Jerry_R Posted January 4, 2012 Share #81 Posted January 4, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) I got today CV 35mm Nokton f/1.2 II. I didn't expect it to be so good! It is really really good lens. Period. Is it best and for everybody and for everything? No. Few more comments below. Selection is not easy These are my personal comments, other people may have different priorities! I had to check 3 copies to find one focusing perfectly with my M9. Plus one item (4th) was broken! Aperture didn't want to open fully! Dealer told me, that it seems there is faulty series, because more pieces were affected. Nokton is too big and too heavy for me. I used to have and use for quite long time Summilux 35mm FLE, which I was forced to sell due to finance reason. I regret it a lot. I need 35mm lens, that I can bring all the time with me. Plus M9 body. So, if I would decide on Nokton, I would have to buy eg. Summarit. What I don't want to do. Nokton is not "have all the time with me" lens. Focusing - I prefer leica lens more - easier, quicker for me to focus. I also miss focusing tab in Nokton. I had a chance today to compare it to Summilux 35mm ASPH (I). Summilux ASPH (I) gives nicer, closer to reality colors, temperature. Of course you can play with post processing, white balance cards, caps, etc. Nokton has bigger distortion. It is not visible on every shot, but on some yes, just be aware. Nokton is sharp at f/1.2 in the center! It is fully useable for me! I didn't expect it! Nokton is also as sharp at f/1.4 as compared by me Summilux ASPH (I)! BUT - and this is BIG BUT, in very central area of the frame. It causes bigger blur outside of focused central area. Bigger then Summilux. That may be good in many situations! I didn't have time to check, if it is question of field curvature. If yes, it could be sharp at f/1.4 out of central area, but then central area would not be optimally sharp. Like with CV 75mm f/1.8 lens. These who have read Reid Review of this Helair Classic know what I mean. If not - then it is very sharp on wide apertures only in central area. Nokton is ultra sharp at f/5.6. Moire is very frequent. I didn't observe any focus shift with Nokton. I like its Bokeh. * * * So what about Summilux ASPH? This is tough subject... I would expect it easy, but isn't so straightforward. And was discussed on the forum already. Summilux ASPH (I) would be absolutely OK for me, if not focus shift... It disqualifies it. I do not need a lens, that can be used at f/1.4 or f/8. And all copies I had in hands, had it. It was very interesting to attach it to SONY NEX, set focus at f/1.4, turn on peaking and observe - how it runs away from zero point... Also lens hood - I would not use it. Colors it was giving - were pleasing. Summilux ASPH (II) I had - didn't show visible focus shift. It was acceptably small and light. Its lens hood was also OK. Colors it was giving - were pleasing. Sharpness was also very good on every aperture. Bokeh... Here we come... In many situations - it was harsh, busy. Esepcially worser close to 4 corners, or 2 top corners... Nokton and Summilux ASPH (I) have nicer bokeh to me... Maybe that will help to someone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 4, 2012 Posted January 4, 2012 Hi Jerry_R, Take a look here VC 35 1.2 v2. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Jerry_R Posted January 4, 2012 Share #82 Posted January 4, 2012 Am reviewing Rangefinderforum again, 'rsolti' has very similar observation: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1699843&postcount=101 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
macusque Posted January 4, 2012 Share #83 Posted January 4, 2012 Agreed on the Summilux Asph I vs II bokeh, I didn't try the new one, but so far there's not a single image that reminds me the beautiful bokeh I get with version I. Now I ordered a Nokton 35 because some images I've seen are simply stunning as far as the way it draws. Although now I'm a bit worried about focussing! Hope to get a good copy... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Thompson Posted January 5, 2012 Share #84 Posted January 5, 2012 Dang it, GAS strikes again. Ordered one this morning. Thanks for the push. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Thompson Posted January 7, 2012 Share #85 Posted January 7, 2012 Update, my copy arrived today. I believe Photovillage has one left. Focus is spot on, and the preliminary files are more promising than any first afternoon experience I have had with a lens. It shines on the Nex 5n too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
