New Voigtlander 50mm f1.1

[Alex_Es]

<p>Tom Abrahamsson's little article on Camerquest confirms my hunch that this is going to be the best super fast 50mm lens ever made in terms of both wide-open and all-around performance, possibly equaled or surpassed by the new Nokilux 50/0.95. I have yet to read Erwin Putts's review.</p>

[jbm]

<p>Putts will pee on it as it's not German. $5 bet. Any takers?</p>

[fred_c1]

<blockquote>

<p>Putts will pee on it as it's not German. $5 bet. Any takers?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Wrong reason. The f/1 Noctilux was not German either.</p>

<p>But I agree with you. Let's see: "peripheral illumination is quite good, yet the spatial frequency/resolution is not the same order as the new Noctilux", "some amount of decentring [sic] can be detected", "imagery [sic] lacks the sparkle of its Leica counterpart" ...</p>

[Alex_Es]

<p>It is pointless to worry about what Erwin Putts might say or not say. What I believe is being show by the informal reports is that the Super Nokton 50/1.1 is the first super fast 50mm lens that can also be used as an all-around normal lens, not just a special purpose available light lens. It is apparently excellent at all f-stops and is also relatively light at 428 grams.</p>

<p>This aside, I have found Erwin Putts's reviews to be quite fair. I am sure he will write a fair review of this lens as he has of the Noctilux 50/0.95. He wrote that it is superior to the old Noctilux 50/1 not only wide open but on all other f-stops, but with its weight of 700 grams it is not a carry around all lens. He also did point to a certain softness in the image wide open, which decreases notably by f1.2.</p>

<p>From what I've seen in Asahi Camera, the Super Nokton is remarkably sharp wide open. I cannot wait to get my hands on one and use it on my M8 and film Ms.</p>

[vivek iyer]

<blockquote>

<p>Tom Abrahamsson's little article on Camerquest confirms my hunch that this is going to be the best super fast 50mm lens ever made in terms of both wide-open and all-around performance, possibly equaled or surpassed by the new Nokilux 50/0.95.</p>

</blockquote>

<p><br /> Alex, Is Tom Abrahamsson the Cosina equivalent of Erwin Puts? ;)<br>

I can see that you are excited about yet another 50mm lens but that is a very bold statement.</p>

[Brian1664876441]

Tom Abrahamsson is probably one of the biggest enthusiast of classic photography that you will run across. That includes Leica. Especially the Classic Leica of the 1950s. He likes cameras and lenses. I modified a couple of Russian Menopta 53/1.8's for the Nikon S-Mount, Tom could not resist "yet another lens" and did a favorable FLICKR set with it. Right along with lenses costing 30x as much. The Menopta is the export version of the Helios-103, quite a good lens.

[damaso2]

<p>For the money I think it will be a very good lens, as are most of their products. If you can't afford Leica glass Cosina aint' bad, especially for those jsut starting out. One fo the things that turns a lot of young photogs off of Leica and rangefinders is this belief that they are too expensive, something the 0.95 does nothing to dispel. Introducing good (perhaps not great) lenses at a reasonable cost helps grow the market, something I think we can all agree is a good thing...</p>

[vivek iyer]

<p>Brian, So, if I extrapolate it, Helios-103 is on par with the Noctilux 50/0.95?</p>

<p>I own two Helios-103 lenses (not the export versions. both in Contax mount), they are very good. Did not know they were this good.</p>

[Alex_Es]

<p>Vivek, I think Tom Abrahamsson can speak for himself. You might consider going to Flickr, seeing his shots with this lens and contacting him.</p>

<p>I generally do not get enthusiastic over 50mm lenses. I do over 35s. Thanks to Vivek's photographs I shed my previous disregard for the Canon 50/.095. I was looking for one that was not overpriced until I got a premonition that Cosina was coming out with the 50/1.1. (I also have a premonition that they will be coming out with a 25/2.) </p>

<p>If you read the Abrahamsson review on Flickr, you'll note that he mentions that there is obvious light fall off at f1.1, which is a problem with all super fast 50mm lenses. It is apparently less pronounced than on the discontinued Noktilux 50/1. </p>

<p>I was very much impressed by with the images made by the Super Nokton in the June issue of <i>Asahi Camera</i>. Wide open it surprisingly sharp (better than my old Canon 50/1.2) and rivals or surpasses the old Noktilux 50/1, though I think the latter has better bokeh. Only wish that the Super Noktilux came with a focusing tab.</p>

<p>I foresee using the 50/1.1 on my RD-1s and M8. The M8 might require a magnifier, though I think focusing should not be any more difficult than it is with the Summilux 75/1.4. </p>

