wolfloid wrote:
Wow. The 28mm Ultron wins by a mile - so much smaller and lighter but almost as good. I see the APO slightly better in the midfield, but nowhere else. No contest, the Ultron all the way.
Wow, that is quite the use of hyperbole. Saying the Ultron wins by a mile while admitting the APO is better in the midfield and without checking other important factors like rendering, CA control, sunstar shape (10 vs 12 blades), and optical vignetting feels like a stretch. I get that smaller and lighter matters, but calling it no contest when the lenses are close seems rushed. Let's see how they perform in all areas before choosing a clear winner.
One thing I can say with confidence is that both the 28mm f/2 Ultron and the APO-Lanthar are among the very best 28mm lenses available for the M-mount.
Using Sony A7R2, I tested VM Ultron 28mm F2 II
(July 9, 2021 Bowen Lake Park, Spartanburg, SC)
After using this, I sold out Leica Elmarit-R 28mm V2 E55 and other all 28mm MF
including Pentax K 28mm F3,5 etc.
I think new VM 28m f2 APO would be better or slightly sharper image at edge.
almost no editing except Luminar Neo noiseless
Yes, of course. It was meant humorously, but it cuts straight to the chase. Sacrificing excruciatingly minimal improvements that almost no one would notice, you can have a tiny, ergonomically perfect lens on the M that is lighter and cheaper. For that vanishingly small number of people who really need a better midfield at f2 on an as yet non-existent 100mp M sensor, of course, buy the APO.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I've added an addendum to the resolution and contrast comparison between the Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron and the 28mm f/2 APO-Lanthar:
Update: I received two additional copies of the Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron, and one of them is clearly optimal. It’s perfectly centered and performs slightly better in the mid-field compared to the other two, making it the optimal sample for this test. I’ve updated the test crops to reflect this best-performing copy, which I selected after evaluating all three.
Even so, the APO version still has the advantage when it comes to resolving fine detail, especially off-axis in the mid and extreme corners. At f/5.6 and f/8, the differences are smaller, but when examining the images at the pixel level, the APO still holds the edge....Show more →
It's quite telling that it seems somewhat tricky to get an optimal copy of the Ultron - almost as if the combination of small size and high performance is somewhat challenging for Voigtlander to pull off in a production copy. Perhaps that is also why the price of this particular lens is somewhat high ($899). I'm very curious what this APO-Lanthar will go for by comparison (I did not notice a pre-order link, not that I need one ).
wolfloid wrote:
Yes, of course. It was meant humorously, but it cuts straight to the chase. Sacrificing excruciatingly minimal improvements that almost no one would notice, you can have a tiny, ergonomically perfect lens on the M that is lighter and cheaper. For that vanishingly small number of people who really need a better midfield at f2 on an as yet non-existent 100mp M sensor, of course, buy the APO.
i dunno, i have to admit i'm liking the wide open look of the APO better than the ultron, which can mean a lot. don't care about the midzone landscape improvement either. not sure i'd call the ultron ergonomically perfect either, but nobody ever agrees on such things.
tsdevine wrote:
I guess Fred can skip these tests.
Chromatic Aberration (CA)
Optical Vignetting and Specular Highlights shape
Focus Shift
Sagittal Coma Flare performance
Minimal Focus Distance performance
Rendering compared to Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron
and
Final Thoughts
That is actually true. When a lens is this good, it is tempting to skip straight to the celebration. Still, comparing its rendering to the CV 28/2 Ultron could be pretty educational. I am already seeing differences in several areas like CA, sunstar shape, resolution, and optical vignetting. Always fun to dig a little deeper.
Tariq Gibran wrote:
It's quite telling that it seems somewhat tricky to get an optimal copy of the Ultron - almost as if the combination of small size and high performance is somewhat challenging for Voigtlander to pull off in a production copy. Perhaps that is also why the price of this particular lens is somewhat high ($899). I'm very curious what this APO-Lanthar will go for by comparison (I did not notice a pre-order link, not that I need one ).
I agree with this. Some designs do require tighter tolerances, and I have seen some variation with the CV 28/2 Ultron. That is mostly because I am testing these lenses at the pixel level which requires the highest level of accuracy. In real world images, though, I think that even a supposedly "less than optimal" copy should perform just as well. Minor decentering usually goes unnoticed, since the focus point is still sharp.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I agree with this. Some designs do require tighter tolerances, and I have seen some variation with the CV 28/2 Ultron. That is mostly because I am testing these lenses at the pixel level which requires the highest level of accuracy. In real world images, though, I think that even a supposedly "less than optimal" copy should perform just as well. Minor decentering usually goes unnoticed, since the focus point is still sharp.
Yep, the copy of the 28 Ultron I owned looked wonderful until I put it through your demanding decentering test! Still, I can say that I found this lens to be almost too sharp over the entire frame, even from wide open, and I never really warmed up to it's character - or lack thereof. The Ultron just seemed too clinical. It doesn't make sense to me but this 28 APO seems to pull off a bit more character while still being crazy sharp. Then again, this could be entirely due to your skill in using this lens!
Tariq Gibran wrote:
Yep, the copy of the 28 Ultron I owned looked wonderful until I put it through your demanding decentering test! Still, I can say that I found this lens to be almost too sharp over the entire frame, even from wide open, and I never really warmed up to it's character - or lack thereof. The Ultron just seemed too clinical. It doesn't make sense to me but this 28 APO seems to pull off a bit more character while still being crazy sharp.
