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Voigtlander 35mm Color Skopar II vs Nokton 35mm f/1,4 VM II


Simone_DF

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I've been looking forward getting a new 35mm and after some research the following two lenses are the most obvious choices:

Voigtlander VM 35mm f/2,5 Color Skopar Pancake II

Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1,4 VM II

I'll be using the lens on the SL2-s and on my Bessa R2A. What I'm looking for is mainly character and size, I want something small. 

Opinion on these two? The price difference is about 200€, so no big deal.

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I’ve got both of these (the SC version). 

I love the Color Skopar - its one of my favourite lenses for M. Find it quite low contrast, but the colours and rendering is just very pleasing. It’s perfectly sharp, stop it down to f8 and its stellar sharp. The F2.5 aperture, has never been limiting - low light performance on SL2s wont be a problem.

The nokton is a lovely lens, very much a character lens, but I like the bokeh wide open (YMMV) and then stopped down, its contrasty and sharp. The SC version flares a lot (not something I’ve really noticed on the Color S), but I find it looks nice. On the monochrom m bodies, its a lovely lens. 

In short, you can’t go wrong with either, however for the money and given the small footprint it gives you, I’d go with Color Skopar.

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3 hours ago, Simone_DF said:

Voigtlander VM 35mm f/2,5 Color Skopar Pancake II

Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1,4 VM II

No experience with the Color-Skopar, but the Nokton, wow, it's a bargain and a must-have glass. It's like to have two lenses in one: at f/4 and f/8 is super sharp and modern, sharp enough at f/2, and dreamy and a bit glowy (but fantastic) at f/1.4. All of this is in one of the smaller fast 35mm available for M-mount (at a "ridiculous' price tag).
I tried a Color-Skopar once, for a bit of while: lovely tiny lens, but it doesn't compete (for me) with the Nokton.
.
If you shoot only at f/4-5.6-8, maybe the Skopar could be the best choice. Cheaper, lighter, smaller.
If you want to shoot at any apertures, Nokton is the one.
My 2 cents.

P.s. get the MC

Edited by Dennis
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I have both. The choice you make really depends on whether you need the extra light gathering ability of the f/1.4. You might buy both, try them out with the subjects you most often shoot and if you desire sell whichever least meets your expectations. I kept both, each for different purposes.

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50 minutes ago, Simone_DF said:

I heard this issue elsewhere, how bad is it?

For me pretty bad to not consider it again, but I have big hands and the fine motor skills of a drunk. 
 

I’m sure if I had it more time I would be less clumsy. 

Edited by Popee
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I have the Skopar (I bought the LTM version which is a nice design with a focus tab and comes with a lens hood, same lens optically). Lovely lens, and compact/light. You certainly wouldn't be disappointed with it.

Obviously the 1.4 offers an extra stop/half in low light, but will be that bit bigger/heavier.

Edited by earleygallery
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7 hours ago, Simone_DF said:

I've been looking forward getting a new 35mm and after some research the following two lenses are the most obvious choices:

Voigtlander VM 35mm f/2,5 Color Skopar Pancake II

Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1,4 VM II

I'll be using the lens on the SL2-s and on my Bessa R2A. What I'm looking for is mainly character and size, I want something small. 

Opinion on these two? The price difference is about 200€, so no big deal.

Also have to considered the 35mm ultron? Kind of a half way house in terms of size and speed between the two lol. 

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I had all of the three versions of CV CS 35 2.5. All three have same optics. 

I had them on film and on digital Leicas. I had them on Bessa R series as well.

Second name of this lens  is "no name".  It is flat, lacking micro-contrast lens. Very obvious on dr bw prints starting from 8x10.

On color film it is still nothing special, but well saturated. On digital, nothing special, no character at all lens with good enough sharpness. 

 

CV 35 1.4 II is two lenses in one. 

After f2 it is just same as CV CS. Before f2... it is wild lens, kind of close to first Lux, but wilder. 

I'm keeping CV 35 1.4II and don't miss CV CS 35 2.5 at all. The only advantage this lens have is small size. This is it. 

But CV 35 1.4 II is also small and light lens. 

It is in the middle:

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

Edited by Ko.Fe.
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4 hours ago, Simone_DF said:

I heard this issue elsewhere, how bad is it?

It drove me nuts with PII. This version is also prone to ugly flare veiling, if no hood is added. PII also failed apart after extensive use. 

Very loose focus tab (not an easy fix) and loose lens block. 

Among all three CV CS versions, first one is the best. On build, no flare and not so much of the aperture ring self shifts.  

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10 hours ago, Simone_DF said:

I've been looking forward getting a new 35mm and after some research the following two lenses are the most obvious choices:

Voigtlander VM 35mm f/2,5 Color Skopar Pancake II

Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1,4 VM II

I'll be using the lens on the SL2-s and on my Bessa R2A. What I'm looking for is mainly character and size, I want something small. 

Opinion on these two? The price difference is about 200€, so no big deal.

I have both of these lenses too.  My Nokton II is an SC.

The aperture ring on the Skopar is fiddly as mentioned and too easy to change.  Operating it with the camera to the eye, it's easy to put your finger in the front of the lens, but you do get used to it in time.  The Nokton is ergonomically much better, and as it's a little bigger (but not too much), it's much nicer to handle.

Image quality wise, the Skopar is competent but a bit pedestrian in its rendering.  Nice enough, but It doesn't wow me.  The Nokton Classic II however is very impressive for the price.  It has character wide open and is sharp stopped down.   Wide open, it's less glowy than the 35mm Summilux V2 that I also have, but still fairly dreamy.  Stopped down a bit it's sharp and contrasty, and although it's an SC, I've not had any problems with flare, even on sunny days with the sun in the frame.  Most lenses aren't at their best when the sun is slightly outside the frame, at an oblique angle, and the Nokton II is no exception, but it's fairly controllable, and if you want to go mad you can make it flare with the red circle effect you see in some pics.

