Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/09/13

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Subject: [Leica] Lux 21 and 24 Lens Pictures....
From: afirkin at afirkin.com (Alastair Firkin)
Date: Sat Sep 13 11:52:22 2008

Thank you, very interesting

--- len-001@verizon.net wrote:

From: Leonard Taupier <len-001@verizon.net>
To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
Subject: Re: [Leica] Lux 21 and 24 Lens Pictures....
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008 12:20:23 -0400

Alastair,

There are two issues with the current Noctilux and to a lesser extent  
the current 50 Summilux Asph.

The first is back focus. If you critically focus the camera  
rangefinder to a point, like the eyes in a portrait or a fairly near  
object in a scene, the area of sharp focus will be behind the focus  
point and have no depth of field in front of the object at all.   
Depth of field is then always behind the object at the large lens  
openings and does not make the focused plane sharp until the depth of  
field expands when the lens is stopped down. I have seen this problem  
on the Noctilux, the 75mm Summilux and the 50mm Summilux Asph on two  
new M8 bodies that I have.

The second problem with the Noctilux is focus shift when stopping the  
lens down from f1 to f4. The focus point shifts to behind the focus  
point and the depth of field shifts to the rear as well. By f5.6 the  
depth of field expands enough to where the focus point is now in  
focus. If the Noctilux is just in focus at f1 it will not be in focus  
at f 1.4, 2, 2.8 or f4.

These two problems are made worse with the M8. In the case of the  
Noctilux and film I found that the depth of field with film is fairly  
centered but is shifted behind the focus point with the M8.

I have tested 11 Leica lenses from 50mm to 135mm for DOF both on a  
nearly new MP .85 film body and the M8. The focus distance was 10  
feet. In every case the DOF shows a shift away from the focus point  
when going from film to the M8. With the exception of the current  
50mm Summicron I found the lenses with the best DOF centering with  
the MP and M8 were made prior to 1960.

Regards,
Len


On Sep 13, 2008, at 11:39 AM, Alastair Firkin wrote:

> Len can you explain the back focus "issue" please
>
> --- len-001@verizon.net wrote:
>
> From: Leonard Taupier <len-001@verizon.net>
> To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Lux 21 and 24 Lens Pictures....
> Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008 09:04:26 -0400
>
> I can't imagine any Leica user that wouldn't be pleased when new
> lenses are an improvement over the older models. The current Noctilux
> is selling for around $6K if you can find one. I bought mine new the
> 5th of January, 2006 for the 2005 list price of $3400. It cost me an
> additional $90 for Don Goldberg to fix the back focus issue. The
> photos from this lens and the M8 are sparkling and much better then
> before the adjustment. It is now my favorite lens and I'm thinking of
> selling the 50 Summilux Asph which does have a slight back focus
> issue. I have the Summicron if I need a smaller lens. Even if the new
> Noctilux could cook my breakfast and do the laundry, for $6k, $8k or
> $11K, it can stay in a museum or on a collectors shelf for all I care.
>
> Regards,
> Len
>
>
> On Sep 13, 2008, at 3:50 AM, Geoff Hopkinson wrote:
>
>>  No doubt that will mean focus shift is addressed too.
>> You have to imagine that the results from them won't please fans of
>> the old
>> Nocti (and of course they won't be exactly inexpensive)!
>>
>> Cheers
>> Geoff
>> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/e
>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Lux 21 and 24 Lens Pictures....
>>
>> Mark, yes, that is exactly what the Polish text says, full quality
>> wide open, stopping down only impacts DOF. Also, regarding the
>> Summiluxes, they claim to have corrected vignetting and distortion to
>> the point of being invisible.
>>
>> The mag in question is quite a serious one, so I have no doubt  that
>> both the info and the pictures are real.
>>
>> Nathan
>>
>> Nathan Wajsman
>> Alicante, Spain
>> http://www.frozenlight.eu
>> http://www.greatpix.eu
>> http://www.nathanfoto.com
>>
>> Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0
>> PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
>> Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sep 13, 2008, at 9:16 AM, Mark Rabiner wrote:
>>
>>> Where there's a slow one too
>>> LEICA ELMAR-M 24 mm f/3.8 ASPH.
>>> Which is what I wanted in my holiday stocking.
>>> Compact
>>> They seem to be saying that wide open at 3.8 you are already getting
>>> your
>>> sharpest specs and then stopping down you're just getting more depth
>>> of
>>> field you'd not do that for higher rez.
>>> I had ask for f 4's.
>>> But I'd say a 3.8 is close enough.
>>> If this is for real.
>>>
>>> If its not its got me fooled.
>>>
>>>
>>> Leica quality with no compromises.
>>>
>>> ME I don't consider a slow lens it be a compromise in anything.
>>> Its just a 3.8 lens.
>>> Its what you'd pick when you don't need a fast lens and you do need
>>> top
>>> quality and a lightweight compact optic.
>>>
>>> This is exactly the combination I normally need.
>>> And I think there's a market for it too.
>>> As in lots of other people wanted it too.
>>>
>>> The proof is in the pudding and time will tell.
>>> I think this kind of stuff is smart Leica stuff.
>>>
>>> In the catalog there was always Both a fast and slow option.
>>> If they're bringing that back I think we'll see that's good for
>>> everybody.
>>> And good for the Leica company.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> mark@rabinergroup.com
>>> Mark William Rabiner
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> From: Frank Travel <red735i@earthlink.net>
>>>> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
>>>> Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:46:04 -0700
>>>> To: 'Leica Users Group' <lug@leica-users.org>
>>>> Subject: [Leica] Lux 21 and 24 Lens Pictures....
>>>>
>>>> Apparently on the Leica Poland page....
>>>>
>> <http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffotopolis.pl%
>> 2Findex.p
>>>> hp%3Fn%3D7823&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=pl&tl=en>
>>>>
>>>> With translation into English, almost.
>>>>
>>>> If you want to read the original Polish version....
>>>> http://fotopolis.pl/index.php?n=7823
>>>>
>>>> These are big Diameter lenses......   about the same overall size
>>>> as a 75
>>>> Lux....
>>>>
>>>> Frank
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>> information
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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>>
>>
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>
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