Images by M8 and Noctilux

[35mmdelux]

Fang:

 

are you the purveyor of all that is art and artistic?

 

We realize that these images could have been made by a thousand camera variants running the course of a hundred-fifty years.

 

You have many valid points and I appreciate them; maybe only a little more collegial would also be appreciated.

 

Thanks for the Images of Night link.

 

Ciao - Paul

[robert_overbeck2]

Domenico. It is pretty incredible. Your pictures are pretty small, but they look good to me.

 

Any shots posted with the word Noctilux (or M8) next to them are considered fair game by

Mr(s). El Fang and an ad hoc chorus of accountant photographers who feel compelled to

publicly beat their chests and moralize about how people spend their money.

 

Because you have the gall to mention a Noctilux, it's OK for them to post links and salivate

over other photographers they consider "better". Normally that would be just rude and

mean-spirited. What does the "Dreams of Flying" thing have to do with your photos?

 

I love the comment that you weren't personally insulted, just your work. I'll bet that never

occurred to you.

 

People get all whacked about a "$10,000" rig. Look at what a car or a toilet costs.

[Jim_Tardio]

Not to take anything away from your fine images, Domenico, but you could have done just as well with a Nikon D40 (or similar model) and a 50/1.8 lens.

<p>

However, as Robert above infers, if you want to spend $10,000 to make images that a $400.00 camera can duplicate you're certainly entitled to do so.

<p>

And there's no offense meant by this post. I enjoyed your shots.

[gareth_callaway]

Ultimately, does it not all boil down to the one simple question that you should ask yourself before you post to a forum? Would I say this to this person if I were standing in front of them?

 

Respect and civility go a long way whatever your forum for discussion.

[dougfromtumwater]

Well put Gareth.

[lutz]

<i>All photos are taken with existing light (or in the darkness, in same case). No color correction nor high ISO value (only 160). Frequently using f1 aperture. My goal is to maintain the mistery of the night in ancient or not-urban places in Italy (Abruzzo, Emilia, Tuscany regions).</i><p>

 

 

Domenico, thanks for sharing these. I think some of them well succeed in what you set out for. Personally, I think it is very hard though, to capture a mysterious atmosphere with a mild telephoto lens, as opposed to a wide angle, but that's just my 2 Eurocents. Anyway, it's a pity that the small size of your files wouldn't allow to appreciate any specific benefit deriving from being able to shoot at f/1 with a 67mm equivalent lens at ISO 160. I imagine that resolution would be a potentially unique selling point of the combo you were using, and that point can't be proven under the circumstances of your small size web postings. Another could be noise-free, hand held freezing of action in low-light situations, but that doesn't seem to have been your goal, nor the use of the specific Noctilux bokeh. So, maybe the absence of all of the aforementioned qualities, commonly associated with the use of your equipment, might explain the disproportionately harsh reactions to your post. To me, ultimately, your post is not about showing off any specific equipment related achievements but about an artistic effort. So I think it's only fair to set the one apart from the other and respect your initial intent - as well as the potentially constructive criticism that you might encounter. On an equipment related note, what I personally am surprised to see is the apparently complete lack of coma in your pics, which I am used to detect in wide open Noctilux shots. But maybe that is just due to the specific nature of your motifs...<p>Cheers and a happy New Year to you, too.

[kelly_flanigan1]

The Noct is just a big tool; usefull for some applications. Its usage is not so important today since iso's have increased. Once color print films were maxed at 125 to 160 in the 1970's; with crappy 400 coming out later in the 1970's. The Noct to me is like my 10" circular Big Foot saw; my 12Lb sledge hammer, my giant pipe wrench; usefull at times. The trusty summicron is more like a 7 1/4" saw or a 16oz claw hammer; used alot more.

[domenico__italy__g]

"To me, ultimately, your post is not about showing off any specific equipment related achievements but about an artistic effort".

 

Thank you, Lux: this was exactly my scope. My mistake has been to mention the lens i used, but isn't this a Leica M forum?. I didn't think to create problems regarding the economical analysis of the cost of the Leica lenses: this wasn't my intention. I take a good lesson. Thank you again. Ciao a tutti. Domenico

[terry_rory]

Long exposures at night, tripod, meduim format (I think) and I love this guy's work....

 

http://www.toddhido.com/

 

Hover your cursor over 'photographs' then over 'homes at night'. Click on 'houses' or 'apartments' and hover cursor over each number in the list for the photographs. He never names them. They are always just numbers (same in his book "House Hunting".)

 

The various light sources from inside and outside the homes merge and blend and reflect from mist/fog to create colours maybe never encountered before. The man is painstaking and took years to get these 'stories'.

[sprouty]

People fawning over images just because they were taken with a particular camera and lens deserve all the ribbing they get.

 

And yes, I would say that to you if you were standing in front of me.

 

And yes, I have Noctilux envy.

[edmund_ho]

Seems interesting that the above individual has the gall to post such acerbic remarks about another person's work yet references other peoples' work as examples of true art and skill in photography. Perhaps this individual is no better than the work he criticizes since he owns a Noctilux himself yet has no evidence of having "graduated" to the level of proficient and proper use of such a lens--or any lens, for that matter.

[DB_Gallery]

I am sure many folks enjoy the 50/1, but I have honestly yet to see an image made with it

that would make me want to get one. But I did see images made with the 50 Lux Asph that

made me want to get one, so I did and I use it a lot.

 

But to the OP, enjoy and further explore the 50/1-M8 combo.

[axel-cordes]

Hello Daniel,

 

Here are some which do show the 'street' power of the M8-Noctilux combination. I'm not sure if you need to login to be able to see. Anyway it's worth to search for 'Helio' on this Leica pages. He mostly runs M8&Nocti.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/menschen/37250-dame-rot.html

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/menschen/31195-ein-interessanter-mann.html

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/menschen/31150-k-nigin-nofretete.html

 

Regards Axel

[roland_schmid]

Lutz, there is almost no coma with the Noctilux in wide open shots.

[sitemistic]

Almost all of the photos I've seen from the Noctilux shot wide open were fuzzy and flat. I

understand the problem of focusing an f1 lens in the dark. I just don't personally like

Noctilux photos.

[stephen_alesch]

all my noctilux shots look like that.

blurry, flat, odd color.

its impossible to take a sharp shot without taking a half hour to track, compose and nail

the paper thin depth of field.

it teaches awe for the very few masters.

no way to capture a moving target - in focus.

maybe one out of 600 shots.

never the less i have hundreds of interesting, odd, blurry dark images.

too bad some of are friends and family at different gatherings.

my recent purchase of a canon eos with autofocus (my first in 15 years) is a breakthrough.

sometimes you'll never know where you are until you go there. thats the curse of leica.

 

thanks for sharing italian dude.

[._._z]

Jespersen uses a 4x5, a 6x7 and a D2X.