The Voigtlander 21mm f/1.4 Nokton is a modern optical design with 3 anomalous partial dispersion elements and two "double" sided aspherical elements, or in other words a lot of special glass.
Starting with the CV 50/1.2 Nokton E-mount, Voigtlander figure out a special moulding process for aspherical elements which practically eliminates onion ring bokeh. I'm happy to report the new 21/1.4 Nokton seems to use similar tech, so expect onion-pattern free specular highlights with this lens.
Check out the optical design diagram below:
Voigtlander 21mm f/1.4 Nokton E-mount Main Features
Focal Length: 21mm
Aperture Ratio: 1:1.4
Minimum Aperture: F16
Lens Construction: 11 groups 13 elements
Angle of View: 90.8°
Aperture Blade: 12
Minimum Focus: 0.25m
Filter Size: Φ62mm
Diameter x Length: Φ70.5mm x 79.5mm
Weight: 560g (537g without caps)
Electric Contact: Available
Manual Focus Assist: Available
Exif Data: Available
Auto Lens Correction: Possible
5-Axis Image Stabilization: Possible (only on camera body with 5-Axis Image Stabilization)
Supplied Accessory: Front Cap, Rear Cap, Petal Hood (reversible)
Extreme corners Infinity Resolution/contrast comparison between CV 21/1.4 Nokton vs Loxia 21/2.8 Distagon
PS: For these crops, I focused on the center area for both lenses
Optimum aperture for the Extreme corners:
CV 21/1.4: f/4
Loxia 21/2.8: f/4
Extreme corners at f/2.8: Slight more resolution for the CV 21/1.4 but the Loxia shows a strong performance since it's wide open field curvature is visible now
Extreme corners at f/4: Both lenses improve but the Voigtlander is still slightly ahead in resolution and contrast
Extreme corners at f/5.6: Minor improvement for both lenses
Extreme corners at f/8: Very similar to f/5.6
Extreme corners at f/11: Diffraction takes hold. Very similar performance here.
For extreme crops above, both lenses were focused on the center area.
Here is how both lenses perform at the extreme corners when focused on that area instead. The Loxia performed better while the Voigtlander did not improve showing it has negligible field curvature at the corners. (Its curvature is wavy)
Extreme corners at f/2.8 (Focused on this area): Similar performance.
Extreme corners at f/4 (Focused on this area): Similar performance
Extreme corners at f/5.6 (Focused on this area): Similar performance
Extreme corners at f/8 (Focused on this area): Similar performance, Loxis slightly ahead
Extreme corners at f/11 (Focused on this area): Similar performance, Loxis slightly ahead
Fred Miranda wrote:
Yes, the Loxia impressed me as well competing neck and neck with a much faster lens.
I will post the GM 24/1.4 and GM 16-35/2.8 @21mm infinity tests and compare their rendering later today.
It will be interested comparing it to the GM 24/1.4 since we will see their performances at f/1.4 and both lenses are flat-field.
Ha, my conventional thinking is that the slower lenses always have the advantage, especially earlier on at wider apertures. The Loxia 21 to the Sony system is like the SEM 21 to the Leica; they were both untouchable in term of IQ by the faster lenses so far. And Voigtlander has never managed to outpace any Leica for that matter in IQ department. I say this lens is quite a cornerstone. Voigtlander must have found a new genius optical engineer.
Jman13 wrote:
Argh....just when I was happy with my little CV 21/3.5. Ok, I'm still happy with my little 21/3.5, but this looks stunning.
Voigtlander has been absolutely killing it the last two to three years.
I didn't think they pushed themselves that hard until they were making lenses for the E-mount . Their m43 lens development wasn't great so was the DSLR side (except the short lived APO Lanthar). Their M development always seemed to me as the budget option with IQ to match. Probably because of the great revenue they're getting from E-mount sale that they have more budget for R&D .
Loxia and V21/1.4 color - looks almost as if the same maker produced both lenses.
'the budget option with IQ to match.'
Though I believe they were simply ahead of the game with some lenses, many would like to hear the back story as a similar sentiment was voiced by users of the DSLR lenses they made, several of them legendary.
So now we have the L21 at $1500, this one 21/1.4 at $1200 and the GM 24/1.4 at $1400. Looks like they kept the low prices and took off the shackles.
The best part of CV is they cater to travellers and others needing multiple competencies in right-sized lenses. Same deal with 45-50/1.2, you get very sound stopped down work plus very functional extra stops, here two stops over the similar-sized Loxia. Why did it take a fringe maker to do this consistently? Rhetorical question of course.
Impressive Fred. Looks like the first alternative 21 to truly match the sharpness of the Loxia, and with flatter FC. Looking forward to a flare resistance comparison, as that is another major strength of the Loxia.
. Their m43 lens development wasn't great so was the DSLR side (except the short lived APO Lanthar). Their M development always seemed to me as the budget option with IQ to match. Probably because of the great revenue they're getting from E-mount sale that they have more budget for R&D