Rendering is a subjective aspect of photography that involves various characteristics such as optical vignetting, spherical aberration, highlight outlining, and transition zones, all of which contribute to the final look and feel of an image.
The Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron lens stands out with its unique rendering compared to modern lenses that prioritize a very smooth background blur. When shooting wide open, you can observe a distinct outlining effect in specular highlights, which adds a pleasing structure to the overall image.
When focusing at its closest distance of 0.25m, the transition zone appears extremely smooth, and the outlining is well controlled due to the strong blur, resulting in a pleasingly smooth look. From a focus distance of 0.7m to around 2m, you can see the outlining effect, and within this range, the lens captures a lot of character to the image. This characteristic continues when focusing on subjects at medium and long distances, although the blur becomes less pronounced, similar to an f/2.8 lens in terms of equivalent depth of field on full frame.
I should note that the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron lens effectively controls optical vignetting, resulting in minimal distortion of specular highlights, avoiding the appearance of a pronounced "cat's-eye" shape. Additionally, the lens has successfully corrected spherical aberration, leading to improved resolution and contrast, even when capturing subjects at close distances, with minimal halo or glow effects.
Overall, I really appreciate the distinctive rendering capabilities of this lens, and it's refreshing to see a lens that has its own unique style.
Example of images shot at or near MFD
Observe a smoother rendering due to high blur.
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/2.01/2500s160 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/2.01/210s160 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/2.01/3500s160 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/2.01/7500s160 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/2.01/400s160 ISO0.0 EV
The sunstars will have 10 points since the lens is equipped with a 10-blade aperture mechanism with straight blades. The aperture mechanism of Voigtlander lenses is renowned for producing well-defined sunstars. What makes it truly remarkable is that, in the case of the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron, defined sunstars are possible even at f/2.8! In contrast, Fujifilm AF lenses lack this capability due to their rounded aperture blades, requiring significantly smaller apertures to achieve decent sunstars.
It's worth mentioning that the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron is multi-coated and performed exceptionally well in terms of ghosting and veiling flare, even with the sun in the frame. This is thanks to its simplistic optical design, which is highly resistant to flare. I didn't observe any ghosting or loss in contrast.
Here is a sequence showing the sunstar rendering from f/2 until f/16 in full stop increments:
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/2.01/6000s160 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/2.81/3500s160 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/4.01/1800s160 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/5.61/900s160 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/8.01/450s160 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/11.01/220s160 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/16.01/120s160 ISO0.0 EV
I failed to mention earlier that the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron comes with a remarkably sleek metal hood. This hood is extremely thin and can be securely screwed to the lens. It also features a metal cap for added protection.
The 2014 Pentax pancake lens SMC Pentax DA 40mm f2.8 Limited has a very similar hood and cap. It looks cool but owners generally tire of it quickly. The tiny screw in cap isn't very practical. Luckily that one is perfectly sized for the lid from a typical 35mm film container.
Thanks for vicariously satisfying my curiosity, Fred. I know it's too small for me, but I was curious about the performance. It looks like the perfect pancake. Not a spectacular landscaper, but capable enough, and fantastic mid-to-close.
You do have me looking seriously at the Fuji 23. That thing's a resolution monster in comparison to the pancake. The corner issues seem like a small price to pay for the otherwise stellar landscape performance.
As discussed, sharing my sample albums taking with this lens (on my X-S10) here as well. Lots of the shots were SOOC JPEGs directly from camera with various film styles, and some were exported from Raw via C1 Pro using Fuji film styles available there (which I think look pretty identical to the corresponding styles in-camera):
Thanks for posting all these sample photos! Many of them display that beautiful Voigtlander rendering that I have been a big fan of for many years as well as the often characteristic 3D pop. I am eagerly awaiting my copy of this lens that has recently shipped out and is on its way. This plus my X-T5 will be the basis of a small but capable kit I will use for my international travels.
Now if only we would get a more concrete idea of when that 35mm Nokton f0.9 I am also eagerly awaiting will be released
Thanks for posting all these sample photos! Many of them display that beautiful Voigtlander rendering that I have been a big fan of for many years as well as the often characteristic 3D pop. I am eagerly awaiting my copy of this lens that has recently shipped out and is on its way. This plus my X-T5 will be the basis of a small but capable kit I will use for my international travels.
Now if only we would get a more concrete idea of when that 35mm Nokton f0.9 I am also eagerly awaiting will be released
Thanks very much! I've been enjoying this lens a lot and I hope you'll be fully happy with your copy as well!
