Espon RD1 Noctilux Shots

I took these around China Town, etc... in London. You'll see on the

one shot how it has trouble with the neon light with aliasing and the

rims around the lights.<div></div>

more

let me try again<div></div>

and another<div></div>

yet another<div></div>

and one more<div></div>

let me post another and change the message so this forum software can handle it<div></div>

and yet more forum fun<div></div>

more forum postings<div></div>

let's all post pictures to the forum and make a new message each time! whee!<div></div>

Alright, so those were the shots. I dont think the Epson can handle the Noct too well. But oh well... Anyway, what do you guys/gals think?

The first shot that shows the close up of the neon lights was cropped. Otherwise they were all uncropped, unsharpened. I only adjusted the levels a bit.

Nice! Any clues to the ISO, shutter speeds and apertures?

The look like By Noct at F1 to F1.4; the chap walk maybe F2? Wih my M3 and 800 asa Fuji print film; usually I shoot shots like this a 1/15 second as a first guess

hmmm, is it me? I'm not overly impressed. The 'statue dude' seems contrasty enough, but the others seem muddy and out of focus and I'm not thrilled.

 

Now, not owning a noct (and I would say, unfortuantely, probably little chance of owning one) but having a nice assortment of other glass, both Leica and Voigt, does anyone else have other, more favorable examples of the RD1 in lower light situations? TIA, d

Here I have owned a Noct since Carter was in office. It cost as much as a used Pinto with alot of miles back then; 400 bucks; or maybe two Vegas. The Noct requires a body that is the rangefinder is aligned well. A Summicron user who always shoots at F8; then jumps to a Noct will usually be disappointed. The old F8 masks abit of the missaligned camera body; the F1 Noct shows all the cameras rangefinders errors. The usually ownership of the Noct is months; maybe a year or two.

I too have an R-D1. I don't have a Noctilux, but I have the Nokton f/1.4 which like the

Noctilux has paper thin DOF wide open (not as thin, but still thin). I must be lucky and

have gotten a precisely

aligned R-D1, because I can focus that lens perfectly even wide open.

 

I emailed DAG and he said that he'd adjust the R-D1's RF for about $75 IIRC. Even a new

Leica may require fine adjustment to be able to use that lens wide open.

 

By the way, did you shoot these in RAW?

For examples of the Nokton wide open in low light, among other R-D1 examples, see my

thread 'Epson R-D1 Second Impressions' in the Leica in a Digital World archive.

Russell, the problem with the neon lights looks like it's due to the sensor, not the lens. Is this what you meant? Some sensors can't handle blown highlights elegantly and look 'flooded'.

Ruaaell, the photos are fine. Thanks for sharing. You are demonstrating the virtue of a digital camera that can employ non-OEM-dedicated lenses.