Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/10/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I shot mine on a M4 or metered M (M6/7). All cameras were .72 and I used the x1.25 magnifier, which turns a .72 into a .90. Made a big difference for me when shooting in dim light at f1.0 and gives you nice and big 50 frame lines.But there are plenty of people that shoot it on a straight .72. I also have an M2, which uses a spool like the M3. Reloading isn't a big deal, if you are just shooting casually , but if you are under the gun, it will slow you down. For those occasions I have a spare spool that I pre-load and just have top drop in. From the M4 on up the M has the 'film tulip' and loading is very fast and easy. Rewinding with the 'stick' is slower, but if you find it to be a pain, you can always get a rewind lever. No big deal. If you get one of the older M cameras, you should get it cleaned and adjusted. Focusing is very critical with the Noct at f1.0 and some people have the rangefinder dialed in to match their Noct. Look here: http://www.lhsa.org/repair.html DAG, Golden Touch, Leica NJ and Kinderman are well known on this list. I had the second version of the Noct, with the clip on hood. Optically they are all identical. I preferred the clip-on hood, over the current model with the collapsible hood. The clip on hood offers far more impact protection, than the collapsible hood, which doesn't lock into place. I found the Noct to be totally flare proof, no matter what the situation, so you really only need the hood for physical protection. But, when I wasn't juggling more than one body I left the hood off and went Ted Grant style, hoodless and filterless. The shop listed in the Leica FAQ that rented the Noct is out of business. Sammy's Camera has one in their catalog for rent, but can't find it. Keep in mind that the Noct is a unique beast. Ted Grant has been shooting with one professionally for 30 years. He loves it and uses it as his standard lens. I sold mine after a year and got a Summilux, because I simply couldn't get used to the weight (nearly 600g), long focus throw and found the Noct fingerprint to be too sterile for my taste. Shooting at f1, close up in particular, takes practice. At 1 meter and f1 you have about 2cm of DOF, which means that if you get the eyes in focus the ears will already be soft. There's not a lot of margin for error. Close up I would mostly shoot at f1.4, for the extra DOF, and save f1 as an ace in my pocket, to get the shot when everyone else had gone home. On the other hand the Noct produces the most crystal clear low light shots I have ever seen, because the lens is totally flare proof. Once I was on a night shoot and shot directly in to a 20,000 watt movie light. The frames show no flare. Other complaints have been that it's heavy (almost 600g), big by Leica standards, has a log focus throw (for accurate focus) and costs as much as a used car. Some people have questioned the practicality of shooting close-up at f1.0, because of the extremely shallow DOF, but it does deliver a look that is unique. That said it's one hell of a lens. Nothing else like it out there. Sometimes I miss mine. But I would strongly suggest handling or renting one before you decide to buy one. The good news is that the Noct has tremendous resale value. Here is a Noct shot I made. http://www.elanphotos.com/ElanFotos/archive/animals/pages/cat_SM.0011.htm f1 @ 30th Agfa APX100 in D76. Looks great as a 11x14 print. Feli -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- feli2@earthlink.net www.elanphotos.com