I'm also considering it for my zf on which I mostly use old AIS non-cpu lenses. Is focusing any better/faster with this lens? I mean you get the confirmation box with CPU lenses like this whereas with non-cpu you're left only with focus peaking and zooming.
Interesting that you review these, and to hear your take on the sunstars. The 40/1,2 has ten straight blades which no zoom or other modern AF lens has, and it can show clearly defined ten ray sunstars at f/2,8, you don't need to stop it down to f/16 for that. (And bokeh highlights will never be round). It's part of the reason for CV lenses, just like the Loxias. The CV 50 1,0 has twelve straight blades and pretty 12 ray sunstars from f/4 - f/11 (it's mush at f/16 which you showed)
Exactly, they whiffed the sunstar testing because they were used to lenses with rounded blades that don't produce good sunstars unless stopped down to minimum aperture.
Nikon zf is the legit way for MF lenses. Focus confirmation and auto assist makes the experience really convenient I hope other manufacturers adopt this approach
I've been using the 40mm for a few years and absolutely love that lens. I picked up the 10mm f5.6 just over a year ago and it's a great option for an ultra wide angle that's very compact.
It’s always a conscious effort to shoot with my 35mm f1.2 Voigtländer, but when I do, it’s worth it every time. There is simply no other lens that renders faces and skin as beautifully.. Edit (for some reason I cannot reply): Skin is made up of many colors that interleave and "interact" with each other - shades of pink, beige, yellow etc. With some tweaking of HSL, clarity, contrast, white balance and some time in Point color, you can really elevate a portrait shot taken with any lens. Utilizing a few more advanced techniques like dodge & burn and split toning, you can get even further. But starting out with a good balance of colors to begin with can make a world of difference. The 35mm f1.2 Voightlander renders this balance of colors superbly and that is one of several unique strengths of the lens.
If you have a cheap 50mm f1.8, just go to the camera settings and remove all the contrast in the PICTURE STYLE setting and you will have beautiful skin even with a cheap lens.
@@michelecintramika8482 no doubt about that. If you can edit in Lightroom, you can bring out a lot of any glass, regardless of price. But all things being equal, my Voigtlander still renders skin tones more pleasantly than any other prime I’ve used. (And rendering of skin is only one aspect of the whole package the lens’ delivers) I don’t want to get into the specifics, but when it comes to skin, there are many many tones that are interleaving with each other - shades of pink, beige, yellow, etc.. it’s not as simple as moving clarity, contrast, HSL sliders. Etc. Even with more “advanced” techniques like dodge & burn or frequency separation for portrait editing, it’s still immensely helpful to have the the balance of colors rendered well right from the start
@@michelecintramika8482 no doubt about that. If you can edit in Lightroom, you can bring out a lot more from any glass. That said, all things being equal, the Voightlander still produces my best images of human subjects. I don't want to get too deep into the specifics, but let's take skin tones as an example (one of the several strengths of the Voightlander). Skin is made up of many colors that interleave and "interact" with each other - shades of pink, beige, yellow etc. With some tweaking of HSL, clarity, contrast, white balance and some time in Point color, you can really elevate a portrait shot. Utilizing a few more advanced techniques like dodge & burn and split toning, you can get even further. But starting out with a good balance of colors to begin with can make a world of difference.
@@michelecintramika8482 Spherical aberration is different to digitally reducing contrast. It creates a soft halation more akin to using black mist filters.
I can very highly recommend Voigtländer Lenses, best built quality you can get, very good to outstanding optical image quality. The Voigtländer APO-Lanthar Lenses are second to none ! I hope you will test many more Voigtländer Lenses !?
It is not a good advice actually. - The M Mount lenses (Voigtlander VM mount as they called) are designed for the thinner sensor profile of M cameras and usually have issues on thicker sensor cameras (as Sony or Nikon cameras) mainly on the corners. You can investigate it yourself on various reviews (eg check Fred Miranda's reviews on Voigtlander lesnes). Voigtlander 40mm 1.2 for instance is designed also for FE, RF and Z mount and it works perfect there, so you get much better corners than the M mount ones. So, clearly the M mount and FE, RF and Z mount lenses are not exactly the same optically. - The native lenses have contacts so, there are function that are missing if you use a VM lens with an adapter (eg EXIF, IBIS without manual setting the focal lens and various others different on Canons, Nikons, or Sonys) cameras. I own the Nikon version of 40mm 1.2 and there for example is subject detection square that becomes green when in focus (so for instance if you take portrait there is square on the eye that becomes green when is in focus and works perfectly).
