My all time favorite lens is SKOPAR 35mm F2.5. it's compact, lightweight and looks clean with haoge square hood. HALF price and HALF stop smaller to ultron..
After many hours of research online and after watching quite a lot of your videos here on RUclips, I was lucky enough to find and purchase a second hand Leica M-P type 240. And combined it with a Voigtländer 35mm Ultron. What a dream combo!! ❤ 😮 Did some first shots and will have to try and learn a lot but wow! Thanks a million for your great, inspiring, and useful videos. It’s a pleasure to watch. Cheers!
Bought an M-A with 35 Summilux yesterday. Waited a long time to finally get one. Can’t wait to get out and about. First Leica M - the experience is 1000% the reason people buy Leica. The cameras are a joy to use. They make you value photography… instead of being trigger happy with a lump of a camera with over the top functions that no one ever uses. Simplicity is key.
My first M lens was a 35 Summicron v.4, which is an even tinier lens and I loved it. Now, I've been using the Ultron II for almost three years and I must tell you, it beats the hell out of the 'cron. I must recognize this is a 30 year old lens and the new APO Summicron 35 FLE is probably the absolute best 35 ever made, but at nearly $9k it will be something to display next to the crown jewels. OTOH, the Ultron feels better than any Leica lens I've used and much better than *any* lens I've handled, regardless of brand or format. It's not only sharp, has a beautiful smooth bokeh, it's even corner to corner and on my M10-R it resolves tiny details that I wouldn't be able to get unless with a 4x5. The exquisit, painted brass Ultron II has been *welded* to my (now brassy) early MP from 2003 generally loaded with 400-TX or HP5+; but even on the M10-R, shooting 40 Mp color, it's my _always_ lens. Recently, I got me an APO-Lanthar 50, and it is as sharp as a scalpel. Chirurgical is the word. However, even tho I love 50's, this one is too clinical. Also the size and lack of a focusing tab put me off and I find myself going back to my _now outdated_ Summicron 50 v.5.
H Benj, funny to hear what you said about the 35mm F/1.4. I work in a camera store and always tell people that is basically is 2 lenses into one. Perfect sharpnes when stopped down from F/2.8 and up, but a very glowy and vignetting classic rendering lens on 1.4. Has to be your taste but still a bargain if you compare it to the other 1.4 options, which would be a very used summilux or zeiss version for 2-3x price minimum. This ultron looks great as well, nice video.
Hi Benj, great video and actually made me buy one for my M10. Now, what lens detection mode do you set in camera for this lens? I’ve seen a strange behaviour where the automatic setting actually picked it as 21mm (???). Any thoughts?
I have this lens and hood on my beautiful M9P and M-P (Typ 240). It’s a great lens (especially if bought used off eBay) and looks fabulous on black painted Leica cameras.
I wanted to buy the 35 Summicron asph v2 but then this lens came out and ruined that. I've been using it since release for almost a year now. This thing is stellar. It's sharp, it has character, the build is sex, the price is right. Only thing I hate was how much I had to pay for that lens hood. 😅 ty for the mention 🍻
Had Cron v1 asph and now I have Ultron v1, which 'm trying to sell. Cron is much better, at least for me. There's no point in discussing if it's that much better as the price difference suggests. It's just better.
Bought and sold the 35 Nokton at least 7 times. 🤣 Now using the 35 Lux FLE, I don't feel like it works for me as a hobbyist because of its size and weight. Been debating between this lens or going back to the Nokton but I think I value the extra speed of light over sharpness. My new Nokton is being delivered today. 🤣
The nokton 1.2 has always been my favorite. v3 of that lens is quite a bit smaller than the v1 of old. At the moment I'm using a color-skopar 2.5 though, has a bit of a vintage look to it, but is plenty sharp and absolutely tiny.
Benj, you should try the 35mm f/2.5 Color Skopar. It's a wonderful tiny lens, I find it sharp on my M10, but with a nice retro feel and non of that f/1.4 nokton glow. I bought it as a stopgap lens but it's my go-to now (they're really cheap imho for what they offer). I keep thinking the Ultron would be nice, but I just don't feel the need for something faster, and it's even smaller than the Ultron :)
After watching countless reviews on lenses, I’ve decided on this lens and the 28 Ultron. Seems to be the perfect combination of vintage and sharpness. Thank God your review didn’t have photos of houses at infinity. Most people don’t know how to use the lens to its advantage for a review.
I had Ultron vers I and its an amazing lens. But now i have Nokton Classic vers II MC and this is amazing lens too. I think whats the best is whats the best for you. How do you like pictures to be. Sharp and very contrasty take Ultron. But as i have already very sharp zeiss 2.8 Nokton is a perfect for Classic look. And btw maybe Benj had Nokton verion I which is not as good lens as vers II
I love the rendering of the 35mm ultron, it is basically a compact m-mount helios. I used it with the m10m I rented for a week and it created magic in my opinion.
I bought this lens and tested it head to head against my Ultron 1.7 and my Light Lens Lab, all M mounts. I'm looking for a good to great 35mm with a smaller and lighter profile compared to my Ultron 1.7. In summary: I'm returning the Ultron 2.0. The Ultron 1.7 outclassed it by a long shot. The 2.0 is not as well constructed, strong vignetting at 2.0 that reaches into the mid frame, and it skewed the colors. What I liked better about the 2.0: actually shaper than the 1.7 and more vintage bokeh. I wish it was a keeper.
Thanks for this review. I'm planning to pick this up for my M246 when I sell my Elmarit 28mm and was debating myself over the color. The black paint seems too glossy on the stock photos I've seen of it but on your M10 it doesn't look bad at all.
Great informative Benj, thank you. Do you know if in Leica you can enter the non Leica lens manually or you just have to select from the available list when you select manually?
Thanks for making this video Ben. I feel like no one has taking about this lens since it’s been released. I actually made the switch from the Nokton to this lens recently and absolutely love it. The only drawback, at least for film shooters, is the close focus distance which you can’t do on a .72 magnification. Other than that it’s an amazing lens. Also, I really enjoyed this laid back style review vs. your normal setup. Felt much more conversational and relaxed. Thanks again Ben!
