Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Next PZ lens test report: Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH
#1
Lens: yummy!

Price: ouch!

http://www.opticallimits.com/leicam/860-noctilux50asph

-- Markus
Editor
opticallimits.com

#2
All I can say is: wow! (pardon the parroting, it wasn't intentional). The Canon 50/1.0L sure starts looking like a bargain in comparison.

I wonder now how the SLR Magic lens compares on performance?

#3
Good question... want to guess? Wink

I mean, it's just half the price, even a lot less if you can live without rangefinder coupling (not a good idea on the M9, though, but may work on the new M with live-view and certainly the A7/A7r), coming from a young chinese company building toy lenses (among other things) and not the highly regarded German brand with almost 100 years of history and experience in building quality lenses... a new kid on the block trying to attack the premium product of a well established quality brand, so, how good could it realistically be?

-- Markus
Editor
opticallimits.com

#4
Not too impressed by the images you posted at f0.95... The lens has its fair share of aberrations, no?

The bokeh (without highlights) is indeed smooth.... But I can't help but have the feeling I might prefer how that old Canon 50mm f0.95 renders. Or rather, I think I might prefer the Canon in certain situations, and the Leica in others. 

http://www.flickr.com/groups/50mmf095/

 

http://www.flickr.com/groups/958044@N24/

 

Wow, that would be a very expensive setup... I'll have a Nikkor 35mm f0.9 with that  B)

#5
Well, there was a lot of mixed comments from people about the Zeiss Otus 55 F1.4, vis a vis it's price and image quality, but this Leica really puts things into perspective,

 What do you get with the Leica? a  hyper-expensive lens that apart from it's large F0.95  aperture with next to soup borders and corners, performs only decently stopped down to F5.6 and above and what can only be described as ordinary performance otherwise.

What do you get with the Zeiss Otus?  The absolute top in imaging quality, stepping outside the usual realms of ordinary lenses and for a price of $7,000 less than the Leica!

 It makes you wonder if Leica lens designers are refusing to come to terms with modern lens design.

#6
Well, the Otus is a little bit bigger , isn't it ? And more than a stop slower.

As a rule of the thumbs you can double the size/weight per stop (when keeping the quality).

The results aren't that bad at max aperture IMHO (in relation to the aperture).

#7
I don't nkow the edge sharpness is pretty weak wide open.... and it seems to have a bit of vignetting; mere 3 stops worth Smile

-

And then there is the CA; the otus lens has a few flaws but i think it might be a bit nicer than this one Smile
#8
Quote:Not too impressed by the images you posted at f0.95... The lens has its fair share of aberrations, no?
Definitely... you can't expect an APO at this price point...
Quote:The bokeh (without highlights) is indeed smooth.... But I can't help but have the feeling I might prefer how that old Canon 50mm f0.95 renders.
Well... we're surely coming down to personal preferences and subjective feelings here. Personally I never liked the way the Canon lens renders. In fact, I wouldn't want any lens that gives a "classic" look (add the older f/1 Noctilux here or the f/1.1 Voigtländer Nokton).

-- Markus
Editor
opticallimits.com

#9
....silly me liked it at f/5.6....need to see a low contrast portrait wide open though, in a dark place maybe....ta for the look

#10
Quote:It makes you wonder if Leica lens designers are refusing to come to terms with modern lens design.
Yep, good point. I already had similar feelings, however not just about Leica, but the whole gang building M-mount lenses.

One may argue, they simply adjust to the customer base. It seems to me, Leica M shooters are the most conservative among all photographers. This includes their preferences regarding lens renderings.

-- Markus
Editor
opticallimits.com

  


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread:
1 Guest(s)