I've been interested in getting a couple of the Voigtlander XF mount lenses. Your review has helped me get closer to making multiple Voigtlander XF purchases. Thank you!!
Hmm, I’m not sure these are worth the money compared to old manual film lenses with adapters. Yes there’s the electronic connection but is that really worth ten times the price?
Quick question guys: you do make decent money on RU-vid ads and Premium users, right? Then why do you impose not one but TWO sponsored content on us?? This is not the norm and is super annoying to your fans. The video makes and our support makes you more than enough money. Why do you even need a sponsorship? What do they sponsor anyway? Don’t RU-vidrs get the review product for free? I don’t mean any disrespect, it is a legit question
I am not sure it's "neglect". Voigtlander does not really seem to promote their products via RU-vidrs and in a way I applaud them for that, they don't hype their products. We can't expect reviewers to buy every lens they test.
I love the Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO. It's my favorite lens, manual focus is more fun, it's insanely sharp, but still feels like it has some character. I wish they made telephoto lenses.
@@tor2919 he doesn't mention that the Canon version has the option of no-click aperture adjustment for video either, while the Nikon Z version (afaics) doesn't but is slightly lighter.
I have several Voigtlander lens . Each having its own rendering and characteristics. They seem made with certain rendering in mind as they design them . I bought the 40 f/1.2 and 75mm f/1.5 for these reasons. I also have the 65mm f/2 macro . It’s a super high resolution lens and use it for that purpose. It’s learn a lens and use it accordingly
Great episode as always. Would love to see an episode about the APS-C - offerings from Voigtländer (especially on FUJI, because they pair really nicely with the more retro designs).
Just got the 40mm 1.2 for Canon R mount and it is AWESOME! Easily the best lens I have owned in the last decade. The rendering wide open is just beautiful. And the manual focus works very well with Canon‘s eye detection and focus assist. I shoot a bit slower but get more tack sharp keepers than with my af lenses.
10:55 THIS SAYS SO MUCH! Great on you two for doing the very basics, and doing it well. This shot shows so much, simply. The 40mm looks well matched to an A7CR, your side by side makes clear the SIZE and the Price difference, $1,900 is a high % of kitFunds to throw at a single lens, but a more compact and cheaper by 60% option makes this 40mm super interesting. Great job you guys. You’ve both transcended like 4 different businesses and still you’re doing what you do best, thank you Canada for Jordan and Chris.
You failed in your sunstar testing. Both of these lenses are well known for producing nice, well-defined sunstars; just not at f/16. You really should test lenses throughout their f-stop range.
I might also add that you made the same mistake in your Fujifilm 16-50/2.8-4.8 video; testing sunstars at f/16 rather than at f/5.6, where they are actually much better. But no one would know that from your reviews. Apertures like f/5.6 are also much more useful than f/16, so lenses that produce well-defined sunstars at such normal apertures should be praised.
All Voigtländers actually have amazing sun stars from the moment you stop them down with the exception of closed down completely. They use straight aperture blades so you’ll get very nicely defined stars even stopped down only by half a stop. Which is nice for getting starts in night scenes when you still want a fast aperture.
I have the Voightlander 28 f2.8 and 55 f1.2 on my Nikon F3 and adapted them to my Sony A7RV. Beautiful renderings and are my favorite lenses to do manual focusing, smooth and feels very premium.
Finally, at long last a review of Voigtländers. Thank you Chris & Jordan. You could have included the 35mm APO-Lanther for this review. The LoCA tests would have been more interesting to compare. I know Chris hates the 35mm, but still. A bit disappointed that the Z mounts were not included for this review.
It's Nokton not Nocton. Bit of an oversight there. I love Voigtlander lenses. The 35mm Nokton Classic SC in M-mount is my all time favourite lens (sorry Chris). I've paired that with multiple cameras over the years and I am always happy with the output. I paired it with the 50mm Nokton 1.5 II and I don't feel like I need any other lenses in those focal lengths. My biggest regret, lens wise, was selling my LTM mount 15mm Heliar. I loved that lens but it didn't play nicely on the Sony A7 I had at the time. Would have been brilliant on my X-Pro 1 and Leica M9 though.
