Leica 50mm f/1.0 Noctilux Review

So, you feel a deep seated need to go broke... well, look no further than the Leica Noctilux, one of the worlds fastest and most expensive pieces of glass. The Noctilux is one of the two currently produced 50mm f/1.0 lenses, the other being made by Canon. You can pick up a Noct, as it's affectionately known, for anywhere from $2000 to $2700, depending on how reputable the dealer you buy from is.

So before we decide if it's worth the price, let's talk about how it handles. In a word, 'nice'. If you've carried an SLR before, the Noct mounted to an M6 is still very compact, although I recommend getting an accessory hand grip, either from Leica or from Tom Abrahamsson. It's definitely bigger than the 50mm Summicron, but it's not bad at all.

What do you do with this thing then? You sure can't shoot wide open on sunny days with a Leica, given its top shutter speed of 1/1000th. But, toss in some Delta 100 and you can shoot wide open on a cloudy day all the way till dusk, and still keep your shutter speeds well over 1/60th of a second. Shooting wide open is the Noct's forte.

Is it sharp? Hell yes, it's made by Leica after all. Does it vignette? Well, a bit at f/1, but I like it... it's one of the qualities the lens has that you either love or hate. Does it let you shoot in really low light? You betcha. But just the fact that it allows you to shoot with slower film in low light isn't what attracted me to this lens. It was the fact that you can get amazingly limited DOF effects, where your subject is tack sharp, but everything else is completely blown out by that beautiful bokeh the Noct produces. Shots taken with the Noct wide open have a very unique and noticeable "glow" about them, and the DOF effects are something that you really can't get anywhere else other than with a camera that has movements (i.e. Large format).

Was it worth the money? Well, I'll let you know. I haven't had a chance to use this lens to its fullest yet, but I sure intend to try.

In the meantime, here's a little sample of "Noctilux Power". Both were shot at f/1 on Delta 400@200. If you were to look at the actual pixel enlargement of the pill bottle in the image on the right, you would almost be able to make out the label that says "CVS"... it's definitely sharp enough for me. What I like even more is the insane DOF effect!

 

Here's the actual pixel blowup of the pill bottle in the image in the photo at top right. Like I said, you can just about make out the "CVS" lettering, not to mention the text of the prescription.

 

Here's an example of that "Noctilux glow" that I was talking about. Although interesting lighting obviously had something to do with it, f/1 is still a bit magical.

**** Update 10/20/02 ****

I should have gotten around to writing this update a long while ago, but well, I'm lazy. The Noctilux has been sold. Why? Well, let me count the ways...

  1. Too heavy. In comparison the the 50mm Summicron or the 50mm Summilux, the Noct weighs a ton, which kills the one aspect of Leica series of cameras and lenses that I really love.

  2. It's not THAT fast. It's a great lens, but the Summilux is only a stop slower, weighs a lot less, and costs a lots less. My suggestion? Push your film a lousy one stop if you really need that extra speed.

  3. The DOF effect at f/1 is cool, but if you're using a .72 finder M6, then focus is a very hit or miss proposition. My suggestion, if you're looking for crazy DOF effects, use the money you'd have spent on a Noct and buy either a Hassy Flexbody or a large format camera. Both offer significantly more possibilities in regards to DOF effects than the Noct, and an equal or lesser price.

So I'm back to shooting with my 50mm Summicron. I couldn't be happier.

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