CV Nokton 35mm f1.4

<p>I have read a lot about this lens in photo.net and other rangefinder forums, but didn't quite get what I wanted to know.<br>

How does it perform wide open? The most important question is: is it sharp also on the edges/corners?<br>

Sample pictures and experiences shooting at f:1,4 with this lens are welcome.<br>

Thank you.</p>

<p>Look at the flickr M-Mount group pool. <br>

Tags are here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/m-mount/discuss/72157600006086860/</p>

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<p>How can any lens be sharp at the edges at 1.4? Wouldn't the subject matter have to be a single plane, curved so that every point of the object is the equidistant from the film plane? Am i misunderstanding? </p>

<p>You should probably try www.rangefinderforum.com (if you haven't already) for informed opinions on this lens. A simple search there should give you many threads on the topic. </p>

 

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<p>There's a difference between the lens being unsharp and the subject being out of focus; some lenses can't render a sharp image at the edges wide open regardless of where the plane of focus is (because of aberrations); others can.<br>

<br /> The 50/1.4 Summilux Aspherical is sharp across the frame at f/1.4; the CV 35/1.4 is in my experience not even sharp at the center of the frame and is much less sharp at the edges wide open. The CV Ultron 35/1.7 is IMO a much better lens than the 1.4; I also like the older 28/1.9 better than the new 28/2.0 and the 50/3.5 Color-Heliar better than the new 50/2.0 Color Heliar - the newer CV lenses have more impressive specs but give less impressive images in my experience.</p>

<p>The shot below is from a series of tests for possibe back focus problems I did on the Nokton 35/1.4. I shot everything wide open. This will give you an idea of how sharp the lens is at f1.4.</p>

<p><a title="L9990271 by Alex Es, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/2806145946_c91c064f5a_b.jpg" alt="L9990271" width="1024" height="683" /></a>\</p>

<p>You can see the entire set by going here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexes/sets/72157606993946608/</p>

<p>Yiks! What happened to my shot below?</p>

<p>Here's my sample picture to show my concern. It is a crop from the original. The girl on the left is in the middle of the complete frame and then on the right side is the edge of the picture. You see how blurry it gets? It doesn't look like out of focus, just simply blurry and distorted. I shot the picture with 24mm lens (on my digital camera 36mm) at f:2,8, from a distance of about 12-15 meters. Before considering buying a Nokton 35mm, I'd like to see similar picture, taken with that Nokton wide open.</p>

<p>Ah, thanks for bringing it back! Stability returns to the world.</p>

<p>Janne, have a close look at the above picture by clicking on it. Pay special attention to the guy's shirt. </p>

<p>The Nokton is called a "classic", which means it was modeled on the old Summilux 35/1.4. It is sharper wide open and does not flare and ghost as badly as the latter. </p>

<p>Camera shake or subject movement or both could have caused blur with your 24mm lens.</p>