Hey, what exactly do you mean that? Are you not able to patch focus anything up close with the .72 mag? Will it be in focus after development but closest ranges not be in focus in the view finder?
My all around everyday lens is the CV 35 1.4 MC II Nocton Classic and just love it and the images it produces. I'm not a shallow DOF fan and never shoot wide open..
I wonder if you have shot on the M11 yet? If you get the black version the balance test doesn’t yield the same results. It’s lighter and most lens don’t balance like before.
Thanks for the video. For years, I shot with a Canon rangefinder with fixed 40mm lens. I replaced the Canon with the Leica M6 because I needed multiple lenses (21/35/90). If I only needed a one-lens rangefinder, I would still be shooting with the Canon. Today, when I need a simple walk around camera and lens, I simply use my cell phone.
Mmm… I do love my 35mm Nokton so much (v2 MC) that I have 2 copies of them myself. I just usually never use them wide open f1.4, the look gets gorgeous (to my like) from 2.0 or so an up… This Ultron for sure is good as well, like almost every Voigtlander lense I’ve tried. I can’t justify by any means moving up to the Summicron after having tried it recently, maybe the Lux… but then there’s size, weight… then I go back to the Nokton! Haha. Cheers Benj, good tests
The 40/1.4 Nokton behaves the same way. It's more of an F2 lens with a turbo-mode. F2 it's center sharp and ghosting is under control. By 2.8 it's very modern. It does have some chaotic planar bokeh though.
I went from Nokton to summicron to summilux and could probably find a way to justify the leap to all of them haha. But Voigtlander has great lenses, especially for the price.
@@wobblycoastalfish1726 no worries! I only added the info because I started the sequence with the FX3 and the lens so I didn’t want to confuse by making people assume it was all with it too
In the photo of the Nokton Classic, which shows SC, which is single coat, was that the lens you had, did you try to shoot that in colour, as SC lenses are not great for colour photography, but rather excel in monochrome photography. I have the 40mm Nokton Classic SC, and yes the few times I have shot colour film it is all glowy and washed out, but with B&W film is beautifully contrasty without needed to add a yellow/orange/red filter to increase the contrast. That may explain why you did not like the lens.
Hi Ben, great video! I picked one up after watching this! Question, did you feel some resistance when putting this lens on your M body? I tried putting it on my M4 and it was a little tight. I was thinking it was the CLA? But yeah. I would love to hear your input on this lol.
Hi Ben. Just bought the Leica M240 with the Voigtlander Ultron 35 f2 ii. My first Leica. Since the lens does not have a Leica 6 bit coding on it, what lens type selection do I select on the camera set up menu? When I select manual lens on the menu, I can select 35mm f2 but it has a coding reference to it. Do I still select this option? Please advise. Thanks.
Size, performance and balance are the exact reasons I love my 35mm Summarit f/2.4 ASPH. They are going for about $1500 now, so this guy might not be as balanced rendering-wise to my eye, but that price is nice.
I git this lens as a gift. Using it with m10r i got pictures I like. But, the focus ring doesn't go smoothly. Maybe i need to send it to the service. I also have 35mm 2,8 Summaron. I dont need two 35. Would you mind advising which lens is better yo sell?
@@benjhaisch Thanks for responding. Tested Summaron with M10R this weekend. Picture looks great at 2,8 drive.google.com/file/d/1c9Mm3pmROnapvyjKV6tFIP9Z4StsRjpV/view?usp=sharing, but I noticed some blur at the corners at f5,6 and slower drive.google.com/file/d/1c9Mm3pmROnapvyjKV6tFIP9Z4StsRjpV/view?usp=sharing So gonna sell Summaron. Hope to fix Ultron in the service, for me as war photographer smooth and fast focus matters a lot
Great video. My journey with the 35mm lens on my M10 has been exactly as you mentioned. I first got the Nokton thinking I would love that vintage rendering. I did not. It just wasn't the lens for me. I eventually got the Ultron a couple months back and it's been glued to my M10 ever since. The only odd thing about the Ultron was that it took me 3 copies to get one that didn't have a sticking focus ring. Every time I would slow down to really dial in focus, it would get stuck making it impossible to move without either pushing so hard that it jumped way out of focus or causing me to miss the moment entirely. The third exchange finally got me a copy with a decent focus ring. It's still pretty stiff but at least it doesn't stick.
the problem comes from the size of the lens--you don't get enough leverage on the barrel of the lens to focus it because it is so short. returned two of them--they all bind at a certain point during the focus throw, a shame really. the ultron 1.7 is much better and even renders better but unfortunately the ergonomics kind of suck.
Nice review! I also have some Voigtländer lenses for my M10, among them the 35mm 1.2 iii and the 35mm 2.0 ii. Since I got the latter, the first stays at home almost all the time. Benj, I would really love to see a comparison video between this setup and your X100V especially for everyday casual shooting or as travel camera.
I liked the 28 more I guess but the 35 is just a better everyday focal length for most. The vignetting in these are without corrections so I haven’t noticed a ton.
Hmm, that's a very interesting comment about the minimum focusing distance as I remember watching your video on the 28 Ultron version 2, you had said "I thought the lens arrived uncalibrated". Have you been able to focus with the 28 and 35 at .58 on the m10? If so, that's pretty amazing.
Thankfully mine wasn’t very sticky, but every once in awhile it’ll get that way. It’s often the case for my 28 Summicron though so I didn’t see an issue.
I've got an R3M also, and I'd be interested in trying this lens on it. But there's no 35mm frameline - 40mm is as wide as it goes. Curious to know how others are making this work.
I have the Ultron 35mm f/2 V1. Ultimately ended up using my Summicron 35mm f/2 most often though. I've heard the V1 has more fringing but otherwise fairly similar to V2. For anyone that has the Summicron 35mm f/2, how would you compare it to the Ultron V1 or V2?
I don’t own one anymore but the 35Cron asph is much more “neutral” in its rendering. Borderline sterile but probably a better overall lens for most applications. The price difference is a hard pill to swallow though with this things performance.
