Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]dcoliva@jura.dsnet.it (Daniele Coliva) wrote: >I finally got THAT Noctilux! ..... cut ....... >I'm going to Paris for a weekend just before Xmas, and by then I >should have it. Any ideas on how to exploit it? Daniele, perhaps not quite the answer you were expecting <grin> Yes, the new Ilford Delta P3200 black & white film and Microphen developer. A good start to the developing times are printed on the inside of the box. I normally expose street night scenes at an EI of 1600 but this will vary depending on your metering technique and subject contrast. Do try out a few rolls to gain experience before you go. This film seems to have an amazing ability to maintain shadow and highlight detail and complements the characteristics of the Noctilux very well. Don't worry about shooting scenes with bright light sources in the picture such as car headlamps or street lights, the lens is remarkably flare free provided you DON'T use a filter. Use the lens at or near full aperture to get a fast shake free shutter speed and to separate the subject from the background. The opening in the lens diaphragm is almost circular at large apertures and this gives a pleasant smooth appearance to the edge of out of focus highlights. The lens is really nice if you go out after it's been raining and the street lamps, people and their shadows are reflected in the wet pavements. People really don't believe you are photographing under such low light conditions and tend to ignore you or tell you your flash hasn't worked! One thing to remember is that you are using the lens on a camera with a very quite shutter, and can photograph in circumstances where anything else would be an intrusion. The biggest problem I have with using the lens is the very wide range of subject contrasts that can be recorded on the same roll of film. From the dimly lit smokey cafe to brightly lit funfair stalls. At the moment I tend to expose and develop for one type of scene and waste the remaining shots on the roll. I haven't tried it yet but I'm interested to see how Delta P3200 responds to two bath development. The Noctilux can be a particularly intrusive lens... so I always try to remember: "With a Noctilux all human life is there for the taking but with compassion and respect." The best of light ! Bob Parsons. <bobp@dodo.demon.co.uk>