p.2 #2 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
1bwana1 wrote:
I found a good deal on a CV 75 f/1.5 today. I broke down and bought it, and a metabones M to E adapter to go with it. It should be here Friday. But this is my 50th High School reunion weekend so won't get a chance to play with it until Sunday.
I am OK with not having EXIF data in my files. But I really want all my focusing aids, and IBIS working. I have to figure out how to make this happen without any electronics from the lens like I get with my other CV native e-mounts lenses.
I am shooting with my a1.
IBIS seems to be no problem I just set that in Shooting -> ImageStabilization -> FocalLength to 75mm.
This doesn't seem to change the way any of my lenses with electronic communications works. All
good.
Focus Peaking also works just fine in the same way it always has in my setup. All good.
Zoom so far is a challenge. With my other lenses I have it set up so that when I start to move the focus ring the view zooms in automatically. It stays for 5 seconds, or until I touch another control. Perfect.
However, with an adapted lens this doesn't work. On my a7RIII I just set my Control Wheel Center Button to zoom in when I click it. I would be fine with that on the a1 too. However, on the a1 I can't get this to work. I have to set another button to activate Focus Magnifier first. Then the Control Wheel Center Button works as before. This requires two button clicks, and costs me a programable button on the camera. Too awkward and inefficient. No Bueno!
Does anyone know how to get the Control Wheel Center Button to act as a Zoom Button like it did on the a7RIII? Surprisingly it doesn't seem to be able to be programed at all in Custom Key Settings.
Thanks!
By the Way for anyone interested, Camera Quest has a very nice used CV 75 f/1.5, and and CV adapter on sale for good prices. I went with a new one and a Metabones adapter I found a deal on out of State that cost me only $49.00 more after taxes and shipping....Show more →
Congrats on your lens! Looking forward to seeing some images from you. I am sure they will be great.
Hey! I just attended my 50th high school graduation in Sept! I am back in my old Washington home town to do it, after living almost 40 years in So Cal, since a couple years after graduation and some junior college. Wish we could have met while I lived down there! Have fun -- I did, and it was my first reunion seeing these folks again.
p.2 #3 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
nhsonyshooter wrote:
Yeah, I'm on the side of the 40 or 50 1.2 for rendering over the APO's. Your not missing anything in my opinion because of the dual personality.
I think the 50 APO is an extraordinary lens from f/2 - /3.2.
p.2 #4 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
Gunzorro wrote:
Congrats on your lens! Looking forward to seeing some images from you. I am sure they will be great.
Hey! I just attended my 50th high school graduation in Sept! I am back in my old Washington home town to do it, after living almost 40 years in So Cal, since a couple years after graduation and some junior college. Wish we could have met while I lived down there! Have fun -- I did, and it was my first reunion seeing these folks again.
Thanks! I think I have developed a CV problem. I am pursuing my own 12 step program to deal with the issue. When I finish I expect I will own 12 CV lenses!
When I shoot with them, I love the process and feel as much as I do the results. I tend to go after the multiple personality CV lenses. I can get super sharp from modern AF lenses, so want something different with my CVs.
I am very much looking forward to see the guys again. I went to a boarding school so we all grew up and lived together rather than just going to school. They are like Brothers in that regard. My senior year there were around 300 girls in the school, and only about 30 of us guys. Interested to see the girls to. I wonder if they are still mad at me...
Too bad we missed each other down here. Maybe one day we will find an opportunity to shoot together. I enjoy your pictures of your town you post.
p.2 #5 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
I have a question about a term used sometimes while describing rendering. The term is "transition zone." I have learned to recognize various kinds of bokeh; I have learned to recognize sharpness and micro-contrast. But I am not sure what distinctive characteristics to look for to distinguish various transition zone renderings.
To contribute to the discussion about favored Voigtlander lenses, I prefer clarity. I consider clarity to a kind of character. In fact it is the character I prefer. So, the APO-Lanthars (I have the 65mm and the 50mm) are my favorites, along with the 50mm f/3.5 Classic Heliar.
Can someone help me to better understand the transition zone? I am not limiting the transition zone question to APO-Lanthars or to any other type of lens. I just do not understand it in general.
p.2 #6 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
Bertrick wrote:
I have a question about a term used sometimes while describing rendering. The term is "transition zone." I have learned to recognize various kinds of bokeh; I have learned to recognize sharpness and micro-contrast. But I am not sure what distinctive characteristics to look for to distinguish various transition zone renderings.
