Leica NOCTILUX-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH User manual

LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. 1
The LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH offers a unique range of features. A noticeably (11%) higher speed has been achieved
in a body with almost the same diameter and only very slightly longer than its predecessor, the Noctilux-M 50mm f/1. At the
same time, its rendition quality significantly exceeds that of its predecessor, while retaining the typical, slightly soft reproduction
of the previous lens. Even at full stop, the LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50mm ASPH f/0.95 demonstrates excellent reproduction quality,
which only deteriorates slightly towards the edges - while the slightly smaller format of the Leica M8 models only capture less of
these areas anyway. Stopping down brings a continuous significant improvement in performance, up to an exceptional level over
the entire image field at 5.6. Even in the close-up range, this performance is largely retained thanks to a "floating element".
The strikingly low degree of vignetting for such a high speed lens is a maximum - i.e. in the corners of the image - of just 3.2
stops at full aperture in 35mm format, or around 1.5 on the Leica M8 models. Stopping down to 2 visibly reduces this light falloff
towards the edge of the image, with practically only the natural vignetting remaining. Distortion is slightly barrel-shaped and, at a
maximum of just 1%, is hardly perceptible in practice. The construction is similar to a double Gauss type and uses a total of eight
lenses to achieve this excellent performance. Of these, five are made of glass types with anomalous color dispersion (partial
dispersion) to correct color defects, while three simultaneously have extremely high refractive power. Because of their large dia-
meter, the two aspherical lens surfaces are produced by meticulous grinding and polishing. To maintain performance in the close-
up range, the rearmost element of the optical system is a "floating element", i.e. it moves independently of the rest of the mecha-
nism.
Summary: The LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH represents a unique high performance lens. It combines exceptionally
high speed with an image performance that ranks alongside that of today's leading lenses and once again extends the composi-
tion options of Leica M photography.
Lens shape
ASPH.
ASPH.
Floating element

LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. 2
Technical Data
Angle of view (diagonal, horizontal, vertical)
Optical design
Distance setting
Aperture
Bayonet
Filter mount
Lens hood
Dimension and weight
47° / 40° / 27°
Number of lenses/groups: 8 / 5
Focal length: 52.3 mm
Position of entrance pupil: 50.6 mm (related to the first lens surface in light direction)
Focusing range: 1 m to infinity
Scales: Combined meter/feet graduation
Smallest object field: 406 mm x 608 mm
Largest reproduction ratio: 1:17
Setting/Function: With click-stops, half values available
Lowest value: 16
Leica M quick-change bayonet with 6 bit lens identification bar code for digital M models
Screw-on filter E60 with accessory filter holder
Yes, extendable
Length: approx. 75.1 mm
Largest diameter: approx. 73 mm
Weight: approx. 700 g
Engineering drawing

LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. 3
0 5 10 15 20
Y' [mm] = 21.0
0
20
40
60
80
100
[%] Aperture Stop 0.95
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
0369121518
0
3
6
9
12
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 5 10 15 20
Y' [mm] = 21.0
0
20
40
60
80
100
Aperture Stop 5.6
[%]
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
0369121518
0
3
6
9
12
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 5 10 15 20
Y' [mm] = 21.0
0
20
40
60
80
100
[%] Aperture Stop 2.8
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
0369121518
0
3
6
9
12
MTF graphs
The MTF is indicated both at full aperture and at
f/5.6 at long taking distances (infinity). Shown
is the contrast in percentage for 5, 10, 20 and
40 lp/mm accross the height of the 35 mm film
format, for tangential (dotted line) and sagittal
(solid line) structures, in white light. The 5 and
10 lp/mm will give an indication regarding the
contrast ratio for large object structures.The
20 and 40 lp/mm records the resolution of finer
and finest object structures.
tangential structures
sagittal structures
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. 4
Distortion
Vignetting
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 5 10 15 20
Y' [mm] = 21.0
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
[%] Relative Distortion
0369121518
0
3
6
9
12
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 5 10 15 20
Y' [mm] = 21.0
0
20
40
60
80
100
[%] Vignetting
0.95
2.8
5.6
05101520
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
0369121518
0
3
6
9
12
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
0
20
40
60
80
100
05101520
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
0 3 6 9 12 15 18
X'[mm]
0
3
6
9
12
Y'[mm]
Effective Distortion
Distortion is the deviation of the real image height
(in the picture) from the ideal image height. The
relative distortion is the percentage deviation.
The ideal image height results from the object
height and the magnification. The image height of
21.6mm is the radial distance between the edge and
the middle of the image field for the format 24mm x
36mm. The graph of the effective distortion illustra-
tes the appearance of straight horizontal and verti-
cal lines in the picture.
Vignetting is a continous decrease of the illumina-
tion to the edges of the image field. The graph
shows the percentage loss of illumination over the
image height. 100% means no vignetting.

LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. 5
Depth of field table
Magnification
1 0,990 - 1,010 0,986 - 1,015 0,980 - 1,021 0,972 - 1,030 0,960 - 1,044 0,945 - 1,063 0,923 - 1,092 0,897 - 1,131 0,858 - 1,204 1/16,9
1,2 1,185 - 1,215 1,179 - 1,222 1,170 - 1,232 1,158 - 1,245 1,141 - 1,265 1,120 - 1,294 1,088 - 1,339 1,052 - 1,400 0,997 - 1,516 1/20,7
1,5 1,476 - 1,525 1,466 - 1,535 1,452 - 1,551 1,434 - 1,573 1,407 - 1,606 1,374 - 1,653 1,326 - 1,729 1,271 - 1,835 1,189 - 2,045 1/26,4
2 1,957 - 2,045 1,939 - 2,065 1,914 - 2,094 1,882 - 2,135 1,835 - 2,198 1,777 - 2,289 1,697 - 2,441 1,606 - 2,663 1,475 - 3,142 1/36
3 2,902 - 3,105 2,862 - 3,152 2,807 - 3,222 2,737 - 3,321 2,638 - 3,481 2,516 - 3,720 2,354 - 4,150 2,180 - 4,852 1,941 - 6,772 1/55
5 4,730 - 5,303 4,622 - 5,446 4,478 - 5,662 4,299 - 5,979 4,055 - 6,528 3,772 - 7,442 3,414 - 9,425 3,053 - 14,16 2,598 - 89,26 1/93,1
10 8,97 - 11,31 8,581 - 11,99 8,090 - 13,10 7,517 - 14,96 6,796 - 19,01 6,026 - 29,79 5,153 - 202,2 4,365 - ∞ 3,482 - ∞ 1/188
∞ 85,64 - ∞ 59,73 - ∞ 41,85 - ∞ 29,91 - ∞ 20,95 - ∞ 14,98 - ∞ 10,50 - ∞ 7,654 - ∞ 5,279 - ∞ 1/∞
16
Distance Setting [m]
11
perture Stop
2,8 4 5,6 80,95 1,4 2
perture Stop 0,95
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1
1,2
1,5
2
3
5
10
∞
Distance Setting [m]
Depth of Field [m]
perture Stop 1,4
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1
1,2
1,5
2
3
5
10
∞
Distance Setting [m]
Depth of Field [m]
perture Stop 2,0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1
1,2
1,5
2
3
5
10
∞
Distance Setting [m]
Depth of Field [m]

LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. 6
perture Stop 4
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1
1,2
1,5
2
3
5
10
∞
Distance Setting [m]
Depth of Field [m]
perture Stop 2,8
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1
1,2
1,5
2
3
5
10
∞
Distance Setting [m]
Depth of Field [m]
perture Stop 5,6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1
1,2
1,5
2
3
5
10
∞
Distance Setting [m]
Depth of Field [m]
perture Stop 8
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1
1,2
1,5
2
3
5
10
∞
Distance Setting [m]
Depth of Field [m]

LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. 7
Leica Camera AG / Oskar-Barnack-Straße 11 / D-35606 Solms / Telefon + 49 (0) 6442-208-0 / Telefax + 49 (0) 6442-208-333
www.leica-camera.com / [e-mail]
perture Stop 11
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1
1,2
1,5
2
3
5
10
∞
Distance Setting [m]
Depth of Field [m]
perture Stop 16
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1
1,2
1,5
2
3
5
10
∞
Distance Setting [m]
Depth of Field [m]