I still don't really understand how the noctilux actually draws to be honest. It just takes a couple of waist-up portrait shots at a few different apertures in an average setting like a kitchen and without any carefully orchestrated lighting - but after all these initial preview/reviews I still don't really know.
With the relatively similar focal length MF glass that I have - Distagon 35/1.4 and 40/1.2 Nokton - there is a significant difference in the final image for those sorts of shots.
The nokton (40 E mount - I don't have experience with the 35 unfortunately) gives a sharp, smooth and very clean look. It looks more realistic than the distagon. Nothing fancy, just solid and clean. Very smooth background. When the subject matter is brilliant, this is a nice choice for a quality, clean, realistic photo. When the subject/pose/lighting isn't quite as good, it might be a bit boring but still clean and good quality.
The distagon isn't clean, but it is sharp. The background blur isn't always smooth but the images have style to them. There's something more there, it does some heavy lifting and often produces a really appealing result. It's very snazzy and I think that's the perfect word for it.
Sometimes you may want to tidy up a little in the background - but it's a pretty easy fix in most of the shots I've taken so far where I noticed something distracting, and worth the small effort when required.
There isn't a chance in hell that I'd pay $10K for a lens without knowing exactly what I'm getting, but I understand people that are excited to find out for themselves and can afford to. Some people may feel that way about the distagon or nokton, and I understand it and I certainly found out a lot more after picking them up. Different tolerances for different folk.
But it's around (or possibly even more) than the combined value of all my current manual focus lenses (at the prices I got them) which provide so much variety, different focal lengths, purposes, enjoyment.
I'd want to know exactly where it sits. And even then xD. So I don't blame you at all for not cutting it open yet. Might be some self-preservation kicking in Which I could also do with some more of after last year's wild lens adventure joyride.
Maybe less smooth than the nokton, more than the distagon, some of the snazzle, some of the cleanness? Like a bit of the good parts of both..which does sound pretty good. But I don't know what I'm talking about so..
Which I could also do with some more of after last year's wild lens adventure joyride.