In this episode we have special guest photographer, Mark de Paola! Mark has had many years of experience using all iterations of the Noctilux in his own practice. Thank you again to Mark and Sage for all your help and expertise with this episode!
Images Made With the Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctilux-M ASPH (Re-Issue)
Images Made With the Leica 50mm f0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH
Images by Mark de Poala Using Various Versions of the Noctilux
First appearing on the market in 1966, the Leica Noctilux-M has always been considered a masterpiece of optical engineering that brings photographers enormous creative freedom. It is the world’s fastest aspherical lens for 35mm photography especially when shooting in low light, it reveals fine details that are hardly visible to the naked eye.
Typically photos made with a Noctilux are characterized by their unmistakable bokeh and border the line of impressionism. It’s a captivating tool that presents each photographer with visual and artistic challenges to master. The Noctilux-M has a unique rendition of contrasts which results in pictures with outstanding brilliance, sharpness and minimal flare and coma effects when shooting wide open. The character from any of the iterations of the Noctilux remains unrivaled to this today.
A Glimpse into the Past: The Leica Noctilux 50 mm f/1.2
The Noctilux astounded visitors to the fair and the industry press with its virtually revolutionary optical properties. For those days, it offered a simply gigantic maximum aperture, but not only that, it was also a maximum aperture that delivered exceptional optical performance.
It’s worth stating that for its time, the f1.2 Noctilux was the first ever lens produced to feature two aspherical lens surfaces. One of these two asphericals was made from special glass with a high refractive index. The task of the asphericals was to reduce spherical aberration at maximum aperture and increase quality in the image field.
At that time, the production of asphericals was a particularly complex and costly process. Fun fact: There was only one Leitz Employee, Gerd Bergmann, who could successfully operate the special grinding machine for making its two aspherical surfaces. There were many rejects so only 1000 lenses were manufactured give or take. OG – Considered a “holy grail” for collectors.
As of 2021, Leica reissued this legendary lens and has been part of the current Leica lens profile.
The Noctilux lens is revolutionized: The Leica Noctilux-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH.
More than 30 years later, at photokina 2008, Leica presented the new highlight of the Noctilux family: the Leica Noctilux-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. It redefined the limits of the physical possible and catapulted the potential’s experimentation with planes of focus into an entirely new dimension.
To achieve this, the latest technological advances were combined with the many years of experience gathered in the design and construction of both of its predecessors. In consequence, the new Noctilux owes its exceptional imaging performance to a combination of specially formulated glass types with anomalous partial dispersion, glasses with high refractive indices, a floating element, and two ground and polished asphericals. The latter are manufactured lens-by-lens in consistently perfect quality. Although the production of asphericals remains an extremely elaborate process, it is today much more efficient and, in turn, more practicable than it was in the days of the first-generation Noctilux from 1966.
Photographers can once again rely completely on the promise made by the first and all following Noctilux lenses: the maximum aperture is simultaneously a working aperture. In other words, there is no need whatsoever to stop down to achieve better imaging performance. The extremely shallow depth of focus when shooting wide open is a feature of the lens that can be consciously used as a creative tool.
- Presents a nostalgic, “vintage” look with coma, chromatic aberrations, and vignetting.
- Features a subtle “swirl” in the out-of-focus regions.
- Not quite as dramatic depth of field separation but still create a sense of spatial depth in photos
- Offers sharp yet soft-on-first-glance photos, thanks to the double ASPH elements.
- Mark’s take: “Newer 1.2 – a sophisticated lens with an ageless look.”
- Modern look with fewer imperfections.
- Retains the slight “swirl” in the background.
- More dramatic sense of spatial depth in photos
- Captures sharp images even when shot wide open.
- Mark’s perspective: “advanced design… feels more human and not as clinical.”
Some Practical Use Case Notes on the Noctilux f1.2 and f0.95
- Both lenses can be difficult to achieve critical focus through the rangefinder. I found myself using the LCD to focus most of the time.
- The size of the 1.2 is more manageable than the 0.95 making it more ideal for street photography or photographing for longer periods of time.
- Both lenses have a minimum focus of 1m. Can feel “far” for those who have gotten used to lenses with a closer minimum focus distance ie: 0.7m or 0.45m found on the newer Summilux 50.
- Using a camera like the SL2 or SL2-S or using an EVF would pair better with the Noctilux.
In Conclusion:
Determining the best version of Noctilux for you primarily hinges on the aesthetic you desire and the form factor that best suits your needs. We hope this dive into the distinctions between the Noctilux lenses is beneficial for your own understanding if you are trying to determine which lens works best for you. Of course, if you do have any questions we encourage you to reach out and talk to us about which Noctilux would fit your photography and needs best. The distinctions between the two lenses are evident, resulting in notably different renderings. Mark, for instance, opts for the f1 version, as he finds its look more fitting for his work. Therefore, choosing the ideal lens is a subjective decision, grounded in personal preference and the specific demands of one’s craft.
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