Shooting the Leica Noctilux 0.95 wide open on the M11 (lots of sample photos)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- The goal of this video is to show you what you can get with a Noctilux 0.95 shot wide open and why the M11 is well-featured to handle this. I took this set-up to a couple of locations and enjoyed some photography.
Echt genoten van de foto's. Nog mooie plekjes in ons land die je me helpt te ontdekken.
Bedankt Frans! Heel leuk om lezen dat het inspirerend kan werken voor Belgische trips ✌🏻
Beautiful architecture, magnificent
Thanks 🙏🏻
Love your channel. When you get a chance I’d love a video about rangefinder focusing techniques you use
Thanks! A video on focusing with a rangefinder is on the list 🙂. Coming soon ✌🏻
This was awesome, Bernd! You got some great shots!👌
Thanks a lot Hugo! Appreciate it 🙏🏻
@@berndvandecruys you got it🍻
Lovely images, and video presentation! I, too, would rather own, and use, the Summilux-M 50mm ASPH. In my real-world life, I started my Leica M journey with a locally-available, well-preserved, pre-owned Summilux-M 50mm ASPH, that I test-shot on pre-owned and demo M9 and Type 240 cameras. Only after choosing the lens, did I buy an M10 camera, the combination being a retirement self-gift. Even if the Noctilux and Summilux were to cost the same price, I would choose the Summilux, for the overall user experience, on an M camera body.
Of course, if I were to ever be financially able to justify accumulating the entire Leica 50mm M lens product line, it would be nice to add a Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95, as the fourth and final one, for occasional use.
Thanks for sharing your Leica journey and experience so far. With the introduction of the M11, there are a lot of M10’s entering the second hand market. An ideal way for people to dip their toes in the M system. The M10 and all its versions are still very capable cameras and much more attainable now. The 50 Lux ASPH is such a great lens, it ticks all the right boxes. Do you have any other focal lengths in your bag or are you purely a 50 shooter?
@@berndvandecruys I have added other focal lengths, from 18mm (Zeiss ZM) to 90mm (Leica Thambar-M). Most-used, based upon image count, is 35mm, with the Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1,4 ZM, but, the Summilux-M 50mm ASPH remains my favorite M lens.
@@rexgigout1472 cool, quite a nice focal range you got there. I'm still debating if I go for a 35mm Cron type IV (for a more vintage look) or a 28 Elmarit or Cron to get a bit more focal length separation with the 50. How do you like the Zeiss 35mm on an M body? Not too heavy? I did see that it is an optical marvel with its own look to it.
@@berndvandecruys The Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 Distagon ZM is only slightly heavier than the Summilux-M 50mm ASPH, and I had to look at the specifications, to see that, as they feel so similar, in weight. The bulk is not a problem, either. I was already accustomed to Cosina-made Zeiss DSLR lenses, so, it was natural, for me, to continue that relationship, with the M mount, and, indeed, the 35mm Distagon is very much a modern, sharp, micro-contrast-y Zeiss lens. I get my “vintage” 35mm look, with a Summaron-M 3.5cm f/3.5 lens, and the Walter Mandler look, with Version III of the Elmarit-M 28mm.
as a person who really enjoys a shallow depth of field, I agree with your review. I wouldn't have it - even if I won the lottery. The Summilux of even the Voigtlander Nokton 50 1.2 would be enough for me but is nice to see how busy the bokeh gets in the foreground and some chromatic aberrations in some points. Not a bad lens for sure, but not for what they charge for it
I recently picked up a Mamiya 645 with the 80mm 1.9, so expect some shallow depth of field content soon ;-)
Some really great shots there, well done.
Thanks for the kind words. Much appreciated!
Another sensible balanced review .For a fast fifty I use an F1 Voitlander .Reviews seem to compare it favourably with the Noctilux and its much cheaper .I shoot it on my SL2s.
Thanks! I need to look into the Voigtlander offering. I hear a lot of great things about it from users.
Ahh the Verbeke foundation. Such a weird hidden gem!
I had way too little time to explore when I first visited. It’s indeed a very quirky place with lots to see and experience 😁
Wow beautiful photos Bernd, got some analog film photos vibe there, dig it!
Thanks a lot! In my most recent video I got the opportunity to shoot some actual film photos on an M6. Film photography has seriously sparked my interest now :-)
@@berndvandecruys I feel you, too bad its so hard to find filmstock and also pretty expensive now these days. But edit was on point I think 🫡
No kidding, those film prices are very steep indeed. And I really want to try out medium format, so better make every shot count 🫣
What’s your favourite film camera/system and film stock?
