Zeiss 35mm f2 vs Voigtlander 35mm f1.2 ii

[uhoh7]

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Thanks for all the advice.

 

I have decided to go with a Voigtlander 35mm f1.2 ii second hand.

The reviews are fantastic and I love the pictures I see on flickr and other sites with this lens.

 

Perhaps I will try the Zeiss options at a later date as I always get itchy feet

 

Congrats, I hope you will post some shots from it in this thread

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[colonel]

Can I just ask a question about he Voigtlander 35mm f1.2 ii

 

I am testing my new (old) lens and the focus image doesn't move below the 0.7 distance on the lens, even though it appears to go down to 0.5

is this normal ?

[pop]

The range finder of the M7 will not work at distances smaller than 0.7m. When you extend the lens any further, it will not be in contact with the RF any more.

[colonel]

The range finder of the M7 will not work at distances smaller than 0.7m. When you extend the lens any further, it will not be in contact with the RF any more.

 

 

Many thanks

At least the lens is ok

 

I wonder if there is any way of focusing below 0.7 then ? Leaning back and forth ???

[pop]

Use a measuring tape?

[NightSun]

Many thanks

At least the lens is ok

 

I wonder if there is any way of focusing below 0.7 then ? Leaning back and forth ???

 

Sort of, yes. Basically, if you set the your focusing at a given distance in this RF-uncoupled range, let's say, 0.5m, that is, minimal focus distance on the Nokton 35/1.2 II, then since your RF patch remains at the last coupled 0.7m setting, you will get a parallax between your normal viewfinder image and the RF patch image when your subject in focus. However, at a focus distance setting this parallax will be a given, fix amount, which, by experimentation, you could measure in terms of RF patch width. (Of course this is much easier to do with a digital Leica M). E.g. with a test subject you get that you need a parallax of 1/2 of RF patch width for the given focus distance, then with some practice you can aim for the same amount of parallax with any subjects by leaning back and forth, while you keep the focus distance on your lens fixed, and then it will be in focus. Though sometimes it's still a trial and error, cause visually guesstimating the parallax obviously comes with some error - you definitely need a well-defined edge, point or similar feature on the surface you want to aim your focus at, since you have a confused image due to parallax. And this process is more difficult if you want to use the lens wide open like this, since focusing is much more sensitive in such a case. Another error source is turning the focus ring to the same distance in the 0.5-0.7m range, that is not exactly reproducible, except for 0.5m, as you know that for this you just turn it until its full extreme. So, it is obviously best to practice for 0.5m. However, with a film camera, you would waste quite an amount of film exposures, therefore it might not worth it.