To contribute to the discussion about favored Voigtlander lenses, I prefer clarity. I consider clarity to a kind of character. In fact it is the character I prefer. So, the APO-Lanthars (I have the 65mm and the 50mm) are my favorites, along with the 50mm f/3.5 Classic Heliar.
Can someone help me to better understand the transition zone? I am not limiting the transition zone question to APO-Lanthars or to any other type of lens. I just do not understand it in general....Show more →
I have always understood the transition zone to be that portion of the image that lies between the unambiguously sharp and unambiguously soft areas.
It can be a sharp transition or a gentle transition - much like the feathering that can be done in post-processing.
The area may be harsh or smooth; much like the OOF areas.
In any case that is how I always thought it was defined.
p.2 #7 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
The CV 50mm 1.2 is a great lens with two faces, as someone mentioned before. I will probably add the 35 Apo to my kit in a couple of weeks and then will be able to compare both in terms of rendering.
Why am I choosing the 35mm Apo instead of the 35mm nokton? Because I already own the 35 GM, so portraits are well covered and a manual and smaller 35 will be perfect for street photography.
p.2 #8 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
fededuran wrote:
The CV 50mm 1.2 is a great lens with two faces, as someone mentioned before. I will probably add the 35 Apo to my kit in a couple of weeks and then will be able to compare both in terms of rendering.
Why am I choosing the 35mm Apo instead of the 35mm nokton? Because I already own the 35 GM, so portraits are well covered and a manual and smaller 35 will be perfect for street photography.
Can't imagine the 35 APO proving to be a better lens than the GM in the context of street photography unless you have an older body and plan on zone focus.
p.2 #9 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
A question of size, mf experience and maybe minimal extra sharpness.
DaveFP wrote:
Can't imagine the 35 APO proving to be a better lens than the GM in the context of street photography unless you have an older body and plan on zone focus.
p.2 #10 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
fededuran wrote:
A question of size, mf experience and maybe minimal extra sharpness.
I'm not questioning your decision or the rational for it but my take - by way of conversation:
Size - yes, a bit smaller but immaterial relative to the subject IMHO.
MF experience - I've shot street with MF for more years than I care to count (that's all we had) but unless you are on an older body and employing deep focus and zone technique I seriously doubt that the APO will match the GM's keeper rate.
Sharpness - no practical difference in most cases. The APOs really shine at/near wide open. Once you stop them down to more typical apertures for street the difference is non-existent.
(The 35 GM and the 50 APO are my default lenses so I have had a good bit of experience with them.)
p.2 #12 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
And I really appreciate your feedback, Dave.
DaveFP wrote:
I'm not questioning your decision or the rational for it but my take - by way of conversation:
Size - yes, a bit smaller but immaterial relative to the subject IMHO.
MF experience - I've shot street with MF for more years than I care to count (that's all we had) but unless you are on an older body and employing deep focus and zone technique I seriously doubt that the APO will match the GM's keeper rate.
Sharpness - no practical difference in most cases. The APOs really shine at/near wide open. Once you stop them down to more typical apertures for street the difference is non-existent.
(The 35 GM and the 50 APO are my default lenses so I have had a good bit of experience with them.)
p.2 #13 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
DaveFP wrote:
I'm not questioning your decision or the rational for it but my take - by way of conversation:
Size - yes, a bit smaller but immaterial relative to the subject IMHO.
MF experience - I've shot street with MF for more years than I care to count (that's all we had) but unless you are on an older body and employing deep focus and zone technique I seriously doubt that the APO will match the GM's keeper rate.
Sharpness - no practical difference in most cases. The APOs really shine at/near wide open. Once you stop them down to more typical apertures for street the difference is non-existent.
(The 35 GM and the 50 APO are my default lenses so I have had a good bit of experience with them.)
Let's say I'd love to expand my CV collection (only own the 50mm 1.2, which I love). As many others, I tend to replicate my AF kit with its MF siblings, and therefore and considering 35mm is my other favorite focal length, the APO makes a lot of sense, although the 35mm 1.2 would be an interesting option for portraits as well, even losing some IQ at f5.6-8-11 compared to the APO (for street photography and landscapes). Another interesting alternative would've been the CV 28mm ultron, but there's no e mount version yet. I hope Voigtlander fixes that.
p.2 #14 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
fededuran wrote:
Let's say I'd love to expand my CV collection (only own the 50mm 1.2, which I love). As many others, I tend to replicate my AF kit with its MF siblings, and therefore and considering 35mm is my other favorite focal length, the APO makes a lot of sense, although the 35mm 1.2 would be an interesting option for portraits as well, even losing some IQ at f5.6-8-11 compared to the APO (for street photography and landscapes). Another interesting alternative would've been the CV 28mm ultron, but there's no e mount version yet. I hope Voigtlander fixes that.
