Noctilux 50mm f1.2

The new Leica Noctilux 50mm f1.2 ASPH is not one of those lenses. A remake of a film lens originally produced in 1966, the lens is nearly identical to the original except for a digital-friendly mount. Leica kept everything from the 16-blade aperture down to the aluminum build. That design also mimics the image quality of the original. The lens creates a dreamy softness and dark vignette at f1.2, with sharp subjects and deep colors stepped down. Vintage lenses offer some of that film look without the actual film. The Leica Noctilux 50mm f1.2 ASPH offers that old look, without the $40,000 price tag the original lens is fetching on eBay. By keeping the design nearly identical, photographers will get a look similar to mounting the vintage Noctilux. Wide open, the lens creates a classic, film-era feel with dreamy bokeh, a strong vignette, and deep colors. Stepping down, you gain solid center sharpness, but maintain some of that bokeh and softness on the edges. The bokeh from the Leica Noctilux 50mm f1.2 is simply delicious. Backgrounds have a nice, soft blur. At times, the bokeh almost seems to have a slight twirl to it. The falloff from sharp to blurred is fast, making the subject really pop. This effect works well for the foreground, as well as the background.