Voigtlander 35mm Nokton 1.2 on Leica M8

[sisoje]

Hi All,
I was in Montreal last week and while touring old city I stopped at Leica Boutique on Notre Dame: great place for Leica fanatics. Lots of inventory and Jean was a great guy to talk to. One of the jewels he showed me was a 35mm Aspherical Nokton. What a chunk of glass!! I never had a chance to see the lens "in person" until now. I even put it on my M8 and did a test shot. Great feel having a big glass on M body (now I know how you lucky peple feel having Noctilux on your camera...).
Now, at this time I am considering getting this lens and I would like any kind of input from users of this lens on M8. Some samples, too.
Thanks.

[terrycioni]

Greetings,

It is a great lens - especially wide-open. A poor man's Nocti on the M8. Make sure you get the newly modified for the M8 version. The previous version will not focus at infinity. I am always amazed at how good this lens is.

Image 3 - is 2500 ISO at F1.2 Image 1 and 2 are both wide open @ 640. Image 2 was shot to demo bokeh and I will let you decide if you like it or not - some think it is a bit harsh - I like it.

I have a set on flickr....

Nokton 35mm F1.2 VC - a photoset on Flickr

Cheers. Terry.

[sisoje]

Hey Terry,
thanks for update. Few questions: do you use IR/UV filter on it? Did you try to code the lens?

The lens I tried had updated rear end and no issues with focusing on infinity...

[terrycioni]

Hi,

Yes, I use a B+W UV/Ir filter on the lens. I use the hood that came with the lens because it is not to bad when it comes to blocking the viewfinder of the M8. I have not tried to code the lens - haven't really found it all the necessary to code.

Great bang for the dollar spent.

Best. Terry.

[sean_reid]

This is one of the lenses that is part of my 35mm lenses review but I'm between examples at the moment, having sent an "old version" back to CameraQuest and waiting for a "new version" with the revised shroud. On the R-D1, I preferred the Leica 35/1.4 Asph to the 35 Nokton but, of course, the cost difference is significant. This may be of interest:
Luminous landscape

Its convenient that the 35 and 50 Noktons can both use the same 52 mm 486 filter.

Cheers,

Sean

[terrycioni]

There ya go! The above link from Sean Reid will take you to a very definitive look at the 35 Nokton among others. Sadly one review I did not read before I purchase the 35mm F1.2. Maybe I wouldn't have spent the money on it. That said I will keep shooting with it, warts and all. Of course I could always purchase a 3500+USD 35 F1.4 ASPH Leica lens - aw wait - isn't there a back focus problem with that one on the M8....

Best. Terry.

[sean_reid]

Hi Terry,

It's not a bad lens at all. I'll have to reread what I wrote about it but I don't recall it having any big weaknesses. It's just that, to my eye, it didn't sing when used side by side with the 35/1.4 Asph. Then again, its much less expensive. I did shoot with it on the M8, some months ago and I recall that the results were just fine...I wasn't wowed but it did its job competently. If you love it now, don't change on my account.

Cheers,

Sean

[terrycioni]

Sean,

No I won't change.. Can't honestly afford the Summilux or Noctilux so the Nokton is just going to have to do! I don't agree with Mr. Johnson's viewpoint on things Leica M8 (have you seen the latest follow-up rant - which is essentially a rehash of what he had already said), but he does make a point that is hard to ignore relative to how digital tends to minimize the lens advantages and disadvantages. It is a point worth exploring - scanner and film factors aside.

You raise this point often Sean - the cost of the Leica lens advantage is often hard to rationalize considering the performance versus value of the VC lenses, coding aside. If money is no object after the purchase of the M8 then of course coded Leica lenses are the way to go. If you have customers paying the shot - yup Leica lenses. In my situation neither is the case so I enjoy the Leica lenses I do have but really enjoy the VC/Zeiss options too.

That all said, these points apply to Canon, Nikon, et al.... I guess the difference is both of these OEM have less expensive lenses in their respective line-up. In the Leica world we have... Zeiss and VC.

Cheers. Terry.

[sean_reid]

Originally Posted by terrycioni

Sean,

No I won't change.. Can't honestly afford the Summilux or Noctilux so the Nokton is just going to have to do! I don't agree with Mr. Johnson's viewpoint on things Leica M8 (have you seen the latest follow-up rant - which is essentially a rehash of what he had already said), but he does make a point that is hard to ignore relative to how digital tends to minimize the lens advantages and disadvantages. It is a point worth exploring - scanner and film factors aside.

You raise this point often Sean - the cost of the Leica lens advantage is often hard to rationalize considering the performance versus value of the VC lenses, coding aside. If money is no object after the purchase of the M8 then of course coded Leica lenses are the way to go. If you have customers paying the shot - yup Leica lenses. In my situation neither is the case so I enjoy the Leica lenses I do have but really enjoy the VC/Zeiss options too.

