M mount lens comparison between Zeiss and Voigtlander

[Einst_Stein]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I cannot find trusty or even any comparisons between Zeiss ZM and the more modern VM, A few years ago, it seemed generally agreed  that ZM is visibly superior to VM of the counter focal length, but VM has a lot more lenses recently, I wonder if that impression still stands.

I am particularly interested in 50mm.f2, 50mm.f1.5, 35mm/f1,4, 35mm/f2, 28mm/f2.8, 25mm/f2.8, 21mm/f2.8, While VM may have wider aperture in the corresponding focal length, which is a big plus, but I wonder how the compared at the overlapped stops. A wider aperture with inferior performance at stop down is not very attractive to me.

 

 

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[SiggiGun]

 I have no experience with Voigtländer lenses. But I guess the build quality us the same. Both are build by Cosina (except the Zeiss 15m). Furthermore, Voigtländer has classic design and asperical design lenses. This is nor the case of Zeiss. At the end, the question is what type of rendering you want see. Thake as an example: Zeiss 50mm Planar and Sonar. Totally different but each excellent for different usage 

 

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, SiggiGun said:

 I have no experience with Voigtländer lenses. But I guess the build quality us the same. Both are build by Cosina (except the Zeiss 15m). Furthermore, Voigtländer has classic design and asperical design lenses. This is nor the case of Zeiss. At the end, the question is what type of rendering you want see. Thake as an example: Zeiss 50mm Planar and Sonar. Totally different but each excellent for different usage 

 

Zeiss 35mm f1.4 distagon has aspherical elements and  is a floating element design.

[SiggiGun]

Yes, you're right, this is the only new design 

[crony]

12 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

I cannot find trusty or even any comparisons between Zeiss ZM and the more modern VM, A few years ago, it seemed generally agreed  that ZM is visibly superior to VM of the counter focal length, but VM has a lot more lenses recently, I wonder if that impression still stands.

I am particularly interested in 1)50mm.f2, 2)50mm.f1.5, 3)35mm/f1,4, 4)35mm/f2, 5)28mm/f2.8, 6)25mm/f2.8, 7)21mm/f2.8, While VM may have wider aperture in the corresponding focal length, which is a big plus, but I wonder how the compared at the overlapped stops. A wider aperture with inferior performance at stop down is not very attractive to me.

Hi, of your lens types mentioned I only have for 1) a pair : Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar - ZEISS Planar. Of these I rate the V as better (sharper, contrastier, etc.) But it is bulkier,

and it can show grainy bokeh sometimes. All in all, I recommend it, however.

Of 2), 3), 4), 5), 6), 7) above I only have Z for 2), 3), 4)  and 6. No Z-V pairs.

(This is not a call for donations ... ( 😁))

 

 

Edited August 14, 2021 by crony
Typo

[Einst_Stein]

2 hours ago, SiggiGun said:

 I have no experience with Voigtländer lenses. But I guess the build quality us the same. Both are build by Cosina (except the Zeiss 15m). Furthermore, Voigtländer has classic design and asperical design lenses. This is nor the case of Zeiss. At the end, the question is what type of rendering you want see. Thake as an example: Zeiss 50mm Planar and Sonar. Totally different but each excellent for different usage 

 

Those tech buzz word has meaning only if it shows in IQ

[Einst_Stein]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

You can make your points clearer with some pictures.

[SiggiGun]

vor 1 Stunde schrieb Einst_Stein:

You can make your points clearer with some pictures.

Planar: https://www.flickr.com/gp/siggigun/JE00Z9

Sonar: https://www.flickr.com/gp/siggigun/9fKk06

 

[Einst_Stein]

3 hours ago, SiggiGun said:

Planar: https://www.flickr.com/gp/siggigun/JE00Z9

Sonar: https://www.flickr.com/gp/siggigun/9fKk06

 

I am familiar with here two very different Zeiss  lenses. It would be interesting to see VM for comparison. 

My old impression is Zeiss is positioned with higher IQ than VM while VM is positioned to be more cost effective. From the current VM pricing strategy it may still be so, after all they are manufactured in the same foundry.  

