p.5 #1 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
Well, took it out this morning before getting to work ans snapped a few images of downtown.
My initial impression is mixed.
In my images I find an annoyingly really significant drop off in sharpness off the middle of the frame that does not improve with stopping down. Center sharpness appears perfect at infinity stop, but wish I could turn it just a bit more to get the outer parts of the frame potentially sharper.
Disappointingly this reminds me of my CV15/4.5 - super sharp in the middle, not great off into the edges and corners, doesn't improve upon stopping down, and wanting the focus ring to turn just a little more after hitting the stop.
I will do some formal tests this afternoon if I have time to see what's going on in the corners.
p.5 #2 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
jhinkey wrote:
Well, took it out this morning before getting to work ans snapped a few images of downtown.
My initial impression is mixed.
In my images I find an annoyingly really significant drop off in sharpness off the middle of the frame that does not improve with stopping down. Center sharpness appears perfect at infinity stop, but wish I could turn it just a bit more to get the outer parts of the frame potentially sharper.
Disappointingly this reminds me of my CV15/4.5 - super sharp in the middle, not great off into the edges and corners, doesn't improve upon stopping down, and wanting the focus ring to turn just a little more after hitting the stop.
I will do some formal tests this afternoon if I have time to see what's going on in the corners....Show more →
Is your copy well-centered John? There is definitely a mid-field resolution dip but it does improve stopping down. At f/8, it's still not Loxia-like but much improved compared to wider apertures. Extreme corners should be plenty sharp even at f/5.6.
p.5 #3 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
jhinkey wrote:
Well, took it out this morning before getting to work ans snapped a few images of downtown.
My initial impression is mixed.
In my images I find an annoyingly really significant drop off in sharpness off the middle of the frame that does not improve with stopping down. Center sharpness appears perfect at infinity stop, but wish I could turn it just a bit more to get the outer parts of the frame potentially sharper.
Disappointingly this reminds me of my CV15/4.5 - super sharp in the middle, not great off into the edges and corners, doesn't improve upon stopping down, and wanting the focus ring to turn just a little more after hitting the stop.
I will do some formal tests this afternoon if I have time to see what's going on in the corners....Show more →
Can you post your RAW files (or some additional examples if you have time to shoot later today)? It is hard to see what you are seeing because the jpegs are so small and the subject doesn't have a lot of midfield detail.
p.5 #4 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
I got mine yesterday and tested it just now against the FE 16-35 GM quickly. Although no real comparison to the work Fred did for us (many thanks!) I have very similar results. Sharp in the center, mid-frame and also borders wide open not great, but improve significantly - with peak at F8. Still, my GM is a little ahead at F8...and plays in another league at F 3.5, where the entire image is just sharp. But, I like the CV 21 and it will complete my manual lens setup. Small and sufficient sharp at my working f-stop (F8)
Fred Miranda wrote:
Is your copy well-centered John? There is definitely a mid-field resolution dip but it does improve stopping down. At f/8, it's still not Loxia-like but much improved compared to wider apertures. Extreme corners should be plenty sharp even at f/5.6.
p.5 #5 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
Yes, later on today as I have to go now. Center super sharp, but as you look at the buildings off in the edges of the frame along the horizon it gets pretty unsharp pretty quickly. Have not checked the corners.
I do not see a mid-field dip since it just goes from sharp to soft along the frame, but the mid field may be at the frame edge and the corners could be sharp - these images are poor for evaluating the corners.
p.5 #6 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
Phillip Reeve wrote:
I see quite a bit of ghosting in your sunstar test but it is a pretty demanding scenario so it would be good to have a benchmark.
Phillip,
I tested the Voigtlander 21/.35 against the Loxia 21/2.8 so we can compare their sunstar rendering and flare resistance. The Loxia did slightly better holding a bit more contrast with less ghosting.
p.5 #9 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
Fred Miranda wrote:
Phillip,
I tested the Voigtlander 21/.35 against the Loxia 21/2.8 so we can compare their sunstar rendering and flare resistance. The Loxia did slightly better holding a bit more contrast with less ghosting.
Thanks for these. So at times the Lox wins with less ghosting while in other parts of the image the CV has less veiling flare.
p.5 #11 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
Fred Miranda wrote:
Phillip,
I tested the Voigtlander 21/.35 against the Loxia 21/2.8 so we can compare their sunstar rendering and flare resistance. The Loxia did slightly better holding a bit more contrast with less ghosting.
not seeing the midfield dip here, not magnified enough?
p.5 #12 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
GMPhotography wrote:
I知 bugged by the mid zone dip. Sooooo that changes things. Maybe go from Loxia 25 to 21. Hate to give up the 25 though. No hurry on that thought
Yup... awaiting both more samples from real use (I use 24mp, not 42 and am not a pixel peeper) and my own copy (on pre-order with B & H, which has a Nov 1 delivery date listed on its page) to see how much that mid-zone dip affects IQ and how much it goes away when stopped down. If mine performs as Fred's does, with mid-frame improving at F5.6 and becoming optimal at F8, it'll be a keeper for me.
p.5 #13 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
Charlie N wrote:
not seeing the midfield dip here, not magnified enough?
