Voigtlander 35mm F1.2 Nokton wide open on M9/M8. Is it a good lens?

[eleskin]

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I currently have an M8 and will sometime this year buy an M9. I have the Noctilux f1.0 and really love it. However, there are some areas where the Noctilux has problems, especially shots of subjects that need a little more depth of field (Children moving around, etc,,,). The Noctilux is a great low light lens, but focus accuracy with subjects that move is a problem. So here, I am interested in what the 35mm F1.2 Nokton can do. I am especially interested in how this lens behaves at f1.2. What is the depth of field at f 1.2? The Noctilux has 2 inches of focus. How does this compare to the Nokton. How sharp are the in focus areas at f1.2? How is the low light performance with the M9 and M8?

 

Most importantly, the overall image quality. How would all of you rate it?

 

I have 2 Summicrons, the 35mm and 50mm for brighter conditions. The Noctilux is my very low light 50mm and Maybe this Nokton will be my 35mm for very low light. I am not in the mood to blow thousands on another lens. The Noctilux used was enough for me. This Nokton seems to be a great value.

 

Please post some pics at f1.2 with crops to show the detail so evaluate the sharpness of this lens.

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[jaapv]

The DOF @ 1.2 should be exactly the same for both lenses, so if you pull th Noctilux down 1/2 stop you are the same. The Nokton is a very nice lens.

[sixtus]

You'll find some Pics from the M9 and the 35mm Nokton 1.2 here, including the original sizes (hit the magnifier button).

 

I really love that combo :-)

[ArtZ]

YES! (On the M8,I can't say on the M9 'cause I don't have it)

[viramati]

from the size of it it looks like it must really impinge into the viewfinder. see link

 

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[cheewai_m6]

you can't get the same DOF between a 35mm and a 50mm. a 35mm on a cropped sensor will give you a similar focal length of a 50mm on a full frame, but WILL NOT give the same depth of view if both lenses are at f1.2.

 

read this article from steve huff.

 

Testing Lens Bokeh on Full Frame and Micro 4/3 cameras | STEVE HUFF PHOTOS

[Alnitak]

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The DOF @ 1.2 should be exactly the same for both lenses, so if you pull th Noctilux down 1/2 stop you are the same. The Nokton is a very nice lens.

 

No. The 35mm will always have a greater DOF at any distance and f-stop.

 

You can calculate actual DOF for your setup with a calculator like this one:

 

Depth of Field Calculator

 

As for the combination, I had two copies of the 35/1.2 Nokton and I found it too soft for my taste. Then again, I prefer the more clinically sharp images of the modern ASPH designs; the f/1 Noctilux is too soft and dreamy wide open for my tastes. If you like that look, and it would seem you do, then you will like the 35/1.2 Nokton, as it has the same look wide open. It's a big bulky lens, but you are used to that with your Noctilux.

 

Jeff

[jaapv]

You're partly right. At the same subject distance. I was, given the subject matter, assuming the same field of view.Which makes the DOF the same. DOF is not a function of focal length.

[Mauribix]

Great lens both on M8 and M9.

With the M9, you can use an "old" 35nokton too. In fact to focus @infinity with the M8, you have to buy a newer lens which is intended to be used with the smaller groove of the M8.

Being the M9's groove a bit larger, you can use every 35 nokton now available.

[Michael Tyler]

It was my favorite lens on an M8, and favorite lens period. Fullframe it should retain the wonderful character, just a little wider field of view. If you don't mind the soft glow of the Nocti wide open then you'll enjoy this lens too. Moving subjects are always going to be a challenge. Another inch or two of DOF isn't going to help that much, it has to be more about technique. If you want a wider simulation of the Nocti, then this lens is for you. It's also brilliantly sharp at f/2, which was where I shot 90% of my work.

[thompsonkirk]

I believe you asked pretty much the same question on another forum & got lots of answers?

 

The main problem with 35 Nokton 1.2 wide-open is chromatic aberration.

 

On most questions like this, the best place to look for tests of resolution, OOF rendering, & CA is Reid Reviews – though he has yet to start using M9 instead of M8 for testing & does not test color rendition..

 

Kirk

[exile]

I've been very happy with the 1.2 Nokton so far on the M9. My only comparison is the 35 cron ASPH on the M8. The Nokton is not as saturated and contrasty as the cron ASPH. This can be recovered in Lightroom if you want that "modern" look and are prepared to spend time doing the PP. However, I no longer have to use a lens with IR filters, and the Nokton 1.2 is naturally very flare resistant and handles shooting into the light very well indeed (the hood was essential for the cron with IR filter, but I don't use it at all for the naked Nokton because it dosen't seem to need it and it blocks a lot of the viewfinder).

 

The Nokton is a MUCH bigger and heavier lens, but it also has an extra stop and a half over the cron for low light use. If you accept that low light is no longer an M strength compared to other digital options, then the extra 1.5EV is a significant advantage.

If you were only going to shoot in daylight, I would say get a cron or biogon 35/2, or maybe even an old summar. Since you specify low light, and moderate budget, I think the only real choices are the CV 35 1.2 or 1.4 (of which the single coated-version best complements the digital M's ability to capture low light in black and white rather than colour). If you have a look at the Flick groups for each lens, it becomes pretty clear in a matter of minutes that the 1.2 has the smoother bokeh and a better ability to isolate subjects at middle distances.

As said above, the 1.2 is nicely sharp by f/2. At 1.2 it may not be super-sharp as measured empirically, but the majority of the composition will be out of focus, so there is a perceptual effect that compensates and makes the subject stand out as being sharp anyway.

 

Really, there's nothing wrong with the 1.2 Nokton at all, unless weight and size is a problem. For these two reasons only, I'll keep it until I can afford the rumoured new 35 lux.... which could be some time never looking at my curent bank balance