Fred Miranda
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 p.10 #11 · Leica Noctilux-M 35mm f/1.2 ASPH. lens | |
Fred Miranda wrote:
Comparing the Leica 35mm f/1.4 Lux FLE to the 35mm f/1.2 Noct may seem subtle at first, depending on background complexity, distance, etc... However, once you pay attention to how each renders, the difference is clear...(I'm sure someone with both will post a comparison soon). The Noct's rendering and focus transition are much smoother wide open and at f/1.4, with minimal outlining in highlights, while the FLE has that classic, structured Leica character, modern yet timeless. Its tint leans slightly toward magenta, but that's easy to tweak in post.
It's a bit like comparing the Leica 50/1.4 Lux ASPH with the pre-ASPH version, where most of the difference comes down to CA correction and rendering characteristics.
If you have a Sony 35/1.4 GM or Sigma 35/1.2, two of the best fast 35mm lenses out there, a side-by-side with the 35/1.2 Noct might surprise you with how similar they are in overall rendering. Saying a Leica looks like a Sony or Sigma might raise eyebrows, but it's actually meant as a compliment.  I also suspect that the blur difference between f/1.2 and f/1.4 on the Noct is minimal.
Like many other lens manufacturers, Leica is designing their latest lenses with ever more perfection (correction) in mind, which makes sense. The irony is that as everyone goes in this direction, images are starting to look more alike than they did in the past...
I consider myself lucky that I'm no longer drawn to the pursuit of perfection and prefer the charm of imperfect brushes....Show more →
patotts wrote:
I hear what you are saying, Fred. I remember Benj Haisch did a test of 50/1.4 primes a while back, and it was surprising how similar the Sony 50/1.4 GM was to the Leica 50'lux asph was in terms of rendering and sharpness. In this case, I haven't really analyzed the results, I was just not getting Sony "vibes" from the images I saw of the 35 Nocti so far. More to come for sure.
Previous version Leica Summilux 50/1.4 ASPH is perhaps my favorite rendering lens of all time, however, as my preferences evolve over time, I am now looking for that in a 35mm focal length. Until last week, the 35'lux FLE was the obvious choice (especially since one would save some money over the latest close-focusing FLE II).
I was seriously thinking of getting the Leica Q3 43 for a while, but the combo of the ultra-linear Sony sensor, Leica's color science and that technically perfect APO lens is like stacking perfection, which again, is not wrong and a matter of taste, but the result perhaps too close to perfect IMO. ...Show more →
Nothing wrong with linking to other forums, especially when someone did something I really wanted to see.
In my earlier post, I tried to describe how the new 35mm f/1.2 Noct would render next to the 35mm f/1.4 FLE, based on years of shooting the FLE and what I was seeing from Noct samples. The comparison thread (link below) basically shows exactly what I was talking about, even down to the FLE's slight magenta tint bias. Some things are just easier to see than to read.
https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/426946-noctilux-35-bokeh-comparison-with-summilux-35/
There are a few comments in that thread saying the difference is subtle, but to my eyes the Noct vs FLE differences are not subtle at all. It's a night and day difference. What is very subtle is the change in rendering and blur on the Noct itself between f/1.2 and f/1.4.
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