Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/11/25

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: 50 Noct. in bright light
From: Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 09:09:03 -0800

At 03:15 AM 11/25/97 -0800, you wrote:
>Aside from the 50mm specialization issues that Paul Schliesser mentioned,
>there are personal safety considerations associated with using superfast
>lenses in bright light.  The other problem with using the Noctilux at f/1
>in bright light is that the lens is so very fast that the light it collects
>and concentrates on the film plane will burn a hole through the film, the
>pressure plate, the back, and the user, too, if he or she isn't careful!
>So play it safe -- only use the Noctilux at night.  And for heaven's sake,
>don't use a flash with the Noctilux -- you wouldn't be the first
>photographer to end up as a pile of ashes.
>

I was at a ball game in a large stadium and the lights went out. There was
a Leica guy there with a Noctilux. He rewound his film, opened the camera
back, put a flashlight up to the back of the camera at the film plane,
pointed the lens at the field, and, after the cheering stopped, the game
continued.

Jim