New Noktor 50mm f/0.95 samples
For ten days, I have been testing the Noktor 50mm f/0.95 lens. I bought the lens from Noktor and they were as kind to send me sample number 000000002 ![]()
I have to say that I am not disappointed at all with the lens. I expected much worse results at f/0.95. The lens is very good at medium apertures and it is nice to have the f/0.95 aperture when you absolutely need it. Of course it is soft but it is very nice for “creative” use. The real strength of this lens is when you shoot videos. Videos taken with f/0.95 aperture are sharp -> take a look here on vimeo.
After a few days of testing I can give you some images taken with the Noktor 50mm f/0.95 Lens. By the way, now the lens is on its way to photozone.de where it will be tested!
Let’s start with the classic aperture test. Click on picture to enlarge:









I also tried to shoot at full aperture in daylight and the effect you get is quite “interesting” ![]()

This lens is very useful when you want to capture details:
And when you shoot landscapes at f/0.95 you get results like this:
The 100% crop of the last picture looks like this:
Shooting in fairly dark situations. The following three pictures were taken in very dark rooms. With no other lens I would be able to take these shots!
Some other pictures:
Should you buy the lens? It depends. If you don’t need the f/0.95 aperture there are plenty of cheaper lenses. If you want sharp f/0.95 pictures get the expensive Leica Noctilux 0.95.
Buy the lens if you want to make videos with it (yes it is good enough!), or if you like the “creative” effect at f/0.95.
Cheers!















GPSchnyder
2 years ago |The Quality ir really good for Video, I’d really would like to use a lens like that. But 50mm? I mean 100? What the Fu? Who uses that besides some little shots. 25/50 would be a whole other thing and already ordered…
infared
2 years ago |For still photographs (I am not into video, ever, the vid button on my GF1 is permanently turned off), this is really a junk lens. I think if Lensbaby comes up with a Micro 4/3′s version of one of their lenses it would be sharper and provide a similar “creative” effect. For the price…the Noktor lens just isn’t even close to being sharp wide open. I guess it makes a great (but really expensive) soft portrait lens. It does create results with a unique look to them….I have to admit that!
Nathan Cowlishaw
2 years ago |I think I will get the Voigtlander VM Nokton 50mm f/1.1 lens which is better than the Noktor. I’m just not sold on this idea. They just need to make a Nokton in the M43. But I think it’s worth saving up and getting the adaptor…
stepper
2 years ago |What the heck is that third pic?
admin
2 years ago |A YAK
NoM43Yet
2 years ago |The Noctor 50/0.95 could quite possibly be the most unsharp lens on the market right now, at all apertures!
wat
2 years ago |this looks terrible. there is either a lens problem or a user problem here.
Zonkie
2 years ago |Yes, the image quality is not good, but it would have been nice to see the same shot with another lens, just to see how much you’re missing exactly in terms of image quality.
Samples much appreciated, thanks!
rUY
2 years ago |Even if consider it as a CCTV, it still not sharp enough for its purposes.
Mark
2 years ago |I agree with Zonkie. Specifically, I’d like to see a test with/against a Canon FD 50mm f1.4 (and m4/3 to FD adapter, obviously) to determine if the Noktor is worth the additional $600.
Miroslav
2 years ago |Like the others, I’m not satisfied with the results at F0.95. Although more expensive, I would rather buy a 4/3 Panasonic / Leica 25 mm F1.4, which has AF and is regarded as one of the sharpest lenses available.
Nate
2 years ago |What do you guys think of the Voigtlander F1.1 lens???
BlogTimes QuickNews (KW20) | BlogTimes - Fotografieblog
2 years ago |[...] Sample-Shoots des fourthirds Objektiv Noktor 50mm f 0,95 – meine Meinung kennt Ihr ja bereits! Die [...]
Tim A.
2 years ago |I have the lens. And people are right. It is a specialty lens and it is quite soft and there are flaws.
BUT.
I think you can still be pretty creative with this thing. Manual focus on the GF1 is a bit of a pain especially when opened up at f/0.95 since only a sliver is in focus. But it’s doable.
In the end, I have a feeling this will never be a popular lens like the 20mm f/1.7 pancake and it will never be the drool inducing dream like the Noctilux. But it’ll be a fun lens for people who can afford it. And I have a feeling Noktor knows this as well.
Here’s a shot wide open. I accidentally shot it at ISO 1600 (…oops…so please ignore the noise…) but you can see the “unique” (and some may say highly flawed) odd bokeh shape in the background.
http://www.timarai.com/images/pad2010/l/20100506-01.jpg