NikonGear'23
Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: stenrasmussen on January 28, 2016, 08:43:15
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Not mine but thought I'd let you guys know. I received a few pics from the seller which I'd be happy to share.
1100 USD asking price.
https://foto.no/cgi-bin/bruktmarked/visAnnonse.cgi?utstyrtypeid=66&kjoepsalgid=2&id=236056&merkeid=8
EDIT: I moved this thread off the Classified board because it rapidly evolved into a discussion of the Noct itself and its special properties. Feel free to add any impressions, experiences, or photos.
Bjørn Rørslett
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I can purchase it right now and bring it with me to Scotland in May, if anyone participating there is interested. At cost price. Just shoot me a PM.
I live close to the seller and can inspect the lens to evaluate its state today.
At that low price I'd expect the lens to sell quickly.
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That is a very good price, if the lens is OK
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In fact, I just sent a sales request for the Noct. If it's still available I have it in my hands either tonight or tomorrow. No intention of keeping it though if anyone on the forthcoming Scottish NG Event is keen on prying it out of my hands at a fair price.
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I almost bought this just before I got my hands on the 58G. Optics is absolutely fine. The outer shell is worn but with character I'd say.
I take the liberty to post the pics of the lens here if anyone is interested..?
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Very good idea to buy it Bjørn!
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I just talked to the seller on phone and arranged for a pickup later tonight. Turned out I knew the person.
So anyone interested can now contact me instead :D
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I just talked to the seller on phone and arranged for a pickup later tonight. Turned out I knew the person.
So anyone interested can now contact me instead :D
Good! I hope the lens will please someone soon :)
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Very tempting indeed !!!
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Precious. My precious - it is mine ....
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Exactly :D
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Collected the Noct tonight and it is well used, as per the illustrations, but optics are sparkling and clean and focusing is smooth. This is an AIS and I'm curious to learn what differences if any can be detected between this and my existing AI-P Noct.
I'll run some tests over the weekend before I decide on which Noct to keep. The one I sell, if any, will be delivered in person during an NG Meet-up or similar event. I understand there already is one party eager to get his claws on the lens.
The Noct + an APO-Lanthar 125 on the same day drained finances 'a bit', but I'll survive and am in no hurry to sell.
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Quite the steal! Congratulations to the new owner(s).
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The first sequence of comparison tests indicate the "new" Noct has a flatter field than my old one. Might be a spurious difference between two samples and thus not relating to the AI/AIS versions as such. In terms of ultimate sharpness at f/1.2 my old Noct might be a tad more sharp on-axis, but this is really splitting straws.
However, I'm less inclined to sell it off now with these results in mind. Although the AIS lens does have a history of much use, and its external appearance bears witness to that fact, it functions perfectly optically and mechanically. I don't get lenses for them to be show-case items anyway :D. Besides, the asking price for that lens was a bargain all things considered so won't hurt too much in the grander scheme of things.
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Intresting with the flatter field... ;)
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Definitely interesting. Hopefully you can get your hands on some more of Ai and Ai-s build to see ifnthat is the culprit
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Definitely interesting. Hopefully you can get your hands on some more of Ai and Ai-s build to see ifnthat is the culprit
Even at a modest $1100 per pop, it'll be an expensive exercise :D .....
I'll do more reality testing with the pair of Nocts before I make my final decision whether or not to sell one and if so, which one.
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I'm sure it'd be easy to have a couple more available at the gathering for testing purposes. I'm assuming other attendees have a noct . . .
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The Noct apparently is not very common even amongst NG members.... wonder why ...
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Maybe for the same reason I do not have one, even being the fast 50 lover I am. It's advantages over the normal 50mm f/1.2 are pretty narrow and very specialized it seems. I know that I personally have plenty more bases to cover with future gear before I start overlapping my collection to fill in niche specialties. If I had to choose one 50mm, and price were no issue, I would not choose the Noct. As much fun as I'm sure one would be to have.
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I had two opportunities to buy one, the last one had its price lowered to 2500 from 3000 but then was instantly sold. After intensive trials in the shop (1/2h, making the shopkeeper nervous), and despite the pleasure of handling and the clean images at f/1.2 - much better than the 50/1.2, I could not make my mind. Crazy price for a very narrow additional use case compared to the 50/1.2. Of course, one cannot expect to really be seduced when trying it at daytime : it is a Noct after all, and for good reasons (and a real Noct, unlike Voigtländer 58/1.4).
Now that I got the Tamron 45/1.8, my appetite for a Noct has further receded : at night, the Tammy beats all other common standard lenses (except maybe the Sigma 50/1.4 A and, of course, the Otus), and has a very wide range of usages.
But I confess that, for 1100€ or so, I was tempted... It's definitely a lens with a special character, which I like. The same is true with the old 50/1.4 SC, but that one come much cheaper.
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Got mine for 1600€ AI version in a very good state, should grab it out again soon
Generally I am not a fan of "normal" lenses, but Noct is an exception
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The Noct apparently is not very common even amongst NG members.... wonder why ...
It is not easy to find a good one for an acceptable price.
Earlier, I had an Ai version of the lens, but changed later to the AiS version (due to the 9 blades). But I am talking about years of patience until the right moments showed up.
Together with the 20mm UD and the 105mm/2.5, the Noct is part of the quite compact setup in the small bag with the Df.
