goamules
Well-known
Let's compare the 1950s Summicron Dual Range to the Nokton 1.5. I haven't done this in a while, but got an Amedeo adapter for my vintage Nokton 50/1.5 in Prominent mount to M the other day. I've heard, variously, that either the Summicron DR or the Nokton was "the best 50mm fast lens in the 1950s." Best is a subjective word, but usually people are saying "best resolution."
I'll start out with the easiest aperture for a lens to do well, F8. See if you can tell which is which. Click for larger for the first two.
I'll start out with the easiest aperture for a lens to do well, F8. See if you can tell which is which. Click for larger for the first two.
goamules
Well-known
Now let's make it easier, F2.
giganova
Well-known
Is this a trick question? At f/8 there shouldn't be a difference. 
goamules
Well-known
These are two totally different lens designs. There will be, and are, differences at F8. Can you not see them?
Erik van Straten
Mentor
At f/2 (post 2) the second shot is the Summicron.
Erik.
Erik.
goamules
Well-known
You are correct! All the above sets of 2, the Nokton is first. What I'm seeing, but it's hard to have time to show here, is that the Nokton is sharper in the center at F4 - F11, than the vaunted Summicron. At F8, it even appears sharper at the edges, and it has more contrast at all stops. It also has warmer color rendition, typical of a Sonnar derivative. I'll show those things when I have time to create the crops.
Crazy Fedya
Well-known
Garrett,
In f/8 sets , it seems that the second photos have more contrast than the first.
In f/8 sets , it seems that the second photos have more contrast than the first.
goamules
Well-known
It's a very subtle difference. Which one here, crops of F8?
Crazy Fedya
Well-known
#2 is Nokton?
goamules
Well-known
Which has more contrast? That is the question first!
Crazy Fedya
Well-known
Interesting! When I looked several hours ago, #2 seemed to have more contrast. When I looked just now, #1 definitely has more contrast.
BLKRCAT
75% Film
Classic RFF. Even after a few months of absence there's still the same lens comparisons that people were talking about for years.
I think #1 is the Summicron and #2 is the Nokton. Contrast and Color give it away.
I went from a rigid summicron to my Nokton and while I don't have one of the best summicrons ever made and the leica name on my lens I'm still very happy with the performance from the Nokton.
I think #1 is the Summicron and #2 is the Nokton. Contrast and Color give it away.
I went from a rigid summicron to my Nokton and while I don't have one of the best summicrons ever made and the leica name on my lens I'm still very happy with the performance from the Nokton.
goamules
Well-known
Yes, talk is cheap. Did anyone SHOW side by side comparisons? What is classic RFF to me is someone showing one nice photo taken with some lens, and saying "the XYZ lens works great, better than any ABC!" No comparison, just an isolated photo - my premise is you can get a great photo with ANY lens. But on metrics....
I'm more of an analytical person. When everyone talks about "Leica glow" I asked, "show me". And by that, I mean show me two identical shots with an A to B comparison. Which I've done here. I've done a few here over the years. I guess I could compare a Summicron to another lens, maybe something off an Argus C3, but it's difficult and the results will be as anticipated. I'd heard these two were "the best" 50mm fast lenses of the 1950s. I agree.
The Nokton has slightly better contrast, slightly warmer color tones, and is as sharp as a Summicron. Confirmed (to me anyway), based on my experiment.
I'm more of an analytical person. When everyone talks about "Leica glow" I asked, "show me". And by that, I mean show me two identical shots with an A to B comparison. Which I've done here. I've done a few here over the years. I guess I could compare a Summicron to another lens, maybe something off an Argus C3, but it's difficult and the results will be as anticipated. I'd heard these two were "the best" 50mm fast lenses of the 1950s. I agree.
The Nokton has slightly better contrast, slightly warmer color tones, and is as sharp as a Summicron. Confirmed (to me anyway), based on my experiment.
Archlich
Well-known
The Nokton by design is mostly comparable to the Summilux ASPH.
TenEleven
Well-known
I believe the lens in question here is not the Modern Cosina-Voigtlander 50mm/1.5 Nokton, which does indeed contain an ASPH element, but the original 1950ies (for the Prominent) 5cm/1.5 Nokton lens, which has none.
kiemchacsu
Well-known
thanks for putting efforts making these comparision?
how about the distoration? is the nokton as good as the summircon?
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
In the f/2 shots of the bookcase, I picked the Summicron for contrast and sharpness.
goamules
Well-known
Good question. If you shoot it at F2 they are pretty similar where you are focused. At the edges, at F1.5 and F2 the Nokton gets a little bit of sperical aberration or field curvature, or both. The out of focus areas (bokeh) are a little more noticeable with the Nokton, from F1.5 to about F4. If you try, you can get a pretty wild out of focus area with it:
goamules
Well-known
Here are both again with some backgrounds. But shot at only F4. Same order as the first couple of posts (I did reverse the order on the bookshelf closeups).
nzeeman
Well-known
i have feeling that leica have more distortion... i usually see it in most of their lenses.. thats why i like zeiss better-i always felt they are aiming for less distortion...
i mean this is not zeiss but still i find leica least attractive from those top three rf makers..
i mean this is not zeiss but still i find leica least attractive from those top three rf makers..