I had an opportunity to buy a Noct Nikkor some 10 years ago, but passed on it as I found the image quality on a D2x being way too soft, way too chromatish aberrationish and way too low in contrast. Two years ago I had a strike of luck on eBay and managed to nail one for a 3-digit number, other bidders apparently were scared by the external look that showed years of press photo use. Seller promised that despite rough looks lens surfaces are pristine, and so they were.
I really was pleasantly surprised by how good detail even wide open in the center was. Field curvature is crazy with this lens but who gives a damn - it's really fun to be able to shoot hand-held at 1/200s even at twilight. The previous copy I tried must have been in need of CLA I was told, because the local lens service wizard I employ taught me that the lens helicoid (it focuses by moving all of the assembly back and forth) has to be aligned to infinity properly, otherwise the lens will show softness, vignetting and CA at closer distances despite nailing focus (weird?)
1200x800 does not give justice to the detail in these images, but perhaps the illustration is still worth it. I shot this series in my old neighborhood, anticipating moving to another district of Helsinki. I wanted to put this up on the wall in our new apartment but our interior architect in charge (Mrs. Vilhelm) decided that the wall in my mind was to be occupied by 15 polaroid-sized instagram prints in frames [silent cursing].
So now I have this adorning my studio workspace wall. All shot with a Df at ISO 12,800 1/200s f/1.2