I still haven't seen any leaks or any preliminary information about the release date for Nokton 35/0.9. Usually such information comes out at least 1 month prior to actual release date. Probably the remaining CP+ pre-released lenses (this Nokton 35/0.9 and Canon RF 50/1) will not be released before late August at least since otherwise there would have been some information already.
The 2014 Pentax pancake lens SMC Pentax DA 40mm f2.8 Limited has a very similar hood and cap. It looks cool but owners generally tire of it quickly. The tiny screw in cap isn't very practical. Luckily that one is perfectly sized for the lid from a typical 35mm film container.
I had that Pentax lens back in the film days, when we had the MX and the ME bodies. It was a wonderful little lens, though our standards for sharpness, etc. were lower then, and I don't know how it would compare optically with today's lenses. But when it came to tiny lenses, it was a fine one.
Today I'm using the XT5 with the Fujifilm 27mm f/2.8 WR (the version with the aperture ring) and liking it a ton. I'm currently traveling (for a couple of months) and that lens is on the camera probably 90% of the time. (I carry a few other primes for outlier conditions.) The push-on cap has both pluses and minuses by comparison to the screen in caps. The minus is that it isn't as securely attached — though it is solid enough for my purposes. (Unlike the push on cap on the metal hood for the original 23mm, which barely sticks at all.)
The plus list that... it comes off more easily and quickly when I see a shot.
The Fujifilm 27mm has a very tiny screw-in hood that is conceptually similar to the hood on the lens under discussion in this thread. Most often I just leave the cap off if I'm likely to be making photographs, for example when out doing street photography.
As discussed, sharing my sample albums taking with this lens (on my X-S10) here as well. Lots of the shots were SOOC JPEGs directly from camera with various film styles, and some were exported from Raw via C1 Pro using Fuji film styles available there (which I think look pretty identical to the corresponding styles in-camera):
I wanted to express my gratitude for the amazing tour you gave me in Tokyo. It was an incredible experience exploring numerous camera stores and discussing photography with you.
I must say, I'm absolutely impressed by the samples you shared of the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron lens. They truly showcase the lens's unique rendering, and it's helpful to see subjects focused at various distances and how that affects the overall draw. Personally, I'm thoroughly enjoying the images I've been able to capture with this lens. It has quickly become one of my favorite lenses to use on my X-Pro3!
As my three-week stay in Japan comes to an end, I'll be returning to the US tomorrow. I feel like I've really gotten to know this lens well, and I'll be wrapping up this review soon.
gdanmitchell wrote:
I had that Pentax lens back in the film days, when we had the MX and the ME bodies. It was a wonderful little lens, though our standards for sharpness, etc. were lower then, and I don't know how it would compare optically with today's lenses. But when it came to tiny lenses, it was a fine one. ..
I never had any issues with the Pentax 40 2.8. Here with Ilford Pan 50
I never had issues with it back then either. It was a favorite lens. I especially liked it on those tiny little "M" cameras — we had both the MX and the ME — two of my favorite cameras over the years. :-)
(My only point here was that, having only used it with a film camera, I could not vouch for how it would compare today if used on a digital system, from which we often expect to be able to make larger prints that we typically would have attempted with 35mm film images back in the day. I'll bet someone, somewhere has put the thing a a digital FF camera and has an answer to that.)
gdanmitchell wrote:
I never had issues with it back then either. It was a favorite lens. I especially liked it on those tiny little "M" cameras — we had both the MX and the ME — two of my favorite cameras over the years. :-)
(My only point here was that, having only used it with a film camera, I could not vouch for how it would compare today if used on a digital system, from which we often expect to be able to make larger prints that we typically would have attempted with 35mm film images back in the day. I'll bet someone, somewhere has put the thing a a digital FF camera and has an answer to that.)
Closing the loop on this as it is going off on a tangent from the thread, I've noticed that a lot of people who complain about this lens never actually have used it. But read about it on the internet from someone who heard something from someone who...
The Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron lens does not excel in coma correction, but this characteristic is intentional and contributes to its distinctive rendering at wider apertures. When the aperture is narrowed to f/2.8, the level of coma significantly decreases, and it completely disappears at f/4. Although it doesn't offer the best coma performance compared to some modern lenses that prioritize coma correction in their optical design, it is by no means the worst I've encountered.
Below, you'll find 100% crops showcasing a bright star positioned near the edge of the frame. The images were captured incrementally at one-third stops, starting from the widest aperture of f/2.
Thumbnail showing the entire image and analyzed section
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/2.03s2000 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/2.24s2000 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/2.54s2000 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/2.86s2000 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/3.27s2000 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/3.610s2000 ISO0.0 EV
X-Pro3VOIGTLANDER ULTRON 27mm F2 lens27mmf/4.017s2000 ISO0.0 EV
