Voigtlander Nokton 35mm F1.5 - choices...

[MrBan]

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Hi all,

I am struggling to choose a fast 35mm lens to compliment my M10 with 50mm Summilux and 28mm Elmarit - I want a 35mm wider than F2 for low light. The 35mm Summilux FLE is an obvious choice but to be honest the bokeh is really unattractive in my opinion. The Voigtlander 35mm F1.5 seems like a great option, with far superior bokeh. I am not interested in a pre FLE Summilux due to the focus shift issues. The Voigtlander is less sharp wide open versus the 35mm FLE and that is fine with me because razor sharpness is not a priority for me.  

 

The sticking point for me with the Voigtlander is the mid-zone sharpness/dip/lower resolution. There was an early review by Jack Takahashi (https://jacktaka.com/voigtlander-35mm-f15) where he reported the mid-frame being un-sharp at wide apertures. His example looks quite un-sharp for sure. I am wondering if this may have been a sample issue. The images on the Fred Miranda review seemed better in this regard. 

 

Anyway, since this lens has been out for some time now, I am hoping to draw on more recent experience of others who may have purchased it and either love it, or that mid-frame sharpness issue was too much for them and they got rid of it.

 

It's a lovely, small, compact lens and I want to like it. Thanks in advance for your comments.

[ianforber]

I have the lens and love it. Like you, I read and watched videos that commented on the mid zone sharpness. I confess I haven’t noticed it although it may just be that it’s good enough for me. It’ll be hard to tell from compressed jpegs that have been sharpened for screen but here’s a couple cropped from the central area and taken at f1.5

 

 

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[FrozenInTime]

This review ties in very much with my experience of the 35/1.5 on a M10. 

Flare handling is outstanding compared to my Summilux pre-ASPH; on the other hand, I can only trust in focus and recompose wide open technique when using the Summilux.

I have several recently shot films in the development queue, so waiting to see if the 35/1.5 can be used with careless abandon on a film camera.

 

 

[MrBan]

Thanks for the replies! Ianforber those shots are pretty sharp, especially the second one. Frozenintime, I saw that video some time back. Thanks for posting it again. Watched it again. He seems happy enough. 

[hansvons]

12 hours ago, MrBan said:

It's a lovely, small, compact lens and I want to like it.

I own its sibling, the Nokton f1.4 SC, which is Voigtländer’s Steel Rim equivalent and for its price a brilliant little vintage-look lens. I owned before the MC version and the Color Skopar also in 35mm. The only issues I have with the Voigtländers is their colour rendering. It tends to be considerably cooler than Leica’s and vignetting is a tad stronger. Centre and mid-frame sharpness never was an issue. 

Voigtländer lenses tend to keep their value unexpectedly well. So buying one and selling it at some point can be seen as an acceptable rental fee.

[Sebastian S]

I am only aware that the ASPH v1 had focus shift issues, NOT the preAsph per se. So preFLE and focus shift only true for ASPH lenses. Don't know if this helps, as the preAsph is wide open very dreamy with a certain amount of glow. Which many like. 

[FrozenInTime]

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Just now, Sebastian S said:

I am only aware that the ASPH v1 had focus shift issues, NOT the preAsph per se. So preFLE and focus shift only true for ASPH lenses. Don't know if this helps, as the preAsph is wide open very dreamy with a certain amount of glow. Which many like. 

I just realised I made a typo in my post in calling my Summilux a pre-ASPH  - it should have been 11874 ASPH ( pre-FLE ).

 

 

[costa43]

If you do not mind going a little bigger, the Voigtlander 35mm f1.2 iii seems an interesting lens. I've not tried it myself, just like the look of the images at the wider end. 

Edited March 6, 2024 by costa43

[MrBan]

10 hours ago, hansvons said:

I own its sibling, the Nokton f1.4 SC, which is Voigtländer’s Steel Rim equivalent and for its price a brilliant little vintage-look lens. I owned before the MC version and the Color Skopar also in 35mm. The only issues I have with the Voigtländers is their colour rendering. It tends to be considerably cooler than Leica’s and vignetting is a tad stronger. Centre and mid-frame sharpness never was an issue. 

Voigtländer lenses tend to keep their value unexpectedly well. So buying one and selling it at some point can be seen as an acceptable rental fee.

Good to know that, thanks. Seeing it as a rental fee is a nice way to look at it.

[MrBan]

10 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Have you checked the Zeiss DIstagon 35/1.4? Great price and probably the best performance of the entire 35 1.4 gang with much nicer bokeh than FLE and unlike the Voigtlander 35/1.5 it has more character IMHO... If you have the modern 50 and 28 lenses this would be an amazing addition, and if it is too sharp you can always promptly, easily and cheaply tone it down to pre-asph level glow, sharpness and contrast.

Watched reviews where they say it is quite big and user experience not as nice as the FLE etc. But same reviews say how sharp it is. Maybe I will have another look at that, thanks! Interesting post by you in the linked thread about "vintaging" a modern lens. I like it.

[MrBan]

10 hours ago, Sebastian S said:

I am only aware that the ASPH v1 had focus shift issues, NOT the preAsph per se. So preFLE and focus shift only true for ASPH lenses. Don't know if this helps, as the preAsph is wide open very dreamy with a certain amount of glow. Which many like. 

Now I must look into that! That could be an option. Maybe a cheaper option as well. Thanks. 

