Leica Noctillux f/1.0 - The Most Bokehlicious Lens Leica Ever Made

Visit Squarespace for a free trial and 10% off your first purchase: squarespace.com...
MASSIVE SHOUTOUT TO:
Jordan Drake
/ thatjordandrake
www.instagram....
Chris Niccolls
/ chrisniccolls_
www.instagram....
Super Bokeh Bros Merch! teespring.com/...
THIS VIDEO WAS SHOT WITH:
Panasonic S5 geni.us/S2U4HOW
Panasonic Lumix S 20-60mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 geni.us/xTG4IR
OTHER ACCESSORIES:
[ Audio ] 🎤
Røde VideoMic NTG geni.us/gXlilLo
Røde Wireless GO Wireless Mic geni.us/ZlwSmN
[ Support ] 🔭
Gitzo Lightweight Series 1 Traveler Carbon Fiber Tripod geni.us/6nROU
[ Voice Over ] 🎙
Shure SM58 geni.us/PEHFBAG
I may earn a bit of commission if you use the product links above to help me keep on making videos for you, so thank you!

[@niccollsvideo]

I feel exploited... but in a good way! Thanks for letting us be a part of your vid.

[@KaiManWong]

Thanks for doing it! You play the part of the Canadian guy incredibly realistically!!

[@daniel635biturbo]

Thanks for a good laugh guys !

[@sh8736]

More collabs please! Kai could join the other English chap you have on DPreview to make up a four some 😂

[@kaminobatto]

This was a hilarious plug and a very nice surprise❤

[@kaminobatto]

@@KaiManWong 😂

[@SelfBio]

😂😂😂😂😂😂 as a german I love the interpretation of germans @ 3:35 "I have designed a 50mm 1.0 lens that will not look like 💩wide open"

[@KaiManWong]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@chu0nthat]

Spoiler alert….mid credit scene with Chris & Jordan. Great cameo appearance

[@KaiManWong]

It's the best thing since maple syrup.

[@aristoioannidis7490]

Outstanding!

[@peterebel7899]

Canada 1.0 bows the bokeh out of your face! ;-)

[@chibiusa]

Thanks for providing accurate subtitles, Kai! I'm American, so I was having some trouble understanding Canadian English. 😂

[@mybrkly]

This was an excellent video! It's been a while since I've seen something this good. It reminded me of some of the stuff you did for Digitalrev. I, in fact, went back to the "Sh*t fanboys says" series you did---particularly the bonus footage on Leica. It was so good!

[@kennethhughes8392]

Great video, cameo was great, had a good chuckle at the "should have held out for McKinnon and Matty" line.

[@claudiusweson]

What a pleasant surprise to see Chris & Jordan in this video. Keep them coming.

[@dpreview]

We’re always happy to make a reappearance!

[@kane4013]

Helmut Marx - Not the abrasions on your protective headwear (he says pointing down) 😂🤣 I spotted what you did there Kai if no one else did!!

[@noenken]

As a German myself I can say Jordan's impression was 100% accurate! Sehr gut! AUSGEZEICHNET!

[@lucasbim]

Hi Kai, I've been following your videos for years and I finally bought a camera (was using my phone for photos). Thank you for the great content!

[@trels203]

Respect for the mk1/mk2 golf analogy 🔥

[@svabosvabo3257]

For me, this lens will forever be linked to Tommy Oshima on Flickr. Thanks for bringing those memories back, Kai!

[@BaoZwer]

The first two creators that taught me how to use a camera in one video. Love it

[@UFOJeroen]

Thanks for the amazing video Kai! Good point about the modern clinical lenses. And always love to see my other favourite camera youtubers!

[@KaiManWong]

They are soooo funny aren't they?

[@UFOJeroen]

​@@KaiManWong Yeah they are! And I just wan't to take this opportunity to thank you for all the great content over the years! You've been informing my camera purchases for over a decade now ;)

[@timothymartin6489]

Made me feel all warm inside that you're friends with Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake.

[@jonathanparkes8977]

Wonderful to see my favourite Canadians in your video. Great video. I smiled like a loon when they popped up.

[@Indrakusuma_a]

What a surprise collaboration! Now, if only you four lads, Kai/Lok and Chris/Jordan could somehow meet and do a video together. That would be the legendary collaboration of photography KZbin channels.

[@francuasantonious]

Chris and Jordan are great, as well as Kai from good old DigitalRev times.

[@ByteReview]

`Great video, Kai! Big fan of the new(?) A roll setup, looks clean!