Gothca -
I'd might go with the APO given that you have the Nokton rendering style covered in the 50.
Can't go wrong with either.
That said -
I'm not sure the 1.2 gives up much IQ at f/5.6 and on. SA is completely gone at that point and CA levels are probably identical when the 1.2 is stopped down.
Pretty sure the APO is smaller and lighter so it might be nicer when walking the streets at length.
p.2 #16 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
I've had the 40 1.2 and the 65 2.0. I miss both actually. The 65 was spectacular with crystal clear rendering and colors, though somewhat critical bokeh. The 40 was pretty sharp at 1.2 for me. I'm not sure the best but both give a certain look that is not like standard Sony lenses. If you want that they both excel.
p.2 #18 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
It appears that many older CV lenses, designed for a slim Leica sensor stack, have substantial midfield curvature when mounted on Sony bodies. (*) Also for such small/medium lenses there is substantial vignetting (often over 3 stops). In addition there can be a “glow” present due to coma.
All this is, of course, most evident at fast (er) F stops. These “effects” are masked when stopping down by the increased DOF, reduced vignetting and coma. This accounts for the ‘dual nature” of such lenses. The value of the total effect can be lumped into the sobriquet of “rendering.” However, it’s suitability would depend on the photographer’s taste, subject matter and even where the main points of interest are in the frame.
After reading a lot of CV lens tests it appears that many of the F1.2 and F1.4 lenses have what some would label as optical flaws. CV’s F2.0 APO lenses outperform the classic/faster designs from wide open (obviously not F1.2/1.4) right up thru narrower F stops. Therefore, I would buy and use the classic F1.2/1.4 lenses (&) solely for their wide open “rendering” and revert to APO quality for general use.
* Some later CV lenses minimize the FC effect, for the thicker Sony sensor stack, with “FE” versions (still often M mount lenses that need an adapter) or an “APO” redesign.
& Remember it’s (barely) F1.2/1.4 in the center of the lens. With 3 stops of vignetting a F1.4 lens becomes a F2.8 lens in the corners.
p.2 #20 · Which Voigtlander lens has the best rendering?
SoundHound wrote:
It appears that many older CV lenses, designed for a slim Leica sensor stack, have substantial midfield curvature when mounted on Sony bodies. (*) Also for such small/medium lenses there is substantial vignetting (often over 3 stops). In addition there can be a “glow” present due to coma.
All this is, of course, most evident at fast (er) F stops. These “effects” are masked when stopping down by the increased DOF, reduced vignetting and coma. This accounts for the ‘dual nature” of such lenses. The value of the total effect can be lumped into the sobriquet of “rendering.” However, it’s suitability would depend on the photographer’s taste, subject matter and even where the main points of interest are in the frame.
After reading a lot of CV lens tests it appears that many of the F1.2 and F1.4 lenses have what some would label as optical flaws. CV’s F2.0 APO lenses outperform the classic/faster designs from wide open (obviously not F1.2/1.4) right up thru narrower F stops. Therefore, I would buy and use the classic F1.2/1.4 lenses (&) solely for their wide open “rendering” and revert to APO quality for general use.
* Some later CV lenses minimize the FC effect, for the thicker Sony sensor stack, with “FE” versions (still often M mount lenses that need an adapter) or an “APO” redesign.
& Remember it’s (barely) F1.2/1.4 in the center of the lens. With 3 stops of vignetting a F1.4 lens becomes a F2.8 lens in the corners. ...Show more →
I believe that the dual-nature characteristic is primarily due to the relative presence (maximal wide open) of spherical aberrations; not mid-field curvature or coma. (although they may contribute)
You suggest the term rendering is a sobriquet.
Perhaps you would be kind enough to tell me its proper name.
I am back in my old Washington home town to do it, after living almost 40 years in So Cal, since a couple years after graduation and some junior college. Wish we could have met while I lived down there! Have fun -- I did, and it was my first reunion seeing these folks again. 