Are there square lens hoods out there that would fit this thing? My biggest complaint would be to have such a small lens and yet have that round hood showing up in the VF. Edit: something more like what you can get on the X100V than the square-ish hood shown in the video
The hood that is made for it is square but a little larger as well. The lens is tiny though, so you could put a simple UV filter over the front if you’re worried about front element damage. I didn’t mind the viewfinder blockage though
You’re right about the look of the lens, this one does look better than the V1. I love the v1, but it has this heavy purple vignette when I use it on the MD262 (can’t set a lens profile), a pain in the ass to correct in post. Also, that Sony 24 GM looks so good.
Love the review!!!! Really makes me wanting to have one and test it out! Also glad you compared with the Nokton when I believe that's what most would consider with as first lens too!
Thoughts on this compared to the Summicron Asph? Almost doesnt seem like the extra couple thousand would be worth it with this update as an option. Seems like if you’re even considering something pricier than the new ultron, you’d just jump to the FLE
I really liked the Summicron for sure and have still considered buying one. The rendering is much more “sterile” in comparison which could be a good thing depending on your preference. I’m terms of sharpness though, it’s not an issue. Basically if you’re ok with the swirly, slightly vintage/busy bokeh, this is a fantastic option.
Voigtlander lenses are the reason I ended up purchasing a Sony A7III back in 2019. I currently own a 40mm f1.2 E mount and lucked out getting a very good copy (no noticeable focus shift and still sharp at f16). I am a little envious Leica users do have some wonderful Voigtlander glass that is very small, still retaining bags of character. If I can criticise the 40mm for one thing, my 40mm is twice as big and heavy as this VM 35 f2 at 420g compared to the VM at 210g. I tend to shoot between f8-f16 mostly so don't really need an f1.2 lens and wish voigtlander had a 40mm f1.4 or f2 E mount instead. Saying that, can't complain with the results from my Voigtlander.
Benj are you cropping to 4 by 3 in post? I shoot fuji x and gfx and if there is one update I’d love, it’s a jpg crop 4:3 ratio so I can deliver a consistent look to clients, without guessing the crop on location and cropping in post… not a lot to do with that sweet lens… well nothing really. 😀
I’ve never had any issues with a Leica lens on a fuji camera. As long as you are good with that ~50mm f/3.0 equivalent, it’d be a great option for the size
@@benjhaisch I'd have no issues with that. Thanks for getting back with me so fast. I've always enjoyed your videos. I can't believe i wasn't subscribed. but I took care of that now. Thanks again!
@@ScaleDreamsStudio I think that you would be better off with the new Fuji 33mm f1.4 lens. It costs $800 and is built for 40 megabyte sensors. It is very sharp and has fast autofocus.
Sold my 35 Summicron ASPH V1 after picking up a 35 Ultron V1. I can hardly tell the difference in rendering except when shooting at wider apertures. Sure there’s vingetting and bokeh is not as nice, but for the price it’s hard to beat!
I recently bought the nokton 35 1.2 III . I’m so impressed by it. You should try it, it could be the only 35, you need. It’s shorter and a bit lighter than the Zeiss. The look, you get, is just so nice. Highly recommended. Thank you for your interesting videos.
@@benjhaisch the third version is also optically better than the other versions. I don’t know, if it’s as good as the Zeiss, but it might be close. I use the 35 apo lanthar as well , I prefer the nokton 1.2 iii.
Loved the B roll - Looks like family time at the beach. I'm a fairly recent convert to the Leica world. Maybe you can help a little with some of the terminology that various reviewers use to define various lenses: What is meant by "glowey"? I've never seen that term used with respect to a Canon or micro 4/3 lens. What defines a vintage look to a lens? My guess would less sharpness in the corners and perhaps flatter contrast. Again this term seems confined to rangefinder lenses. Thanks - Rich B
I think by "glowy" he means the highlights glow with a slight flare, softness and warmth, which is appealing for portraits, less clinical. "Leica glow" is quite special on some lenses because the colour of the glow can be very beautiful and warm and the micro contrast of Leica lenses amplify glow to look very magical.
I liked the lens but the swirly bokeh was very distracting at certain distances and they go too hard with the contrast. Its a little sharper than the 2.5 summarit I replaced it with (could be the extra contrast tho) but that lens is more neutral which I like.
Haha I was going to say that it finally stopped raining so I finally filmed outside, but this was actually on a porch in the rain while my family napped & or had “quiet time” ;)
I agree with you about the rendering of the 35 Nokton Classic 1.4, not interesting. I preferred the 40mm Nokton Classic SC a few years ago. Now it seems a bit soft but still beautiful. Thanks for this review!
I just bought one of these as a normal lens (~40° angle of view) for my Pixii A1571, but haven't had a chance to use it yet because of poor weather. Frankly, the reviewer's seemingly lukewarm enthusiasm for it in his verbal comments makes me wonder if I shouldn't send it back before my return privilege runs out and get the 28mm Ultron instead. I'm looking for “modern” rendering with high detail sharpness and good flare resistance at full aperture, so the 35/1.4 Nokton doesn't appeal to me (if I want a glowy vintage look I can use my 7Artisans 35/2.) Can anyone who has used both offer any guidance? I prefer the 35mm view angle, but not at the expense of inferior performance. The sample images in the video told me nothing at all.
About the vintage thing you mention, that's your projection, and i am not trying to troll you. You are responsible for what's in the frame. You make it look vintage if that's your choice. People use this lens and i am getting a totally different impression apart from vintage.
Vintage to me in this refers to the rendering that was much more common in much earlier lens designs, so it’s not just based off of the context of the scene but more off the similarities of vintage designs.
Great video, thanks Ben. I’ve been counting my beans but esply given the oncoming ‘recession’ and inflation in the Uk … well I mite have to postpone a Leica sized purchase. But if I were to purchase one, I would want a small walk around lens, and the votlander looks ‘just the ticket’. Lovely images by the way, and I noticed you were getting almost macro shots in focus, which would be very useful to me… one day.
I haven’t used it but it seems like the size and balance would be slightly more prohibitive. If it’s like the 50apolanthar it’d be a superior lens but again, size.