Yes, the 50mm f2 Apo-Lanthar and the 65mm f2 macro are stunning. They are really sharp, and they have done something with the glass that gives really beautiful saturated colours and beautiful bokeh
Kasey @ Camera Conspiracies will probably buy you each a green tea now since you have praised the Voightlander lenses so highly. Gotta have that 3D Pop!
The 40/1.2 on Sony is the best looking render in the whole system, imo. Only thing remotely close for AF is the 50GM and 35GM... but still missing some magic. Voigtlander on rangefinders is the real chef's kiss, though.
i've got the 27mm f2 voitlander ultron for my fuji x-t5 and love the images i get out of it. Plus its a nice compact lens that i can leave on the same for casual photography or thow into a bag if i want to swap out to it.
Or you could just buy a Brightin Star 50mm f/0.95 for c. $315 when on sale (it often is). It will give you the same results. The wide open sample images in this video absolutely do NOT look any better than the photos coming out of the Brightin Star 50mm f/0.95 at a fraction of the price.
Voigtlander really makes some stellar glass. The 40mm f1.2 Nokton, the 50mm f2 Apo-Lanthar and the 65mm f2 Apo-Lanthar Macro are among some of the best lenses made for the E-mount system (or any other system for that matter) if you are willing to put up with manual focus and don't strive for clinical sharpness and rendering. What Chris didn't mention is that the contacts on the lens also serve to communicate with the focus-assist tools. If you turn the focus ring, you can automatically zoom in on the picture in the EVF to ensure your picture is correctly in focus, and with a half press of the shutter button you can see your full composition. Faster way of shooting manually, than having to program a separate button for that.
The Nikon Z Versions look much nicer with scalloped metal construction. I have the 40mm 1.2 and 75mm 1.5mm. They are brilliant, full of contrast and character.
Indeed! The APO Lanthars are pretty great! I also think the Ultrons are lovely and give plenty of character and are better than these Noktons. I do think any of the Voigtlander lenses are very fun to use, and it is fantastic not having focus-by-wire.
Would have liked to see a comparison with one of the cheapy chinese brands (e.g. 7artisans, laowa, meike etc.). Considering how bad these looked wide open (heavy CA/purple fringing/vignetting/softness), it's kind of hard to see why you would choose them over a cheaper brand. I know people wax lyrical about 'character', but until someone can give an actual explanation or comparison, I'm going to assume 'character' is a placebo effect that appears when people want to justify a $1,000+ lens purchase...
with those two beautiful lenses you talked for 10minutes and produce only those 4 photos? stop talking please, I turned off audio. I can't see anything dram aaaaa ticaly
The big tradeoff is you'll lose the ability to reliably zone focus in street situations. It's beyond me why Leica is one of very few (if not the only) manufacturer putting distance markings and focusing scales on focus-by-wire lenses.
I think that the Voigtlanders are a bit like the old Canon EF 85/1.2 in that people who use them value their ability to produce a specific "look" for the scene as a whole rather than a clinically sharp image at the plane of focus. The Sigma produces a better-corrected in-focus image in just about every measurable respect, but those corrections arguably come at the expense of a less graceful transition into out-of-focus areas. FWIW, I use the Sony 50/1.2 which is also a "heavily corrected" lens and I have plenty of fast Sigmas as well, so that's where my preferences lie. I'm just trying to explain why a professional might rationally choose the Voightlander.
@@ianroe1076 Apart from the Q series cameras (which have a fixed lens so hardly count) what focus-by-wire Leica lenses have distance markings and focusing scales? The new Hasselblad XCD V-series lenses, and the old Fuji focus-clutch equipped primes do, but no Leicas that I know of.
@@Bayonet1809 It's a focus by wire lens that can be effectively zone focused, dunno why being attached to a single camera body would invalidate that. It's a shame Fuji hasn't embraced it in the rest of their lens lineup, because otherwise every adjustment other than composition could be prepared without holding it up to your eye or looking at a rear LCD.
the 50/1 also has floating element which allows it to maintain sharpness regardless of focus distance. that's one of the main reasons why it's so expensive.
I bought the 40/1.2 years ago, and it was a great lens for casual portraits. I did find it looked a little better at f/1.4, but when I upgraded to an A7Rm4, it just didn't perform as well. The CA was a bit more obvious and the softness just didn't look so pleasing. In the end, the sony 35/1.8 won out, and I just don't use the nokton as much as I once did. It really is a great lens, one with character, but it's nowhere as sharp as the 50/2 APO, and it doesn't have "that old glow" as much as the Heliar Classic 50/1.5 does. Even so, it still has a place in my heart amongst the Cosina Voigtlander lens line up. If you're a 40mm liker, it's still a great choice. Just don't expect 61Mp great out of it.