[@N1k37ick]

Love this style of video - love the mix of history and review

[@numbersix8919]

Kai is an incarnation of some kind.

[@KitBetts-Masters]

Great video Kai. Loved the enthusiasm, makes it seem sensible to by this crazy lens!

[@4.N.A.M]

Wonderful vid Kai! Always a pleasure to hear you speak about your passions.

[@christophergibbons8748]

Loved the Chris & Jordan cameo!

[@mikejennings7897]

That is some interesting Canadian culture in a Leica video ? I remember driving by that factory in Midland when it was in production.

[@digitaldion]

I used to own a Voigtländer 50mm f1.1 - it was beautiful on my M8, but for some reason I never got the same quality photos with my full frame M9. I now have a 50mm Voitländer f1.5 that hits the spot on my M9. Thanks for the great video!

[@Rodericken]

I wonder how it performs in a video setting ! Love the video Kai, thnx !

[@dopplerfox]

I actually really love the way the f/1.0 looks! It has an unbelievably shallow, kinda dream-like look to it.

[@ronitsingh85]

This vid is like dai-ja-vu , very similar to the one done on digital rev on the noctilux when it came out, one of my fav!

[@AL-sf3qy]

Love Leica videos by Kai. Bought my first Leica M because of your digitalrev videos

[@thedondeluxe6941]

I waited for an F1 from Voigtländer for years and bought one immediately when they finally released it last winter. I was not disappointed! Fantastic alternative to the ol' Leica for around half the price, and actually a bit sharper wide open🤫

[@dominiqueparrish7473]

Loved this style of video! What a cool lens. And also love seeing a fellow watch guy. Spotted a Speedmaster and a Rolex!

[@TaijanH]

This Video is so good, reminding me of the old day when you shoot with Alamby and Luk in Hong Kong. The video then is informative yet entertaining. It was not just a review. Shame you don’t have the budget to do that anymore, and Hong Kong was not the same place.

[@redrosemassacre1]

Thank god! Someone who gets it! Vignetting and all those things that can be measured by MTF charts shouldn't be measured by said charts. They should be measured by the look they produce.

[@Goughie]

I like how the subtitles change "Noctilux" to "not deluxe" it is very much deluxe...

[@biosfearmag]

I appreciate the Golf comparison. I love my MK1 GTI :)

[@kentmemories]

kai is excellent both reviewing & story telling.

[@niceman249]

It’s clear a ton of effort went into this video, had to leave a like for that. Your content is always very entertaining even though I can’t afford any of the gear.

[@jacobolsen9135]

More like naughty-lux with that bokeh. Love these videos of vintage stuff!

[@-grey]

I was obsessed back in the day with ultra fast apertures. I got the 1.1 and the old FD 1.2L and the 1.0 Voightlander too. Now I can't look at the character of those lenses without feeling a little nostalgic, but also assigning my own amateurishness to it. So I've kind of ruined everything faster than f1.4 for myself.

[@janglausercomposer]

Speaking of Bokeh, I'd love to hear your take on the vintage Summitar f/2! Absolutely love it's soft rendering and swirly bokeh wide open. And for Leica glass, it's very affordable.

[@richardsimms251]

Very, very interesting. I have one of these Leica f 1 lenses and need to use it more often.

[@steveottavaino3804]

Absolutely some of your best work, superlative photos. Reminds me of my Nikon 58 1.4G, a lens most love to hate, but a tool capable of immense satisfaction and incredible results if utilized correctly. Thanks for sharing!! Cheers.

[@stefan_becker]

The Nikon 58mm 1.4G has incredible bokeh, but an awful focus shift making it difficult to get in focus images. Nowadays I'd recommend the Sony 50mm 1.2 GM. Crazy good bokeh, extremely fast af and incredible sharpness.

[@BrianMcKee]

For some bokeh with super character you should try the auto-takumar 35mm f2.3 with a small extension tube. Lens is absolutely wild and a ton of fun to use. Not too expensive either despite being only in production for 2 years.

[@Mamiya645]

Now I want to shoot video through optics like that. Brill vid

[@FrancoWang]

totally agree，I love my 50/f1 so much

[@bimmerman18]

Ah, Kai has great taste not only in cameras but in watches too. Is that the new Speedy on your wrist? Nice choice.

[@nathantw]

I remember seeing a Speedmaster on his wrist a long time ago. I think it was one of his first luxury watches.

[@fanjapanischermusik]

as germans we take our bratwurst and beer everywhere we go. loved this part!