At f/5.6, it's not much of an issue, unless pixel peeping at 1:1 magnification. Mid-field seems optimal at f/7.1 and corners at f/5.6.
Yes not quite Loxia-like but still very good for a tiny 21mm lens.
I really like that I can stop the lens down to f/8 or smaller and focus at the hard stop with my copy. It's a point and shoot.
p.5 #14 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
Fred Miranda wrote:
At f/5.6, it's not much of an issue, unless pixel peeping at 1:1 magnification. Mid-field seems optimal at f/7.1 and corners at f/5.6.
Yes not quite Loxia-like but still very good for a tiny 21mm lens.
I really like that I can stop the lens down to f/8 or smaller and focus at the hard stop with my copy. It's a point and shoot.
That maybe the reason to get this. For me maybe others if the Sony 24mm is just flat out killer and can replace my Batis and Loxia 25mm than I could go CV 21 and Sony 24
So I may wait this out until the 24 is tested properly. I have yet to look at anything yet on the Sony. I知 in no hurry either. I知 just not going to give up good lenses anymore until other lenses will fill that wheel house. I知 sitting really well right now and not taking the risks
p.5 #15 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
I agree, after some more testing, the corners are at every aperture the weakest part...but maybe the A7II with 24 MP does not show the midfield dip as much... Charlie N wrote:
not seeing the midfield dip here, not magnified enough?
p.5 #16 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
Compared to the FE 16-35/4 ZA at infinity
As requested here is a comparison to the FE 16-35/4 ZA @20mm at infinity distance.
I only posted crops at f/7.1. (optimal for both)
This was not taken side by side so lighting is different. However, we can still judge resolution. (I always prefer the Voigtlander color rendering when comparing to Sony ZA and GM zooms though)
Same sharpening in Lightroom. All other settings set to default.
Stronger center for the Voigt.
The mid-zone performance is similar, but the ZA zoom does slightly better. However, this was focused at the center. When I focus at mid-field, the Voigtlander performs noticeably better.
Stronger corners for the Voigt with much less astigmatism but with higher vignetting
p.5 #17 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
Ah, now that looks better! Comparing the Voigt to the Loxia was a tough match-up, but showing better sharpness (stopped down at least) compared to the 16-35/4 makes it look impressive for its size.
p.5 #18 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
GMPhotography wrote:
That maybe the reason to get this. For me maybe others if the Sony 24mm is just flat out killer and can replace my Batis and Loxia 25mm than I could go CV 21 and Sony 24
So I may wait this out until the 24 is tested properly. I have yet to look at anything yet on the Sony. I知 in no hurry either. I知 just not going to give up good lenses anymore until other lenses will fill that wheel house. I知 sitting really well right now and not taking the risks
Perhaps carrying a Lox 21 + Lox 25 may be overkill for some shooters (at 800g combined)...that's when CV 21 + Lox 25 could make more sense. The Voigtlander 21/3.5 is slightly wider than the Lox 21 and the Lox 25 is slightly narrower than 25mm making it a lighter combo alternative without sacrificing much in important aspects of travel and landscape photography like sunstar rendering, flare resistance, and resolution/contrast at small apertures.
p.5 #19 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
Fred Miranda wrote:
Perhaps carrying a Lox 21 + Lox 25 may be overkill for some shooters (at 800g combined)...that's when CV 21 + Lox 25 could make more sense. The Voigtlander 21/3.5 is slightly wider than the Lox 21 and the Lox 25 is slightly narrower than 25mm making it a lighter combo alternative without sacrificing much in important aspects of travel and landscape photography like sunstar rendering, flare resistance, and resolution/contrast at small apertures.
p.5 #20 · Voigtlander 21mm f/3.5 Color Skopar Review
Fred Miranda wrote:
Perhaps carrying a Lox 21 + Lox 25 may be overkill for some shooters (at 800g combined)...that's when CV 21 + Lox 25 could make more sense.
Yes. I use the little Zeiss Tele-Tessar 85/4 not because it is by all measures the best 85mm lens out there but because it represents a sensible compromise between competing claims for the prominence of size, weight, and various image parameters considered according to my needs. The new CV 21/3.5 might be a similarly sensible compromise.
I'm not interested in replacing the Loxia 25 (my favorite lens) with the new 24/1.4 or in supplementing it with the Loxia 21, but on the day I might walk with the little Voigtlander 21 and the Zony 55 instead of the Loxia 25 and the Zeiss 85, depending on what I hope to see. I suppose that sometimes, although the Loxia 21 and 25 together might be a bit much for me, I might slip the 21/3.5 into a pocket to accompany the 25/85 kit that I enjoy.
