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New Lenses: Single or Multi Coat?


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Looking over the latest line of Voigtlander lenses (specifically the "new" NOKTON 50mm F1.5 Vintage Line aspherical VM II) I notice they are on offer in both single coat & multi coated versions. I also notice this is something Voigtlander has offered before so it doesn't appear to be anything new from them. Which leads me to believe there's perhaps historic and certainly ongoing interest in both versions of their generally fantastic lenses.

 

OK the basic concept of single vs multiple coatings seems apparent enough but why any preference for one over the other? Are the differences in results provided by either so stark, really?

 

Thanks!

Tom

 

PS: Moderators: wasn't sure where to put this but since I'm looking at lenses for my (Voigltander R3m) rangefinder, this seems as good a place as any? Feel free to move it if you think it should be elsewhere.

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I think the tiny original VC 35mm 1.4 was intended to serve as an affordable remake of the crazy priced original 35mm Summilux, - including all the Leica original's deficiencies, thus it made sense to also offer it as single coated to stay in tune with the spirit.

A little less contrast is what I would expect, but honestly I don't believe I can spot the difference between my 35mm/1.4 SC and the multicoated version. The coating is single but also modern and therefore quite effective anyway - stopped down the 35mm 1.4 delivers a modern look.

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Niels
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Supposedly the SC version was designed with B&W images in mind, delivering a more "classic" look to the shots, while the MC seemed to be preferred for color work and reduced flair. I recently purchased a 35/1.4 SC "classic" and can say there is flair wide open, but it disappears around f/4. BTW I do use a hood which works well. I did some shooting with it over the weekend, mostly at f/2 and f/4 in backlit subjects in sun, and was pleased with the results.

 

Generally I prefer MC lenses for most of my work, but I do have a number of 1950s single coated lenses which work just fine, especially with lens hoods, and not shooting directly into the light sources.

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Ideally you want a coating material with index of refraction the geometric mean of the two sides.

 

That is, for glass and air, the square root of the index of refraction of the glass.

 

MgF2 isn't quite low enough at about 1.38.

 

Uncoated you get about 4% reflection on each air-glass interface, and with

single coated MgF2 about 1%.

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-- glen

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