My prefer lens are 21mm 1.8 Voigtlander / Leica 21mm 3.4 super Elmar ( one for day and one for night ) no need Leica 21mm summilux . 50mm 3.5 heliar Voigtlander and 50mm f2 zeiss and Leica 50mm 0.95 noctilux 35mm 1.4 zeiss , Leica 28mm 1.4 summilux 90mm 2.4 Leica . I used/shooting Leica since the 70’s and this is my choice . No need to have all lenses are Leica lenses on Leica M cameras
I really enjoy using the Ultron 35mm. I got the black paint with the squarish hood instead of the vented one, and it looks amazing. The photos is produces are even better.
Great video Benj! This has turned into my favorite lens on the Leica since I got it. I completely agree with all your comments! One question I had. How is the focusing action on the lens? There are several users that have complained that the focus pull is a little too resistant and not smooth. It seems to be isolated to the version II which is why I ended up with the Version 1. But I do like the look of the version II better. What’s been your experience so far? Have you tried both or is this your first experience with the 35mm f2 Ultron?
Sometimes if I haven’t used it in awhile it’ll be sticky for the first turn, but that’s common for other lenses of mine as well so I wasn’t sure if it was an issue with the lens or simply the environment I was photographing in.
Great video Benj. I really like my version 1, which has the same optics if I’m correct. I just took off the little lens tab and got a square shaped lens hood, like the one from Squarehood. I think at f2 the lens has a really creamy look to it, but at 5.6-8 it has a more crisp feel like the Summicron.
nice video, specially cause you criticized other Voigtländer lenses. That makes you much more seriously. Yes, I also like this 35mm Voigtländer. In compare to the Leica 2.0 35 asph the Voigtländer is not on the same level, but not far away. The Leica is sharper and has a better bokeh, but not 2k€ better.
Haha for sure I have no official affiliation with any brand and if I do I’ll always make it known. And if everything was equal in cost I’d love a 35/2 cron asph2 but $$$$$
Why not save more money and get a Leica 35 f2? The price is higher but the value is also higher Voigtlander is good but can’t keep the value like Leica
If you but a 35 Summicron brad new for 3900 you end up selling it at 2000-2500 tops. You lost $500 usd aprox. I I but the 35 ultron new is $850, and I could sell it right now at $700. $150 loss. So your argument has no point. Even a skopar from 10 years or more sells now for $350, that’s almost the same price as news in their time
For me a lens hood has to be the most efficient possible without protruding in the viewfinder frame. Just looking big cool and ventilated when not necessary is a no go.
Let’s face the fact that this version 2 35mm f2 is just an ordinary lens that fit the Leica M… look at the second hand market, I’d rather like to buy a Zeiss 35mm f2 or even the f2.8😂
I used the Version I for three years, absolutely loved it and didn’t mind the focusing tab.
Favorite 35mm M Mount is by far the Zeiss C Biogon 35mm 2.8! Got the 7Artisans focus tab for it, now it is by far my favorite lens.
This is a good one too! I love mine on my m10D!
My all time favorite lens is SKOPAR 35mm F2.5. it's compact, lightweight and looks clean with haoge square hood. HALF price and HALF stop smaller to ultron..
After many hours of research online and after watching quite a lot of your videos here on RUclips, I was lucky enough to find and purchase a second hand Leica M-P type 240. And combined it with a Voigtländer 35mm Ultron. What a dream combo!! ❤ 😮 Did some first shots and will have to try and learn a lot but wow! Thanks a million for your great, inspiring, and useful videos. It’s a pleasure to watch. Cheers!
Bought an M-A with 35 Summilux yesterday. Waited a long time to finally get one. Can’t wait to get out and about. First Leica M - the experience is 1000% the reason people buy Leica. The cameras are a joy to use. They make you value photography… instead of being trigger happy with a lump of a camera with over the top functions that no one ever uses. Simplicity is key.
epic! I've never used a camera that was more "smooth" than the M-A
@@benjhaisch 😃
My first M lens was a 35 Summicron v.4, which is an even tinier lens and I loved it. Now, I've been using the Ultron II for almost three years and I must tell you, it beats the hell out of the 'cron. I must recognize this is a 30 year old lens and the new APO Summicron 35 FLE is probably the absolute best 35 ever made, but at nearly $9k it will be something to display next to the crown jewels.
OTOH, the Ultron feels better than any Leica lens I've used and much better than *any* lens I've handled, regardless of brand or format. It's not only sharp, has a beautiful smooth bokeh, it's even corner to corner and on my M10-R it resolves tiny details that I wouldn't be able to get unless with a 4x5.
The exquisit, painted brass Ultron II has been *welded* to my (now brassy) early MP from 2003 generally loaded with 400-TX or HP5+; but even on the M10-R, shooting 40 Mp color, it's my _always_ lens.
Recently, I got me an APO-Lanthar 50, and it is as sharp as a scalpel. Chirurgical is the word. However, even tho I love 50's, this one is too clinical. Also the size and lack of a focusing tab put me off and I find myself going back to my _now outdated_ Summicron 50 v.5.
H Benj, funny to hear what you said about the 35mm F/1.4. I work in a camera store and always tell people that is basically is 2 lenses into one. Perfect sharpnes when stopped down from F/2.8 and up, but a very glowy and vignetting classic rendering lens on 1.4. Has to be your taste but still a bargain if you compare it to the other 1.4 options, which would be a very used summilux or zeiss version for 2-3x price minimum. This ultron looks great as well, nice video.
Just bought this in silver/chrome to match my Silver M6, so happy with the quality!
Hey Benj..may i ask.. what's the brand of leather strap with peak design snap on your M10 ?
Hi Benj, great video and actually made me buy one for my M10. Now, what lens detection mode do you set in camera for this lens? I’ve seen a strange behaviour where the automatic setting actually picked it as 21mm (???). Any thoughts?
Hey Benj, I was wondering if you could let me know to what tape material you used to cover up the red dot on your M10?
I have this lens and hood on my beautiful M9P and M-P (Typ 240). It’s a great lens (especially if bought used off eBay) and looks fabulous on black painted Leica cameras.