<p>For the record, the 50mm lenses I use most are a Summicron 50/2 (with tab and clip on hood), pre-aspherical Summilux 50/1.4 and Nikkor S 2000 50/1.4 on a NIkon S to Leica adapter. I have been tempted to get the new Summilux 50/1.4 Asph. after reading many enthusiastic reviews, including Tom Abrahamsson's in <i>Viewfinder, </i>but have been way too happy with what I have to go out and "break the bank."</p>

<p> </p>

[Alex_Es]

<p><a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=3732163">Damaso Reyes</a>, you have a point. One should add that it is now Cosina / Zeiss who are providing the competition to Leica and other makers. The new 50/1.1 is inexpensive compared to the new Nocilux 50/.09 and the recently bloated prices of the old Noctilux 50/1 but at $1100 it still is not cheap; not for the starving art student. </p>

[r22eng]

<p>A super fast 50mm at a reasonable price is an exciting prospect. Personnaly waiting for a new 50mm 1.4/1.5 ASPH from Cosina.<br>

This thread triggered an amusing thought. If Cosina/Zeiss optics become really good, would we ever ask Josh to consider changing the name of the forum to Cosina/Zeiss and Rangefinder Forum? Just kidding.</p>

 

[Brian1664876441]

The Helios-103 and Menopta 53/1.8: Classic 6 element in 4 group design. I did a comparison with the new Nikkor 50mm F1.4 for the S3-2000. $15 lens vs $1000 lens. Yes, it is VERY good. I'll have to upload some comparisons for a different thread.

 

<center> <img src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3518/3310198688_93fa64fce3.jpg> </center>

 

But as far as I know, there is only one ever made into Leica mount.

 

I made it.

[vivek iyer]

<p>Brian, That looks awesome! Yes, that is some piece of work! I look forward to your comparison thread.<br /> (This, I feel, is unrelated to the new 50/1.1)</p>

<p>Alex, I know that you would get it. Let us know about <strong>your own</strong> experiences. :)</p>

[Robin Smith]

<p>Leica owners should be praising Cosina for their revitalisation of the Leica M mount for non-wealthy photogs - congratulations to them!</p>

[laurentvuillard]

<p>Fred C: Your Puts parody is superb,looks more true than the original. Having said this, Puts' review of the new noctilux sugggests that it's a terrific lens, it seems on the same level than the summilux asph. I tested the lux and it's amazing. A pity I am a biochemist and not a banker , by the time I'll have saved enough for buying it there will not be any film for sale anymore!</p>

[35mmdelux]

<p>Great: I buy a new/used Noctilux and the next day VC announces a new f1.1 at a couple thousand less $.</p>

<p>For many of us, the cheaper Super Nokton will allow a hyper-fast carry all the time lens at low risk. This is great news.</p>

[35mmdelux]

<p>I checked Tom's fotos and they look pretty straightforward. Nothing unusual. I'd like to see how it renders color. I suspect with today's computer design capability the Super Nokton will fare pretty well.</p>

 

[miles_s.]

<p>Is Tom Abrahamsson the Cosina equivalent of Erwin Puts? ;)<br>

Tom and Erwin have very different styles. They aren't direct analogues of each other. Tom, is very close to Cosina and Mr. Kobayashi. He never hides this fact. He is no stranger at Wetzlar, Solms and Midland neither. I read their reviews and enjoy both. Erwin is overly precise in method but his writing and conclusion go beyond his testing. His style makes be chuckle. Tom, is fairly casual in his lens testing and offers advice grounded in what he knows. I am glad both publish as much as they do.<br>

 </p>

[miles_s.]

<p>Kelly,<br>

"A Nikkor 50mm F1.1 was 125 dollars used in 1969; it goes for 4 grand today." In 2007 money that is between 572 and 1750 dollars depending on your inflation measure.<br>

"A 50mm F2 Sonnar was 9 dollars in 1969" With consumer bundle measure that is 55 bucks and 51 in 2007 by unskilled wage comparison.<br>

<br />"My used Noct cost [m]e 400 in 1979." 967 to 2154 depending on measure but by unskilled wage measure it 1000 in 2007 money.<br>

I think you know a good buy.</p>

 

[debusti_paolo]

<p>Now we have the prove that a 50/1,1 rf ltm lens can be sold for 1100 usd instead than 5000/6000 euro......</p>

[35mmdelux]

<p>Tom A. bases his judgements on actual shooting where Erwin bases his on MTF charts. Tom isn't just a theorist, he's a hands-on guy. Each offers an interesting perspective.</p>

[n_n14]

<p>Tom Abrahamson never liked the noctilux. He always had to point how it was too big, how he had six of them and gave them away and how a f1.5 lens (God forbid, not a Leica but a voigtlander) did a much better job.<br>

Now that Voigtlander has a f1.1 and big lens, guess what? Tom can't stop shooting it wide open simply because he can.<br>

He is a professional shiller.</p>