Leica Noctilux comparison on Micro Four Thirds
The Leica Noctilux is so expensive that only a few people can afford it. So it’s quite impressive that 3Dkraft had the chance to test not one…but two different Noctilux lenses on Micro Four Thirds! He compared the qualities of the Leica Noctilux-M 1:0.95 / 50mm with its predecessor, the Noctilux-M 1:1.0 / 50mm. He tested the lenses on the GH2: “The Noctilux mounted to a micro Four Thirds camera results in an unusually balanced combination, but still appears “visually” balanced. If your camera is equipped with an electronic viewfinder providing magnification it is very helpful for precise focusing. The Noctilux 1.0 is said to have a certain focus shift on rangefinder cameras like the Leica M9, which was opimized ith the new 0.95er version. However - on cameras with electronic viewfinders this plays no role.”
See the test at 3Dkraft (Click here).
Check the Leica Noctilus 0.95 price on eBay (Click here).
Check the Leica Noctilus 1.0 price on eBay (Click here).
P.S.: Get the Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95 on eBay (Click here) if you want a fast lens. It’s “cheap”, has a very good image quality and is native Micro Four Thirds lens!
sneye
2 years ago |Those samples… I’m speechless.
Anyway, the humble Nokton 25 will have to do. Not perfect like the Noctilux 0.95, but it’s a beautiful lens.
Mr. Reeee
2 years ago |Yes, amazing test images. Too bad they didn’t take shots with the Voightländer Nokton 25mm at the same time.
There were a few other good article on the site discussing the Voightländer and the GH2.
Nick Clark
2 years ago |I agree, it’d be fascinating (if rather meaningless) to see a comparison between the Nokton on a GH2 and the Noctilux on an M9!
Duarte Bruno
2 years ago |What I’d really like to see is how far behind would a Knica Heanin 57mm F1.2 would be, because I suspect it wouldn’t be much…
Ahem
2 years ago |I have the f/1.4 of that lens, it’s a stunningly sharp lens.
Sam
2 years ago |It’s the same price as a Hasselblad H4D-31 with 80mm lens.
I know what I’d rather spend that kind of money on.
frank
2 years ago |At least I know my Canon FD 50/1.2L cannot match the quality of these Leica’s. Although aspherical it shows glow and color fringing wide open. I am going to try it tomorrow again and see what good shots I can get. The panasonic 20/1.7 remains an ideal lens from wide open and can in that way compete with the Leica’s I think.
Mar
2 years ago |What’s good about these samples exactly?
Sharpness is nothing special, GH2 has visible noise @ISO400 and there are CA wide open.
Oh yes, and images are not really focused well (as I would expect from large-EVF camera such as GH2).
Helge Hackbarth
2 years ago |I understand the demand for a comparison to the Nokton 25/0.95 but as long as you stay inside m4/3 this lens has a far too different application area and a direct comparison makes no sense.
Of course another question would be a comparison between the M9 + Noctilux and GH2 + Nokton 25/0.95. In terms of brightness ( low light capabilities) you can expect comparable results but not in terms of DOF, bokeh etc. as the Nokton at open aperture would compare to a Noctilux dimmed to about f2.0. It is easy to imagine, which combination will show the better performance here.
@Mar: This comparison was not about GH2′s higher ISO capabilities and under such light conditions you can not expect noise free images for 120 x 80 cm prints. If you shoot people with this shallow DOF and under these light conditions, you propably know what that means regarding focussing. What I can tell you is that the scrap ratio was higher when I shot with a M9 and the Summarit 75/2.5 than with the GH2 EVF and the Noctilux. If you shoot at open aperture with a f0.95 lens, you can not expect the level of sharpness that you gain when you shoot at f2.8 or so. If you can show us better results from your E-3, we would be curious to see them.
Meanwhile I replaced the Noctilux 1.0 by a Summilux 50/1.4 ASPH. It is more compact, perfectly sharp already at f1.4 and with less purple frings than with both Noctiluxes. It’s a change from magic and character to more perfection and neutrality.
Ulli
2 years ago |I am surprised the Voigtlaender Nokton 50 f1.1 isn’t mentioned in the comments, its more suited as a comparison to the Noctilux. In fact it resembles the highlight rendering of the 1.0 version, though even funkier
Check my recent shoot with the Nokton 50 at 1.1 :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33496987@N08/5757076257/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Helge Hackbarth
2 years ago |I like that shot – but not for the rendering of the circles of confusion.