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Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

lookert
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p.3 #1 · p.3 #1 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

LarsHP wrote:
I think the Ringfoto (Voigtländer distributor in Germany) representative said in the video that the Nokton f/1.0 has a "generous image circle". The vignetting test wide open shows practically black corners... and even at f/4, the extreme corners gets abruptly dark. I would rather say that the image circle is borderline for 24×36mm format.

The testing that Fred has been doing really just confirmed the feelings I've had about the lens in terms of vignetting.
Just shooting it normally, I've really felt from the beginning that stopping down it takes longer for the vignetting to clear up than it does with the 50/1.2.. it's so intrusive. This is also important for GFX users, since the 50/1.2 covers quite well (provided you fix the vignetting in post), while the 50/1.0 does not.

I also believe the flare to be much nicer in the 50/1.2, it seems way better controlled.

Feb 04, 2022 at 06:21 AM

mapgraphs
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p.3 #2 · p.3 #2 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

Fred Miranda wrote:
Scene 4: Focused at 4m distance

My take away in general is that using any fast lens in hard light comes with more than a number of caveats...

It looks to me like the 1/50 takes what the 1.2/50 has and kicks it up a notch, for better or worse, depending on taste... The upper left dappled background in the above set shows the rendering capability difference between the two lenses in subdued light, that's a clue... Still impressed with the 1/50.

Feb 04, 2022 at 07:40 AM

Makten
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p.3 #3 · p.3 #3 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

To me the 50/1.2 looks better in almost every case, especially the borders and corners. There's also higher resolution in the lower portion of the mid distance crops even if the horizon looks very similar. And the transition zone at close range is softer and a bit more glowy in a nice way.

Most surprising is the extreme vignetting of the 50/1. Even well stopped down, the corners are still obviously darker, which won't be easy to correct. I suppose it won't work well at all on a camera with IBIS, or even worse, a larger sensor. Too small image circle.

Feb 04, 2022 at 08:33 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.3 #4 · p.3 #4 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

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Sunstar Rendering

The Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton is capable of defined sunstars starting at f/2.8 and best from f/4 until f/11. The sunstars will have 12 points since the lens is equipped with a 12-blade aperture mechanism (straight blades)

For this test, I used selected the Leica Noctilux 1:1/50mm lens profile, so we can have an idea of how vignetting is corrected in-camera. So, expect real vignetting from the lens to be way higher than this. (not a vignetting test)

Here is a sequence from f/1 until f/16 in full stop increments:
(It did really well in regards to ghosting and veiling flare with the sun in the frame!)

F1.4

F2.8

F5.6

F11

F16

Feb 04, 2022 at 10:43 AM

Desmolicious
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p.3 #5 · p.3 #5 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

F8 and F11 sunstars are very nice. But I really appreciate your dedication to being there at the exact moment to conduct these tests!

Feb 04, 2022 at 10:56 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.3 #6 · p.3 #6 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

Desmolicious wrote:
F8 and F11 sunstars are very nice. But I really appreciate your dedication to being there at the exact moment to conduct these tests!

Thank you!

For those who do not like defined sunstars, the Leica 50/1.4 Lux may be a better option. It produces soft sunstars even at f/5.6 and veiling flare is more apparent. It's just a different look.

Here is the Voigtlander 50/1 @f/5.6 vs Leica 50/1.4 @f/5.6:

Voigtlander 50/1 Nokton @f/5.6

Leica 50/1.4 Lux @f/5.6

Feb 04, 2022 at 11:06 AM

Desmolicious
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p.3 #7 · p.3 #7 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

I think the Leica Lux is a more natural look, as we don't see sunstars IRL! But the Voigtlander definitely is handling flare better. Did your Lux have a filter on it? Either way, as much as I love my Lux I think it handles flare very poorly compared to my Zeiss lenses.

Feb 04, 2022 at 12:17 PM

nehemiahphoto
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p.3 #8 · p.3 #8 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

genji wrote:
As in two strengths (f/1 and central sharpness wide open) and too many weaknesses to list.

lol—small size, excellent build, great haptics, the trademark CV sunstars (no thanks!) and great colors/contrast are selling points too!

Feb 04, 2022 at 12:23 PM

peasant_slave
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p.3 #9 · p.3 #9 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

Desmolicious wrote:
...as we don't see sunstars IRL!

All you have to do is squint, aka turn down the aperture of your eyeball

Feb 04, 2022 at 12:34 PM

rscheffler
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p.3 #10 · p.3 #10 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

Desmolicious wrote:
F8 and F11 sunstars are very nice. But I really appreciate your dedication to being there at the exact moment to conduct these tests!

If this is sunrise, I can imagine Fred out in his backyard, in PJs and coffee in-hand, while shooting these.

Desmolicious wrote:
I think the Leica Lux is a more natural look, as we don't see sunstars IRL! But the Voigtlander definitely is handling flare better. Did your Lux have a filter on it? Either way, as much as I love my Lux I think it handles flare very poorly compared to my Zeiss lenses.

I agree. The Lux's flare handling is love/hate for me. With the sun just out of the frame I sometimes really like how it will bloom. But it and a number of Leica M lenses I have used, particularly longer lenses, don't handle veiling flare gracefully when there is a large bight area in the periphery, such as an overcast sky. Silhouetted objects in or adjacent to this area will look smoky due to contrast loss. This includes the 90AA.

IMO the tendency for the 50/1 to flare more than the 50/1.2 is a possible creative tool to add some character to its cleaner technical performance. Unfortunately when using it on an M shooting with the OVF, it's difficult to control this aspect.

