Voigtländer Nokton Classic 35/1.4

[Sean_Reid]

Give Steve Gandy a call, and show him these pictures. It might be worth trying a second copy of the lens. There were reports of variations in performance with the CV21 and Cv25s. Ideally, the plane of sharpest focus should be a plane, not a sphere or other curved surface, but few lenses can really pull that off. Those that can are usually labeled macro lenses, and have been designed for flatness of field. When Sean shoots his resolution tests, he first checks very carefully to ensure that the back of the camera is parallel to the test wall, then focus brackets. I think he chooses the image which is sharpest in the center to study. If the image field is curved, then you will see that the corners are soft when the center is sharp.

scott

That's right. The camera must be absolutely parallel (horizontally and vertically) to the (nearly flat) test subject. Then one needs to focus bracket in steps so small that they, initially, do not even move the RF window. As Scott knows, as an engineering professor, one must eliminate confounding variables in order to see a set of results clearly. I strongly recommend that people not worry too much about results that "seem" to be revealed by casual testing. The method often just isn't precise enough to tell us what we need.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Sean_Reid]

Looking at my non-boffin shots, I have to say that I'm happy with most of them, and the ones that don't quite look right could be more due to my sloppy technique than the lens. I talked to my SO about this and he suggested that I shoot a bunch more with the lens- out and about, maybe go downtown and get all street with it and then see how I'm feeling and thinking about the lens and the images it produces.

I think he's right on the money with that advice.

Sorry to be late to the party with this thread. I've been resting/seeing doctors, then travelling, then shooting each day as long as my leg would tolerate. Its a rainy day now so I've got some time to catch up on forums and work on articles.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Maggie O]

The first part of Sean's review of this lens is up at his site.

Looks like the backfocus problem is an issue with his sample lens, too.

Anyone want to trade a CV 2.5 Color-Skopar for my Nokton?

 

[scott kirkpatrick]

From Sean's review, i would conclude that the new CV is not a way for me to get one more useful stop than I presently enjoy with a 35/2.0-asph Summicron. He compares it with the 35/1.4-asph Summilux, which he had handy. I hope he will compare with the Summicron as well when he is back in the lab. Opnions differ on whether the 'cron or the 'lux is the sharper at f/2.0 or above (read Erwin Puts, for example).

It's too bad. I would have preferred to hear that Cosina had a real winner, if just to keep things lively. And it does look like a very enjoyable, tiny lens to shoot with.

scott

 

[Sean_Reid]

Hi Scott,

Actually, I don't have a 35 Lux ASPH handy here but will do that testing when I get back to VT. The comparison lens I used for Part One was the CV 35/1.7. I did compare the Cron and the Lux in the 35s review last year.

Maggie,

It may be that later samples of the 35/1.4 do better. In any case, though, a good copy of the CV 35/2.5 is the greater sleeper of 35 mm RF lenses. My LTM version of that lens has been my primary lens this month.

Also, the 35/1.2 Nokton and 35/1.7 Ultron are both impressive in many ways. Those would be the less expensive ways for you to gain a bit of lens speed, Scott. Still, the 35 Lux ASPH is king of the fast 35s for me.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Maggie O]

I've got the 35mm Ultron- it was my first lens for the M8!

 

[jonoslack]

From Sean's review, i would conclude that the new CV is not a way for me to get one more useful stop than I presently enjoy with a 35/2.0-asph Summicron. He compares it with the 35/1.4-asph Summilux, which he had handy. I hope he will compare with the Summicron as well when he is back in the lab. Opnions differ on whether the 'cron or the 'lux is the sharper at f/2.0 or above (read Erwin Puts, for example).

It's too bad. I would have preferred to hear that Cosina had a real winner, if just to keep things lively. And it does look like a very enjoyable, tiny lens to shoot with.

scott

Hi Scott
I'm with you here - I'm afraid the 'crons are the wallflowers of the leica lens lineup; if you're going for leica, go for the best and get the 'lux, but I have the 35, 50, 75 'crons, and they are all excellent and small, if I want to be really fast then I'll bung on a Noctilux and have done with it.

The 35 cron asph seems to me to be a lovely and businesslike lens.