I wanted to buy the 35 Summicron asph v2 but then this lens came out and ruined that. I've been using it since release for almost a year now. This thing is stellar. It's sharp, it has character, the build is sex, the price is right. Only thing I hate was how much I had to pay for that lens hood. 😅 ty for the mention 🍻
$60 is not much for a lens that cost $800.
Had Cron v1 asph and now I have Ultron v1, which 'm trying to sell. Cron is much better, at least for me. There's no point in discussing if it's that much better as the price difference suggests. It's just better.
Bought and sold the 35 Nokton at least 7 times. 🤣 Now using the 35 Lux FLE, I don't feel like it works for me as a hobbyist because of its size and weight. Been debating between this lens or going back to the Nokton but I think I value the extra speed of light over sharpness. My new Nokton is being delivered today. 🤣
🤣
The nokton 1.2 has always been my favorite. v3 of that lens is quite a bit smaller than the v1 of old. At the moment I'm using a color-skopar 2.5 though, has a bit of a vintage look to it, but is plenty sharp and absolutely tiny.
The Ultron is *much* better than the Nokton, I got so tired of that vintage rendering of that thing. Never going back.
7 times? It’s a abusive relationship at this point 😂
The 35 Lux FLE I is a terrific lens.
Benj, you should try the 35mm f/2.5 Color Skopar. It's a wonderful tiny lens, I find it sharp on my M10, but with a nice retro feel and non of that f/1.4 nokton glow. I bought it as a stopgap lens but it's my go-to now (they're really cheap imho for what they offer). I keep thinking the Ultron would be nice, but I just don't feel the need for something faster, and it's even smaller than the Ultron :)
After watching countless reviews on lenses, I’ve decided on this lens and the 28 Ultron. Seems to be the perfect combination of vintage and sharpness. Thank God your review didn’t have photos of houses at infinity. Most people don’t know how to use the lens to its advantage for a review.
When I finally get my M10 this lens is on the list of first to buy. The other two lenses are the voigt 28 ultron and Leica 50 f2.5
Love my 28 ultron. Might just have to give this one a go to!
I had Ultron vers I and its an amazing lens. But now i have Nokton Classic vers II MC and this is amazing lens too. I think whats the best is whats the best for you. How do you like pictures to be. Sharp and very contrasty take Ultron. But as i have already very sharp zeiss 2.8 Nokton is a perfect for Classic look. And btw maybe Benj had Nokton verion I which is not as good lens as vers II
What year was this 35mm ultron V2 released, anyone know?
Thanks Ben - excellent review, and you have the best accompanying music of any reviewer.
I love the rendering of the 35mm ultron, it is basically a compact m-mount helios. I used it with the m10m I rented for a week and it created magic in my opinion.
reminds me a little bit of the MIR-1B
I bought this lens and tested it head to head against my Ultron 1.7 and my Light Lens Lab, all M mounts. I'm looking for a good to great 35mm with a smaller and lighter profile compared to my Ultron 1.7. In summary: I'm returning the Ultron 2.0. The Ultron 1.7 outclassed it by a long shot. The 2.0 is not as well constructed, strong vignetting at 2.0 that reaches into the mid frame, and it skewed the colors. What I liked better about the 2.0: actually shaper than the 1.7 and more vintage bokeh. I wish it was a keeper.
Thanks for this review. I'm planning to pick this up for my M246 when I sell my Elmarit 28mm and was debating myself over the color. The black paint seems too glossy on the stock photos I've seen of it but on your M10 it doesn't look bad at all.
Great informative Benj, thank you.
Do you know if in Leica you can enter the non Leica lens manually or you just have to select from the available list when you select manually?
How do you find the hood? Does it cover the viewfinder?
It does, but since it’s vented it’s not much of an issue tbh
Have you tried the Nokton 35mm f1.4 ii multi coated (version 2)???
That swirl to the bokeh is interesting, can be a bit distracting in some shots but certainly has a unique look to it. Nice vid!
Thanks for making this video Ben. I feel like no one has taking about this lens since it’s been released. I actually made the switch from the Nokton to this lens recently and absolutely love it. The only drawback, at least for film shooters, is the close focus distance which you can’t do on a .72 magnification. Other than that it’s an amazing lens.
Also, I really enjoyed this laid back style review vs. your normal setup. Felt much more conversational and relaxed. Thanks again Ben!
I don’t think I mentioned it on this one but I really wish they had a little detent at 0.7m
Hey, what exactly do you mean that? Are you not able to patch focus anything up close with the .72 mag? Will it be in focus after development but closest ranges not be in focus in the view finder?
My all around everyday lens is the CV 35 1.4 MC II Nocton Classic and just love it and the images it produces. I'm not a shallow DOF fan and never shoot wide open..
I wonder how this compares to the summicron 35 non-asph...
I wonder if you have shot on the M11 yet? If you get the black version the balance test doesn’t yield the same results. It’s lighter and most lens don’t balance like before.
Thanks for the video.
For years, I shot with a Canon rangefinder with fixed 40mm lens.
I replaced the Canon with the Leica M6 because I needed multiple lenses (21/35/90).
If I only needed a one-lens rangefinder, I would still be shooting with the Canon.
Today, when I need a simple walk around camera and lens, I simply use my cell phone.
Why are you not using a Canon VT or other V series rangefinders that use Leica thread mount glass???
@@linjicakonikon7666
Because I do not have any Leica thread mount lenses.
Mmm… I do love my 35mm Nokton so much (v2 MC) that I have 2 copies of them myself. I just usually never use them wide open f1.4, the look gets gorgeous (to my like) from 2.0 or so an up… This Ultron for sure is good as well, like almost every Voigtlander lense I’ve tried. I can’t justify by any means moving up to the Summicron after having tried it recently, maybe the Lux… but then there’s size, weight… then I go back to the Nokton! Haha. Cheers Benj, good tests
The 40/1.4 Nokton behaves the same way. It's more of an F2 lens with a turbo-mode. F2 it's center sharp and ghosting is under control. By 2.8 it's very modern. It does have some chaotic planar bokeh though.
I went from Nokton to summicron to summilux and could probably find a way to justify the leap to all of them haha. But Voigtlander has great lenses, especially for the price.
