NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: Michael Erlewine on February 12, 2020, 23:20:31

Title: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: Michael Erlewine on February 12, 2020, 23:20:31
Over time, in day-to-day and actual use, I continue to be impressed by Voigtlander lenses. And I keep acquiring more and more of these Cosina/Voigtlander beauties, now made in Japan. That simple fact is they hold up in several ways, and I find myself reaching for them more of the time.

They are wonderfully made, many are very well corrected, even worth calling APO, sharp, and aside from classics like the 125nn APO-Lanther f/2.5, are relatively inexpensive. Each one is kind of a precious package. I don’t have all of them because some are not lenses I use a lot for my work, but here are some of the ones I actually use, and the ones I use the most are marked with an asterisk.


125 ** Voigtlander  125 F/2.5 Macro APO-Lanthar   
010 ** Voigtlander Heliar-Hyper Wide 10mm f/5.6 Aspherical Lens for Sony E
090 ** Voigtlander  APO_Lanthar 90mm f/3.5 SL
021   Voigtlander Nokton 21mm f/1.4 Aspherical Lens for Sony E
040    Voigtlander  40mm Ultron f/2.0 SL II       
050 ** Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 50mm f/2 Aspherical Lens for Sony E
058    Voigtlander  58mm f/1.4 Nokton       
065 ** Voigtlander MACRO APO-LANTHAR 65mm f/2 Aspherical Lens for Sony E
090    Voigtlander  90mm f/3.5 SL II with Close-Up Lens
110 ** Voigtlander MACRO APO-LANTHAR 110mm f/2.5 Lens for Sony-E
180 ** Voigtlander 180mm  APO f/4     

Photo taken today using the Nikon Z7 with the Voigtlander 110mmMacro APO-Lanthar f/2 and the TechArt TZE-01 adapter
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: Roland Vink on February 13, 2020, 04:14:21
I have the Voigtlander 40mm SL IIS - the one styled like a 1960s Nikkor-H 50/2. Very nice lens with sensible specs - not too slow or fast, compact, can focus close (1:4), optical performance is good and reasonably priced. I wish there were more lenses like it.
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: John Geerts on February 13, 2020, 07:33:35
Yes lovely lenses.  At the moment I have the 90 and 180 APO Lanthar's , the 58mm Nokton and the 40/2 Ultron

They are a bit in the same category (and not only by appearance) like the Zeiss lenses  Distagon 25/2.8 and 35/2.
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: Birna Rørslett on February 13, 2020, 07:54:22
Over time, some Voigtländers have accumulated:

15mm f/4.5  (F)
21mm f/4  (RF)
25mm f/4 SC (RF)
40mm f/2 SL.2 (F)
50mm f/1.5 (RF)
58mm f/1.4 Nokton (F)
75mm f/3.5 (RF)
90mm F/3.5 SL.2 (F)
3* CV 125/2.5 APO-Lanthar (F)
180mm f/4 SL.2 (F)

Hmm. More than I had thought initially. Oh well.
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: tommiejeep on February 13, 2020, 08:05:27
Michael, love the subtleness of that image.  Great colours.
I really enjoy using my Voigt (2nd or 3rd string) lenses on my Sony bodies and the Z6.   Interesting, but after years of trying to find good copies of 125 2.5 and 180 f4 for Nikon, it now seems new lens prices have made them seem much more affordable  ;) .   The new 65 and 110 are worthy of lens lust but a waste on my shooting (and abilities ) .
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: Airy on February 13, 2020, 09:32:57
I've been using the 40/2 and 58/1.4 for years. They are not perfect:
- 40/2 has pronounced barrel distortion and is not ideal for night shots (halos...)
- 58/1.4 has low contrast at 1.4 (which may suit some kinds of pics, but...), while otherwise well-corrected
Both have in common fantastic handling, high center (at least) sharpness, neutral color, "popping" images, close focus ability, and are compact. These are excellent multi-purpose go-around lenses. An alternative to Zeiss when weight, bulk, and cost are an issue.
I have not come across their APO lenses so far (fortunately for my wallet).
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: Fons Baerken on February 13, 2020, 11:38:32
Apo lenses 90/3.5, 125/2.5, 180/4
and 58/1.4 and 20mm f/3.5 a quite underrated little pancake lens, have been in my possession.
Its a shame that Sony bought Voigtländer for that 50mm f/2 apo from what i have seen is pretty amazing
beats the Leica.
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: Bent Hjarbo on February 13, 2020, 11:56:25
Any experience with the Techart E-Z adapter?
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: rosko on February 13, 2020, 16:27:28
I love the delicateness of this iris image ! Creamy bokeh and the black background enhances the subject.

I never saw, so far, a picture of the Z6/Z7 mounted with Sony mount lenses. So, I don't know what it looks like and I have no idea how it compares with  a Z6/Leica mount lens combo.

I own both apo 125 and 90mm SL (the last one was chipped in Scotland by Erik and Birna) and recently bought the C/V Color Heliar 75mm f/2.5 (L39 mount)  which is very light. i need to use it more before giving any opinion. the small issue is that the focus ring lacks gripping although the focusing is smooth and buttery. I put a rubber ring and it's better.

All of them are qualitative lenses.
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: Michael Erlewine on February 13, 2020, 17:40:34
Any experience with the Techart E-Z adapter?

