The Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.2 SE is a fairly brilliant little lens. The central resolution is as impressive as the APO-Lanthar 50/2. The overall level of correction is not, but, for the most part, the problems aren't anything you can't fix in post or shoot around.
abadger wrote:
Hello all. I’ve been on the lookout for a small but powerful street lens for my kit. A while back I sold my 55ZA in favor of the 50ZA due to heavy use for portraiture (I love this lens), but now am missing something in that range of focal length for street shooting. I tried to go out walking with the big gun but it seems for whatever reason to capture people’s attention and sort of ruin the spontaneity of it all.
I’m not sure yet if I want to buy back the 55, though it was a great lens, as maybe there is a better option out there. I have the 35GM which is…just maybe small enough for me for street as far as me not wanting two lenses in that focal length. But for 50-ish, I’m thinking something under 400 grams and at least f/2 since I do like to walk at night sometimes or get a bit of background blur for casual portraits.
What are your favorites give or take 10mm from 50? I’ve been practicing zone focusing so MF lenses are fine. The CV 50 APO is appealing to me as an example, albeit expensive. It doesn’t have the CA issues of the 55ZA. I’m also hearing there might be a sigma contemporary 50f/2 on the way but not sure yet of the size/weight/performance. Thank you in advance for any insight!...Show more →
If you don't mind stopping down, I have yet to find a bad alt mf 50/1.8 or f/2 ( probably af out there too.) Some of the older ones can be radioactive though so you have to look out for that.
1bwana1 wrote:
For street shooting where I want small, fast, and sharp, I am a big fan of Voigtlander MF lenses.
You may want to try the 50 mm F/1.2 Nokton SE. This is a small unobtrusive MF lens with dual personalities. Wide open it produces images with a special glow, and character. Stop down a bit and it is amazingly sharp and crisp. The build quality and experience of using it are indeed special. Try it and you may find that you enjoy shooting with the Voigtlander lenses so much you begin collecting them. It happened to me. Whether on my Sony, or my Leica, when I am out street shooting they are pretty much all I use these days.
Personally for my Sony kit I use the similar 40mm F/1.2 Nokton which splits the difference between 35mm and 50mm. I love the images it produces.
I love love the images that can come from the 40 but wanted to differentiate more from the 35 focal length. So the Nokton 50 is near the top of my list as well. If I get the SE it is still pretty light.
I have the CV21 f/3.5 so I know I do love the MF experience and build of these lenses. Thanks!
AmbientMike wrote:
If you don't mind stopping down, I have yet to find a bad alt mf 50/1.8 or f/2 ( probably af out there too.) Some of the older ones can be radioactive though so you have to look out for that.
This is a bit uncharted territory for me. I’d try it. With an adapter right? Are there any specifically you like?
I do like that the CV lenses communicate with the camera and display exif. But if the price is right I would consider an alt lens.
freaklikeme wrote:
The Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.2 SE is a fairly brilliant little lens. The central resolution is as impressive as the APO-Lanthar 50/2. The overall level of correction is not, but, for the most part, the problems aren't anything you can't fix in post or shoot around.
The CA on the 55 zeiss was not good at all and couldn’t always be completely corrected in post. I found myself thinking about this when shooting high contrast situations actually, and it’s one of the reasons I was considering a different replacement. I wonder if anyone can give a ballpark comparison of CA between the 50 Nokton f/1.2 and the 55 zeiss?
abadger wrote:
The CA on the 55 zeiss was not good at all and couldn’t always be completely corrected in post. I found myself thinking about this when shooting high contrast situations actually, and it’s one of the reasons I was considering a different replacement. I wonder if anyone can give a ballpark comparison of CA between the 50 Nokton f/1.2 and the 55 zeiss?
I hear you about the 55. Unfortunately, I can't offer a direct comparison. I haven't used the 55 on anything but the original a7 when it was released and I did not like it then. The Nokton, on the other hand, is closer to the Loxia 50 so far as CA, probably a bit better at like apertures.
Great shots! Thanks for sharing. Don’t get me wrong, I do really like the output of the 55 as well. There were just little quirks with it and as I had the opportunity, wanted to look into alternatives.
One of my fears with going full MF is this: with the CV21 I have, the depth of field is great and easy to hip shoot while zone focusing if I need to. With 50…it might be a bit more challenging. But I do like a challenge!
abadger wrote:
Hello all. I’ve been on the lookout for a small but powerful street lens for my kit. A while back I sold my 55ZA in favor of the 50ZA due to heavy use for portraiture (I love this lens), but now am missing something in that range of focal length for street shooting. I tried to go out walking with the big gun but it seems for whatever reason to capture people’s attention and sort of ruin the spontaneity of it all.