@@FrankDavalos hahaha Don’t get me started on justifying games… lol 😅
@@sergiocasado2978 hahaha oh buddy, we could go all day.
@@mvonwalter6927 id rather have chaotic than this repetitive swirl or boring bokeh
Loved the review Benj. can someone explain the Sony FX3 samples? They aren’t shot with this lens so curious to why they’re in the video? Many thanks
Adds to the environment and context of what the resulting images are, no?
@@benjhaisch It does, you're right. Think I read into it a little to much.
@@wobblycoastalfish1726 no worries! I only added the info because I started the sequence with the FX3 and the lens so I didn’t want to confuse by making people assume it was all with it too
@@benjhaisch It doesn't take much to confuse me mate, haha
In the photo of the Nokton Classic, which shows SC, which is single coat, was that the lens you had, did you try to shoot that in colour, as SC lenses are not great for colour photography, but rather excel in monochrome photography. I have the 40mm Nokton Classic SC, and yes the few times I have shot colour film it is all glowy and washed out, but with B&W film is beautifully contrasty without needed to add a yellow/orange/red filter to increase the contrast. That may explain why you did not like the lens.
Saw some of your recent videos adapting m Mount lenses to GFX - how well does this lens work on it?
Hi Ben, great video! I picked one up after watching this! Question, did you feel some resistance when putting this lens on your M body? I tried putting it on my M4 and it was a little tight. I was thinking it was the CLA? But yeah. I would love to hear your input on this lol.
Interested to see how you feel after the arrival of the 35mm f1.5? Any plans to have a look at that lens?
I’ve heard mixed reviews. Haven’t had the opportunity to try it yet though.
@@benjhaisch thanks for the reply. I was hopeful you might take a look at it, your reviews are excellent 👌
Should make a comp video to the Zeiss Biogon 35mm f2
What wooden hand grip are you using on your silver M-10?
Hi Ben. Just bought the Leica M240 with the Voigtlander Ultron 35 f2 ii. My first Leica. Since the lens does not have a Leica 6 bit coding on it, what lens type selection do I select on the camera set up menu? When I select manual lens on the menu, I can select 35mm f2 but it has a coding reference to it. Do I still select this option? Please advise. Thanks.
Also awaiting answer for this one 😊
Size, performance and balance are the exact reasons I love my 35mm Summarit f/2.4 ASPH. They are going for about $1500 now, so this guy might not be as balanced rendering-wise to my eye, but that price is nice.
Thanks Ben, really appreciate the review the the idea of thinking about the “everyday” lens at a decent price point with excellent optics.
I git this lens as a gift. Using it with m10r i got pictures I like. But, the focus ring doesn't go smoothly. Maybe i need to send it to the service. I also have 35mm 2,8 Summaron. I dont need two 35. Would you mind advising which lens is better yo sell?
I’m not sure about the Summaron. The focus isn’t always smooth on this one as well, but definitely just takes a couple focus pulls to get it open
@@benjhaisch Thanks for responding. Tested Summaron with M10R this weekend. Picture looks great at 2,8 drive.google.com/file/d/1c9Mm3pmROnapvyjKV6tFIP9Z4StsRjpV/view?usp=sharing,
but I noticed some blur at the corners at f5,6 and slower drive.google.com/file/d/1c9Mm3pmROnapvyjKV6tFIP9Z4StsRjpV/view?usp=sharing
So gonna sell Summaron. Hope to fix Ultron in the service, for me as war photographer smooth and fast focus matters a lot
Great video. My journey with the 35mm lens on my M10 has been exactly as you mentioned. I first got the Nokton thinking I would love that vintage rendering. I did not. It just wasn't the lens for me. I eventually got the Ultron a couple months back and it's been glued to my M10 ever since.
The only odd thing about the Ultron was that it took me 3 copies to get one that didn't have a sticking focus ring. Every time I would slow down to really dial in focus, it would get stuck making it impossible to move without either pushing so hard that it jumped way out of focus or causing me to miss the moment entirely.
The third exchange finally got me a copy with a decent focus ring. It's still pretty stiff but at least it doesn't stick.
the problem comes from the size of the lens--you don't get enough leverage on the barrel of the lens to focus it because it is so short. returned two of them--they all bind at a certain point during the focus throw, a shame really. the ultron 1.7 is much better and even renders better but unfortunately the ergonomics kind of suck.
Nice review! I also have some Voigtländer lenses for my M10, among them the 35mm 1.2 iii and the 35mm 2.0 ii. Since I got the latter, the first stays at home almost all the time.
Benj, I would really love to see a comparison video between this setup and your X100V especially for everyday casual shooting or as travel camera.
How’s the vignetting on the 35mm Ultron? I have the 28mm and it’s pretty significant. If you could only have one Ultron, 28 or 35?
I liked the 28 more I guess but the 35 is just a better everyday focal length for most. The vignetting in these are without corrections so I haven’t noticed a ton.
Nice! By the way, what lens hood do you have on that Zeiss lens at the end? It’s chrome and looks great!
Hmm, that's a very interesting comment about the minimum focusing distance as I remember watching your video on the 28 Ultron version 2, you had said "I thought the lens arrived uncalibrated". Have you been able to focus with the 28 and 35 at .58 on the m10? If so, that's pretty amazing.
Hi Ben, can you do a review of the Sigma lenses for Fuji? I'd love to hear your thoughts on them!
Did you have any issues of focus bring stiff/sticky on your copy? Mine also goes last the minimum focusing mark. Any insight?
Thankfully mine wasn’t very sticky, but every once in awhile it’ll get that way. It’s often the case for my 28 Summicron though so I didn’t see an issue.
@@benjhaisch thanks Benj, mine has loosened up slightly but still feel it a bit. Does yours go past 0.58m on the distance scale?
I've been shooting with the Voightlander R3M. Might have to pick up that 35m. It has the 50mm F2 Heliar Classic.
I've got an R3M also, and I'd be interested in trying this lens on it. But there's no 35mm frameline - 40mm is as wide as it goes. Curious to know how others are making this work.
I have the Ultron 35mm f/2 V1. Ultimately ended up using my Summicron 35mm f/2 most often though. I've heard the V1 has more fringing but otherwise fairly similar to V2. For anyone that has the Summicron 35mm f/2, how would you compare it to the Ultron V1 or V2?