macusque Posted January 9, 2012 Share #86 Posted January 9, 2012 Nice to hear your gut feeling is very positive! I still have to wait to get mine from cameraquest. Probably later this month or early february. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D&A Posted January 9, 2012 Share #87 Posted January 9, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi All, Like Jerry, I did a comprehensive test of the CV 35mm f1.2 (II) against Leica's 35m Lux asph (I) and the current FLE. I completely concur with virtually all that Jerry posted in his comparisons and would oly elaborate on one area he briefly touched upon. The CV 35mm f1.2 (II) DOES have fairly extensive field curvature and I've heard few mention it until I read Jerry's posting. I previously mentioned it to one of those posting on RRF. Controlled testing at f1.2 to f4 demonstrates this prettty clearly when focused on a flat field subject. For example, the center of the image is sharp at f1.2 thru f2.8 but as one examines the image away from the center, the focused-on flat field subject goes soft into a blur (equally on both sides)...yet the foreground of the right and left hand sides of these images ( is sharp). I know of one other non rangefinder lens that exhibits this type of extreme field curvature. Therefore this lens is sharp, especially at f2 across the frame but due to field curvature, it might night seem this way unless you examine the foreground well in front of the centrally focused on subject on the sides and edges and then see those foreground areas being sharp too. From memory, I don't recall the older CV 35mm f1.2 ver I having this much field curvature and it may be why samples of CV 35mm f1.2 (II) I tried were somewhat sharper at f1.2 in the center of the frame than those of the CV 35mm f1.2 (I). Field curvature introduced in the optical design of the newer CV 35mm f1.2 (II) lens may be the tradeoff to obtain better center shapness as compared to it's older sibling. As to whether I prefer the new CV 35mm f1.2 (II) lens or Leica's 35mm Lux asph (I) better? As Jerry pointed out, thats a tough question. The focus shift of the Leica was there to varing degrees on every copy of the Lecia I tried. It can be mitigated somewhat by having the lens adjusted for best focus at f2. This way at f1.4 there is a smigin of front focus especially at close distances and at f2.8 and f4, the larger depth of field covers up whatever backfocus can be detected. The bokeh of both lenses is lovely with possibly the slight edge going to the Leica but the CV lens may actually be sharper at f1.4 in the center of the frame. No doubt the CV lens is a tremendous buy at its price for all it does well (aside from physical size of the lens). Dave (D&A) The Leica 35mm f1.4 Lux asph (I), also exhibits some of this, but not to the extreme of the CV lens...but it's not as sharp at the sides and edges of any part of the frame as the CV lens is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotolebrocq Posted March 7, 2012 Share #88 Posted March 7, 2012 As a post script to my earlier postings I have just obtained a very late 6 bit summilux asph for £2.6K subject to testing for focus. I have been comparing this with my Nokton 1.2 ll all morning. It was evident with just the first half dozen shots that the Nokton was better - the focus at 1.2 was spot on and sharper than the Summilux whereas the leica's focus was marginally 'off' on all shots by comparison. Of course, it may be just this copy but I just have to say the Nokton is one hell of a lens for the price. The Summilux is going back which is a shame as I do like the smaller size - but for me, image quality comes first. Anyone wavering about buying the Nokton should just go for it - if it's image quality you're after you will not regret it! Tony Documentary, Street and Social Photography in Crete and UK Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdk Posted March 7, 2012 Share #89 Posted March 7, 2012 I kind of wish Zeiss would jump into the fray and design a 35mm/1.4 ZM lens. If it was smaller than the 35mm/1.2 Nokton and bigger than the 35mm/1.4 Summilux ASPH, but about the same in image quality, that might be a winner (even at $2,000-$3,000 US). For me, I can’t justify the expense of the Summilux to myself, and I decided the Nokton is too large, getting into SLR lens size. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglasf13 Posted November 29, 2012 Share #90 Posted November 29, 2012 Dang it, GAS strikes again. Ordered one this morning. Thanks for the push. Shoot, I just ordered one for my M9 today, too. The 35/2 IV and 90/2.8 TE are my usual small setup these days, and this Nokton will be a nice supplement when the light goes down and I don't mind the size. The 35/2 will still remain my everyday lens, but the Nokton 35/1.2 is hard to pass up at that aperture and price. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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