologically some older u43 pictures in its thread, soon will start to share M photos too.
 

Brian S

New member
Well, I shoot wide open a LOT and always have.

I like it, and do as I please.

If you like the look, who cares what anyone else thinks.

And if you don't like the look of shots taken wide-open, then stop your lens down and look at someone else's pictures that does the same.
 
J

JohnW

Guest
I happened upon a free Glen Hansard concert in Chicago a couple weeks ago. All I had with me was the Nokton 50.

John



I like that the 50 is capable of a more retro look wide open.

 

Brian S

New member
I am going to have to try out the 50/1.5 Nokton on the M9. It is the original from the early 1950's, from the Voigtlander Prominent. I have a Prominent to S-Mount, and S-Mount to Leica mount adapter.
 

seakayaker

Active member
The Voigtlander Nokton lenses are a great purchase, quality lens at a nice price.

Carnivorous Plants

M8.2 with Voigtlander Nokton Classic SC 40mm f1.4 @ f1.4

Seattle View from University of Washington Tower 22 Floor

M9 with Voigtlander Nokton Asph 50mm f1.5 @ f5.6

Pike Street Market

M9 with Voigtlander Nokton Asph 50mm f1.5 @ f1.5

 

m_driscoll

New member
The even cheaper 35mm Nokton. A bit of everything.

1. M9; CV Nokton 35mm f/1.4; 1/30s@ f/2; ISO 160


2. M9; CV Nokton 35mm f/1.4; 1/250s@ f/1.7; +1/3 EV; ISO 160


3. M9; CV Nokton 35mm f/1.4; 1/750s@ f/2; +1-2/3 EV; ISO 160


4. M9; CV Nokton 35mm f/1.4; 1/15s@ f/4; +2/3 EV; ISO 160


5. M9; CV Nokton 35mm f/1.4; 1/90s@ f/2; +2/3 EV; ISO 160


Cheers, Matt

http://mdriscoll.zernfolio.com
 

D&A

Well-known member
I wonder if what is holding up its release (the VC 35mm f1.2 II), are the same reasons why lenses like the Zeiss ZM and other lenses from Nikon etc in that part of the world now are also in short supply?

Dave (D&A)
 

D&A

Well-known member
Ashwin, an interesting image in a number of ways. The background although diffuse, has character and "bite" and it's as though the fence in the foreground is the dividing point between sharp and soft. Almost looks as though father and son are viewing a large wall mural in a museum and the little one is pointing out the mountains. I've noticed the 35mm f1.2 often produced images with OOF areas having some "grittiness" in certain lighting conditions as opposed to the often buttery smoothness of the 35mm Lux asph...which can work to the 35mm f1.2's advantage.

Dave (D&A)
 
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