Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Mirrorless Cameras => Topic started by: Michael Erlewine on December 18, 2019, 02:55:37 pm
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Spending 8K on a lens is not something I do every day or ever have done. However, I made up my mind to somehow get the lens the moment I read through the specs. If it lived up to the specs, it could well be the one lens I have always yearned for but never had.
I have spent years fiddling with various exotic lenses, trying to find the right kind of bokeh and at the same time good sharpness and something approaching apochromatic correction, or some combination of all three.
It has been expensive and frustrating because, as those of you who know these exotic lenses, the range of coverage can be very small, while at the same time (since many are older), they often lack modern lens coatings, are very expensive, and on and on.
I have experimented with the Repro Nikkor, the APO El Nikkor, the Nikkor “O” (CRT), many Printing Nikkors, and other exotics, including many large-format lenses, as well.
Of these, the Nikkor “O,” often called the CRT-Nikkor has been one of the most successful of the bunch. I have not had the time to compare all these exotics to the new NOCT Nikkor 0.95, but I know these other lenses well already.
So, I wanted to compare a shot from the CRT Nikkor to the new NOCT95, just to see how the two come out.
What I find is that the bokeh from the CRT Nikkor is in the same (general) ballpark as the new NOCT95, but the range of the CRT Nikkor is so limited, even on the new Nikon Z7 (without the FTZ adapter) using special extensions that I am very limited, as I well know.
What all this adds up to, IMO, is that the very expensive NOCT95 is like a Swiss Army Knife in that it can do the job of many of the exotic lenses as well and usually better. Not that I will, but I probably could sell off a dozen lenses, except that you know I won’t. 😊
Also, many of the exotic lenses require special mounts, focus rails, and special treatment on top of that.
The long and the short of it is that the NOCT95 is the better lens for my work in every respect, aside from considerations of weight and the fact it is not a macro lens. I do find the NOCT95 heavy and awkward to use, but I keep reaching for it almost every time and, when I don’t, the results from other fine lenses show me that I should have used the new NOCT anyway.
I know. I could have figured this out from the specs alone, but I am old-fashioned enough to want to actually test the lenses, which is why I have purchased so many lenses over the years, just to be sure.
Here are a couple of photos, a little sloppy, but to give you and idea.
Side Note: The newish Voigtlander 65mm APO-Lanthar is IMO a must-have lens, much like its predecessor the 125mm CV APO Lanthar was and is.
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https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=2&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=it&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://www.nikonland.it/index.php%3F/articoli/evidenza/metti-una-nikon-z-un-noct-e-una-bionda-r358/&xid=17259,15700019,15700186,15700191,15700256,15700259,15700262,15700265,15700271,15700283&usg=ALkJrhjE6pOLyONLR82_2KArr_GN-Zgy2w
I am getting to feel that the Noct may have the nicest rendering ever.
Cheers,
Bernard
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https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=2&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=it&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://www.nikonland.it/index.php%3F/articoli/evidenza/metti-una-nikon-z-un-noct-e-una-bionda-r358/&xid=17259,15700019,15700186,15700191,15700256,15700259,15700262,15700265,15700271,15700283&usg=ALkJrhjE6pOLyONLR82_2KArr_GN-Zgy2w
I am getting to feel that the Noct may have the nicest rendering ever.
Cheers,
Bernard
The Noct 0.95 is unique in my experiences. I am selling my old Noct f/1.2 on Ebay right now and it was a great copy. I can't see how I would use it anymore; it is not well corrected.
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https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=2&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=it&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://www.nikonland.it/index.php%3F/articoli/evidenza/metti-una-nikon-z-un-noct-e-una-bionda-r358/&xid=17259,15700019,15700186,15700191,15700256,15700259,15700262,15700265,15700271,15700283&usg=ALkJrhjE6pOLyONLR82_2KArr_GN-Zgy2w
I am getting to feel that the Noct may have the nicest rendering ever.
Cheers,
Bernard
Yet proving, again, that heads need a longer focal length and that being blonde simply isn't enough: a head also needs animation, even in repose.
A repertoire of one expression ain't enough for more than one shot.
Merry X'mas, everybody!
;-)
Rob
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I have joined the club. ;)
Cheers,
Bernard
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I have joined the club. ;)
Cheers,
Bernard
Congratulations, your wallet has my commiserations!
;-)
Changing the subject, I'm wondering if I would see much difference in DOF between the forthcoming 50 f/1.2 S and my 85 f/1.8 S when a given subject is similarly framed? Obviously both lenses shot wide open.
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The NOCT95 for Focus Stacking
I have found that the new NOCT95 is not only a special lens, but also kind of a specialty lens. For example, it does not lend itself happily to focus stacking other than what I call a “Short Stack,” meaning cherry-picking the main focus points of an image, resulting in 3-5 images in the stack.
This is due to the stiffness of the focus barrel, IMO. Large stacks are affected by the minute shift in perspective (even on a very stable tripod) and that mars the fineness of this lens for stacking. I don’t know of any way to loosen the helicoid and even if Nikon would/could, they are not accepting any adjustments due to the pandemic just now.
That being said, single shot images work fine and the results can be lovely.
However, as long as I don’t insist on stacking more than a few layers, no real problem. And, if I stay close to a wide-open aperture, that is where the NOCT95 shines, IMO. However, it is not exactly like rolling off a log. I have had to learn to use this lens more than most, although that work is a pleasure.
Here are three photos, all tweaked. There is one that is a single shot with the NOCT95 (f/5.6), then a Short Stack of four layers with the NOCT95 (f/3.2), and then a stack of 31 layers using the very-fine Voigtlander 65mm Macro at f/2.
This is probably a wasted effort (my posting here) that only shows me (which we all know) that the new NOCT95 is best wide open with a single frame shot…. A Short Stack also works pretty well.
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Maybe you could self make a handle to the focus-barrel to make it easier to turn it. It is what film/video focus pullers use...
I was able to buy some simple ones my self in a shop, but it depends on the diameter of the lens if its available...
These are also better indicaters of the change in focus in the case of making focusstacks.
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Michael,
Have tried to contact Nikon on the stiffness?
My copy was bought on ebay but appears to have never been used. It’s not as smooth as my Otus 100mm f1.4 but I wouldn’t call it stiff either. It’s similar to the Voigtlander 125mm f2.5 I think.
Cheers,
Bernard
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Congratulations, your wallet has my commiserations!
Thank you. The buying price was such that I should be able to sell it back in Japan in a few years without making any loss. I see it as a long term free rental. ;)
Considering that Nikon hasn't been selling any additional units in months it's unclear whether this lens will not end up being the ultimate limited series collector item.
Cheers,
Bernard
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49825595296_f4332e0888_h.jpg)
Nikon Z7 + Not
Bokeh porn at the service of a small home mask factory... 8)
Cheers,
Bernard
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You better be nice to your wife!
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You better be nice to your wife!
She is in charge of the mask factory!
Cheers,
Bernard
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The more I use (and learn to use) the NOCT 95, the more I like it and the more I grows on me. It is a little scary because it's not that I don't have a lot of other lenses... lol.
Nikon Z& and the NOCT 95mm
Taken an hour ago...some signs of spring, the Redbud and the ferms.