“First we’d climb a tree and maybe then we’d talk
Or sit silently and listen to our thoughts.“
—Tragically Hip, Ahead By A Century.
This photo was chosen as a Leica Fotografie International (LFI) Master Shot.
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Leica M9 and Voigtländer Nokton 35mm @ f/1.2.
The way children move when they play – it’s like a beautiful dance.
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↑Leica M9 and Leica 50mm Summicron @ f/2.
↑Leica M9 and Leica 75mm Summilux @ f/1.4.
↑Leica M9 and Leica 75mm Summilux @ f/1.4.
Before she arrives.
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Both images taken with the Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.
(Disclaimer: This is not a comprehensive analysis, but one user’s experience.)
I had been looking for, ruminating about, and scratching my head over the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 for almost a year. And, for various reasons, I never jumped at getting one.
Well then of course it was discontinued. Cosina Voigtländer was planning to build a new version [Edit: available as of late August 2011], which was to be somewhat more compact in size. But I learned a while ago that there are always trade-offs in lens design, and what finally convinced me to get the newly-old version was Cosina’s statement as to why it was being discontinued: that it was too difficult to procure the glass and too expensive/difficult for them to manufacture anymore.
Hmmm….well that certainly piqued my interest.
Having finally decided to get one, it was unfortunately out of stock in all the usual places I frequented.
However, one night back in February of 2010, I saw a new Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 (Version I) on sale on one of the large USA retailer websites. I didn’t make the same mistake of hesitating.
Subsequently, my friendly UPS delivery man arrived late one evening with the 35/1.2 in hand. And of course – being insane – I headed outside into a freezing Canadian winter and took my first shot with it @ f/1.2.
Here is a sample image from that first night:
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↑Leica M9 and Voigtländer Nokton 35mm @ f/1.2.
What I learned, almost immediately, was that this lens was going to change the way I photograph. The lens could be trusted in extremely low light situations and could produce a delicate bokeh that rivals its Leica counterparts.
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↑Leica M9 and Voigtländer Nokton 35mm @ f/1.2.
Counterparts, what counterparts? Of course, there is no other 35mm rangefinder lens in production that can shoot at an aperture of f/1.2! Yes, the Voigtländer Nokton 35/1.2 actually gives you a half stop more light than the next fastest 35mm rangefinder lenses out there.
Truthfully though, I find that the practical benefits of a half stop light advantage are not that pronounced. If I’m shooting in a dark environment where f/1.4 is not enough, then chances are that f/1.2 will not be enough either… but, it sometimes helps!
However, putting aside low-light considerations, there is another tangible benefit to shooting at f/1.2: subject isolation.
Subject isolation with a 35mm lens? Not possible, you say.
Well, it is at f/1.2.
Is it better than what you get when shooting with another 35mm lens at f/1.4? I think so, or at least I’ve convinced myself of it. See for yourself:
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↑Leica M9 and Voigtländer Nokton 35mm @ f/1.2.
What are the other benefits to the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2?
It displays no focus shift! Check
It’s an M-mount lens that near focuses to the M rangefinder limit of 0.7 m. Check and check.
It has very little distortion, and even at its widest aperture, there is very little vignetting. It is also built very solidly and the focus ring is well weighted for focus precision. Check, check, and check.
And it’s got a bit of an “old school” look and feel to it (both the lens and the images it produces!) that I appreciate very much. This point cannot be emphasized enough as it’s the reason I own this lens vs. any other fast 35mm lens – I just like how the Voigtländer Nokton 35/1.2 draws. Period.
And finally – the part that totally shocked me: it’s sharp at f/1.2. No kidding, this thing is just razor sharp at its widest aperture, à la Leica. This is one of the reasons you buy Leica glass at 5 times the cost, but the Voigtländer Nokton 35/1.2 gives you wide open sharpness that would satisfy the most discerning lens aficionado:
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↑Leica M9 and Voigtländer Nokton 35mm @ f/1.2.
Don’t believe me? The focus in on the near eye.
Here is the 100% crop (remember this is at f/1.2):
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The Leica 35mm Summilux asphericals (I and II) may be sharper wide open, but not by much. In practical use, your own ability to focus correctly will have more impact on the final image.