3 месяца назад
40/1.2 user, I just hope they'll go wider 24-28 ish with the same formula!
It adapts fine but it isn’t the strongest CV lens optically to begin with. If you want an e-mount 28 I’d go with the Simera 28/1.4 for now.
3 месяца назад
@@liamriley9816 Both adapted CV or Z/E...-Mounts Simeras aren't really suited to thicker sensor stacks found in non-Leica cameras. I'll wait for a native Z-Mount solution, hopefully with electronic contacts like the 40
You need to try and make a video like this one about the Voigtlander Super Nokton 29mm f/0.8, the fastest production lens. Never seen a RU-vid video about it.
I got the Voightlander 35mm f1.4 Nocton for E mount. What a fantastic and small lens on a Sony body. Theses lenses have quirks and character and are worth it if perfection is not what you are after.
I’ve got the same 35mm f1.4 and I alternate between it and Sony’s 50mm f2.5 on my A7C. I love a good quality compact lens and these both qualify, just for different reasons.
I've got Sigma 35/1.4 Art lens, there isn't anything better (apart from GM) in the market today. But regardless, a lens without AF is totally unacceptable anyway.
Chris, Adobe profiles for 40mm f/1.2 Nokton do a decent job with the vignetting, particularly at wider apertures. I have the M-mount and using it on a Lumix S5 IIx so no contacts to transfer information thus I have to apply the profiles in LR. Not sure about the versions you're using but give it a try if they aren't applied automatically. I only have the 40mm f/1.2 so not sure if Adobe has a 50 f/1 profile
I own a few Voigtlander lenses, 23mm F1.2, 50mm APO F2, 27mm F2, 35mm f1.5...I think this review is missing the point, Nokton are for Low Light shooting mostly, ultron, color-skopar or lenses with F2 or higher are daylight lenses...so shoot those lenses in low-light.
Very happy owner of the 40 1.2 in M mount here, adapting to a Fuji X-T5 - this lens is a joy to use, and I love the rendering it produces especially with Classic Neg based film sims. I'm a sucker for green fringing in the right circumstances and don't need clinical sharpness, so this hits a very specific spot of immaculate make and handling and optical character that's right up my alley. Would love to shoot it on full frame, but none of the current systems fit my wants and needs the way that Fuji does, and buying a still quite expensive body just for adapted glass without a crop factor does feel a bit excessive. I'm also really enjoying the 60-75mm focal length I get from this lens and my vintage 50s, much more so than a normal 50 or 85 - maybe that's just from shooting differently in manual though.
I'm super interested in two related things: Comparison of M-mount Voigtlaenders with these (I'm mostly on L-mount, but still have m4/3, X, and would like to use them across systems.) The X-Pro3/X-Pro4 experience with these and the hybrid VF, as well as the comparison with non-X-Pro.
I hope you have a chance to try these again on an M body. If you get the chance - the 40 classic 1.4 is really inexpensive and comes in several coatings (dependent on the look you want) at almost 1/2 the price of the 40 you tested - and about 1/2 the size, and on the other end the APOs are really really good (and still not stupid expensive). Voigt is a bit 'focused' as shown by the limited line based on the mount - and the M/L39 has the widest range of options. I've had four of them - sold one with the M (regretted that), and traded/sold two others (and regretted them as well). Would love to see MORE Voigt reviews..
i bought the 110mm apo lanthar (never had a macro lens before) and soon after bought a nokton 50mm 1.2. i do love both. one of the great things of the electronics passthrough on the sony (and i assume the canon as well), is that you get full ibis support. would love to see a head to head w/ the 50mm f/1, 50mm f/1.2 and maybe the 40mm f/1.2 noktons just to see if it's worth to get the f1.0, and help people decide if they want the 40mm vs the 50mm
I love my voigtlander lenses from f-mount and my z40mm 1.2 is even better than those - amazing and fun. Saving for the 50mm f1 because it has a somewhat different look to it that is even more unique and beautiful.