@@berndvandecruys I have an M2 and M4, but I think im gonna sell the M2 and get the M3 since Im more a 50mm shooter than 35mm. Also picked up an SLR last summer, a Pentax LX that I really enjoy as well. I really havent tried that many filmstocks yet, but I tend to end up with kodak gold 200 and portra 400. Whats your favourite?
Even before watching the video, I was expecting to conclude that I really would not need this lens. But I must admit, those images are beautiful (I liked the thumbnail photo the best). Lots of unique character in some of those images. I would have guessed you were a professional or at least studied photography in college.
Your final thoughts seemsed to align with mine. The Noctilux has some crazy abilities, but I can't justify purchasing it myself, and my 50 Summilux makes more sense.
If I ever got a Noctilux, I think I would shoot it on my SL2-S.
I like the thumbnail photo a lot too :-). The car brought a nice pop of colour, with the yellow and green of the house in the background. I spotted the man outside the framelines in the rangefinder, so I was aware that the opportunity to include him in the frame was there :-D.
Fully agree with the SL statement. That body with the grip is ideal for the Noctilux. Also the joystick is much nicer to use when punching in for critical focus.
Interesting! I especially like the images taken in the Dumontwijk - many beautiful colors and little details. Years ago I spent a summer in De Panne and these images have really captured the feel of it. The shot at 2:51 (of the back yard) almost has a tilt-shift effect to it. Did you run into any warping when the electronic shutter kicked in?
Definitely gonna go back when the construction works have finished. The back yard shot is an example of 0.95 depth of field and some motion in the shot. The image gets a bit softer, creating this dreamy feel.
Most of the electronic shutter shots only had subtle movement in them, so less of an issue. I have seen examples of how bad it can get, so try to stay away from it :).
Very interesting video! Very nice shots! I love the 50mm and I shoot with an apo-summicron which I think is the best 50mm in the Leica range (maybe ever… but I didn’t say it 😊). I get the chance to find a 75mm Summilux 1.4 which is a true unicorn as the production stopped decades ago. I have been told that the feeling of this lens was quite close to the one that the noctilux 50mm can deliver. I love the bokeh of it and at the same time I wished it’d be sharper on the focus point. Instead there’s a bit of aberration which am not fond of. What about the noctilux on this point?
The APO line-up of M lenses (the 35 and 50) is indeed in a league of its own. But to me it’s always finding a balance between optical perfection and character. I have not yet tried the 75 lux, but it seems like a very interesting lens. Fast telephotos should be bokeh marvels indeed.
The Noctilux is quite the same I think, wide open it’s sharp but not the sharpest. CA is also quite severe. But when you nail a shot with it, the look can be addictive. It’s imperfect, exotic, and maybe that is exactly the look you want :-)
I have both lenses, and I always choose the Summilux over the Noctilux for my road trips. When I use the Noctilux, it is always on my SL2 and not my Ms for the obvious reason. Yes, I would need a good reason to use that specialty lens.
SL2 + Noctilux and M + Summilux is indeed the optimal set-up :-). Do you use the Noctilux primarily for portraits or are there other speciality goals?
@@berndvandecruys For giveaways, I found most would prefer the images taken outdoors with the Summilux. For my own pleasure, I occasionally would use the Noctilux for night photography under difficult lighting conditions. I think it takes time to master and fully explore the potentials of this lens; and after owning it for more than two years, I am still on the learning curve.
Hi bernd, did you find the purple fringing was mind blowing when pairing noctilux 0.95 with M11? Love your video!
In backlight situations or when the subjects is wearing white clothing for example, it can get pretty crazy indeed with the purple fringing. You can fix a lot of it in post, but when you load the DNG files for the first time, it's quite harsh at times :-).
Where can we download the pictures for evaluation purposes
I have not made them available for download so far. I am thinking of creating a gallery on my website to allow for full res viewing. Would that work for you?
This Noctilux 0.95 is difficult to use with a Leica M, which is why I tried it with an SL2-S to be able to focus with peaking focus in the viewfinder. It is a real happiness. About the AC, today Adobe Lightroom makes it quite easy to remove it. At worst, it remains black and white.
💯 spot on feedback 👍🏻
Love how the greens and the reds are represented. How deep of editing did you go into with these photos?