I originally bought the 35mm Ultron II (In silver), but found the copy I received to have an issue with the focus "binding" at about the 3M mark.  This happened if I "hunted" for focus with the tab, and if my movement of the focus tab was anything other than perfectly in alignment with the travel of the focus helical.  I sent it back and asked the shop if they thought the lens was a faulty example and they said that in their opinion it was within tolerance, so I received a refund and bought the Nokton instead.  The Utron had very impressive imaging, although the bokeh was a bit swirley, which is not to my taste.  So overall I'm glad I ended up with the Nokton II, which I still really like, even though I have the V2 Summilux!

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9 hours ago, Tessar. said:

I have both of these lenses too.  My Nokton II is an SC.

The aperture ring on the Skopar is fiddly as mentioned and too easy to change.  Operating it with the camera to the eye, it's easy to put your finger in the front of the lens, but you do get used to it in time.  The Nokton is ergonomically much better, and as it's a little bigger (but not too much), it's much nicer to handle.

Image quality wise, the Skopar is competent but a bit pedestrian in its rendering.  Nice enough, but It doesn't wow me.  The Nokton Classic II however is very impressive for the price.  It has character wide open and is sharp stopped down.   Wide open, it's less glowy than the 35mm Summilux V2 that I also have, but still fairly dreamy.  Stopped down a bit it's sharp and contrasty, and although it's an SC, I've not had any problems with flare, even on sunny days with the sun in the frame.  Most lenses aren't at their best when the sun is slightly outside the frame, at an oblique angle, and the Nokton II is no exception, but it's fairly controllable, and if you want to go mad you can make it flare with the red circle effect you see in some pics.

I originally bought the 35mm Ultron II (In silver), but found the copy I received to have an issue with the focus "binding" at about the 3M mark.  This happened if I "hunted" for focus with the tab, and if my movement of the focus tab was anything other than perfectly in alignment with the travel of the focus helical.  I sent it back and asked the shop if they thought the lens was a faulty example and they said that in their opinion it was within tolerance, so I received a refund and bought the Nokton instead.  The Utron had very impressive imaging, although the bokeh was a bit swirley, which is not to my taste.  So overall I'm glad I ended up with the Nokton II, which I still really like, even though I have the V2 Summilux!

Tessar, agree about flare on the Nokton, I find flare performance fairly good without the hood, yes it gets the red ring flare but you really have to ‘try’ to get the the by having the sun hit a very specific angle on the lens wide open. I like it as I can use it in my opinion for artistic effect. Stop down and it goes really quick.

The Nokton really is many lenses in one, I love it. 

If you are looking for character in a small size, it has to be the nokton

35mm Nokton MC @ F1.4 - No Hood

 

Edited by Popee
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I'm late to the party but will throw in my 2 cent just the same.

I had the Color Skopar. It was my first M-mount lens. I love everything about the lens except the aperture ring.  I swear, the damned lens changes apertures if a gust of wind blows by. It is a shame because if they just made the aperture clicks quite a bit stiffer, it would be a perfect lens....but the problem is so bad that I will not buy any other CV lens with those wings on the aperture selection dial....that includes the 35mm f/1.4v Nokton II

 

As good as the recent CV lenses are, I strongly prefer the Zeiss ZM lenses.

Edited by BradS
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17 minutes ago, BradS said:

I'm late to the party but will throw in my 2 cent just the same.

I had the Color Skopar. It was my first M-mount lens. I love everything about the lens except the aperture ring.  I swear, the damned lens changes apertures if a gust of wind blows by. It is a shame because if they just made the aperture clicks quite a bit stiffer, it would be a perfect lens....but the problem is so bad that I will not buy any other CV lens with those wings on the aperture selection dial....that includes the 35mm f/1.4v Nokton II

 

As good as the recent CV lenses are, I strongly prefer the Zeiss ZM lenses.

The Nokton II doesn't have the wings and is much firmer and stays where its set.

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1 hour ago, BradS said:

I'm late to the party but will throw in my 2 cent just the same.

I had the Color Skopar. It was my first M-mount lens. I love everything about the lens except the aperture ring.  I swear, the damned lens changes apertures if a gust of wind blows by. It is a shame because if they just made the aperture clicks quite a bit stiffer, it would be a perfect lens....but the problem is so bad that I will not buy any other CV lens with those wings on the aperture selection dial....that includes the 35mm f/1.4v Nokton II

 

As good as the recent CV lenses are, I strongly prefer the Zeiss ZM lenses.

ZM is way too larger, which is not what OP wants. Not to mention annoying 1/3 aperture clicks. Totally insane for f1.4 lenses, IMO.

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9 minutes ago, Ko.Fe. said:

ZM is way too larger, which is not what OP wants. Not to mention annoying 1/3 aperture clicks. Totally insane for f1.4 lenses, IMO.

The ZM 35mm f2.8 C-Biogon is a touch bigger than the Nokton but not a character lenses, it’s just sharp lol.

I think the only new M Mount lens that Zeiss  currently produce with character is the 50mm Sonnar. 

 

 

Edited by Popee
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44 minutes ago, Ko.Fe. said:

ZM is way too larger, which is not what OP wants. Not to mention annoying 1/3 aperture clicks. Totally insane for f1.4 lenses, IMO.

 

I have the 35mm f/2.8 Biogon.  This lens is fantastic. It does nothing wrong and everything right. It is small, light and performs extremely well.

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