(http://www.pbase.com/andrease/image/153575763/original.jpg)
Bjorn, congrats to your new addition.
rgds,
Andy
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Andy, you use the same focal length kit I aim for! Have the 50mm and 105mm, saving for a 20mm.
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Andy, I have all those Nikkors, but they don't look that pristine any more :D
The 20UD is reserved for IR work these days. The two other see use on a Df.
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The first sequence of comparison tests indicate the "new" Noct has a flatter field than my old one. Might be a spurious difference between two samples and thus not relating to the AI/AIS versions as such. In terms of ultimate sharpness at f/1.2 my old Noct might be a tad more sharp on-axis, but this is really splitting straws.
However, I'm less inclined to sell it off now with these results in mind. Although the AIS lens does have a history of much use, and its external appearance bears witness to that fact, it functions perfectly optically and mechanically. I don't get lenses for them to be show-case items anyway :D. Besides, the asking price for that lens was a bargain all things considered so won't hurt too much in the grander scheme of things.
I guess this is not good news for me. :-[
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At the risk of boring everyone, would someone please describe again what they consider the best use of the Noct Nikkor.... please. It sounds wonderful, but I am trying to imagine how I might use it, since I am mostly a close-up photographer... but I am thinking of branching out.
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In the same spirit, I have created a thread for posting photos (rather than opinions) illustrating what their authors think is a "characteristic" shot revealing its unique features.
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In the same spirit, I have created a thread for posting photos (rather than opinions) illustrating what their authors think is a "characteristic" shot revealing its unique features.
Where is the link to that thread?
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At the risk of boring everyone, would someone please describe again what they consider the best use of the Noct Nikkor.... please. It sounds wonderful, but I am trying to imagine how I might use it, since I am mostly a close-up photographer... but I am thinking of branching out.
Michael,
may I share my very personal view about this lens.
Let's start with the rational side of things - that is usually the easier decision:
Today, there is no *need* to own the Noct. 40 years ago, when the first version came out, times were different. Film speed couldn't go up like today, so each part of the optical chain had to contribute to the light gathering exercise. Today, with modern sensors, any discussion about f1.2 vs. f1.4 lenses due to improved light gathering might be an enjoyable discussion in the pub, but not more. The Coma correction then set the Noct apart from the "mainstream" lenses then. Today, the mainstream lenses are much better corrected - even coma. And yes, the Noct has very smooth bokeh.
Let's move over to the emotional side:
There is something special with this lens which is hard to describe. Probably the best way it could be described, would be with the words "how it draws". It will not happen everytime, but if the context is right (i.e. available light photography in a city during the night), images have a "plasticity" which is imho a bit special in this focal range. You will not find this difference in all scenarios. Shooting test charts, the Noct wouldn't bode particularily well vs other 50mm lenses. Don't get me wrong on this. The Noct is a good lens, but I would not justify this lens via test chart analysis.
Of the many modern lenses, the AFS 58mm/1.4 is in my opinion the closest what you can get on this image "drawing" part. The AFS 58mm is rather "soft" versus other 50/55mm lenses, but I think this is needed to "render" a scene differently. As the capabilities of lenses are often overlapping, you might probably be able to use other lenses to make them perform like that, but the *unique* thing of the Noct (and AFS 58mm) for me is: It is rather the default result than the exception - which influences your personal mood and assessment about the emotional *value* of the scene you just captured.
I.e. Sometimes I don't even care if I would be able to find with *scientific accuracy* some indications where the lens didn't perform perfectly, but you rather enjoy the holistic impression and the mood this image "presents" to you.
To sum it up:
I your subconscious self don't "want" it, your conscious self probably don't "need" it :) But you might take a very deep look at the AFS 58mm/1.4G :D
rgds,
Andy
Below is an image with the Noct and the D800E. Taken during a short night walk in Nicosia/Cyprus a few years ago. (unprocessed, just resized)
(http://www.pbase.com/andrease/image/143552042/original.jpg)
Here is a 100% crop. Imho, not bad for a 30+ year old lens on the 36 MP D800E (please consider, ISO 400, 1/50s and handheld)
(http://www.pbase.com/andrease/image/143552044/original.jpg)
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Thanks Andy! As they say, "That's what I'm talkin' about."
From what I read the NOCT is quite a bit sharper than the AFS 58nn/1,4G. Is this true?
Other folks: keeps these evaluations coming, if you will.
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Where is the link to that thread?
http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php/topic,2660.0.html (http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php/topic,2660.0.html)
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(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1605/24342046149_0c163cd870_b.jpg)
Df 58mm f/1.2 at max aperture, contrast was a little adjusted
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Michael,
responding to your question, the Noct got back into my immediate attention - thanks for that :)
So here is another image which might help to visualize the earlier post.
Original work - no prior art - just taken in the kitchen. Model: Loki, our 12 week old young puppy :D
rgds,
Andy
D4, Noct, f1.2, 1/125s, ISO 800, no postprocessing, original image just resized to 1920x1277
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Michael
I don't have any amazing shots so haven't contributed to the 'Best Shots' thread started by Airy.
I second Andy's comments about the emotional nature of the Noct and the AF-s 58mm comes close.
I posted a few on a previous thread (http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php/topic,1278.15.html) but here are a few others
All pretty much straight out of camera with just resizing - No post processing
@f1.2
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f5.6
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f8.0 - through bus window
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I was not really looking for "best shots", but rather "most characteristic shots"... and I see a few good ones above :)