6-BIT code for Voigtlander 35/1,2 Nokton?

[sg.eson]

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I am about to permanently code (mill the holes + paint code) a Voigtlander 35/1,2 Nokton to be used on a Leica M9. What are the experiences? What code eliminates the red edge problem, and also works well regarding vinjetting?

[PasMichiel]

I suggest: 011101

 

Where 0 is white and 1 is black

 

http://whimster-photography.com/leica_m_lens_codes/index.html

 

The Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH.

 

But first select this one in the M9 menu.

[Ecar]

Haven't used this lens on the M9 yet, but I also coded it as a Lux 35/1.4 ASPH for the M8.

 

The lens selection menu on the M9 makes selecting the optimal code much easier: I take pictures of a white or gray wall with manually-selected codes that I think may work, and choose the one that works best based on what I see.

This is particularly useful for old Leica/Leitz lenses, as well as other manufacturer's (e.g., CV) or "exotic" glass.

[PasMichiel]

I used the code kit first too. Then the dremel

 

[sg.eson]

Thank You.

[thompsonkirk]

You posted the same inquiry on the Rangefinder forum, & there are a number of responses there..

 

Kirk

[DFV]

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Hi Kirk,

 

Can you post samples of the Nokton? It has always been an interesting lens to me yet after the 1,4 I am not too sure... Do you have other 35mm to compare it against?

 

Thanks.

[thompsonkirk]

Hi DFV,

 

I just posted one here, the picture of the juke (or compact disk) box:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/people/131852-bar-guys-their-juke-box-x2.html

 

And a couple of weeks ago I posted a series on Alcatraz Penitentiary, all with this lens at wide apertures:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/people/129416-john-ellis-alcatraz-penitentiary-hospital.html

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/130884-doors-shut-behind-you.html

 

I use it indoors, & outdoors at twilight, @ 1.2 to 1.8. These are situations where sharpness & color accuracy aren't so critical. It does produce its share of CA. I use pre-asph Summicrons (35 v1 & 40) the rest of the time.

 

Kirk

[DFV]

Hi DFV,

 

I just posted one here, the picture of the juke (or compact disk) box:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/people/131852-bar-guys-their-juke-box-x2.html

 

And a couple of weeks ago I posted a series on Alcatraz Penitentiary, all with this lens at wide apertures:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/people/129416-john-ellis-alcatraz-penitentiary-hospital.html

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/130884-doors-shut-behind-you.html

 

I use it indoors, & outdoors at twilight, @ 1.2 to 1.8. These are situations where sharpness & color accuracy aren't so critical. It does produce its share of CA. I use pre-asph Summicrons (35 v1 & 40) the rest of the time.

 

Kirk

 

 

Nice! Have you cropped or post processed these shots? Just want to know how it does at f1,2 and low light, especially at the corners, and especially with the M9.

[DFV]

When the M8 first came out there was a long thread about simply using a "sharpie" pen to mark the code on the lens mount. How have those held up, or do they just rub off too soon to bother with?

 

Paul

PaulRoark.com -- Paul Roark's Photographic Home

 

Well, it works but needs to be reapplied from time to time. In any case it seems to be a better solution since you can change it. I used a Zeiss 18mm with the WATE 18mm setting and was not impressed. Turns out the best setting for this lens was the 21mm pre-ASPH. and not the WATE. Imagine I used the Dremmel on this...

[thompsonkirk]

DFV,

 

All of the shots are nearly full frame – they're cropped only to level the horizon &/or to apply some perspective crop. Yes they're M9 & are post-processed – my images all end up with multiple adjustment layers. Also I have used the Adobe camera profiling software to make a color-corrected profile that's specific to the lens.

 

I wonder if you're hoping for more than this lens can give. It's not going to be especially sharp wide open or in the corners, & you'll need coding or manual lens setting &/or PPing to correct vignetting.

 

But if you're going to use it at large apertures to photograph anything but flat surfaces / brick walls, the shallow DOF means you aren't going to have corner sharpness anyway, because near & far can't be in focus. Chromatic aberration is its main problem, not sharpness. Also, CV lenses aren't that great re: quality control; sometimes they're decentered & have a soft corner. This would show up if you tested the lens, but when using wide apertures you'd probably never notice it.

 

From your questions, it sounds like what you need or want is the new floating-element 35 Asph Lux. You might consider the Nokton as a very inexpensive (20%) but somewhat compromised substitute.

 

(I have one of those Luxes on order & will be selling my other 35s if it's not too 'clinical.')

 

Kirk

[DFV]

Well, many thanks! That is what I thought. The truth is that I am a bit old-school, so retouching shots is not my favorite thing in the world. Personally, sharpness is not so much an issue with me as is vignetting (which was the real reason for my question). I find vigneting much harder to corect. Added to that, the M9 is not a forgiving camera with non-Leica glass especially with wide angles or ultra fast lenses.

[thompsonkirk]

While we were writing back & forth, Sean Reid posted a long review of fast 35s on http://www.reidreviews.com

It should settle any questions. The only omission is field performance in color – Sean is behind the times in testing mainly in BW.

 

Overall I suggest you not worry much about vignetting. It's going to occur with any fast lens (as Sean's illustrations show), & It's not a big 'retouching' problem.

 

--Lots of us burn in our edges & corners anyway, in either the wet or the digital darkroom. From this standpoint, a bit of vignetting may be OK or even desirable.

 

--If you want to change or improve vignetting, it's not a big tech problem. You just use the Photoshop slider under Filter>Distort>Lens Correction – or the equivalent in any other conversion or post-processing software.

 

Kirk