Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/02/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]With the way the sensors work fast glass would at first seem less needed. But as the sensors are until recently half frame if you want anything resembling lightly limited depth of field you had to go with a prime fast lens not a 2.8 or slower zoom. Point a slow lens at a dark alley click the shutter and watch the back of your camera to see what's going on in that alley. All the cats and garbage cans you cant see with your bare eyes. They are truly night sensor devices the digital cameras of today. So a lens which is optimized for night shooting would seem even more to the point. As in the digital age a lot of night shooting is going on. As in a shot I have in today's cover of the auto section which I shot at night at a 5th of a second at f4 with a wide zoom hand held with my elbows on the pavement for many of the shots and it was 20 out. Night shooting opens up a whole different ball of wax for serious photography. Things come alive in unexpected ways. There is walk around all day glass which is optimized for compactness. And glass you are only going to drag out because you're out to get a shot a a certain place at a certain time you need to bring back at the end of the day with no excuses. On those situations we don't worry about size and weight so much. Mark William Rabiner > From: Seth Rosner <sethrosner@nycap.rr.com> > Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org> > Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2009 20:09:09 -0500 > To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org> > Subject: Re: [Leica] Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and > everyoneelse - > distortion now Nikkor 28/1.4 > > Mark, you have voiced what I have thought for a long while, but I would > take > it further. I do not have nor have I used the new 50/1,4 Summilux-ASPH but > it appears optically to be the standard against which all 50mm lenses are > measured. The only real benefit of a Noctilux that I can understand and > accept is the unusual, even unique, images that that razor-thin DOF offer. > For in terms of pure speed I would never accept the weight and bulk penalty > of either the f/1 or f/0.95 for the additional stop or stop and a quarter > of > speed. Especially given the low-light sensitivity of the M8 sensor. > > my 2c. perhaps I will think differently when I get an M8 and have the use > of > a Noctilux. > > Seth > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mark Rabiner" <mark@rabinergroup.com> > To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> > Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2009 7:42 PM > Subject: Re: [Leica] Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and > everyoneelse - distortion now Nikkor 28/1.4 > > >> The 1.2 Noctilux was much much smaller than the later f 1 which I have. >> A Summilux on steroids it seemed to me (when I met one) or a Noctilux left >> in the dryer for a very long time after being washed in hot water it >> changes >> the whole modus operandi reason for being je ne sais quoi of the lens's >> reason for being. >> And its gorgeous. >> unfortunately its rarity is the the first issue. >> The copies out there if you bought it from someone and you said you were >> going to use it to shoot pix they'd be forced to kill you. It's in their >> original buyers contract. >> My hopes were with what we now know about optics the next version would >> give >> me that balance again. >> Those hopes were dashed to the ground then they went for even more speed >> instead of usability. >> Like threes a shot we're not going to get at .95 that we're not going to >> get >> a f1 or f1.2. >> >> Give me a compact F1.2 well corrected and balanced and watch it become a >> part of the way a lot of very good photographers work every day. >> They can still do that. The end of the world is not still at hand. >> >> >> Mark William Rabiner >> >> >> >>> From: Frank Dernie <Frank.Dernie@btinternet.com> >>> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org> >>> Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2009 09:14:31 +0000 >>> To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org> >>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Monster High-tech 50mm 1.4 from Sigma and everyone >>> else - >>> distortion now Nikkor 28/1.4 >>> >>> The original f1.2 Noctilux and 35 f1.4 aspherical eash had two hand >>> ground aspheric surfaces. Apparently the scrap rate, and presumably >>> the inspection cost, was horrendous. They made very, very few of each >>> apparently. I have a 35 and prefer the look to the later 35mm f1.4 >>> asph which has one moulded aspheric surface. I have read that the >>> difference in sharpness is minimal. The difference in look is not, >>> IMHO. It is my most used lens by far and most of my favourite pictures >>> were taken with it. >>> Frank >>> >>> On 8 Feb, 2009, at 05:13, Marty Deveney wrote: >>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> Why do you suppose Nikon stopped making it? >>>> >>>> Two reasons: the aspherical element was hand-ground, necessitating a >>>> very high manufacturing cost for a prime Nikkor - the lens thus sold >>>> slowly and required a large mark-up to recoup design and tooling >>>> costs; second one of the high-index glass elements used lead and the >>>> laws changed in Japan, making continuing with this impossible. >>>> Rather than opt to redesign with a different glass, they >>>> discontinued the lens. About 7000 were made. >>>> >>>> I occasionally think about the extremely skilled worker who ground >>>> the aspherical element when I use mine. I'd sure like to know his >>>> or her story. >>>> >>>> It's tremendous in use, but was designed long enough ago (it was >>>> introduced in 1993) that technology has moved on. If Nikon decided >>>> to redesign it they would have moulded elements, better coatings, >>>> newer glass types and a variety of new construction methods at their >>>> disposal. Leica are developing new lenses at quite a clip to keep >>>> their lenses up with technology - and of course their cameras. >>>> >>>> Marty >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > -- > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 8.0.233 / Virus Database: 270.10.19/1939 - Release Date: 02/06/09 > 17:28:00 > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information