Voigtlander 25mm f.95 Nokton vs Summicron 28mm f2

johnnyk

johnnyk

Active member
Hello.

I wonder if any shooters out there can help me form an opinion. I am the proud owner of a Leica Summicron 28mm f2 lens, or as I call it, The Big Bad Wolf. It was the first lens I got for my Leica and a great focal length for street photography. I picked up a GH2 not too long ago so I could get back to video and still be able to use my Leica glass. I love my 'cron, especially as a stills lens. It's beautiful. But I have to admit the Voigtlander 25mm Nokton looks very good on the GH2 and 3 extra stops never hurt anyone. Anyone have any thoughts on these two lenses. I've never shot with the Voigtlander and there really are no comparative reviews for it with the Summicron. Am I having a 'grass is greener' moment? I don't see myself parting with the Summicron, so the Nokton would likely be in addition to. Lens performances aside, and even though I plan to shoot at night (the only reason I'm considering a purchase), I wonder if buying the Nokton for the 3 extra stops isn't the best use of money considering what I already own. It's not like I'm made of money.

Any advice or thoughts appreciated. Thanks.
 
From a purely physics-optical point of view, the Nokton's advantages are hard to ignore. The extra stops are obvious. But I find the 3mm difference to be very meaningful. It's not only that every millimeter on the wide end is dramatically more pronounced, but this is particularly true on something like the GH2 (it would obviously still be there on a full frame camera, but on a GH2, it's just that much more). Further, the wider you go, the more light gathering capability you have. Plus, 25mm is still not so wide as to distort, so there is no distortion advantage to 28mm here.

But of course, apart from physics-optics, there are other factors, such as color and how pleasing the image is, how sharp and so on. This starts getting into the realm of the subjective, but there seems to be broad consensus that the Nokton produces a very pleasing image, so there is that. Unfortunately, I've never shot with the Summicron 28mm, so I can't really compare, but if it was me, I'd definitely spring for the Nokton. In the same way, a lot of people who have the 20mm 1.7 Panny still buy the Nokton - and if you wanted, you could have more of an argument here, sure the Panny is slower (though not as much slower as the Summicron!), but it's way, way wider - so there is some tradeoff. But with the Summicron, it's a no-brainer - much slower, and a bit longer. I'd buy the Nokton, no question. Of course it depends on what you're shooting - if you are in smaller spaces, with little light, wide + fast is the way to go, so Nokton 100%.
 
I have the Nokton and never use it faster than 1.4 anyway. I think it performs really bad at 0.95 and 1.0 (0.95 only affects the very center brightness anyway compared to 1.0), vignetting heavily, purple fringing and ghosting, soft. Anything faster than 1.4 it basically looks like an effect lens, which can be cool but... From 1.4 it gets superb though, at f2 it's already tacksharp, with a great analog character. I'd say save the money though if you have the Summicron already.
 
Save your dough - Leica glass is the shizzle. You're just having a grass is greener moment. Get another focal length Summicron - like a 50!
 
I've been shooting an Elmarit-R 28mm and Summicron-R 50mm, and also own the 20/1.7, haven't felt the need for the 25/0.95... even buying the former two used, I don't think I spent as much on all three of those as the Voigtlander is going for currently. That said, I'm planning to buy the Leica DG 25/1.4 once it's available.
 
Thanks for all the posts, guys. You definitely helped the thought process. I know the Voigtlander is a great lens and practically made for the GH2, it's even increasing in price over time. I can't lie, I do want one. Buying it certainly wouldn't be a waste of money in the long run, but part of it does seem duplicitous as I already own the Summicron. And I do love that lens. I guess until I find myself really needing those extra stops I should probably save my money for something wide and fast on the crop sensor. I'm curious how that 12mm f.95 Noktor from SLR Magic is going to pan out. And Lucas, I already own the 50mm f1 Noctilux. That thing is a BEAST! We shall never part. Maybe that was part of the draw - trying to get all my m4/3 rig lenses at f1 or under.
Anyway, I really appreciate all the feedback during my moment of indecision. You guys are cool.
jk
 
Have you seen how horrible the Voigtlander blades look? That's the big disappointment for me with this lens. Star shaped bokeh on a $1K+ lens! They should have put 14+ blades on there, as it is not an auto-iris, but they were cheapskates. Even the 8 curved blades of an auto-iris SLR legacy lens would have been better than those straight, spiky ones.
 
You know, I haven't seen the blades. Funny thing, I kept hearing so much praise for this lens that I never checked them out. Guess I got dazzled by the f.95.
 
johnnyk said:
You know, I haven't seen the blades. Funny thing, I kept hearing so much praise for this lens that I never checked them out. Guess I got dazzled by the f.95.
Click to expand...

I have to ask what kind of DOF you'd have if shot with Wide open? I just don't see how that kind of DOF would be useful...okay usable.. :)
 
On a m43 sensor, 25mm is only equivalent to a 50mm on a Canon 5D and f0.95 gives the same dof as about f1.8 on full frame, and we've all used that I'm sure.

Is it useful? Possibly. Necessary? Not at all. Cool? Certainly.
 
stip said:
I have the Nokton and never use it faster than 1.4 anyway. I think it performs really bad at 0.95 and 1.0 (0.95 only affects the very center brightness anyway compared to 1.0), vignetting heavily, purple fringing and ghosting, soft. Anything faster than 1.4 it basically looks like an effect lens, which can be cool but... From 1.4 it gets superb though, at f2 it's already tacksharp, with a great analog character. I'd say save the money though if you have the Summicron already.
Click to expand...
Seb Farges shot this video @F0.95 and it looks great to me.

GH2 24P and 720P
Voigtländer 25mm 0.95
1/50 shutter speed
everything is shot @ 0.95 with a L.C.W variable ND filter
Click to expand...

Leica Summicron-M 28 mm f/2.0 Asph


3058_roz.jpg

Voigtlander Nokton 25 mm f/0.95:


3279_wykres.jpg

[h=2]Canon EF 24 mm f/1.4L II USM :[/h]
3114_roz_1D.jpg
 
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