A walk with Leica and the 50mm Noctilux
"I wouldn't buy a Leica lens because I cannot try it before I decide if it's for me or not..."
I've heard this so many times. And honestly, it is wise. No one should buy an expensive (or even a cheap) lens before trying it first. The other part, however, is not true. There are a few options to try Leica lenses, even the most expensive ones.
1st method
I know it might sound too obvious, but walk into a Leica store, tell them what lens you would like to try, and 99% of the time you will be able to test it. It's that easy. Probably, it's a good idea to check if the lens you'd wish to try is available there. I visited many Leica stores mainly in Europe, and everywhere the staff were very friendly and helpful.
2nd method
In many Leica stores, there's even an option for 1 or 2 days of testing/renting. You have to check the details because this option is not available everywhere, but worth a try. This method needs previous discussion with the store, not all do this, you need to check it first. I’ve heard that at some places they ask money for this, other stores offer this free of charge.
3rd method
Go to Leica akademie events, photowalks. These photo walks are free to join, you only need to register before it happens. The nice thing is, they have an amazing amount of lenses and camera bodies there, so during a walk, you might stick to your choice, or even try multiple lenses. Great opportunity as this happens not in front of the Leica store, but in real life, in the city.
The walk
Recently, I had the chance to go for a photowalk with Leica Akademie Austria & Leica Boutique Budapest. So many fellow photographers are trying to convince me that the 50mm Noctilux is the best thing on this planet, and I need it, so I must try it.
Disclaimer: I am not a 50 guy... rather a 35 lover.
On this occasion, though, I decided to test drive the famous Leica Noctilux 50mm. It’s a great opportunity, and if for no other reason, I wanted to try it for the novelty.
The verdict
Well, I'm still not a 50 guy... The lens is amazingly built, a joy to use, but it is quite heavy on an M body. Focusing is easier than I thought, even when I used it at f0.95. I won't describe the dreamy rendering, probably everybody on earth has heard about this enough. It can be magical, that's true.
But after using it and checking the shots, the truth is, it's not for me. I love vintage characters. I sometimes like this dreamy look, but I don't love it. And probably won't use it that much, if at all. Compared to my Summilux experiences, I like the Summilux look better.
Does this mean it is bad, or not that good? Of course not! It is an amazing lens, but it's not for me. (my wallet is happy about this)
All images taken with the Leica EV1 with the Leica 50mm Noctilux.