Straight Photography!

Straight 6879 // About Photography! Nokton SC 1,4/40 mm

"This is one of the lenses that many are saying why bother, at least until they try it! The two versions look the same but they are markedly different, The MC Multi-coatedversion is a good substitute for a 35 Summicron or old style Summilux. Nice and sharp with good tonal rendition. In its delivered form it kicks in the 50 frame of a Leica M or ZI ( the R3A has the actual 40 mm frame) but a couple of minutes with a jewelers file or a Dremel grinder can make it show the 35 frame. The 50 frame shows me too little of what the lens sees and I rather take my chances with the 35 frame. Rangefinders are not designed for ultra precise framing anyway.

The 40/1,4 SC Single Coated is a different kettle of fish altogether. It is designed to be a “soft” lens wide –open. Not soft as in out-of-focus soft, but a lower contrast and a flat rendition of tones. Once you stop it down it is sharp while still giving the lower contrast. It is the kind of lens you can use for portraits of people “of a certain age” as it smoothes out the wrinkles of an experienced life. Mr Kobayashi made a “Universal Nokton” some years ago as a prototype. This lens had enhanced optical aberrations and “controlled” flare. I had the opportunity to shoot with it and it was a very interesting concept. There was a distinct “glow” around the subject at f1,5 and f2 and a marked softening of the image. It was decided that it was too radical for production even though Tuulikki, my wife, claimed that the baby-boomers would snap it up instantly. When you hit a more elevated age, you don’t really want razor sharp rendition of your features! The Single-Coated 40/1,4 does exhibit a bit of that quality, although not as dramatic as the Universal Nokton."
Tom Abrahamsson.

Som sagt, "...with a jewelers file or a Dremel grinder can make it show the 35 frame"   :)

För övrigt så har jag sett att Kamerastore i Tampere har CINESTILL BwXX!

Inte så mycket mer att rapportera från Rohan!
Ha nu en fortsatt bra dag!

/Bengan

Ps. Jag har försökt hitta mer om objektivet "Universal Nokton” men har inte hittat något på nätet! Men ljusstyrkan 1,5 ger mig nog vissa ledtrådar! ;)  Mr Kobayashi har säkert ett äldre objektiv i åtanke och då ett objektiv med ljusstyrkan 1,5!
Ett objektiv till en Universalkamera kanske?

2025-01-05 13:51   Johan Pihl

Den här fina bilden minns jag från den tiden då Dogma-gruppen var aktiv, Bengan :)

Svar från Benganbus 2025-01-05 14:08

Tack för det Johan! Jag hade nyss köpt Noktonen, och jag höll på att pröva den! :)
/B