[MrBan]

9 hours ago, costa43 said:

If you do not mind going a little bigger, the Voigtlander 35mm f1.2 iii seems an interesting lens. I've not tried it myself, just like the look of the images at the wider end. 

That one came up in some reviews. Looks quite large for sure. Thanks.

[TomSchmitt]

I sold my 35 Lux FLE I AND the Distagon after I got the VL 35 1.5. Like other people stated here, the Leica is sharper wide open, but starting from F2 I can’t tell a sharpness difference anymore, VL has much creamier bokeh IMHO plus is smaller and cheaper. Zeiss is sharper than both, bokeh in between VL and Leica, but just too big. So VL it is for me. Have not noticed any midframe dip wide open.

[MrBan]

On 3/7/2024 at 2:35 PM, TomSchmitt said:

I sold my 35 Lux FLE I AND the Distagon after I got the VL 35 1.5. Like other people stated here, the Leica is sharper wide open, but starting from F2 I can’t tell a sharpness difference anymore, VL has much creamier bokeh IMHO plus is smaller and cheaper. Zeiss is sharper than both, bokeh in between VL and Leica, but just too big. So VL it is for me. Have not noticed any midframe dip wide open.

Interesting! 

[rramesh]

I have the Voigtlander 35 1.5 II. It's a compact 'value-for-money' lens with a nice out of focus rendering. Fits nicely between my Summilux 50 and Summicron 28.

I am quite happy with this acquisition.

On forums and social media you will always find a great review and a lousy review for pretty much anything!

Edited March 14, 2024 by rramesh

[MrBan]

On 3/14/2024 at 8:34 AM, rramesh said:

I have the Voigtlander 35 1.5 II. It's a compact 'value-for-money' lens with a nice out of focus rendering. Fits nicely between my Summilux 50 and Summicron 28.

I am quite happy with this acquisition.

On forums and social media you will always find a great review and a lousy review for pretty much anything!

So true regarding reviews!

[lct]

Very good little lens indeed. Not as sharp as my Summilux 35/1.4 FLE but sharper than both my Summilux 35/1.4 v2 and Nokton 35/1.4 SC v2. Good resistance to flare and smooth bokeh. Color fringing is so-so though. Not enough experience to tell more but with its small size and weight (mine is the aluminum version) it is a pleasure to use on Leica M, digital CL and adapted Sony bodies.

[TomB_tx]

Dragging up an old thread - but this lens intrigued me. I gave my Nokton 35 1.4 to my son with my M9, and the type 1 (aluminum) of the 1.5 came back in CQ stock and I wanted a fast 35 for my M7 so I got it to try, testing it on my M10. A lot of the comments on the lens seem to be people searching for criticisms, but just looking at snapshots with the M10 I'm very impressed by the results. Size and handling are perfect for me, and focus is right-on down to 0.6 m on the M10 RF. Images are delightful. It may just replace my Summarit 35 2.5 as my main lens.

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Edited March 15 by TomB_tx

[Lee S]

On paper this lenses looks fantastic, only reviewers seem to complain about the mid zone dip. Must be pretty severe as the 35mm Sunmilux also has it. 
 

I hope to get my hands on one to try, the looks, price, haptics and weight look perfect for an M. 

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Look here: Leica M

[lct]

Hard to criticize this little gem indeed. Similar size and rendition as the Summicron 35/2 asph v1 with the added advantage of a 0.5m MFD in LV mode and 0.6m MFD in RF mode on the M11. Color fringing is better than what i expected at f/2. Couple of snaps at f/1.5, f/2 and f/2.8 below.

M11, CV 35/1.5 asph, f/1.5 [bokeh]:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Diverse/n-QFBj4/Leica-M11-CV-3515-asph/i-ch852JS/0/MnMz7CWntpf7RFFLWdjXC5vjj4Km9sB42nw8tJ3D4/X4/M1107547_sipss-X4.jpg

M11, CV 35/1.5 asph, f/1.5 [close-up]:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Diverse/n-QFBj4/Leica-M11-CV-3515-asph/i-645brR5/0/MdW3Mj4pZsQMFt3W7jq5r7HdjSQKXPSDmwSNjSBhp/X4/M1107545_sipss-X4.jpg

M11, CV 35/1.5 asph, f/2 [bokeh]:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Diverse/n-QFBj4/Leica-M11-CV-3515-asph/i-678LcXK/0/KfCVXBtc76VXNwxFdPfJJP6q73tNvfSpxnjnHmzZp/X4/M1106206_sipse-X4.jpg

M11, CV 35/1.5 asph, f/2 [fringing]:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Diverse/n-QFBj4/Leica-M11-CV-3515-asph/i-kg6b63c/0/K9Kgk2BjBtDJhVKkRzq45hP4NqHGxKfg38gKXS9np/X4/M1107417_sipss-X4.jpg

M11, CV 35/1.5 asph, f/2.8 [bokeh]:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Diverse/n-QFBj4/Leica-M11-CV-3515-asph/i-4cmhmsW/0/LV9c9pdzN3zTKDgjttBBrnN4xVpZ6c3r6ZBfRQ25J/X4/M1107409_sipss-X4.jpg

M11, CV 35/1.5 asph, f/2.8 [fringing]:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Diverse/n-QFBj4/Leica-M11-CV-3515-asph/i-g4njZ6V/0/MMksv2Tpf2nKXXB6bWnVcS2jRRngb54SbrhQpDB48/X4/M1107457_sipss-X4.jpg