Re: [Leica] noct performance 50's

[Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>]

Anthony Atkielski wrote:
> 
> From: Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>
> Sent: Thursday, October 07, 1999 22:38
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Noct performance
> 
> > Life is unfair also get the new collapsible
> > 50mm Elmar. (in Chrome)
> 
> I don't understand the advantage to a collapsible lens.  It looks hokey, and
> it's just one more thing that can get out of adjustment.
A classic Leica look I love and makes your camera emulate a screw mount. Makes
it much more pocketable. A camera in you pocket is a camera that is with you.
And a camera that is with you is a camera that takes pictures.
> 
> > Anthony you are always pitting fixed lenses against zooms
> > and from where I sit it's an insult to the fixed lens...
> > not a fair comparison.
> 
> I mount zooms on my F5 (or more specifically one zoom, the 28-70/2.8), and
> primes on my Leica.  Therefore it is reasonable for me to wonder how the
> Noctilux prime stacks up at normal apertures against my Nikkor zoom.  At least
> it gives me a benchmark.
Put a 50mm 1.4 on your damn Nikon and give it a fair shot! It has less elements
to flair, lighter, faster, sharper, niftier in all ways then the mindless
Godless zoom.
><Snip> 
> So are you saying that it will produces images inferior to my zoom at smaller
> apertures?  That would be kind of disappointing in a $2800 lens, but I suppose
> that it's possible, if the lens is very, very specialized.
At smaller apertures it does what it does I have no Idea all I do know is the
point of the camera is to do what other lenes can not do, shoot at F1! Compare
it against other F1 lenses! I would not want it to be my only  50mm lens. In the
distant Nikon world I have a 45 2.8 GN a lenscap that takes pictures comparable
compactness-wise to the Elmar Collapseble. I have a cheep light and darn good
50mm 1.8 AF of the old style which doesn't even need a lens shade it such a well
protected piece of glass and I couldn't sell for $20. I have a classic 1.4 AI
which I consider to be a classic optic.
You can't beat a 50. There are many types.

>   -- Anthony
Mark Rabiner