 

[Sean_Reid]

I've got the 35mm Ultron- it was my first lens for the M8!

I thought so. In many respects it seems to be a better lens than the 35/1.4. Sometimes aspherical elements do the trick.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[scott kirkpatrick]

But my objective was fast, light and wide, and it seems that only two at a time are possible, sometimes only one.

scott

 

[Terry]

I was deliberating back and forth on what to do for my 35 and placed a deposit on the CV35 Nokton. I have the color skopar which is excellent and when a version IV cron recently turned up at a good price I picked it up. The CV is so inexpensive and so good and sooooo small I'm keeping both.

ooops. Forgot to write that I cancelled the Nokton order.

From Day 2 with my M8 (wasn't doing too well on the framing) the OOF areas are very smooth. Very hard to believe this is about a $210 lens.

 

[Jack]

Maggie, what the h$ll is that in your avatar??? (Or is it what I think it is???)

 

[Jack]

Terry, I thought you had a Cron version IV ??? You have TWO 35's ???


:ROTFL:

PS: GREAT shot, BTW!

 

[Terry]

Terry, I thought you had a Cron version IV ??? You have TWO 35's ???


:ROTFL:

PS: GREAT shot, BTW!

Oops. I just edited my post. I cancelled the order on the 35 Nokton after buying the version IV cron. I still have the CV35 f2.5. I have a couple of CVs to sell but haven't done it yet. I can't bring myself to put the 35 up for sale (hey it costs less than a handgrip, magnifier, and many other accessories and was my first lens) and the last time I posted about putting the 21 up for sale Sean went becuase he tested it and it was a very good copy sharp across the whole frame. Finally I have a 28 that is unused. I got it because the LTM version had been discontinued and I didn't know what I was doing on lenses.....think back to one of my very first posts on your site "I'm going to Morocco and I have nothing fast on the wide end".....Terry gets inaugurated into the the world of expensive lenses with a 28 cron

 

[Maggie O]

Maggie, what the h$ll is that in your avatar??? (Or is it what I think it is???)

It's a bidet.

 

[woodyspedden]

My copy of the 35 1.4 appears very good right to the corners but of course I am not doing rigorous testing like Sean. Perhaps when he returns to Vermont Sean might like to borrow my copy to see how it compares to what he already has. Mine is an MRC by the way

Woody

 

[Jack]

It's a bidet.

I actually knew that... Only problem is I've never seen instructions. Several years back we traveled with the family to Europe. Upon entering the hotel for the evening, my 8 year old son exclaimed, "Wow, wait until you guys see the fancy drinking fountain in the bathroom!"


,

 

[LCT]

I actually knew that... Only problem is I've never seen instructions...

Maybe it's because you're a guy Jack.

 

[robsteve]

I actually knew that... Only problem is I've never seen instructions. Several years back we traveled with the family to Europe. Upon entering the hotel for the evening, my 8 year old son exclaimed, "Wow, wait until you guys see the fancy drinking fountain in the bathroom!"


,

Back in the 1970's when my parents renovated their house, my mother put in a bidet. As a young teenager, I would show it to my friends with the taps turned on and the water flowing. I would then have them turn the tap that turned on the water jet. Most of them ended up with that fountain of water in the face :_ If you had the taps open far enough, it could practically hit the ceiling

Robert

 

[Maggie O]

There's a new meme making the rounds over at RFF: Sean's review of this lens is wrong because:

1)His testing methods are sloppy
2)His M8 is out of adjustment and it is a problem with the camera and not the lens
3)He is "pushing some agenda"

There are claims that the lens was "designed for film cameras," and as such, of course it won't work with the M8, which is terribly flawed, etc... Also, his reviews are supposedly incomplete because he doesn't test each lens on a film camera in addition to the M8.

Sounds like hooey to me. How could it be the camera, when the other six Voigtländer lenses I own all work perfectly with my M8?

My question about the lens is this: are we seeing a few lemons or does it have a fundamental design flaw?

 

[Sean_Reid]

Hi Maggie,

I didn't see that. The focus bracketing process takes care of the focus question. I'm not sure if I want to dive into a Viper's pit or not but what is the link?

Cheers,

Sean