jonpais
Well-known member
How well does the new Voigtlander Apo 35mm f/2 aspherical stack up to the Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM? In the most critical areas, like landscape photography, the two lenses might be difficult to tell apart (although we still think the Sony will prevail); however, with its fast f/1.4 aperture and the quickest, most reliable autofocus of any manufacturer, the Sony is hands-down the more versatile lens, rendering it suitable for many more situations, including casual photography, shooting pets and family, fast-paced street photography, news gathering, event photography, fashion and portraiture, working in the late hours or in dimly lit interiors – in practically every conceivable circumstance. In addition to critical eye autofocus, the Sony also offers the immense advantage of increased creative control over depth of field. It should be noted that the CV has no weather resistance, something we have come to expect from a premium lens.
Novices who whine about the cost of premium GM lenses often overlook the basic fact that it’s vastly more challenging and costly to construct a fast, wide, compact prime with uncompromising optical quality than to design a slow f/2 lens like the CV. It’s a more formidable task to suppress the vignetting of a lens like the 35mm GM – particularly while striving to contain the overall dimensions – yet Sony has succeeded in rivaling the Voigtlander in this regard! Flare resistance is a pretty huge deal, and Sony has made tremendous strides in this important area, surpassing the Voigtlander. Pronounced flare is the number one enemy of contrast, especially when it comes to HDR video. Sony, a technological juggernaut, using their considerable resources, have invested millions in autofocus technology and in the research and development of the manufacturing processes employed to create aspheric lenses that don’t produce unsightly onion ring bokeh. Yet they’ve managed to offer all this at a very competitive price. Flare resistance and pleasing bokeh have never been Voigtlander’s strong suits.
The Sony GM Advantage:
1. Creative control over DOF – check. 2. Greater versatility – check. 3. Vastly improved lens coatings resulting in excellent flare resistance – check. 4. Overcome difficulty of constructing a fast, wide compact prime without compromise – check. 5. Substantial low light advantage – check. 6. Responsiveness – check. 7. Fewer lateral chromatic aberrations and higher resolution for formats like 8K throughout the aperture range – check. 8. Ability to shoot in inclement weather - check. 9. Price commensurate with performance – check.
The first short film shot with the Sony 35mm GM. https://youtu.be/mm_UDmi8i1s
Novices who whine about the cost of premium GM lenses often overlook the basic fact that it’s vastly more challenging and costly to construct a fast, wide, compact prime with uncompromising optical quality than to design a slow f/2 lens like the CV. It’s a more formidable task to suppress the vignetting of a lens like the 35mm GM – particularly while striving to contain the overall dimensions – yet Sony has succeeded in rivaling the Voigtlander in this regard! Flare resistance is a pretty huge deal, and Sony has made tremendous strides in this important area, surpassing the Voigtlander. Pronounced flare is the number one enemy of contrast, especially when it comes to HDR video. Sony, a technological juggernaut, using their considerable resources, have invested millions in autofocus technology and in the research and development of the manufacturing processes employed to create aspheric lenses that don’t produce unsightly onion ring bokeh. Yet they’ve managed to offer all this at a very competitive price. Flare resistance and pleasing bokeh have never been Voigtlander’s strong suits.
The Sony GM Advantage:
1. Creative control over DOF – check. 2. Greater versatility – check. 3. Vastly improved lens coatings resulting in excellent flare resistance – check. 4. Overcome difficulty of constructing a fast, wide compact prime without compromise – check. 5. Substantial low light advantage – check. 6. Responsiveness – check. 7. Fewer lateral chromatic aberrations and higher resolution for formats like 8K throughout the aperture range – check. 8. Ability to shoot in inclement weather - check. 9. Price commensurate with performance – check.
The first short film shot with the Sony 35mm GM. https://youtu.be/mm_UDmi8i1s
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