Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/10/26

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Subject: Re: Noctilux
From: D Khong <dkhong@pacific.net.sg>
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 1997 22:35:16 +0000

At 08:25 AM 26/10/97 -0800, you wrote:
>> Wow. 3 stops. Is this very noticeable on your average photo? Does it
>> look like vignetting?
>
>The Noctilux is a very special lens, you can use it under very dim light
>and it works very well but you have to understand that the vignetting is
>there.  Yes, it has a lot of vignetting, if you print your B&W you can
>control it up to some extend.  If you are shooting colors or chrome at
>wide apertures then forget about controlling the vignetting and learn to
>live with it.
>
>With my Noctilux I learn that the upper left corner has more vignetting
>than the right side, so I'm extremely aware of that fact when doing my
>composition.  The upper corners shows the vignetting and up to the point
>where they are black.  Erwin was right in his comments, you will see the
>difference up to three stops.
>
>There is a
>unique quality to the images that you produce with the Noctilux.
>

While it is nice to have a unique quality about the lens, the vignetting is
still of  concern as it is not always possible to compose in a way to suit
the lens.
A 50 Summilux is about a stop slower and, given todays faster film
emulsions and the ability to  push process if necessary, would'nt that
actually make  using a 50 summilux wide open more logical?   I do not think
the 50 Summilux has a reputation of 3 stops in light falloff.

Dan K.