Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/01/15

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Noctilux fever
From: Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 23:02:37 -0700

"Martin V. Howard" wrote:
> 
> With all the recent ranting and raving about the Noctilux, I thought I'd
> add a (sane) comment to the contrary.
> 
> I don't have the Noctilux.  I have no desire for it.  I fail to see the
> reason for spending horrendous amounts of money on a lens for one more
> extra stop, when using one stop slower shutter speed & bracing, or
> one stop EI faster film will do the trick.
snip  Still, with EI 400 film, at f2 and
> 1/15s or 1/30s (possible with bracing and proper breathing) you can get
> wonderful shots.  With a Nocti, the same would be 1/60 or 1/125 at f1.
> snip
> I'm sure that those who have bought Noctiluxes are very happy with
> them.  Still, I'm convinced that spending the equivalent on practicing
> (i.e., film, developing and printing) would ultimately result in
> better photographs.  At least for me.
> 
> M.
I'm with you as for being up to here with Noctilux frenzy. An extra stop
to turn my elegant Leica into a brontosaurus. It's easy enough for me
skip through those messages as they come up. In a way the side issue
that is coming up is:
What's the point of having all that money to buy exotic toys with if I
don't have anyone to share it with. I say share with us the photos that
you got with your Noctilux that I could've have got with my 
Summicron or lux and I'll quietly save up the bucks to do the same.
SHOW US THE PHOTOS
On a parallel thought people are saying a Noctilux is cool for being
able to shoot slow films in dimmer conditions. I beg to differ.
According to my impression of Erwin and others the Noctilux is for
shooting at night. Show us night shots, not the Gobi desert at high noon
with tech pan.
Thirdly, if you had a Noctilux and were out at night shooting with it
and you ran into some situations where you were able to stop down and
get some depth of field, you wouldn't get any problem from me. When I
get one, after I've gotten every other piece of M equipment made and
half the R, I'll be doing the same.
Mark Rabiner