Voigtlander lens info

[mrcmrc]

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Hi guys, I wish to know if using a Voigtlander lens (like the 25mm f4 VM Color Skopar) on a M9, while I'm focusing, I can see the double image "effect" that help focusing, just as any Leica lens?

 

Thanks for the help!

 

- Marco.

[ericborgstrom]

Yes you can.

They work as an M lens apart from color changes in peripheral parts of the picture for some wide angle Voigtländer (and Zeiss) lenses. Learn about Cornerfix or for Lightroom Flat field plugin.

[k_g_wolf ✝]

You can, but works poor. Got this lens and the VC 21 mm-lens for my M9. Now I´am glad to have sold them both

because of the clourshift in favour of the 24 mm-ELMARIT (f2.8).

 

Have a look at the VC 21 mm (f 1.8): no Cornerfix necessary for this lens. It´s huge, but optically excellent.

No colourproblems!

 

Best

GEORG

[sbaruche]

I could not resist to share this photo taken with an old Color skopar 3.5/50mm remounted on a leica mount

taken with my M9

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[scaryink]

There are some wonderful Voigtlander lenses and they focus and function exactly the same as any Leica lens. Don't believe people who knock this manufacturer. Some people have bought into the Leica mystique and believe that no other manufacturer knows how to create good lenses of equal or superior quality. It's the photographer who makes great images and nobody cares what lens is used - except the testing type of person. I shoot with Leica, Zeiss and Voigtlander lenses and they all work well.

 

Never have I lost a shot from using a particular lens manufacturer - neither will you. The other thing I find funny is the idea of "bokeh" and that Leica has somehow found a magic bullet. As if one optical out of focus rendering is somehow superior to another. This is purely subjective, impossible to quantify and plain silly.

[CheshireCat]

As if one optical out of focus rendering is somehow superior to another. This is purely subjective, impossible to quantify and plain silly.

 

Beauty is in the eye/heart of the beholder. And it is not plain silly.

[Nick_S]

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I have been using it's sister lens the 21mm/F4.0 Color Skopar Pancake II since April on my Monochrom camera. It is so good (sharp but dreamy rather than clinical) that I have rarely taken it of the camera. My sample is also evenly sharp across all four corners with no indications of decentering and it has no issues with flare. When coded as a Elmarit-M 21mm f /2.8 ASPH, 11135 there is little or no-vignetting. The matching CV metal viewfinder is excellent (very bright) and for the price of the equivalent Leica viewfinder you get also get the CV lens included in the cost...

 

While M9 users have tended to report colour shifts at the edges with these Skopars in the past, by keeping the ISO near its base level and using the latest firmware the edge colours now seem to be okay (thoughI don't have an M9 to test this, myself).

 

My other lenses are the latest Leica formulations (35mm Summicron ASPH, 50mm Summicron, 90mm Macro Elmar), but I would have no problem buying another of the Skopar lenses which have their own particular character.

 

Nick

[250swb]

Hi guys, I wish to know if using a Voigtlander lens (like the 25mm f4 VM Color Skopar) on a M9, while I'm focusing, I can see the double image "effect" that help focusing, just as any Leica lens?

 

The first version of the 25mm f/4 was the 'Snapshot' lens and this is not rangefinder coupled, so you cannot focus using the focus patch, instead you guess the distance (or use a separate rangefinder) and set the lens accordingly. The second version the 25mm f/4 'P' has an M mount and is rangefinder coupled, so focusing is as normal.

 

Steve

[Everywhen]

I've got the Voigtlander 15mm and 40mm Nokton SC and have used them on M8, M9, Monochrom and M. They worked well on each of them. There was coloured edges on the M with the 15mm but easily corrected.

Both worked especially well on the Monochrom.

The 40mm is lovely and sharp with nice colour. IMO the VC lenses are great value. My single coated Nokton has real character.

[mrcmrc]

Thanks all for your great help.

 

Now I'm choosing between the 21mm and the 25mm (both Skopar), for reportage use, any advice?

 

Nick_S: your 21mm is this?

[JohnJWhite]

The first version of the 25mm f/4 was the 'Snapshot' lens and this is not rangefinder coupled, so you cannot focus using the focus patch, instead you guess the distance (or use a separate rangefinder) and set the lens accordingly. The second version the 25mm f/4 'P' has an M mount and is rangefinder coupled, so focusing is as normal.

 

Steve

 

Quite right. And to be doubly sure you get the rangefinder coupled version, be sure it has the native M bayonet mount. The early "snapshot" version was Leica screw mount, and needs an adapter to mount on an M Leica body.

[Nick_S]

Thanks all for your great help.

 

Now I'm choosing between the 21mm and the 25mm (both Skopar), for reportage use, any advice?

 

Nick_S: your 21mm is this?

Yes that is the one. The current CV models are listed on their website here:

Voigtlaender - Products

 

Note that their metal viewfinder has two sets of frame lines covering both 21mm and 25mm field of view in a single finder.

 

Nick

[honcho]

....Now I'm choosing between the 21mm and the 25mm (both Skopar), for reportage use, any advice?......

 

The only way you will find out is to try them on your camera. I can't speak for the 25mm but I bought a CV 21mm f4 (ltm with M adapter) shortly after it was released, purely for backpacking. I got rid of it after a short and frustrating time with it.

 

In it's favour, it is small and uses the 39mm filter thread, but this did not mitigate it's shortcomings.

 

It is not built to the same standard or with the same materials as the Color-Skopar 28mm f3.5, which is in a different league. The 21mm is not a 'sharp' lens and contrast is poor, again compared to the CV 28/f3.5 The poor contrast is especially noticeable with black and white film and on Fuji Velvia, colours are flat in comparison to better quality Leica lenses.

 

Worst of all is the CV21's propensity to flare and is probably the worst lens I have used in the last 20 years for that reason. Many of the images I took whilst backpacking the Pennine Way (the reason I bought the CV21mm) were ruined by big patches of magenta flare. The problem was not cured by using the LH-1 lenshood.

 

If Leica lenses are out of reach, my advice would be to try the CV 21mm & 25mm lenses and also try Zeiss ZM lenses in the same focal lengths for comparison. I have not tried the CV21 f1.8, but it seems to be well received. Otherwise, I would say it is worth spending the extra money on a far superior Zeiss 21mm lens with M mount than the CV21 f4.

[Nick_S]

Worst of all is the CV21's propensity to flare and is probably the worst lens I have used in the last 20 years for that reason. Many of the images I took whilst backpacking the Pennine Way (the reason I bought the CV21mm) were ruined by big patches of magenta flare. The problem was not cured by using the LH-1 lenshood.

Unfortunately, I sounds like you had a poor sample (which is not unknown). After reading your comments on the flare in the past I spent lots of time taking pictures with my new sample, e.g., reflected sunlight and night-time shots with direct lights etc., and I was pleased to find that my copy flares less than my 50mm Summicron.

 

Nick

[lct]

I have to disagree with what Honcho said above about the Skopar 21/4. My sample is a contrasty lens, a bit softer at f/4 than my Elmarit asph at same aperture but plenty sharp at f/4.5 and on. CA is limited, resistance to flare is more than decent, vignetting and distortion are moderate and easy to adjust in PP. Great little lens indeed, definitely a keeper. My sample is an M version BTW.