The page language can be selected at the top (it uses Google translate).
Looking forward to the lens
Thanks for sharing.
For what I could get from the translation, it looks like the feedback is good. The samples look good, but I suspect those guys can get good samples from any lens. It's also not a very "scientific" test (regarding sharpness tests etc.). Of course sharpness and testing focus charts isn't everything, but I would like to know more exactly what I would get for the price.
For what I can see from the samples, the resolution stopped down seems ok. The bokeh looks a bit busy, but I could live with it. Not sure about the contrast since they used film simulations.
Will wait for more reports.
I'm curious to see how it compares to a cheap Chinese Pergear 25mm f/1.8. The Pergear has impressively good optics (except for the borders), micro-contrast and smooth bokeh. As negatives, the aperture ring is de-clicked, the coatings are not the best, the distance markings not reliable and no electronic communication of course.
Even if the IQ still to be seen, I'm sure the Voigtlander will have all this right, but for me there's still the question if will be worth the huge price difference. I'm really hoping it delivers an excellent IQ and a good micro-contrast to make it easy to manual focus.
I'm still hyped by this lens, but for the price I will have to get more data and be rational on the decision to purchase.
I got shipping notification e-mail for my 27/2 today and it should reach me tomorrow morning. I'll post some samples as soon as I've had a chance to use it properly but weather in Tokyo is not looking good for tomorrow (or Thursday & Friday). We are in rainy season now and days with nice weather for photography are infrequent.
Camera Quest is taking pre-orders already, B&H has not listed it yet.
I purchased the Fuji 27mm about a month ago and sent it right back.. not for me… nothing wrong with it,.very sharp, just not to my liking.
I recently aquired a Voigtlander 35mm f 2.0 APO Macro in X mount. Instant love ..lately, always on my X-T 4 . the colors from an APO are Spectacular imo. Given the sucess of that lens, I will have to try the 27mm VM X also. I know it is not an APO, but I am sure I it will have that Voigtlander character.
I usually shoot manual with all my lenses, so manual focus only is not an issue.. the electrical connections make it even better.
If the VM 27mm f 2.0 X is anywhere as good as the 35 f 2 Macro, I am sure I will enjoy it.
Rick
Here is the last post with my most favored 35 Voigtlander APO 35mm macro.
Juha Kannisto wrote:
I got shipping notification e-mail for my 27/2 today and it should reach me tomorrow morning. I'll post some samples as soon as I've had a chance to use it properly but weather in Tokyo is not looking good for tomorrow (or Thursday & Friday). We are in rainy season now and days with nice weather for photography are infrequent.
The samples are not only beautiful but also useful. Even if they're not full-res, they're big enough to have a general idea of the performance, there's multiple shots closed down and at wider apertures at various distances.
Stopped down looks like a solid performer.
At wider apertures I'm still on the fence. The bokeh continues to not impress me much and I can see some haziness, specially out of the center of the image.
Noticed now that on the distance markings, there's only a small space between 3 meters and infinity. No 5 meters mark, I wonder how this will translate into easily setting it for hyper focal.
Will wait for more reports, and please share your feedback when you can
Personally, I'm still playing with the idea of just getting a Pergear 25mm f/1.8 and a TTartisans 35mm f/1.4 for when I want some MF fun. Also saving a significant amount of cash.
Received my lens this morning. No chance to shoot properly yet but I took a couple of quick photos with my phone showing the box and the lens + hood and all the caps and the lens on my camera (with the hood on).
Focus feel is pretty light and smooth, but the aperture ring feels a bit stiff, perhaps on purpose to avoid accidental aperture changes since the two rings are so close to each other. Focus throw from 0.25 to infinity is about 120 degrees.
I did a quick test at balcony to try the infinity focus. 23/1.2 in X-mount and most of my Voigtländer E-mount lenses (I've had 14 and still have 9 currently) can't be shot at hard infinity since they allow focusing a bit "beyond infinity" but this 27/2 (at least my copy on my X-S10) is spot on at hard infinity and that is the optimal focusing position for distant scenes. It's very nice that hard infinity can be used and it adds a lot of usability benefit for the lens for casual shooting.
i can see myself grabbing one of these for my XE4.... Do I do it now/here in Korea, or try to work the weak yen and save a little back in Okinawa in a few months? hmmm
I did some trial shooting at lunch break today but weather was so bad and it started raining so nothing to share yet. Hopefully can get some nicer samples later this week.