I’m not sure yet if I want to buy back the 55, though it was a great lens, as maybe there is a better option out there. I have the 35GM which is…just maybe small enough for me for street as far as me not wanting two lenses in that focal length. But for 50-ish, I’m thinking something under 400 grams and at least f/2 since I do like to walk at night sometimes or get a bit of background blur for casual portraits.
What are your favorites give or take 10mm from 50? I’ve been practicing zone focusing so MF lenses are fine. The CV 50 APO is appealing to me as an example, albeit expensive. It doesn’t have the CA issues of the 55ZA. I’m also hearing there might be a sigma contemporary 50f/2 on the way but not sure yet of the size/weight/performance. Thank you in advance for any insight!...Show more →
The Sigma i series 45mm/2.8 would be ideal. The lens is small, has very special rendering, is inexpensive, and is the perfect focal length. Almost made for street shooting.
chiron wrote:
The Sigma i series 45mm/2.8 would be ideal. The lens is small, has very special rendering, is inexpensive, and is the perfect focal length. Almost made for street shooting.
I might pick it up at this price while waiting to hear about the Sigma 50 f/2 offering or waiting for a used CV to come on the market. How is the MF experience with this lens?
abadger wrote:
I might pick it up at this price while waiting to hear about the Sigma 50 f/2 offering or waiting for a used CV to come on the market. How is the MF experience with this lens?
I've never used MF with it, so i can't comment. The AF is fine. Its early AF performance was mediocre, but the issues either have been addressed in firmware updates or the lens works better with the camera bodies I now use. I am pretty demanding about AF, and I am now satisfied with this lens's AF performance.
This is a unique lens. Sigma developed it specifically for rendering, accepting spherical aberrations and a 2.8 max ap to get a beautiful draw. It does render in a special and beautiful way. I have a lot (too many) lenses to choose from, and this lens is always on one of my cameras. The 2.8 max ap may have hurt its appeal with people who don't really understand the lens, so it is often discounted down to $250.
It is an unusual opportunity to own a very special lens at a very low price. Construction and physical design is excellent.
28mm is my to go focal length for street work. If only Sony (or any other maker) had a decent 28mm lens I would be on it like a shot. Over the years I have used the Leica 28mm summicron on various Leica M bodies and now use the Leica Q2. The nearest thing in size and focal length in the Sony range is the FE35/1.8 which is a pretty good small and light lens ideal for street work. In reality it is often more how you move and use the camera that is the deciding factor as to whether you will be inconspicuous, if you feel confident and at ease with a bigger lens you will probably not be really noticed. If you don't and start getting furtive people will pick up on this.
Only because I have just watched hundreds of videos on street photography, many swear by the Richo Ghiii, they have an x version at 40mm equivalent, they say it’s the perfect size/quality balance for not attracting attention,
Worth looking at if this is going to me a dedicated street lens,
Viramati wrote:
28mm is my to go focal length for street work. If only Sony (or any other maker) had a decent 28mm lens I would be on it like a shot. Over the years I have used the Leica 28mm summicron on various Leica M bodies and now use the Leica Q2. The nearest thing in size and focal length in the Sony range is the FE35/1.8 which is a pretty good small and light lens ideal for street work. In reality it is often more how you move and use the camera that is the deciding factor as to whether you will be inconspicuous, if you feel confident and at ease with a bigger lens you will probably not be really noticed. If you don't and start getting furtive people will pick up on this....Show more →
Thank you, I would also love a solid 28mm option for Sony. Currently right now I see best at 35 but sometimes I want to mix it up with something longer. But still in that classic ‘street’ range of 28-50 or so. I mean, street could be any focal length depending upon how you use it. However that is the range I am looking for.
That Leica Q lens is really nice. A friend let my give it a try a few years back and the results are outstanding.
Yes I know people use a 24-70 sometimes right? And they get great results. So theoretically the size shouldn’t be a deciding factor. Even so, I’d like something lighter and smaller to walk around with. I’ve walked around with a 70-200 and it’s sort of impossible not to get noticed with that thing. But it drags on you for long walks!
Uncle Chip wrote:
Only because I have just watched hundreds of videos on street photography, many swear by the Richo Ghiii, they have an x version at 40mm equivalent, they say it’s the perfect size/quality balance for not attracting attention,
Worth looking at if this is going to me a dedicated street lens,
I was thinking about this as well! But I have to say I never liked the RX100iii I had, for example. The results with the alpha series has always made me much happier. I know it’s not the same camera but it’s the same idea, a compact camera with higher IQ. I guess I haven’t researched it enough to know if there is an appreciable difference, sensor, lens or otherwise.
