I have plenty of AF lenses but enjoy slowing down. I love the build of the Voigts but haven't liked having to set the lens definition every time I change lenses and I miss the EXIF.
Option 1: 18/2.8, 27/2 and 50/1.2
Option 2: 18/2.8, 35/2 APO, 75/1.5 Nokton VM adapted
Option 1 was my first option, the size/weight are appealing
Option 2 - I may be overly being influenced by AI comparisons that say the 35 APO is nearly as good as a 50/2 APO Summicron and that the 75/1.5 is call legendary by many reviewers.
Is the IQ for option 2 really that much better?
I am tempted with the current price of 449 for the 35 APO.
Since I have a complete AF kit that is quite sharp (18/1.4, 33/1.4, 56/1.2, Viltrox 75/1.2) perhaps I don't need APO level optics for this kit. These are a bit large to take even the 18/33, 56)
While the 75 looks great, I don't take formal portraits when traveling.
I am upgrading from this VM kit: Voigt 21/4 skopar, 35/2.5 skopar and m-hex 50/2.
Option 3 - suck it up and be willing to carry the xf18/1.4 and xf33 and pick up the 75/1.5 Nokton. But of course this doesn't move me in the MF direction
Appreciate the input.
Jan 17, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Steve Spencer Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: On
I have plenty of AF lenses but enjoy slowing down. I love the build of the Voigts but haven't liked having to set the lens definition every time I change lenses and I miss the EXIF.
Option 1: 18/2.8, 27/2 and 50/1.2
Option 2: 18/2.8, 35/2 APO, 75/1.5 Nokton VM adapted
Option 1 was my first option, the size/weight are appealing
Option 2 - I may be overly being influenced by AI comparisons that say the 35 APO is nearly as good as a 50/2 APO Summicron and that the 75/1.5 is call legendary by many reviewers.
Is the IQ for option 2 really that much better?
I am tempted with the current price of 449 for the 35 APO.
Since I have a complete AF kit that is quite sharp (18/1.4, 33/1.4, 56/1.2, Viltrox 75/1.2) perhaps I don't need APO level optics for this kit. These are a bit large to take even the 18/33, 56)
While the 75 looks great, I don't take formal portraits when traveling.
I am upgrading from this VM kit: Voigt 21/4 skopar, 35/2.5 skopar and m-hex 50/2.
Option 3 - suck it up and be willing to carry the xf18/1.4 and xf33 and pick up the 75/1.5 Nokton. But of course this doesn't move me in the MF direction
My current travel kit is the Sigma 10-18 f/2.8, the Voigt 27 f/2, and the Voigt 50 f/1.2, but after using that kit in Paris in December I decided that I didn't use the 27 f/2 enough even though it is nice and compact and for me I live both the IQ and the close focus abilities of the CV 35 f/2 APO Ultron Macro.
So, I am going to try the Sigma 10-18 f/2.8, the Voigt 35 f/2 APO Ultron, and the CV 75 f/1.5 M mount adapted to Fuji on my next trip.
Personally, I like having the focal length range of the 10-18 f/2.8 for wide angle shooting, but otherwise your options are pretty close to the same decisions I am making. I know I would like your option 1, but I think I would like your option 2 even better.
By the way, if you get the Fuji M mount adapter for the CV 75 with option 2, it will automatically update the EXIF data and even let you build custom adjustments for vignetting, and distortion (distortion is low for the lens so correction for the lens is no big deal in my experience).
Have you tried the 35 APO Ultron/. That sale price is tempting. How did you like the 50/1.2?
Checking the used markets for the 18, 27, 50 Voigts. That 75/1.5 seems pretty good. Also looking at the 75/1.9 as it is smaller than the 1.5 for travel. I like to travel with my ScottieVest (doesn't look as nerdy as the old Domke photo vests) - ha. These voigts can easily be in pockets with the xt5 around my neck with a pancake on it.
I do have the M mount adapter from Fuji.
Selling off some of my XF lenses I don't use any more (xf35/1.4, 18-55, etc). Also building up the piggy bank in hopes of an XPro4 some day.
I had the 18 and 27 pancake lenses. Didn't like them because they were just too small. IQ of the 27 especially was compelling, but I find I use my 23 f/1.2 Nokton more since it fits my hands better.
I recently got the 35 f/2 APO and have done some A/B tests vs the 35 f/1.2 Nokton. The APO is a bigger, heavier lens but sharpness wide open, and up close, is much better. But the Nokton can give some very interesting images between f/2 and f/1.4. I think I'm going to like the APO better but the jury is still out.
Yeah the 35 APO seems very different from the 35/1.2 Nokton and both have their place in the X lineup. I chose the 1.2 for its character but have always been tempted by the APO. Hard to find around here, and expensive. For now, my 27/2 will do as an alt to the 35/1.2.
RWNPhoto wrote:
Option 3... use your current lenses in MF mode and slow down that way.
This works but it feels awful compared to using dedicated manual lenses. And Voigtlander has their manual focus dialed in terms of feel and throw.
If critical sharpness isn't a big concern, the 23 1.2 is quite nice for travel in my experience. And it's fairly sharp across much of the frame when stopped down a bit. I've also considered the 50 1.2 as part of a travel kit for portraits but I'm generally content with the old Fuji XF 35 1.4 when I know portraits are gonna happen on a trip.