I hope that's the case. When I hit infinity with the other x mount Voigtlanders they're really sharp, but like you said it's short of infinity. Maybe the smaller glass design doesn't need to have the same tolerances.
Juha Kannisto wrote:
I did a quick test at balcony to try the infinity focus. 23/1.2 in X-mount and most of my Voigtländer E-mount lenses (I've had 14 and still have 9 currently) can't be shot at hard infinity since they allow focusing a bit "beyond infinity" but this 27/2 (at least my copy on my X-S10) is spot on at hard infinity and that is the optimal focusing position for distant scenes. It's very nice that hard infinity can be used and it adds a lot of usability benefit for the lens for casual shooting.
My X-mount CV 23/1.2 has optimal infinity right at the middle of infinity symbol (which implies to me that it's well calibrated for infinity) but the focusing helicoid itself allows some leeway for focusing further than that (hard infinity is met at the right edge of the infinity symbol) and at hard infinity things are noticeably not peak-sharp anymore. Anyway, this is similar to many of my E-mount CV lenses and I think Cosina has usually allowed focusing a bit beyond infinity on their mirrorless lenses to make sure that there are no issues with some camera and lens combos not being able to reach optimal infinity. This is a usability inconvenience though when you can't use hard infinity for peak sharpness.
My 27/2 doesn't have this leeway and hard infinity is right in the middle of the infinity symbol, and the lens seems to be peak-sharp right there for long distances so I can happily utilize hard infinity.
From my E-mount lenses I can also shoot at hard infinity on CV 15/4.5, 21/3.5 and 40/1.2 SE but can't do that with 21/1.4, 35/1.2 SE, 35/1.4, 35/2, 50/1.2 SE, 50/2. Some of these reach optimal infinity before reaching the center of infinity symbol. The Apo Lanthars are well calibrated with peak performance at the middle of infinity symbol but they have plenty of leeway to focus beyond that point. I really like to shoot with those that have peak sharpness at hard infinity.
Nick Dakota wrote:
I hope that's the case. When I hit infinity with the other x mount Voigtlanders they're really sharp, but like you said it's short of infinity. Maybe the smaller glass design doesn't need to have the same tolerances.
I did some trial shooting at lunch break today but weather was so bad and it started raining so nothing to share yet. Hopefully can get some nicer samples later this week.
For me, a perfect lens test. Even filtered through Google translate, I felt like I got a good feel for the lens, a solid sense of what it's like. Just the right amount of tech talk and a lot of subjective user experience too, which I appreciate.
Since this Ultron seem to fit in the more 'modern rendering and hi res' category, whereas my Nokton 23/1.2 and 35/1.2 (more so the latter) belong in the other/classic rendering category, this 27 may well find its way into my camera bag too. And ~40mm really is a sweet spot for me. Very tempting.
Thanks again for a very useful link Juha, I appreciate you.
Hood doesn't look like it adds too much added size. Is the hood cap a screw on?
Juha Kannisto wrote:
Received my lens this morning. No chance to shoot properly yet but I took a couple of quick photos with my phone showing the box and the lens + hood and all the caps and the lens on my camera (with the hood on).
Focus feel is pretty light and smooth, but the aperture ring feels a bit stiff, perhaps on purpose to avoid accidental aperture changes since the two rings are so close to each other. Focus throw from 0.25 to infinity is about 120 degrees.
Yes, the hood cap is a screw on type. Very similar to one of the hood caps for the CV 40/2.8 that was designed to be used on VM-E close focus adapter on Sony E-mount cameras. I like this tiny hood as it helps to keep the lens small
Nick Dakota wrote:
Hood doesn't look like it adds too much added size. Is the hood cap a screw on?
I just got the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron lens and I'm about to start a review! My initial thoughts are really positive. I love how it feels in my hands, and it's smaller than I thought it would be. I took a few pictures and I'm impressed with the sharpness and overall rendering. The focus tab works great and the rotation is smooth. The aperture ring clicks nicely and stops at every 1/3rd increment.