Feb 04, 2022 at 01:36 PM

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p.3 #11 · p.3 #11 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

Feb 04, 2022 at 03:07 PM

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p.3 #12 · p.3 #12 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

rscheffler wrote:
If this is sunrise, I can imagine Fred out in his backyard, in PJs and coffee in-hand, while shooting these.

Nailed it!

I am usually up around 5:30 anyways so no much sacrifice. I am genuinely curious about these results myself.

Feb 04, 2022 at 03:10 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.3 #13 · p.3 #13 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

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Samples 1

All image below were taken wide open. Minimal processing.
Either the Lightroom Adobe Standard or Leica M10-R profiles were used.
(The M10-R profile is way more colorful than the Adobe Standard)

Vignetting not corrected in camera or in post.

100% crop from image above

100% crop from image above

100% crop from image above

100% crop from image above

100% crop from image above

100% crop from image above

Feb 04, 2022 at 04:18 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.3 #14 · p.3 #14 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

I was able to capture a Monarch butterfly metamorphosis this morning.

M10-R + CV 50/1 Nokton (wide open)
That shows how impressive the resolution and contrast is wide open and MFD. I think it's the sharpest 50mm f/0.95-1 on the market, especially at close distance.

Here is the sequence:

catterpilar inside the container (not the same one that hatched)

100% crop from image above

Before it hatched

100% crop from image above

Monarch Metamorphosis complete

100% crop from image above

Feb 04, 2022 at 05:38 PM

genji
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p.3 #15 · p.3 #15 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

nehemiahphoto wrote:
lol—small size, excellent build, great haptics, the trademark CV sunstars (no thanks!) and great colors/contrast are selling points too!

indeed. All the “selling points” you list apply equally to the Nokton 50/1.2. So I’m curious as to why anyone who does not need a 50mm lens with the strengths I mentioned (a maximum aperture of f/1, central wide open sharpness, plus performance at MFD which I failed to acknowledge) and who has read Fred’s review so far would choose to spend about 70% more when the Nokton 50/1.2 exceeds the 50/1 with respect to infinity performance, rendering, flare, and vignetting. Not to mention the elephant in the room first noticed by @LarsHP: the field curvature and/or optical vignetting that produces weird edges/corners. I’ve never seen FM opinion turn so strongly and rapidly against a lens as has happened with this 50/1.

Steve Spencer nailed it on page 2 of this thread when he wrote:
Personally, I would have liked to see them back off on the aperture, still add the floating element for good close performance, and focus on a very nice bokeh rather than just central sharpness. I guess that is why I have the Leica M 50 f/1.4 Asph. I would be up for Voigtlander making a competitor, but I doubt they will given how many 50s they already have.

Out of the many M-mount 50s I own—including the Lux 50 ASPH and the Nokton 50/1.2—the Lux is the 50 I’d keep if I was forced to choose one. But, like Steve and many others no doubt, I would be up for Voigtlander making a Lux 50 ASPH competitor and, given the stellar quality of the 35mm and 50mm APO-Lanthars and the 28mm and 35mm Ultron v2 lenses, Voigtlander could have designed and manufactured a Nokton Aspherical 50mm f/1.4 in their sleep and woken up to see it flying off the shelves. Instead we got this disappointing 50/1. Sad.

Feb 04, 2022 at 05:50 PM

nehemiahphoto
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p.3 #16 · p.3 #16 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

genji wrote:

Feb 04, 2022 at 06:01 PM

rscheffler
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p.3 #17 · p.3 #17 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

IMO this 50/1 and the 90/2.8 APO both did not 'tick the boxes' I was hoping they would. Truthfully, I'm not in the market for a 50/1 (I'm happy enough with the 50 Lux ASPH), so this one is interesting but nothing I'm upset about. Just a little disappointed. I still think Cosina is amazing for caring to release the beautiful VM lenses they have, giving us a real, current, alternative to Leica. As always, I look forward to whatever they next announce.

Feb 04, 2022 at 07:06 PM

Edward Teller
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p.3 #18 · p.3 #18 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

I've now got 160+ images from the M10-R + Nokton 50/1 at f/1, f/1.4, f/2.8, and f/5.6(occasionally)
with the same shots, mostly on a tripod, from the late version Noctilux 50/1
and also from the 50/1.4 Summilux, f/1.4 onwards. All were focused using the LCD, focus peaking, and magnification. But not sure the best way to satisfy everyone with resizing. I normally have only posted to Buy and Sell from SmugMug host, so will start with that here. Only have a couple labeled and resized before I need to go to dinner, and the rest will take forever, but it's a start.

All things considered, after looking through all these at various distances, various f/stops, I'm not sure the conclusions as to which to own and which to ignore are as easy to reach as some are imagining, but maybe that's why I own so many fast Fifties. But, everyone is going to have different preferences.

All of these are going to have been taken with lens coding "off" and at standard jpg settings. Though I also have all the DNG files here as well.

Edited on Feb 04, 2022 at 07:16 PM · View previous versions

Feb 04, 2022 at 07:10 PM

rscheffler
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p.3 #19 · p.3 #19 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

Great! Keep 'em coming!

Now we know the VM beats this Nocti, at least for near distance sharpness/contrast in the plane of focus.

Feb 04, 2022 at 07:14 PM

Edward Teller
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p.3 #20 · p.3 #20 · Voigtlander 50mm f/1 Nokton Review

rscheffler wrote:
Great! Keep 'em coming!

Now we know the VM beats this Nocti, at least for near distance sharpness/contrast in the plane of focus.

Yeah, but you already knew that. I had been planning on selling one and keeping the other, but the more different types of shots I took, at more different f/stops, the less easy the decision became, for myself at least. I will try to get relevant ones up sooner rather than later, but it will take a while.

Feb 04, 2022 at 07:20 PM

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