Found a Noct...

[Akira]

wait, this is the NOCT thread i got confused!

You are right.  Sorry for the confusion!  LZ posted his comment for the good reason.  Please don't blame him!

[longzoom]

You are right.  Sorry for the confusion!  LZ posted his comment for the good reason.  Please don't blame him!

.   Yeah, but from bottom of my heart!  LZ

[richardHaw]

while minimum focus distance wide-open is so-so (around the same performance as the 55mm f/1.2), midground tells a difference story. it's sharp

[JJChan]

Richard
So impressed with your MF technique - do you wait with it zone focused until the subject comes into sight or are you awesome with your focus tracking?

I did a set of street in HKG once with Noct and Df - nothing in focus except still people
Sadly you can't tell on the screen until you get back to a computer 8000miles away and to realise whole afternoon wasted.

JJ

[richardHaw]

Richard
So impressed with your MF technique - do you wait with it zone focused until the subject comes into sight or are you awesome with your focus tracking?

I did a set of street in HKG once with Noct and Df - nothing in focus except still people
Sadly you can't tell on the screen until you get back to a computer 8000miles away and to realise whole afternoon wasted.

JJ

thanks, mr. Chan. I just set my focus to a certain distance and just wait until my subject get in focus

the 老夫子 picture looks sharp. you can see his bald head very well

[richardHaw]

went for a stroll and on my way to the bar (where a mini wake is being held for recently deceased Watanabe Eimei, a Pentax pro is being held), I took the chance to take some photos with the NOCT. I am beginning to understand it's wide-open characteristics more. I really should take this thing out more often. this thing's got character. imagine the dreaminess of the 55mm, sprinkled with some of the 50mm's sharpness

[Bjørn Rørslett]

the Noct weaves its magic when light levels are low or one can open the lens to its wider apertures.

[richardHaw]

Yes, i am currently seeing that now.
It may not have the sharpness of my 50 on the closer end but the images it produce are exquisite, with a very delicate rendering. It is like eating a delicate slice of angus or kobe fatty beef compared to the more inexpensive but delicious australian variety. Bith are tasty, both are filling. But the gourmet beef will taste better in a very aubtle way when you serve it medium rare. Seared outside but juicy inside. Marinating it in wine will just ruin the delicate taste.

This is the subtlety of the noct! It is smooth but never vulgar. The ART 50 from sigma is just brutally sharp wide open. It is made with a different mindset in priority and is a workhorse of a lens when you just need a no bs lens to bring on an important shoot.

The kiddie photo is at f/2? This lens is already pretty good at f/1.4 and very good at f/2. The characteristics change a lot in between these apertures. At f/2.8 it is optically perfect in my opinion

[richardHaw]

at medium and closer distances