[@mateuszzborowski8024]

Last time I laughed that hard at a camera vid was probably the dslr slippers one. Yet this here is so much more informative, refined I'd dare to say. Terminator: Judgment day of camera shitposting?

[@ziginox]

12:10 You make a discrete Letterkenney reference, and that's what I appreciates about you.

[@Justas49]

It's not perfect, but that's why it's perfect. Well said.

[@plankton.mp4]

so... Kai is in the watch game as well

[@goodmythicalmukbang3757]

This video violated at least 86 international treaties.

[@gavinthomas8880]

Wonderful stuff Kai!

[@jonnypappas_]

The sensor wobble on those wide shots is crazy 🫣

[@waynedennyphoto]

As a Canon R5 owner, even I thought that was ridiculous.

[@Sheepanatorz]

I remember the original digital rev noctillux video!

[@stuntmonkey00]

The noctilus is like a supermodel: it does one thing very well. It's terrible at the everyday things. If you aren't specifically shooting a portrait and obliterating the background, you just end up wishing you had a Summilix instead.

[@Mike_M_Smith]

Never had that experience.

[@aernandes1268]

Kai, you need to update your canon because of that background wobble 🤣

[@wisruteb]

Definitely a legendary lens. I had the Version 4 for a number of years and really enjoyed shooting at f2 to enjoy its watercolor-like bokeh. Unfortunately over time it didn’t pair well with my M Monochrom and had focus shift problems.

[@HennessyPatrick]

What about the 7Artisans 50mm F1.1? Id like to see a comparison of the two.

[@DrSeloom]

Hi Kai, does it matter that this lens is not 6-bit coded? I mean apart from manually adding it to say M11 camera? Your video made me consider purchasing this glass & brass beauty.

[@stefan_becker]

Nice video! But all the Noctilux versions are imho not a good investment. I used to have one of these in analog days and only got lots of soft images out of it because I could not focus precisely enough with the range finder. Also the bokeh isn't that great imho - swirly. Nowadays a far more reasonable option is imho the Sony 50mm 1.2 GM. Its autofocus is fast and extremely precise. Add a Sony Alpha 1 and you get a combo that is imho far far superior for the price of one Noctilux. And if you like the nostalgic vintage look and amazing bokeh, get a Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f1.2.

[@sergescardigno]

bokehlicious is my favorite kai w dictionary entry

[@numbersix8919]

Thanks Kai. I am definitely not ever going to own one of these! Although once in a blue moon, I'll wish I did.

[@michaelcampbell4503]

Humorous review, as always. Its a many coin bokeh vending machine!. My f1.0 is epic and a b***** to focus, but when you nail it as wide open as you dare the images are incomparable.

[@WunHeart]

great vid man, have missed your style of presentation.

[@GH-zs8eq]

Love your review Kai! How does it compare with the new voigtlander 50mm f1.0? :)

[@danallen46]

A great video would be to compare this Noctilux 50mm f/1.0 with the Canon EF 50mm f/1.0L.

[@mrdarryljones1]

The anti KZbin video; not about charts, specs, comparisons, or value for dollar but a concise description of the imperfections that made “perfect” art. (Jordan and Kai were also completely politically incorrect)! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@TechWithBruno]

Great video Kai!

[@MrSimonj1970]

Helmut Marx lol! Classic Kai, just needs the DRev theme tune.

[@wilfredshum3703]

I own the 0.95 and also the Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50 mm f/1.5 primarily for the bokeh. I think the Voigtlander has good value and worth giving it a try.

[@rmp5s]

Idea: Get one if the new DJI gimbals, one of their radar sensors and one of their focus pullers and set it up on this lens...I bet this thing would make some CRAZY looking video but keeping everything in focus would be a nightmare. Not anymore. 😎

[@Uebelkraehe]

What a beautiful lens. Reminded me that it's about time to dust off my Nikkor 85 1.4 AI-s...

[@martysender5539]

Not goofy...fascinating, and Kai, one of the best produced videos you've ever accomplished IMO. and the Canuck duo? LOL. I'll have my bokeh balls with cabbage. Marty Sender You Tube.

[@mannyvidsnyc]

😂😂😂 “should’ve held out for Matti and Peter…”

[@johanvanhuyssteen9217]

Hahahahahah best video in a while. Thanks for sharing!

[@matthewneleigh567]

I love a perfectly imperfect lens... though I doubt I'll be able to afford that particular one anytime soon!

