Verdict On VC 50 mm F1 Noct?

[offshore]

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Haven't heard much about the VC 50 mm F1 Noct. and have noticed it is selling new out of Hong Kong for less than $900. The price on it, when new. was around $1,200 and there seemed to be a lot of excitement but I haven't read any reviews of it and haven't read about anyone raving about its results. I was interested in this lens at first but decided to wait for the shrink wrap to come off and read what users pro and con experienced with it. So what about this lens the good, the bad, the ugly?

[Guest AgXlove]

Tom Abrahamsson says (in part):

Indeed, there is a 50mm f1.1 from Cosina. I did shoot with it in March when we were in japan. Of course, i had to keep quiet about it, which is not easy!

 

It is a very sweet lens, slightly smaller than an older style Noctilux, 58mm filter thread. Weight seemed to be similar, or slightly lighter. The prototype looked a bit like a Nokton 50f1.5 on steroids. Similar knurling on the focus and it "sat" well in the hand when on the camera. There were two versions of the hood. One was a smallish, thread mount one, slightly flared (minimum intrusion into the finder of the M2 and ZM) and the other one was a larger diameter one with a clamp-on screw.

 

Image quality was very good. For obvious reasons I shot most everything at f1.1 or there-abouts. The corner fall off is less than on the Noctilux f1.0- looks to be around 1,0-1.5 stops. Less of peering through a tunnel as the Noctilux tended to create. Sharpness at f1.1 is very good - I did not do "resolution" tests - but looking at the negatives - I would have no problem blowing them up to 11x14 or 16x20 without having the lens being the limiting factor. I did shoot most of the pictures with Acros 100 and developed them in Beutler. This is a combination that takes "no prisoners" in terms of sharpness and contrast.

 

What I liked is the fact that a/ a bit more compact than the Noctilux and b/ apart from being very good at f1.1 - the quality when stopped down held up and it is nice and sharp throughout the whole f-stop range. This means to me that it could do duty as a "standard" 50mm without loosing image quality in bright light and on the "dark" side.

Link: Voigtlander 50/1.1 Nokton

Edited December 26, 2009 by AgXlove

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[offshore]

Thanks I read that review when the lens was first announced and saw the images that accompanied it. I'm looking for more recent opinions from users who have owned it and used it for some time and those who bought it and sold it for whatever reasons. It appears that not very many users on this forum have owned and used the lens so I'll take the question to another Leica forum where there may be more interest in sharing opinions.

[k_g_wolf ✝]

Try >>flickr<<

 

You will find a load of fine photosamples there. These can give you a good idea

what the lens can do ...

 

 

Best

 

GEORG

[delander †]

Or try here: Leica Noctilux F1 vs Nokton 1.1 | STEVE HUFF PHOTOS

 

Jeff

[tobey bilek]

VC 50 . ? When did Cosina Voitlander change their name?

[offshore]

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Delander thank you for the link it was very helpful. Tobey please, just go away.