Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/06

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Re: 35/1.4 ASPH vs Noct
From: John Collier <jbcollier@home.com>
Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 06:41:50 -0700

While I agree with you Dan, I sympathise with David as I am facing the same
dilemma. They are completely different feeling focal lengths but the problem
is which do you spend the rather large amount of cash on first. I have the
opportunity to buy a mint used Noctilux for considerably less than new but I
know that I would use the 35mm more. I shoot mostly chrome, never neg above
400 ISO (sorry the quality just is not there) and am always trying to twist
that aperture dial just a little more to the right. Oh well, at least I
should be grateful to have such silly problems instead of real ones.

John Collier

PS: Any real dealer should be willing to order in a demo lens for you to
shoot a roll through in the store. With a hefty deposit they might let you
take it outside!

I think I am leaning towards the 35, today anyways.

> From: Dan Cardish <dcardish@microtec.net>
> 
> IMHO, a 35 a much different look than a 50, regardless of aperture size.
> It seems to me that you are comparing apples with oranges.
> 
> 
> At 05:16 PM 05-03-00 -0800, drodgers@nextlink.com wrote:
>> 
>> I neglected to add in my last message that I bought a  50/1.4 Summilux M
>> as an interim step until I could afford to buy either a 35/1.4 ASPH and the
>> Noct. I  found a used 50/1.4 Summilux for substantially less than the price
>> of the other two lenses. In retrospect I must say that the 50/1.4 Summilux
>> has performed admirably well. So well, in fact, it really took away my
>> desire for the other two lenses.
>> 
>> I guess this evaluation regarding the other two lenses resulted form recent
>> case of "low-light-itis". But that I mean that I tasked myself with
>> shooting at maximum aperture (not always really low light). I had only the
>> 50 Summilux, but again it performed extremely well. So the evaluation is
>> really between three lenses, 50/1.4 Summilux, or the 35/1.4 ASPH and Noct.
>> I really only have first hand experience with the 50/1.4, and in truth it's
>> a lens I'd hate to be without.
>> 
>> I'm concerned about the size of the Noctilux. One of the biggest draws of
>> the Leica M is it's small size. I'm just not certain how much I'd use a
>> lens that's three times the size of the 50/1.4 Summilux. (Even the
>> Voigtlander 50/1.5 Nokton is bitter than the 50/1.4 Summilux).
>> 
>> I have no concerns regarding the 35/1.4 ASPH. Except that I wonder how much
>> better it might perform than my 50/1.4 Summilux. Has anyone used both and
>> how do the two compare in practice?
>> 
>> I just wish there was some way to try the other lenses before actually
>> buying them.
>> 
>> David
>> 
>> 
>>