If you found the 28/2 Ultron too clinical or overly corrected, the APO takes that even further. It does fix some of the Ultron's uneven rendering quirks, but the overall look still leans modern with smooth transitions throughout. I totally get what you're saying and honestly, I also enjoy lenses with more character. That said, I do appreciate highly corrected designs for certain uses, like landscapes, where correction is usually a benefit.
Fred Miranda wrote:
That is actually true. When a lens is this good, it is tempting to skip straight to the celebration. Still, comparing its rendering to the CV 28/2 Ultron could be pretty educational. I am already seeing differences in several areas like CA, sunstar shape, resolution, and optical vignetting. Always fun to dig a little deeper.
Well, I appreciate the thoroughness. I don't shoot Leica or modded Sony, and I'm interested in the APO-Lanthar if/when there is an E mount version. Not a ton of reviews for some of these types of lenses, and I appreciate the discipline and effort you put into testing.
Whenever it comes to the E-mount, surely will replace or complement your trusty Pentax 28/3.5!
tsdevine wrote:
Well, I appreciate the thoroughness. I don't shoot Leica or modded Sony, and I'm interested in the APO-Lanthar if/when there is an E mount version. Not a ton of reviews for some of these types of lenses, and I appreciate the discipline and effort you put into testing.
Milliken Park in January 16, 2021
Panasonic S1R and Leica Elmarit-R 28mm F2.8 V2 E55
Leica lens has character and wish VM 28/2 APO also has own character.
Panasonic S1R and Leica Elmarit-R 28mm F2.8 V2 E55
Tariq Gibran wrote:
Yep, the copy of the 28 Ultron I owned looked wonderful until I put it through your demanding decentering test! Still, I can say that I found this lens to be almost too sharp over the entire frame, even from wide open, and I never really warmed up to it's character - or lack thereof. The Ultron just seemed too clinical. It doesn't make sense to me but this 28 APO seems to pull off a bit more character while still being crazy sharp. Then again, this could be entirely due to your skill in using this lens!
My copy of the Ultron is not nearly as good as Fred's test copy from a while back. But stopped down, where I usually use 28mm when I want across-frame performance, it's fine. Interestingly on the M240, the Ultron's corner color shift is worse when it's coded vs. uncoded.
rscheffler wrote:
My copy of the Ultron is not nearly as good as Fred's test copy from a while back. But stopped down, where I usually use 28mm when I want across-frame performance, it's fine. Interestingly on the M240, the Ultron's corner color shift is worse when it's coded vs. uncoded.
I probably should have kept that first Ultron copy from the review, but I had to send it back. Luckily, after a few tries, I found another one this week that performs just as well. The Voigtlander 28/2 APO-Lanthar I have came straight from Cosina with "sample" engraved on the lens, so it's no surprise that it's perfectly centered and precisely aligned with the rangefinder. I was told this sample is from the actual production line, just one that's likely been double-checked to be near perfect. I'm sure Cosina took extra care with it since they know I examine every detail at the pixel level and won't share results from anything less than optimal.
The good news is that we now know exactly how the lens should perform.
I'm quite certain I'll be getting this lens, just waiting for Cameraquest to list it.
An extra (dumb) hood question - will it fit on the 35/50 AL lenses and will their hood fit on the 28mm? They all have a bayonet and a ø49mm filter thread.
oscartb wrote:
I'm quite certain I'll be getting this lens, just waiting for Cameraquest to list it.
An extra (dumb) hood question - will it fit on the 35/50 AL lenses and will their hood fit on the 28mm? They all have a bayonet and a ø49mm filter thread.
The LH-13 might be a bit too deep for a 28mm, but it's worth trying. Being ventilated, it would definitely look better and probably function better too.
I’ve had the Ultron since it first came out, picked it up on a whim in exchange for the 25 Biogon, and I’ve used it in every possible condition – from scorching desert heat to starry Icelandic winter nights. Ever since I got the monstrous 21mm f/1.4 Nokton, which absolutely dominates the M mount world, I’ve been using the Ultron less – or rather, I force myself to use it less – but I can’t deny it’s almost a must-have lens. It’s so tiny you can always bring it along, even if there’s barely a sliver of space left in your bag. And it makes shooting with the M10-R feel weightless, especially when you’re used to things like the 21 f/1.4, 40 f/1.2, 50 APO, and so on.
After reading Fred’s fantastic review, I can honestly say I don’t see any reason to upgrade. Even if tomorrow I placed this lens on the table next to a few hundred quid and immediately got the new APO without any hassle or time wasted, I still wouldn’t make the switch. The compactness combined with an image quality that remains stellar (the only full-frame 28s that clearly outperform it are the monstrous Sigma and the APO) make for an impressive package – it’s simply a lens I always carry with me.
Even with Sony, despite the rendering not quite being on the same level, I used it as a go-to compact lens to pair with a tele or super-tele – precisely because it adds practically no bulK
junglialoh wrote:
Pentax K 28mm F3.5
Cheap but extra ordinary performance in its price
It was my only native K mount lens I used when I had my K-1. I was using the K-1 as a base for my adapted M645 glass. It is indeed a nice optic if it fits into your platform / use case. Took me a while to find a nice one, but it was worth the wait.
Fast forward, and I'm on the Q2 for my 28 (Pentax platform sold), so I'm going from K 28/3.5 > Q 28/1.7 > M 28 /