I don’t own one anymore but the 35Cron asph is much more “neutral” in its rendering. Borderline sterile but probably a better overall lens for most applications. The price difference is a hard pill to swallow though with this things performance.
Are there square lens hoods out there that would fit this thing? My biggest complaint would be to have such a small lens and yet have that round hood showing up in the VF. Edit: something more like what you can get on the X100V than the square-ish hood shown in the video
The hood that is made for it is square but a little larger as well. The lens is tiny though, so you could put a simple UV filter over the front if you’re worried about front element damage. I didn’t mind the viewfinder blockage though
the cool thing is the haoge bayonet hood works for all these 39mm lenses (35/2, 28/2, 21/3.5 etc)
You’re right about the look of the lens, this one does look better than the V1. I love the v1, but it has this heavy purple vignette when I use it on the MD262 (can’t set a lens profile), a pain in the ass to correct in post.
Also, that Sony 24 GM looks so good.
Love the review!!!! Really makes me wanting to have one and test it out! Also glad you compared with the Nokton when I believe that's what most would consider with as first lens too!
Thoughts on this compared to the Summicron Asph? Almost doesnt seem like the extra couple thousand would be worth it with this update as an option. Seems like if you’re even considering something pricier than the new ultron, you’d just jump to the FLE
I really liked the Summicron for sure and have still considered buying one. The rendering is much more “sterile” in comparison which could be a good thing depending on your preference. I’m terms of sharpness though, it’s not an issue. Basically if you’re ok with the swirly, slightly vintage/busy bokeh, this is a fantastic option.
Voigtlander lenses are the reason I ended up purchasing a Sony A7III back in 2019. I currently own a 40mm f1.2 E mount and lucked out getting a very good copy (no noticeable focus shift and still sharp at f16). I am a little envious Leica users do have some wonderful Voigtlander glass that is very small, still retaining bags of character. If I can criticise the 40mm for one thing, my 40mm is twice as big and heavy as this VM 35 f2 at 420g compared to the VM at 210g. I tend to shoot between f8-f16 mostly so don't really need an f1.2 lens and wish voigtlander had a 40mm f1.4 or f2 E mount instead. Saying that, can't complain with the results from my Voigtlander.
Looks like a superb option dang. Dude also the FX3 footy looking vvverry nice did you pick one up or still testing?
Bought one about a week into testing it haha
@@benjhaisch 😆 I don’t blame you!
Benj are you cropping to 4 by 3 in post? I shoot fuji x and gfx and if there is one update I’d love, it’s a jpg crop 4:3 ratio so I can deliver a consistent look to clients, without guessing the crop on location and cropping in post… not a lot to do with that sweet lens… well nothing really. 😀
I crop vertical images in post to 4:3 yes. I sort by aspect ratio in LR after import and bulk change them. Really simple workflow.
The .56m min focus distance of the lens comes in handy. Not Leica apo .3m but still better than .7m
How do you think this lens would work on the Fuji Xpro-3? I've been looking for a lens like this to use on it.
I’ve never had any issues with a Leica lens on a fuji camera. As long as you are good with that ~50mm f/3.0 equivalent, it’d be a great option for the size
@@benjhaisch I'd have no issues with that. Thanks for getting back with me so fast. I've always enjoyed your videos.
I can't believe i wasn't subscribed. but I took care of that now. Thanks again!
@@ScaleDreamsStudio I think that you would be better off with the new Fuji 33mm f1.4 lens. It costs $800 and is built for 40 megabyte sensors. It is very sharp and has fast autofocus.
@@shy-guy5544 I did go with that lens I think the 33 f1.4 was a beet option for me. Thanks for the input!
Sold my 35 Summicron ASPH V1 after picking up a 35 Ultron V1. I can hardly tell the difference in rendering except when shooting at wider apertures. Sure there’s vingetting and bokeh is not as nice, but for the price it’s hard to beat!
I recently bought the nokton 35 1.2 III . I’m so impressed by it. You should try it, it could be the only 35, you need. It’s shorter and a bit lighter than the Zeiss. The look, you get, is just so nice. Highly recommended. Thank you for your interesting videos.
I’ve owned the 1st and 2nd version of that lens but didn’t know it was smaller and lighter than the Zeiss
@@benjhaisch v3 is
@@benjhaisch the third version is also optically better than the other versions. I don’t know, if it’s as good as the Zeiss, but it might be close. I use the 35 apo lanthar as well , I prefer the nokton 1.2 iii.
Loved the B roll - Looks like family time at the beach.
I'm a fairly recent convert to the Leica world. Maybe you can help a little with some of the terminology that various reviewers use to define various lenses:
What is meant by "glowey"? I've never seen that term used with respect to a Canon or micro 4/3 lens.
What defines a vintage look to a lens? My guess would less sharpness in the corners and perhaps flatter contrast. Again this term seems confined to rangefinder lenses.
Thanks - Rich B
I think by "glowy" he means the highlights glow with a slight flare, softness and warmth, which is appealing for portraits, less clinical. "Leica glow" is quite special on some lenses because the colour of the glow can be very beautiful and warm and the micro contrast of Leica lenses amplify glow to look very magical.
I liked the lens but the swirly bokeh was very distracting at certain distances and they go too hard with the contrast. Its a little sharper than the 2.5 summarit I replaced it with (could be the extra contrast tho) but that lens is more neutral which I like.
BENJ IS OUTSIDE
Haha I was going to say that it finally stopped raining so I finally filmed outside, but this was actually on a porch in the rain while my family napped & or had “quiet time” ;)
I agree with you about the rendering of the 35 Nokton Classic 1.4, not interesting. I preferred the 40mm Nokton Classic SC a few years ago. Now it seems a bit soft but still beautiful. Thanks for this review!
Love the Island. Love that spot; know it well.