Thanks! I try to keep the editing part as short as possible. I mainly use a preset to start and then do minor tweaking to finish it up. I do like the Leica DNGs very much, very easy to work with.
wow, really like these images! they almost feel like medium format. were these shots taken at 60MP?
0.95 on a 60 megapixel sensor can produce some stunning results. Thanks for the feedback. All images are indeed using the full resolution of 60mp ✌🏻
@@berndvandecruys That's what I figured. I just picked up a M10-R and found myself wondering how close I could to these with a 0.95 lens... might give it a shot if I can put my hands on something cheaper than a Noctilux :D
@@lameaim if you can rent one, I would definitely recommend it, especially on the M10-R. The experience is worth it 💯
Some images look like one has used the miniaturize feature.
The lens has some crazy thin depth of field indeed.
Is that a 6l peak design sling?
Well spotted, it’s indeed the 6l sling. Right balance between capacity and weight and it forces you to take less stuff along 😄
Great video man and lovely photos. I hear a lot of persons compare the noctilux to the 50 summi and a big reason why they feel they won't get "that" much more other than those few moments when 0.95 is the difference. And yeah, the weight and form factor is a tough one. Are you ever in Switzerland? It would be cool to do a collaboration once for our channels.
Been a long time since I visited 🇨🇭 , but I’ll make sure to reach out when I do. Would be really cool to collaborate for a video. 💯🙏🏻
The images are soft, and you have a hard time identifying where the focus point is. Overall, I think the lens is not able to resolve the sensor, or the images have motion blur from camera shake. Do they get any sharper using a tripod and timer?
The softness wide open is more of a feature than a bug. I had to use the electronic shutter in a lot of cases, so faster than 1/4000 sec. Of course, the depth of field at 0.95 is at times razor thin, so that could help explain it as well.
Stopping down the lens helps a lot with sharpness and clarity, but then a Summilux is the better alternative. 0.95 is a marvel of optical engineering, but you have to like the character it provides. Otherwise you could end up disappointed with your purchase. ✌🏻
@@berndvandecruys I think they will be coming out with a new version, like they did with the other lenses…my 75Noctilux is sharp at the focus point.
@@jim6099 I think you’re right. A new 50 Lux is rumoured to come out later this year. So a new Noctilux could also be in the cards. That 75 Noctilux sounds pretty sweet indeed 👌🏻
The 0,95 isn't for landscape photography at all and there was only one of all your shots (8mm film camera), that shows the Noctilux potential. The Summilux is a better investment and you can consider a 24mm or/and 90mm as well.(My personal prof combo) Keep on rolling.
It was a bit of an experiment and the Noctilux is a special purpose lens indeed. I don’t have any experience yet with anything wider than 35mm on the rangefinder, but a 24mm seems very impractical with the viewfinder. A nice 90 f2 would be a great addition however (although also not yet experienced it with the optical viewfinder). Thanks for the feedback and I’ll sure keep on rolling 🤘🏻
Ridiculous how large that lens is.
yep, you don't buy one to spare your neck or your wallet :-). But it is a marvel of optical engineering.
Whoa! I think you've tried to do too much with your video. Perhaps if you'd isolated - for a few moments at least - your f/0.95 photographs from the video part it would've been better. It was difficult to spot your photographs.
I tried mixing the video with the photos, to get enough pace and make it interesting. But indeed, it’s a balancing act that I am still practicing 🤓. Maybe on a second viewing it’s better 😇😊
Enjoyed the video mate. How do you find the m11? I’m very curious about the vg nokton 50 f1. I finally got around to publishing a few videos with my leica. Would love to see what you think! Cheers ☘️
I like the M11, a couple of the new features are quite handy in 2022 (better battery, USB-C, incredible resolution on that new sensor, ...). But for now, I'm gonna stick to the M10-P (might switch eventually to an M11-P)
I have not tried any of the Voigtlander lenses, but they do seem to have some interesting ones in the line-up.
Nice, unreal looking shots because of f0,95. Cool.
There is something magical about the 0.95 when the right ingredients are there 🪄
Sweet pictures and a very useful video. Good job
🙏🏻 thanks. Happy to read that 😊
Great video, this lens is a unicorn for sure!
Thanks! Right on, an optical engineering marvel, but quite the niche item.
absooolutely in love with all the photos!
Thanks Daniel! I see you are doing some nice stuff with your Leica too. Unfortunately I can't understand all of what's being said :)
@@berndvandecruys no worries Bernd. we could always speak through photos :):)
@@TheDanielHandojo well said 🤩😇