rscheffler wrote:
I'm really digging how this lens looks at dusk with all the smooth, reflective surfaces of the buildings. How much did you typically stop down for the farther distance cityscapes? Sure, if you zoom in to 100% and look in the image periphery you can see some sharpness falloff, but when images are viewed normally, it's not noticeable. The near distance wide open images at night have a really pleasing feeling to them. Kind of vintage. Kind of sentimental. Not punchy and sterile.
I feel like this lens was made for the Japanese B&W street photography genre. It would be wild if Cosina released a 35/1.5 with the same characteristics. It might tame my lust for the 35 Lux pre-ASPH. ...Show more → Fred Miranda wrote:
I have never tried the 35 Lux pre-asph but keep hearing great things about it. Some thing the CV 35/1.4 Nokton has similar look. Do you guys agree?
35 Lux pre-ASPH is a lens I want to try but don’t want to pay the collector’s premium it commands. I wish I could answer that question from hands on experience! My impression is they’re similar. I want to say the Lux is dreamier wide open and you probably want the single-coated version of the VM for comparison. It would be an interesting one, IMO, if you’re inclined to do it.
p.15 #2 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
rscheffler wrote:
35 Lux pre-ASPH is a lens I want to try but don’t want to pay the collector’s premium it commands. I wish I could answer that question from hands on experience! My impression is they’re similar. I want to say the Lux is dreamier wide open and you probably want the single-coated version of the VM for comparison. It would be an interesting one, IMO, if you’re inclined to do it.
I believe that the Voigtlander 35/1.4 Nokton's optical design is similar the first Leica 35/1.4 Lux from the 1960's which is a spherical design but not the one that many refer as "pre-ASHP".
p.15 #3 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
The Voigtlander 35/1.4 Nokton's optical design is similar to the Leica Summicron 35 V1 (8e), both of which have eight elements in six groups ('symmetric' double Gauss design). The Leica Summilux 35 pre-ASPH has a seven elements in five groups design, which is similar to Leica Summicron 35 V4. Some years ago, Vigtlander made the 40/1.4 Nocton, which has a similar design configuration of the Summilux 35 pre-ASPH.
p.15 #4 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
rscheffler wrote:
35 Lux pre-ASPH is a lens I want to try but don’t want to pay the collector’s premium it commands. I wish I could answer that question from hands on experience! My impression is they’re similar. I want to say the Lux is dreamier wide open and you probably want the single-coated version of the VM for comparison. It would be an interesting one, IMO, if you’re inclined to do it.
I own the 35 Lux pre-asph, and have never thought they draw similarly (though never shot the CV 35/1.4 Nokton). The Nokton looks more modern with colors/contrast too. But, until I shoot it, I don’t really know.
It’s on my list—when I pick it up I can let you know and maybe post some comparisons.
p.15 #5 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
Fred Miranda wrote:
I believe that the Voigtlander 35/1.4 Nokton's optical design is similar the first Leica 35/1.4 Lux from the 1960's which is a spherical design but not the one that many refer as "pre-ASHP".
Here is how it looks in silver: (very rare lens)
The one shown in pic will be more than 20K now. It calls steel rim version of this lens. I love mine (not this version) and will never sell. I bought mine from ebay from Japan. It is in black paint with goggle and brass patina. I have to send it to DAG for full overhaul before use it with correct rangefinder focus. It is tricky to adjust it for the version with goggle (M3 version). The lens with goggle can shoot 0.7M instead of 1M, a must have IMHO.
This lens have huge followers in Leica land due to very special glowing. I believe this is the word of "leica glow" comes from. It is tiny with extremely lovely build quality. I also had 35mm 8 element v1, I sold that lens with regret now. I don't have the same taste regarding lens rendering, otherwise, I will never sell that one either. You are either love or hate this look. I love it. Both have almost round bokeh ball at corner at wide aperture which you don't see that from Voigtlander glasses.
p.15 #6 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
Good to see the Heliar 50/1.5 getting some more love - it is the Thambar of our time!
Trebuh - I would continue to work with this lens - I had concerns about it but I think it is a very good optic that maybe takes a little time to understand. I would say that when I look at my pics in C1 I doubt them but when exported they shine.
Heliar 50/1.5 character - I have used the lens quite a bit now and feel that the lens is quite high contrast. Or maybe high contrast and high sharpness (behind the glow). I find the difference between wide open and stopped down quite shocking. At first I didn't like the lens stopped down but then I realised that it is just very different than wide open and this strong difference was throwing me. The lens never gets apo sharp edge to edge as Fred's test show but stopped down it does get sharp and contrasty like a modern lens (certainly compared to a vintage lens). A vintage lens tends to hold its character throughout the aperture range. I would say the Heliar is strongly multi character both in terms of subject distance and also aperture setting. But it never gets sharp corner to corner as per other modern lenses so it is not being labelled as dual character.... But I only like one of it's characters! Stopped down - its contrasty and only sharp in the centre - yuk! Actually the more I think about it I think the lens is always contrasty and sharp (in the centre) but with loads of amazing glow wide open (as another poster said?)