So, why was I so resistant to getting this lens in the first place? In other words, what are the negatives?
It’s the size and weight that put me off this lens for so long. I kept reading about it. The internet kept warning me about it.
In the end, I guess I was so prepared to be overwhelmed by the size that I was pleasantly surprised when I finally got my hands on one. It actually handles and balances very well on the M9 and, although the size causes partial viewfinder blockage, it is manageable.
By way of comparison, here’s how it stacks up against the current version of Leica’s Noctilux and Voigtländer’s own smaller offering, the Voigtländer Nokton 40/1.4:
Voigtländer 35/1.2:
Leica 50/0.95:
Voigtländer 40/1.4:
Fast glass with minimal optical compromises will always be heavy…
Other negatives? Well, similar to my previous Voigtländer Nokton 40/1.4 discussion, the Nokton 35/1.2 lacks the biting microcontrast of its Leica counterparts and exhibits purple fringing wide open at high contrast edges. Note, even the incredible Leica 0.95 Noctilux struggles with these, albeit at f/0.95! At other apertures, the Nokton 35/1.2 is a stellar performer, in line with Leica’s finest.
In summary then, the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 aspherical (Version I) is a stellar optic with the following attributes:
On the downside:
If the Voigtländer Nokton 35/1.2 was manufactured by Leica, I’m sure it would be priced many-fold higher. Given its actual price (if you can find one), it represents a relative bargain.
And finally, since a picture is worth (at least) a thousand words, I’ll end this discussion by posting several more images taken with this lens:
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All of the above images were taken with the Leica M9 and the Voigtlander Nokton 35mm @ f/1.2.
If you would like to see more of my images created with the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2, please see here.
_____________________________
—Peter.
Following my post about the Voigtländer Nokton 40/1.4, a number of you requested that I discuss it’s larger sibling, the Voigtländer Nokton 35/1.2.
In an attempt to satisfy those requests, I will be posting a (very brief) write-up on the 35/1.2 tomorrow, with plenty of sample images.
Remember, it’s not meant to be a review – it’s just one user’s experience.
Peter.
The focus is on her eye.
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Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.
It’s been raining on and off this weekend, so I thought this shot would be à propos.
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↑Nikon D40 and Nikkor-NOCT 58/1.2 @ f/1.2.
This image was taken with the Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2, mounted to a Nikon D40 camera.
The D40 was an entry level SLR camera, announced by Nikon in late 2006. Given we are currently in 2011, this camera is ancient by digital camera standards. However, it has a 6 megapixel DX format CCD sensor. The “CCD” part is what interests me because, along with a weak AA filter, this is exactly what you will find in the Leica M9 (although, in the M9 there is a larger “full frame” 18 megapixel sensor).
I’ve always been attracted to the look of photos captured by CCD sensors with weak AA filters, as the output is just more “vivid” to my eye – even when shooting with the dreamy NOCT @ f/1.2.
Here is one more photo with the same combo:
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↑Nikon D40 and Nikkor-NOCT 58/1.2 @ f/1.2.
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Both images taken with the Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.
“There’s a king on a throne with his eyes torn out
There’s a blind man looking for a shadow of doubt.”
– The Police, King of Pain.
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Leica M9 and Konica Hexanon 60mm @ f/1.2.
Totally in character, but not so fierce.
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Both images taken with the Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.
This is method acting at its best.
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Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.
And two big smiles.
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Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.
The summer walk – a story told in five parts.
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All photos taken with the Nikon D3S and the Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2 (images 1, 2 and 4) and @ f/4 (images 3 and 5).
She is totally aware.
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Nikon D700 and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.
She actually had fun, despite some mandatory hair adjustments.
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Both images taken with the Nikon D700 and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.
I’m posting these as part of my ongoing showcase of the NIkkor-NOCT 58mm/1.2 lens.
Admittedly my “hit” rate on these is low (for example, I’ve completely missed focus on the 2nd image), but catching the expression of happiness makes it all worthwhile.
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All images taken with the Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.
A game of hide-and-seek in the forest. Moments and fragments of a dream, or so it seems to me now.
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Both images taken with the Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.
One of my favourites. Unbridled joy.
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Nikon D3S and Nikkor-NOCT 58mm @ f/1.2.
Prosophos 