[jdlaing]

3 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

I am familiar with here two very different Zeiss  lenses. It would be interesting to see VM for comparison. 

My old impression is Zeiss is positioned with higher IQ than VM while VM is positioned to be more cost effective. From the current VM pricing strategy it may still be so, after all they are manufactured in the same foundry.  

Yes but they are not designed in the same house. Higher IQ is subjective. And it’s not a foundry.

[Einst_Stein]

1 hour ago, jdlaing said:

Yes but they are not designed in the same house. Higher IQ is subjective. And it’s not a foundry.

Sorry, not sure what is your point.

[Simone_DF]

15 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

My old impression is Zeiss is positioned with higher IQ than VM while VM is positioned to be more cost effective. From the current VM pricing strategy it may still be so, after all they are manufactured in the same foundry.  

That was correct until 3-4 years ago. 

Today, in 2021, Zeiss is basically dead, their last M mount lens was the 35mm Distagon released in 2014, while Voigtlander has stepped up their game considerably and has been releasing some truly excellent glass.

[Danner]

Voiglander® is a trademark owned by Cosina, Japan, and those lenses are designed, manufactured, and sold by Cosina around the world.  Zeiss® is a trademark owned by Carl Zeiss, AG.  Some of those lenses (all the M-mount lenses included) are manufactured under license by Cosina, Japan, and then delivered to Carl Zeiss, AG, who then sells them around the world.  They are designed and specified by Carl Zeiss, AG, and manufactured by Cosina, Japan.  I seriously doubt that any of the Voiglander® lenses are copies of any Zeiss® lenses (and vice versa). I would bet the agreement between Cosina, Japan and Carl Zeiss, AG specifically prohibits that.

[oldwino]

The Zeiss ZM lenses are excellent for what they were intended - use on a film camera. I think the Distagon 35/1.4 was the only design made for digital. 
The Voigtlander VM lenses are, of late, new designs made with digital in mind. Of course, these newer VM lenses will be excellent on film, too. 

[Einst_Stein]

2 hours ago, Simone_DF said:

That was correct until 3-4 years ago. 

Today, in 2021, Zeiss is basically dead, their last M mount lens was the 35mm Distagon released in 2014, while Voigtlander has stepped up their game considerably and has been releasing some truly excellent glass.

Zeiss is dead? 

[jdlaing]

14 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

Sorry, not sure what is your point.

You say they are made in the same place. That doesn’t mean a thing. Different designs and different specs and tolerances and most of all different lens elements, glass formulas.

[Lee S]

20 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

I am familiar with here two very different Zeiss  lenses. It would be interesting to see VM for comparison. 

My old impression is Zeiss is positioned with higher IQ than VM while VM is positioned to be more cost effective. From the current VM pricing strategy it may still be so, after all they are manufactured in the same foundry.  

I thought that was the case, but then how do you explain the recent VM APO Lanthars? Surely they should be branded Zeiss. 

[Einst_Stein]

1 hour ago, Lee S said:

I thought that was the case, but then how do you explain the recent VM APO Lanthars? Surely they should be branded Zeiss. 

Explain Apo lanthars? Well, it is another technical buzz word for sure. 
What’s your logic the VM lens should be branded Zeiss? I assume you know better than Cosina themselves.?

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Einst_Stein]

2 hours ago, jdlaing said:

You say they are made in the same place. That doesn’t mean a thing. Different designs and different specs and tolerances and most of all different lens elements, glass formulas.

Doesn’t mean a thing? Be realistic. Who made them surely means a lot. 
But your points that the design also makes difference is well taken.  Overall these will be reflected in the pricing strategy. 

[Simone_DF]

4 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

Zeiss is dead? 

It's clear they have abandoned the M mount and remaining lenses won't be updated. As long as they keep selling them, I guess they'll keep producing them, but sadly the writing is on the wall. 

And for other mounts, the last lens released for Sony was in 2018, while in 2019 Zeiss has released only a 100mm Otus and nothing else. That was the last lens released by Zeiss.

It looks to me that they are not really interested in the photography market anymore and they are looking at different revenue opportunities, but I'll be more than happy to be proven wrong.