I think I will be getting a vintage lens to use stopped down and use the Heliar wide open. Which is where the value of the Leica 35/1.4 lies - beautiful wide open - amazing stopped down (so I read!)
Leica 35/1.4 v CV 35/1.4. I have had the CV in MC and SC and its nice but from what I have seen & read it doesn't have the glow that the Leica has. Which could be good or bad depending on your tastes. I think in this thread we like glow..It also has a lot of curvature which the Leica doesn't. The Leica is a dream lens for me but the price is a nightmare. I will be getting one as there is no alternative but wow the price. I was hoping LLL would copy the 35/1.4 as well as the 35/2 or maybe Leica should start making it again as they did with that 28mm...
p.15 #7 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
tri_fin wrote:
I was hoping LLL would copy the 35/1.4 as well as the 35/2 or maybe Leica should start making it again as they did with that 28mm...
I also hoped this but given what the 35 Cron and 50 Elcan replicas sell for at retail, I’m doubtful there would be much difference in cost between a replica and a user copy. I guess the benefit of the replica would be that it’s new and a more known quantity, in that respect. LLL could also tweak the design, as they did the Cron, to allow closer MFD and slight usability improvements. The big question is whether they could faithfully reproduce the Lux’s character. My impression is the Cron came very close, but was not identical. In any case, I do enjoy using my copy of the replica and the Lux was the lens I suggested when Kevin was taking feedback over at the RFF thread.
p.15 #9 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
I agree that buying a really expensive vintage lens is a worry. Terrifying in fact! I bought loads of old lenses and try to be careful but I have bought a few lemons. When it’s a few hundred pounds it hurts but when it’s a few thousand well that’s just…. I have a rigid Summicron 50mm on its way from Japan as I type. It’s cost me an arm and a leg but it was serviced by kantocamera and the seller allows returns. I have seen similar lenses listed with no returns which seems insane to me. Mint to me is very different to some people’s idea of mint! I hope this goes well so maybe I can get a 35lux off them in the future…
I would prefer a genuine Leica 35/2 over my LLL 35 even though I love the LLL copy so much but the original is just too expensive. With the 35 lux I think even more about the original. For me it’s the glow of the lux that I’m interested in. Can that be copied?
The only good thing is that these old Leica lenses are so well made and very serviceable that they can be returned to glory. An old used item that is in perfect working order is a joy to use - different from new but possibly more satisfying?
Thanks for that. Sums up what I have read up on the lux. It’s funny because haptics aside most of the cons in the op from that link are reasons why I like the sound of the lux. Photography is awesome like that one man’s lemons are another’s lemonade. The Heliar 50/1.5 is like that great or useless depending on your wants.
p.15 #11 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
Hello,
I had to send my Heliar 50 f1.5 back because the aperture ring was catching (there was a hardness).
But I received a new one.
Indeed rscheffler i have better result without focus peaking.
Yes tri_fin i think too its a very good optic.
Do you use it with the lens hood to reduce the flare and therefore increase the sharpness?
Or is it useless from this point of view?
(usually I never mount the lens hood on my lens)
p.15 #12 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
trebuh wrote:
Hello,
I had to send my Heliar 50 f1.5 back because the aperture ring was catching (there was a hardness).
But I received a new one.
Indeed rscheffler i have better result without focus peaking.
Yes tri_fin i think too its a very good optic.
Do you use it with the lens hood to reduce the flare and therefore increase the sharpness?
Or is it useless from this point of view?
(usually I never mount the lens hood on my lens)
I always use hoods as they help with protection (water, dust etc) as well as with flare. The hood from the Heliar is so nice and small and you get a lovely cap. I would say it is ok to use even if you don't like hoods. Maybe you use a Leica and it is blocking the view otherwise I would strongly recommend you use it. But I am not sure it will really increase sharpness that much. I always zoom in and do my best with the focus. For me to fully enjoy this lens I have to relax on sharpness and just look at the whole picture. I am surprised with how many situations I can use this lens.
p.15 #15 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
The latter "Leica 35/1.4 Pre-Asph" has beautiful "glow". But very expensive. It's also the smallest lens I own. Smaller than my 35 summicron V3. I didn't like the glow of my original CV 35/1.4, it just felt hazy, didn't "glow". The CV 40/1.2 has a little glow wide open too. I basically have a completely opposite opinion of the post you linked. My Pre ASPH (although, made in Germany, not Canada) actually is sharp at the focus point wide open (but with some glow) whereas I thought the CV couldn't get there until f2. (Maybe I had a dud)
p.15 #17 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
Although I've never tried the Leica 35/1.4 pre-asph, I always loved the images from the CV 35/1.4 and recently exchanged my MC for a SC version. I didn't have a change for a real shooting yet but I'm quite familiar with how it renders. I love its painterly draw and although it still sharp wide open, the uncorrected SA creates a highlight glow depending on the lighting. I just took a walk outside and captured these two images. (unprocessed using the Adobe Standard profile)
IMO, the CV 35/1.4 draws similarly to the 50/1.5 Heliar, although the latter is even less corrected for SA.
PS: My CV 35/1.4 Classic is 6-bit coded to the 35/2 pre-asph.