I use the TechArt TZE-01 on all my Voigtlander Sony E-mount lenses and they work (for me) perfectly and are essentially so small they are invisible.
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: simsurace on February 13, 2020, 18:16:47

I never saw, so far, a picture of the Z6/Z7 mounted with Sony mount lenses. So, I don't know what it looks like and I have no idea how it compares with  a Z6/Leica mount lens combo.
Here is the 15/4.5 III with the E-mount adapter, one of the cheap ones, which is too short to be on the safe side and with which the lens focuses to infinity already at the 2m mark.
I haven‘t tested the lens extensively, but it seems to be quite a good one with character.
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: rosko on February 13, 2020, 19:05:29
Many thanks, Simone for this image.

The Sony E mount system is pretty the same (only 2mm difference of register between Z mount and E mount).

So the E system is a right choice as they are recent lenses.
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: the solitaire on February 17, 2020, 00:00:34
Cosina - Voigtlander makes one lens that really keeps drawing my attention. I even went to Dusseldorf a few years ago to try one in person.
Back then, I decided that even though the lens was nice, it wasn't nicer then any of the lenses I owned at the time, so I did not buy it.

This lens is the 58mm f1,4. I'm still not 100% certain I would buy one today, if I were to try it on mycamera. I might however, which is why I keep being fascinated by this lens.
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: Airy on February 17, 2020, 09:57:23
The 58/1.4 is not an exceptional lens like the 125/2.5 APO.

It has no outstanding feature.

It has, however, an outstanding combination of nice features (size, weight, handling, corrections, close focus, sharpness, max aperture, resistance to flare, etc.), and that makes it desirable. The Zeiss 50/2 Milvus is significantly better, but it fails in the categories size & weight.
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: Krishna Kodukula on February 17, 2020, 21:30:44
My first Voigtlander, the 58/1.4. Minimal or no PP...
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: tommiejeep on March 05, 2020, 11:19:18
About time,  it has been a few years since we have had a Voigtlander Distributor/Dealer in India.    I've been buying from Robert White UK on my wife's trips to visit her mom or from Japan.
Now https://www.mysticfocus.in/ has recently appeared.  Prices are good and India warranty.   I have been eyeing a couple , shame funds are short at the moment  >:( .
I hope they do well
Tom
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: MEPER on March 08, 2020, 10:15:42
I remember the 180/4 got very fine reviews as the lens seems to have close to zero CA. If I should have only one it should be the 180/4. It seems also this lens demands the highest 2nd hand prices (> 1000 Euros). I only have one of the Cosina/Voigtländers which is a 25/4 snap-shot Skopar with 39mm mount. I used it many year ago on a Leica rangefinder just to try it out. It was the sharpest slides in that focal range I have ever shot (better than the old Nikkor 24/2.8 ). I wonder if it would be possible to mount this lens on a Z-camera via adapters and get infinity focus……
I had a similar experience with one of the "real" classic vintage Voigtländers…...the 35/3.5 Skoparon for the Prominent camera. I later found out that the Pentax Super-Takumar 35/3.5 seems to have copied the Skoparon lens design so I have one of these which I yet have to try out on a Nikon digital body. I think many avoided the Takumar 35/3.5 because of it slow speed but I think those who got it......got very surprised of the image quality. I have always been very impressed by the "butter like" focus feel of vintage Pentax lenses (think they may use aluminium against brass in the helical…..but have not verified this).
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: Birna Rørslett on March 08, 2020, 11:57:38
The 25/4 Scopar SC can indeed be adapted to a Z camera. I have the rangefinder (RF) version thus use a Nik(RF)-Z adapter, but M39-Z adapters are easily available as well.

The lens focuses to infinity on my Z cameras and is pleasantly sharp in a neat, small package. I mainly use it on my Z50 as the combination is adorably compact -- and capable.

Older Pentax Takumars in M42 mount also are easily deployed on the Z system, using M42-Z adapters. I do have the 35/3.5 you alluded to and it is a fine performer indeed.
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: MEPER on March 08, 2020, 14:30:09
Ok.....that is a reason more to get a Z-body. More options for "lens rolling" as the distance to sensor is smaller compared to F-mount. You can always make the distance longer......if a specific lens requires that. I think the lens to filmplan distance for F-mount was at the longer end compared to other SLR brands...….as far as I remember so we often lost infinity focus when playing with "lens rolling".
Title: Re: In Praise of the Voigtlanders
Post by: MEPER on March 08, 2020, 14:55:15
This morning (inspired by this thread) I found an adapted I got special made to be able to mount some Voigtländer Bessamatic SLR lenses to an Nikon SLR with F-mount. F-stop is "pre-set" when you mount the lens into the adapter but has infinity focus. It was overcast and was handhold at 1/160 and I think F-stop is around 8. On tripod I would probably be able to make image a bit sharper image but I think images shows that this old lens is a fine performer. There is an image of D5200 with Color-Skopar 50/2.8 mounted. Then a full frame image and two 100% crops. I think it shows that CA is not a problem. I find it free for CA and I don't think the camera can auto-correct CA when it does not know the lens via the contacts?

When I compared some years ago with Nikkor 45/2.8 P the Nikkor was much sharper at 2.8 (wide open) but stopped down a bit the Color-Skopar was the winner as Nikkor showed a bit of CA in the highlights.
Colors may be more vibrant with Nikkor but I like the vintage look from the Skopar.