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Jon asks:

Hi Peter,

How are you?  I just wanted to get your opinion on the new CV 21/1.8. Any experience with the lens?  I know from reading your site that you’ve had experience with CVs. I’m salivating on the 1.8. I currently have the ZM 21/2.8 and its extremely sharp. Just wondering if its worth the upgrade (if one will consider that an upgrade).

I’ll be using it on the M9.

Thanks,

Jon

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Hi Jon,

I am well, thank you for asking.  I hope you are well too.

I haven’t used the CV 21/1.8 Ultron, but have seen some samples online.  Most of them have been on film, where it looks very good.  On digital, where you intend to use it, I’m not yet convinced.  The M9 samples online are few and far between right now (it’s so new!), so it’s hard to draw any conclusions.  On more than a few of the images that are available, however, I’ve seen a lot of chromatic aberration in high contrast transition areas. Admittedly, this is often seen with “exotic” lenses when shot wide open… hopefully this is not also present when the CV 21/1.8 Ultron is stopped down.

One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that Voigtländer lenses tend to lack a little of that “pop” — that micro-contrast — that I find with Leica (and often Zeiss) lenses, so I’m expecting the same here.  Whether the end result is acceptable depends on your perspective and needs.

By the way, the Zeiss ZM 21/2.8 is a tremendous lens…  as good as anything Leica produces.  If yours is working well, I would hold on to it regardless of whether you opt to buy the Ultron 21/1.8.

Hope this helps,

Peter.