[@lordtherapeutics]

This lens is like photography impressionist style. It's wonderful. Pixel peepers hate it.

[@gewglesux]

Priceless.

[@stephenedmunds207]

great video kai , mandler rules

[@cuatro336]

Kai still shoots with a typ240. I'm keeping my 246

[@alen2937]

It has its appeal... but I do now Rick, My Zeiss 50 1.8 sony E looks similar without the so much of the thin deep of field.

[@normie610]

The new Voigtlander Nokton f1.0 is also no slouch and has very beautiful rendering at a much cheaper price.

[@corybertelsen9577]

is that a digital leica with the old lens? or is it an old film leica?

[@TheIppoippo]

Christ almighty!!! Thanks for giving me major GAS! I have a GFX100S, with GF110, GF50 and a Nikon F mount Zeiss 85mm. The 50mm is rarely used, just like I use the 85mm Zeiss as a “character” lens. Watching this, my emotions are going “sell the gf50, Zeiss 85”, buy a Leica noctilux 50 f1

[@ChristianBorrman]

oh wow, did not see this pandora box coming 😂

[@bijakbijak4024]

Damn kai, batman, explorer and speedy!

[@uthmanaffan1022]

I own V1 and V3 both giving a different character. V1 E58 give you glow images especially on skin and more dreamy. V3 give me less glow and sharper than E58. And for V3 I used to 2 model Leitz and Leica both also give different character.

[@Veptis]

why not get the Leitz Cine Version which explode the price even more. Maybe a Noctilux vs Noct vs Super Nokton will show that Nikon is winning by a lot in objective measurements

[@mariowanagat1412]

Every photo I have ever shot with my M’s since the M8 have all get a post vignette in it, I felt ripped off not having them naturally coming

[@503unavailable]

As someone who bought the 50mm 0.95 TTartisan more then a year ago and has since then rarely used any other lense, this video is uniquely interesting to me. I can see how much better the „real deal“ is, but do i really feel like spending that much money??

[@acmdv]

3:38 - Someone's been watching episodes of the classic 80's sitcom 'Alo 'Alo!

[@martinschnabel1961]

Please make a video about your wristwatch collection.

[@wylie_photo]

I bet when Kai saw that grey M9 he just wanted to paint it pink...! ;)

[@Floyd_F]

Hey Kai! love your vids but gotta ask, what were you vlogging with at the start of the video? that IBIS wobble was nauseating. XD

[@daviddejuannavarro9423]

I think I have never gone under F2 in all honesty but it definitely it is a look and in some particular instances it might make sense. Beautiful rendering of course.

[@Mike_M_Smith]

That’s crazy.

[@daviddejuannavarro9423]

@@Mike_M_Smith what's crazy?

[@bngr_bngr]

@@daviddejuannavarro9423 that you never used an f-stop faster than f2.0. I use all my lens wide open. They were designed to be used wide open,

[@daviddejuannavarro9423]

@@bngr_bngr we might have a different opinion here. Lenses are almost never optimal wide open. One could say that they are designed to be used at around 4.5 on average with the option to go wider at the expense of lower performance levels. But performance aside, which is the less important aspect of this, shooting wide open is an aesthetic/narrative choice, not a design imperative. I tested very wide apertures but the look is not for me. I think F2 lenses are the sweet spot, pretty fast, enough background separation if needed and small. Some great APO F2s out there. If the circumstances allow it I will always aim for 4.5 since I like to retain background detail. But again, just a choice

[@Biosynchro]

@@daviddejuannavarro9423 The optimal aperture for 3D pop on a classic 50 Summicron is f/4. So you're pretty much right. However, with modern lenses like the SL series, you will get amazing results wide-open if you need it. They're big for a reason. Actually the same goes for the 75/1.25 and the 90/1.5 M. They are surprisingly sharp and clean wide-open. Still, the SL lenses are better than any M lens.

[@gigamoment]

I think there's a limit where the bokeh starts looking ugly. This lens surpass the that limit for sure. I recently realized that even a 35mm F2.8 lens produces bokeh that is pleasing enough to my eyes, and maybe to the most eyes, really beautiful bokeh if you just stare at it for a bit. Why do we need more?

[@darylcheshire1618]

I have the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L and it needs a bit more skill than a point and shoot. I enjoy how it makes you think carefully about the shot.

[@lint2791]

Rolex on the wrist, cartier ring on the finger. Kai is loaded yeah

[@TheChristopherRiot]

K. Just went out and bought a Noctillux lens. Now what? Do I need a camera?