Portrait

The Noctilux @ f/0.95 and “rounded” rendering.

Inspiration, Leica 50mm Noctilux f/0.95, Portrait, Teaching point

This slightly cropped image is a good example of the pleasingly “rounded” rendering this lens is capable of @ f/0.95 (see my comment under yesterday’s post).

What I’m referring to is the gentle 3D effect, that — unlike the slightly more “cut out of the scene” 3D effect you get with the 50 Summilux ASPH — is exceptionally smooth, very organic.  Specifically, his face is gently simultaneously emerging from, and blending into, the background.

Despite this, the point of focus (the nearest edge of the sunglasses) is bitingly sharp.

Incidentally, it’s this level of sharpness at 1 meter (the near focus limit) and the exceptionally smooth bokeh that separate this Noctilux from the previous f/1 version, which renders in a slightly softer way, and which depicts backgrounds in a thick-brush-painterly manner.

—Peter.

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↑Leica M9 and Leica Noctilux @ f/0.95.

Let a sleeping Honey lie.

Inspiration, Portrait, Teaching point, Voigtländer 15mm f/4.5 SW Heliar LTM

↑Leica M9 and Voigtländer 15mm f/4.5 @ 1/4 sec, f/4.5, ISO 320.

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This is one of my first test shots from yesterday, with my brand new Voigtländer 15mm f/4.5 Super-Wide Heliar (in L-Mount):

I finally scratched an itch in getting this tiny, inexpensive, and now discontinued (but still available new) lens, thanks to my friend Jason Howe, who finally pushed me over the edge with his images (Jason posted a very informative write-up of this lens on his website here).

Note: There’s a second generation M-mount version of this lens currently being produced with the same optics that is larger, but has the advantage of being rangefinder coupled (meaning it can be focused on a rangefinder).  In contrast, this first version of the Voigtländer 15mm Heliar (shown above) is focused by not focusing at all!… please see Jason’s write-up for further details.

As an aside, note the difference in perspective between a 15mm lens vs. a 50mm lens.

—Peter.