Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/12/15

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Subject: Re: [Leica] NOCTILUX-M f/1/50 mm
From: SthRosner@aol.com
Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2001 19:59:57 EST

My lack of imaginaion is now out there for the world to see. My apologies to 
Ted (and to Tina and all other Leicaholics who use only the Noctilux for 50mm 
images). I still wonder whether Ted ever uses a 50 Summicron on one of his 
R8s. 

In a message dated 12/13/01 7:14:49 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
mark@markrabiner.com writes:

> ><Snip> 
>  > >  back and look at those color shots of Rei's - marginal depth of field,
>  > >  is COMPARATIVELY to other Leica lenses, heavy as a truck and just as
>  > >  wide as a truck, and intrudes so into the viewfinder. No way. And if
>  > >  Nikon made an all purpose 50 that did any of those things you guys 
> would
>  > >  be laughing your rears off making fun of it.
>  > >
>  > >  So...Praise the Noctilux for what it is - the finest available 
darkness
>  > >  lens available. Period. It doesn't need to be more than that. And it
>  > >  isn't more than that.
>  > 
>  > Seth  -  about to duck -     LaK 9
>  > --

None of what appears here above my name came from either my pen or keyboard. 
sr

>  Thing is Seth so many photo entuseastes have a dismal view of the focal 
> length. It's like their thinking: "Oh do i really have to have a 50? It's 
so boring! Can't >i just have a 35 and 90? or 75.."
>  For some crazy reason the number "50" puts people off, they think its
>  somehow mediocre Not spicy enough somehow.
>  & they get to have their 50 be this special purpose and kind of show
>  offie thing.  I think it's a shame to be deprived of working with a 50 
Summicron of
>  any exact vintage.

......it's my own personal shortcoming, but close to 50 % of my photography 
is with the 50mm Summicron.      sr
  
>  When i got my Noctilux just a few months back it was a thrill but after
>  a month it came off again with the Summicron on the camera and it was a
>  thrill to use. My Summicron is the one with the lens hood which comes
>  off. And it was my first lens. 8 years old.
>  But i am shooting it much more wide open then i ever was, and other
>  lenses as well. And enjoying it more.
>  F 2 and be there. It's like it took having a Noctilux to make me realize 
the joys of >wide open shooting. (yawn)
>  Before I'd always stop down. Nikonlike. But one can venture out with 
Noctilux in > >the morning and come back with  a full day of shooting and it 
can be a worthwhile >deal. Ted and Tina will testify.
>  It's greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat! (Tony the Tiger)

>  Mark Rabiner

Read me carefully: I said that the Noctilux is a splendid achievement. 
LUGGERS read your guru, Erwin. He tells you that stopped down, the Noctilux 
is somewhat soft compared to the Summicron. I never wrote that the Noctilux 
could not be used, and used successfully, stopped down from f/1.0. But to say 
that it matches the Summicron optically at intermediate apertures is simply 
false. It was not optimized for stopped down performance, it was optimized 
for performance at f/1.0. 

This entertaining discussion quickly became a dispute for reasons having much 
more to do with the inclinations - and indeed the prejudices - of the 
participants than the substance of the discussion itself. Some of you might 
take the time to read what is written.

No longer ducking.

Seth            LaK 9
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Replies: Reply from Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca> (Re: [Leica] NOCTILUX-M f/1/50 mm)