I love Voigtlander lenses, but it makes me wish Canon would reissue their EF 50mm f1.0 for RF mount. Updated focus motors, lens coatings, modernized lens barrel (maybe some font choices that were a throwback?) but that same original optical design…that would be really exciting.
the M mount 40mm f1.2 is my main lens alongside the Leica 90mm f2 pre ASPH on mirrorless - beautiful rendering on both of them. What I love about these kinds of lenses is the tiny size relative to the super fast apertures; I very rarely feel held back by lack of autofocus, and in fact the tactile feel of a manual focus lens is often far more engaging. I just wish voigtlander would come out with a 135mm f2 or f2.8! Thinking of switching to Z mount for the ZF soon, and the Plena might by a tiiiiny bit out of my price range, quite apart from the size. But heigh ho. I recommend the 40mm f1.2 to anyone looking for fast, standard glass - I can keep it glued to my camera all day on the street, from environmental portraits to tack sharp urban landscapes :)
If you’re going to review any more “ interesting” lenses, can you check out the very pretty looking new Meyer Optik lenses from Germany? They’ve taken the unique older optics and re-housed them. But I hear very little about them.
The way I always looked at a comparison like modern Voigtlander branded glass and something like a cheaper TTartisan lens is that while both lenses might have similar tested and proven optical formulas design wise that are generally less complicated and are closer to vintage glass, with Voigtlanders you are usually getting a lot better coatings to go with it and the cheaper lenses, while still better coating wise than vintage lenses that didn't even have the formulations/coatings as an option, they are still closer to vintage than not. There's also the ability to actually use the near f1 base apertures and not be blown out by the "dreamy" effect too bad with Voigtlander compared to something like the 7Artisans 50mm f0.95 I have. I got it cheap to test, so I don't mind that it's really more of a f1.4 lens... and at that point I get great results just from adapting something like a Vintage Pentax SMC-M 50mm f1.4. Pretty much all of my personal photography is shot using full manual lenses with full manual settings. It's part of the experience that I enjoy, and I also like that these lenses are generally native mount instead of having the bulk of an adaptor plus a lens. Depending on the body I'm using, I'll use native manual lenses for work too (with my Pentax KP and K-1.ii I can just use catch-in-focus/focus trapping and basically always nail focus with manual lenses even for events with movement/action; helps get around Pentax's questionable AF on my bodies that lack the K-3.iii's improvements to make it slightly less questionable).
So basically the CA ruins the fastest aperture which is the big appeal of a lens like this. If I have to stop down to make it useable I'll just get something else. Can you please stop trying to make "Noct" happen. Absolutely no one knows what you're talking about.
The Voigtlander 12mm and 21mm are always in my camera bag. Small, sharp, almost zero flair, great sunstars, and a different "look" to the images. If I was a portrait shooter though, I'd definitely look into the 65mm f/2 (apochromatic (focuses all colours to the same point) and often reviewers say it's the sharpest lens they've ever tested).
At 1.0, that focal plane is sooooo thin, especially on the 50. I use the previous 50mm 1.2 Nokton, and I find close focus too soft (wide open) as a result. But backing my subject up for half/full body portraits and it actually renders quite sharp with dramatic background separation. For me that’s where this lens shines. Think subject isolation in a market, street fair etc.
The ultra-bright Voigtlanders are fun, but I don't think they represent what Voigtlander is truly capable of. Their Apo-Lanthar line for M mount, alongside some of the more "vintage" f1.5/1.4 Noktons are why they're truly loved
I have the voigtlander 35 1.4 classics I use it with the Sony a7c Great combo for size and weight I love it but honestly,it is the worst lens I have wide open, I have never seen purple fringe in any Sony Nikon or Fuji lenses that I have used before.seems to be a common things with all voigtlander lenses ,they offer you fast and bright lenses but they don’t deliver and their widest I guess. Thus Im considering my 1.4 a 1.8 unless In dark environments😅
Chris, can you please respond to my comment and nobody else’s? I just need some life affirmation. I’m in the 35mm of your audience. I live in Australia. Thanks Chris.
Lol @ portrait at 8:30. He looks like my wife when she asks, "Are you done setting up the camera gear? Can we just take the picture now? That light is too bright!!!"
Wish they would add weather sealing to these lenses. Yes they're built well but that metql on metal construction will pull water all over the place, and just watch a teardown of these to see that there's quite a lot of electronics inside nowadays. Other than that, really desirable lenses. Nice review guys!
It'd be interesting to see a side by side comparison with Chinese F0.95 lenses that cost between a third and a quarter of what these lenses cost. From this review, I don't see any significant difference