Hey Benj! Whats the brand of your Camera strap? I am looking arround for good one and yours looks dope :)
benjhais.ch/clever :)
BENJ is a discount code too for 10% off 🙌🏼
I just bought one of these as a normal lens (~40° angle of view) for my Pixii A1571, but haven't had a chance to use it yet because of poor weather. Frankly, the reviewer's seemingly lukewarm enthusiasm for it in his verbal comments makes me wonder if I shouldn't send it back before my return privilege runs out and get the 28mm Ultron instead. I'm looking for “modern” rendering with high detail sharpness and good flare resistance at full aperture, so the 35/1.4 Nokton doesn't appeal to me (if I want a glowy vintage look I can use my 7Artisans 35/2.) Can anyone who has used both offer any guidance? I prefer the 35mm view angle, but not at the expense of inferior performance. The sample images in the video told me nothing at all.
About the vintage thing you mention, that's your projection, and i am not trying to troll you. You are responsible for what's in the frame. You make it look vintage if that's your choice. People use this lens and i am getting a totally different impression apart from vintage.
Vintage to me in this refers to the rendering that was much more common in much earlier lens designs, so it’s not just based off of the context of the scene but more off the similarities of vintage designs.
thanks for these review, i love it, and will be my first M lens
Great video, thanks Ben. I’ve been counting my beans but esply given the oncoming ‘recession’ and inflation in the Uk … well I mite have to postpone a Leica sized purchase. But if I were to purchase one, I would want a small walk around lens, and the votlander looks ‘just the ticket’. Lovely images by the way, and I noticed you were getting almost macro shots in focus, which would be very useful to me… one day.
Hey Benj, love this lens, I often have to find a reason to remove it from my M10-R.
I liked into contrast the old version I classic design, but the version II into a more modern housing is better, for sure - from the lens design.
What about the 35mm apo lanthar?
I haven’t used it but it seems like the size and balance would be slightly more prohibitive. If it’s like the 50apolanthar it’d be a superior lens but again, size.
@@benjhaisch thanks for the answer Benj!
have you tried the 35mm summilux?
I have, yes
how does it compare, i remember seeing a video you posted about the 50mm
My prefer lens are 21mm 1.8 Voigtlander / Leica 21mm 3.4 super Elmar ( one for day and one for night ) no need Leica 21mm summilux .
50mm 3.5 heliar Voigtlander and 50mm f2 zeiss and Leica 50mm 0.95 noctilux
35mm 1.4 zeiss , Leica 28mm 1.4 summilux
90mm 2.4 Leica .
I used/shooting Leica since the 70’s and this is my choice . No need to have all lenses are Leica lenses on Leica M cameras
I really enjoy using the Ultron 35mm. I got the black paint with the squarish hood instead of the vented one, and it looks amazing. The photos is produces are even better.
Great video Benj! This has turned into my favorite lens on the Leica since I got it. I completely agree with all your comments! One question I had. How is the focusing action on the lens? There are several users that have complained that the focus pull is a little too resistant and not smooth. It seems to be isolated to the version II which is why I ended up with the Version 1. But I do like the look of the version II better. What’s been your experience so far? Have you tried both or is this your first experience with the 35mm f2 Ultron?
Sometimes if I haven’t used it in awhile it’ll be sticky for the first turn, but that’s common for other lenses of mine as well so I wasn’t sure if it was an issue with the lens or simply the environment I was photographing in.
I bought the F1.7 Voigtlander, how does that compare with this F2. I paid $800 for my lens
Great video Benj. I really like my version 1, which has the same optics if I’m correct. I just took off the little lens tab and got a square shaped lens hood, like the one from Squarehood. I think at f2 the lens has a really creamy look to it, but at 5.6-8 it has a more crisp feel like the Summicron.
Could you link to the lens hood you got? Is it the Haoge?
Voigtlander lenses are concept lenses. Some are soft for a reason.. For me, i prefer the 35mm f2.5 Skopar, aka the art photographer's lens.
Dam read the title as under $100 was really excited for a bit there lol
Haha!
nice video, specially cause you criticized other Voigtländer lenses. That makes you much more seriously.
Yes, I also like this 35mm Voigtländer. In compare to the Leica 2.0 35 asph the Voigtländer is not on the same level, but not far away.
The Leica is sharper and has a better bokeh, but not 2k€ better.
Haha for sure I have no official affiliation with any brand and if I do I’ll always make it known. And if everything was equal in cost I’d love a 35/2 cron asph2 but $$$$$
7:56 👌
Outstanding lens 🤩 +1 reason to trade off all my gear in favor buying leica m10)))
Do you think it’d be worth adapting on a Sony? It looks amazing in my opinion. The design and the quality. Great video by the way !
If you dont mind the sort of long minumum focusing distance it works amazing on Sony bodies
good sharing, thank you
I follow your suggestion to get the LH-4N hood, and I feel it is great to match on this black paint lens. Thank you.
And the 1:2/40mm Summicron continues to fly under the radar...
Why not save more money and get a Leica 35 f2? The price is higher but the value is also higher
Voigtlander is good but can’t keep the value like Leica
If you but a 35 Summicron brad new for 3900 you end up selling it at 2000-2500 tops. You lost $500 usd aprox. I I but the 35 ultron new is $850, and I could sell it right now at $700. $150 loss. So your argument has no point. Even a skopar from 10 years or more sells now for $350, that’s almost the same price as news in their time
@@franciscosalas6779 but usually Leica old lens price go up
For me a lens hood has to be the most efficient possible without protruding in the viewfinder frame. Just looking big cool and ventilated when not necessary is a no go.
🔥
the lenshood looks much better this way. The original looks like a cast iron frying pan. no friend of it.
The original looks like a dog cone 😂
I would still take an X100V or the Konica 40mm 1.8.
Swirly bokeh on a new lens .. nice!
Let’s face the fact that this version 2 35mm f2 is just an ordinary lens that fit the Leica M… look at the second hand market, I’d rather like to buy a Zeiss 35mm f2 or even the f2.8😂
sure, but ordinary lenses don't fit on a Leica M... They're tiny!
him: talks about how he hates the "forced" vintage look
also him: processes photos to look vintage anyway
Haha, I wouldn’t say I’m going for a vintage look. More just a neutral pallet in comparison to what most digital sensors output.
Very different things. Also, I don't agree that Benj process photos to look vintage, they look quite fresh and modern to me.