That all said, these points apply to Canon, Nikon, et al.... I guess the difference is both of these OEM have less expensive lenses in their respective line-up. In the Leica world we have... Zeiss and VC.

Cheers. Terry.

Hi Terry,

I think that lenses are very important for digital photography. Lenses still draw the image on the sensor or piece of film. Each has its own personality and way of drawing. If anything, the M8 is making us more aware of the qualities inherent in each lens than ever before. Digital manipulation is no substitute for what the lens draws. For example, digital sharpening can never create resolution, it can only enhance the illusion of "sharpness" working from the raw materials provided to it by the lens.

When I look at the Zeiss and CV lenses, what I often see is performance that compares very well to that of Leica lenses even under the close scrutiny of the M8's sensor. So, in my mind, its not so much a matter digital photography making lens differences less important. Rather, and by strong contrast, the M8 and other higher end cameras are showing us how capable many of these lenses really are.

One caveat: As I've written before, low contrast lenses can expand a digital camera's effective dynamic range. One can certainly then dial in additional contrast (of various kinds) in post.

BTW, a lot of my work is paid for by clients and I use several CV lenses.

I just looked at the update and Mike did address the fact that he may have underestimated the shutter response speed of the M8. I'm the friend he mentions in that posting and I appreciate that he addressed the issue in (electronic) print.

Cheers,

Sean

[scott kirkpatrick]

Originally Posted by terrycioni

I don't agree with Mr. Johnson's viewpoint on things Leica M8 (have you seen the latest follow-up rant - which is essentially a rehash of what he had already said), but he does make a point that is hard to ignore relative to how digital tends to minimize the lens advantages and disadvantages. .

He's gotten an awful lot of column inches out of those <90 exposures, which he admits "kinda sucked," hasn't he? But then he is perhaps drawing on earlier and deeper experience for his knowledge of the Leica mystique and those who use them.

Sean, for your current 35mm review, do you have the leica 35 Summicron and Summilux side by side? The compactness of the 'cron really appeals to me, and I liked the shots I took a week or so ago, borrowing one from the Leica Berlin store, and it costs half as much -- a real bargain in Leica terms. So I'd like to see more of how it draws.

scott

[lars_bergquist]

Here's another alternative 35:
I sent my Summilux ASPH to Solms for coding and it is not back yet. So I have been using my old 'spherical' Summicron (1983 jubilee model) in its place as a 'walkabout lens', and I fell in love with the little devil. Again! It is good, and it is even better on the M8: the performance and exposure fall-off in the corners when wide open are largely cropped away, an what remains is the convenience. Also, I note that Leica may be going a bit too far when they say that 35 mm lenses 'must' be coded. Cyan corners are not really in evidence, though they possibly may be in a snowscape. This is nice because I really want to keep this little jewel in its near mint original condition.

The old man from the Age of the Spheres

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by terrycioni

Greetings,

It is a great lens - especially wide-open. A poor man's Nocti on the M8. Make sure you get the newly modified for the M8 version. The previous version will not focus at infinity. I am always amazed at how good this lens is.

<snipped>

Cheers. Terry.

I have a year old Nokton I use on my R-D1. Can it be upgrade for use on the M8 when I get one?

[terrycioni]

Originally Posted by johnastovall

I have a year old Nokton I use on my R-D1. Can it be upgrade for use on the M8 when I get one?

Hi John,

Yes it can! Stephen Gandy at cameraquest.com will do it for nothing but shipping charges if you originally purchased the lens from him. The important point is it can be done. VC issued a kit for the lens to modified for the M8.

Best. Terry.

[hiro]

Originally Posted by terrycioni

The important point is it can be done. VC issued a kit for the lens to modified for the M8.

Here it is. I just got my Nokton 35/1.2 back from Cosina today and they did a splendid job replacing the protective rear ring which is now shortened and has "stepped" bevel. The clearance to the "ridges" is ample and the lens now focuses at infinity with no resistance at all.

[sean_reid]

Originally Posted by scott kirkpatrick

Sean, for your current 35mm review, do you have the leica 35 Summicron and Summilux side by side?

scott

Hi Scott,

Yes, I do. The 75s article should be done this weekend and then the 35s some time this next week.

Cheers,

Sean

[sean_reid]

Originally Posted by hiro

Here it is. I just got my Nokton 35/1.2 back from Cosina today and they did a splendid job replacing the protective rear ring which is now shortened and has "stepped" bevel. The clearance to the "ridges" is ample and the lens now focuses at infinity with no resistance at all.

Yes, I just got a test copy with the revised shroud and it moved through the focus travel with no problems.

Cheers,

Sean