I recently got the voitglander 50mmAPO and had a play on a club street outing, static shots where easy and I was trying zone focusing to capture moving people, and that works well, it certainly is small enough to not draw attention, IQ is amazing, I pared it with the voitglander 21mm3.5, one in the pocket one on the camera, for me this worked great, but I have no experience to compare apart from a 24-70gm and I hated the size as an obvious “photographer”
I will add the A7C when the wife forgets how much I have spent lately as I think this will be the best quality to size you can get on the Sony system, though my main use would be for hiking.
Uncle Chip wrote:
I recently got the voitglander 50mmAPO and had a play on a club street outing, static shots where easy and I was trying zone focusing to capture moving people, and that works well, it certainly is small enough to not draw attention, IQ is amazing, I pared it with the voitglander 21mm3.5, one in the pocket one on the camera, for me this worked great, but I have no experience to compare apart from a 24-70gm and I hated the size as an obvious “photographer”
I will add the A7C when the wife forgets how much I have spent lately as I think this will be the best quality to size you can get on the Sony system, though my main use would be for hiking....Show more →
That sounds like a great combination, small and unobtrusive. And high quality. I think I’d be happy with that as well as a pair for focal lengths for street or a travel kit.
abadger wrote:
This is a bit uncharted territory for me. I’d try it. With an adapter right? Are there any specifically you like?
I do like that the CV lenses communicate with the camera and display exif. But if the price is right I would consider an alt lens.
I have a really good 50/1.8 OM, best of the ones I accumulated on film. Also I like 50/3.5 macro. It has 1:2 and if you are stopping down to f/4 or more like these faster 50's generally needed this lens might be a good choice. 7 Oz and the 1.8 is smaller.
My 50 1.8 AI Nikkor seems excellent at 5.6-8. Even good f/16+. Kinda needs to be focused stopped down, has focus shift. Definitely can be sample variations but take a look at Philip Reeve's 55/1.8 vs mundane older 50mm. Pretty similar f/8.
I'd avoid anything yellowed. Thorium oxide glass pretty significantly radioactive in probably small percentage of older 50mm and fast 35mm especially. Supposedly quit using the glass in the mid 80's? OM has a date code at some point and there's the Nikon serial number page. Of course the only way to tell is pretty much Geiger counter. Mine broke, old cold war CD-V off ebay, and they've gotten expensive lately.
Mamiya Sekor m42 mount 50/2 from the mid 60's I got under $20 shipped is really good. But it's kind of right in the middle of the radioactivity issue, especially being m42, although at least it's not pentax or Canon FD. So I'm hesitant to recommend it. It Hasn't yellowed though imo. Although I suppose 50/1.8 OM and Nikkor could be, too. I just use inexpensive dumb adapters, often off ebay.
AmbientMike wrote:
I have a really good 50/1.8 OM, best of the ones I accumulated on film. Also I like 50/3.5 macro. It has 1:2 and if you are stopping down to f/4 or more like these faster 50's generally needed this lens might be a good choice. 7 Oz and the 1.8 is smaller.
My 50 1.8 AI Nikkor seems excellent at 5.6-8. Even good f/16+. Kinda needs to be focused stopped down, has focus shift. Definitely can be sample variations but take a look at Philip Reeve's 55/1.8 vs mundane older 50mm. Pretty similar f/8.
I'd avoid anything yellowed. Thorium oxide glass pretty significantly radioactive in probably small percentage of older 50mm and fast 35mm especially. Supposedly quit using the glass in the mid 80's? OM has a date code at some point and there's the Nikon serial number page. Of course the only way to tell is pretty much Geiger counter. Mine broke, old cold war CD-V off ebay, and they've gotten expensive lately.
Mamiya Sekor m42 mount 50/2 from the mid 60's I got under $20 shipped is really good. But it's kind of right in the middle of the radioactivity issue, especially being m42, although at least it's not pentax or Canon FD. So I'm hesitant to recommend it. It Hasn't yellowed though imo. Although I suppose 50/1.8 OM and Nikkor could be, too. I just use inexpensive dumb adapters, often off ebay. ...Show more →
Sounds like I’d have to do some research on this. The OM lens though turns out to be 100mm equivalent on full frame, doesn’t it? Or am I reading that wrong? These seem like good budget options though. I’d definitely not want to worry about the radioactivity issue.
