I need something unique in my workflow and thinking of grabbing a Voigtlander 50 1.0. It'll mimic some of that special sauce I had when I tried film with the Mamiya 80 1.9. But not sure if I should grab the Z or Leica M mount...the latter is cheaper and these manual lenses adapt very well. I'm not sure if they're the same?
This seems like a cheaper path than, say, another GFX or going back to film. I'm looking for different characteristics -- dare I say vintage -- and something fast.
If you have a Z mount body with the ability to communicate with Voigtländer lenses that would allow you to use Nikon’s focus aids with this lens, I believe. That’s the main reason to choose Z mount.
If it scratches an itch and you can afford it, why not?
shinyobject wrote:
If you have a Z mount body with the ability to communicate with Voigtländer lenses that would allow you to use Nikon’s focus aids with this lens, I believe. That’s the main reason to choose Z mount.
If it scratches an itch and you can afford it, why not?
The M adaptors are coded if you buy the right one- That will work with all focus aids-
The f/1.0 Nokton is certainly very special. I would like it more, if I had not already owned my Leica Summilux-M 50mm ASPH 11891, but, the Nokton was/is worth its addition, because I cannot have too many Fifties, and, it was a way to let a little more light into my M Type 246 Monochrom cameras. Keep in mind that yellow and orange filters will reduce the light that enters the camera.) I have not yet tried my newly-delivered Voigtlander M-to-Z adapter, but hope to do so, soon.
I like mine. I got a good deal on it, then saw an EVEN BETTER deal on one on these boards shortly after (😒 I swear that always happens to me). Shot a bunch of images on it with the Nikon ZF that are in the dedicated thread for the lens. https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1741370/38/
I went with the Z for accurate and fast focus aids. Subject eye detection "green lighting" really helps with portraits at f/1. Also, it's a pretty hefty lens, more like handling an 85mm in scale. Leicas are best with small, light lenses.
Yes, that's also possible with the Gen1 if the lens is chipped, like the Voigtlander Z-mount lenses.
What you don't get, though, are the newer MF features, such as subject/face/eye detection in manual focus mode, where magnification directly zooms in on the focus point or eye when detection occurs.
There’s also no option to adjust the magnification on the fly using the control dial.
On my Z8, a single hotkey is enough for my preferred magnification, which I can then decrease or increase—up to 400%—using the control dial.
On the Z6, you need a separate hotkey for each magnification level.
Here's an example using MF subject/eye detection with a non-CPU lens.
With a chipped MF lens, you'd also have focus confirmation via a green frame in this situation.
Although the Thypoch isn't chipped, it's also a recommendation at the discounted price of the 28mm f/1.4 Simera Z-mount—especially if you're more interested in harmonious rendering and bokeh than in absolute biting resolution directly wide open.
p.1 #10 · Voigtlander 50 1.0 -- to be or not to be
Just get the Z if you have no intention of using it on M. You're going to have to buy an expensive chipped M adapter for focus aids anyways so price savings will be negligible.
Voigtlander optimizes the optical formula for Z mount as well, so you'll get the best possible image quality by shooting native unlike some brands, like the aforementioned Thypoch which simply uses the M formula with no optimization for other mounts.
p.1 #11 · Voigtlander 50 1.0 -- to be or not to be
I agree with the several members who advocate buying the Z-mount, for planned usage on Nikon Z cameras. Adapters can work well, but, are not as optimal as native mount, especially with cameras as electronics-driven as Nikon Z. An M-to-Z adapter makes sense, for me, because I am going to keep using my current Leica M cameras, for the foreseeable future, and have numerous M lenses, with which to experiment, over time.
Any of my Voitglander M-mount lenses, that produce a rendering I truly love, when used on Nikon Z, will probably result in my eventually acquiring the Z-mount version, for optimal performance. There is a personal precedent, for this, in my past, when I really liked the Zeiss 135mm APO Sonnar enough to buy both the EF and ZF.2 mounts. (Not being infinitely wealthy, I did buy both of them pre-owned.)
