Benefits of Voigtlander lenses for Nikon: 20mm SLII, Ultron 40mm SLII, Nokton 58mm 1.4 SLII ✅ Check price on eBay - (US) ebay.us/h9zEG8 (UK) ebay.us/cbApWf ▶️ Watch Next: More Film Camera Reviews (Playlist) bit.ly/2UxqcVe ⭐️ Patreon: Join us today for more videos! From £1/mth - www.patreon.com/mrleicacom
I have both the 40mm and 58mm lenses, latest versions. Used on a Z6 and occasionally a D500. Apart from being fantastic lenses optically, the shooting experience is so much better than using auto focus lenses, although they have their uses! The build quality is superb and the smooth focus ring action is wonderful!
Thanks Neil! I'm a little out of touch with Nikon digital so didn't think to mention the Z series. Yes of course great combo..and as you say compared to modern lenses with no aperture ring and so on, a totally difference shooting experience too.
Thank you for the informative video on these third party lenses for Nikon. I like that you showed how these lenses operate differently depending on wether a rangefinder or SLR is used. You answered all my questions.
Thanks, I still use film SLR but I stick to what are good these days. I use Voigtlander or Nikkor own brand. Many 3rd party are not great (or that was the case 10 years ago when I shot Nikon). If you like AF look at the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro. That's good (I still have it)
Great review Matt! I bought the 58mm and 40mm this year for my Nikon DSLRs. I am very happy with both of them. These are my best lenses so far and new 40mm can focus down to 25cm which is great. I would then recommend camera calibration in AF fine tune for those lenses to ensure accurate focus reading. My D750 does not recognize whether it is the 40mm or the 58mm that is attached so I have to remember the numbers and change the settings when I change Voigtländer lenses. It is -2 for the 40mm and +5 for the 58mm in my case and believe me it is worth the trouble. And btw. I like your new background colour.
Thanks Helgi! So good to hear i'm posting videos on gear some of your are using AND enjoying! Great. Thanks regarding digital bodies, that will be useful for others reading this. I will probably be using mine for film. New 40mm and 25mm sound amazing for creative shallow DOF photography, very nice! Many thanks reagrding backdrop too. I will use a similar idea in future I think.
Voigtlander also made 90mm, 125mm, and 180mm, all APO Lanthar with close up capability for the F mount in the early 2000s. The latter two are quite expensive as they are relatvely rare and unique. The 58mm Norton is essentially the Topcor 58mm from the 70s. The first batch of Norton actually look exactly just like the Topcor and are now collector items. I am quite amazed by Voigtlander reintroducng lenses for the Nikon S mount back in the 2000s. I am now using its SC Skopar 35mm for my 70 year old Contax IIa. Cosina has really done some amazing stuff with its Voigtlander brand.
Thanks Eric, great info. Yes I thought it was a Topcor copy but I wasn not sure if that was only the early ones so decided not to mention it. I have Nikon S mount cameras so more of that to come in future videos :) (I have the SC Skopar 28mm!)
Thanks for feedback! Yes it might be a happy accident that takes the presentation up a noche (which is always welcomed ha). Moreof it to come I think :)
The 58mm and 40mm in the new body design are amazing. I think Cosina has enormous experience with these types of lenses due to them making all of the Carl Zeiss manual focus lenses for Nikon, Pentax and Canon mounts - although they don't make all of the ZM lenses for them. That is one of the reasons that they have unusual focal lengths in their own offerings in SLR mounts as they are all lengths they don't make for Zeiss already.
Thanks Matt , I shoot nikon and now have one Sony the a7siii for video. I have been using it for photos also but mainly for social media. It’s just 12mp . Even though not long ago 12mp was doing magazine covers and posters. We forget about viewing distance and rendering. Thanks buddy as always great work
Good to see some love for the Voigtlander lenses. I've watched a few of your videos and we seem to have a fair amount of overlapping gear. I use the 40 and 58 on an F5 and F3 body. I like the mechanics better than my Zeiss ZF glass, but while Voigtlander renders great for people and similar work, I prefer the acuity I get from my Zeiss lenses for landscapes and general photography. That said, it was a royal pain having to send my F5 in to NPS to get it reprogrammed to work with my non-chipped ZF (25, 50 and 85mm) lenses. I've since added a 25 and 100 ZF2. The latter weighs too much, but is nice if you like that focal length. I'm now trying to get Voigtlander to send me an SL version of the 90mm 2.8. They don't seem too eager though. BTW in general, I like my Voigtlander lenses in M mount better. Love the 21 1.8, 40 and 50 1.2 and the 35 1.7 is fantastic too. Though theoretically the 90 VM you tested has similar optical characteristics as the new SL, seeing is believing. Given my previous experiences with Voigtlander lenses in M and SL versions, I will have to keep bugging Voigtlander into sending me one, haha.
Thanks Jan! Yes I love the M Biogons for landscapes (25mm and 21mm). The 90 SL should focus closer than M version which helps and is a nice size for a 90.
Glad to see you talking about little bit forgotten Voigtlander SL series, Matt :). These are the great lenses. I shoot with ef mount versions myself, with 20mm being less exciting 5han the rest, nice color, great skin tones by the way, then good all arounder 28mm (my goto travel lens and great contrast with nice cooler tones), preety fantastic 40mm ultron - nicest skin tone among all of them. But i would say I was even more surprised of 90mm 3.5 apo lanthar. I think this lens is really very often overlooked cause of small aperture. But this is a real gem. I have not tried even a 1/1000 of that amo7nt of lenses you have probably shot with, but if to compare against Canon L or Zeiss Classic primes to me voigtlander wins. Rich color, great contrast, sharpness, but what really blew me away is the dimensionality this lens gives to the images, this what i value petsonally the most, and this what is more likely to see by 28-40mm from focal length. To my eye voigtlander 90mm could be a true "3d printer". I will put a link with an example if it is ok (nothing extraordinary, just a sample image from walking trip): instagram.com/p/B5tHEzth07z/?igshid=e2vraaw0zgt
Thanks Alexander! Sorry I missed this. Agreed, amazing lenses! I later found the 28mm too. Thanks about 90. I looked a few times at those, maybe I look again, thanks!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom I found an instance of the 90mm earlier this year in Nikon F mount. It doesn't focus as closely as the shorter focal lengths. I have yet to fully exercise it.
Good video. I have grown to love my Voigtlander lenses over my larger collection (maybe around 20-25) of Nikkor lenses. I own the 28mm, 40mm, and 58mm. The 58mm like you said is something special, and the 28mm Voigtlander is really great too, and in my experience, better than any of Nikon's manual focus 28mm lenses and I have several photos from the 28mm printed and framed on my wall. The 28mm was really hard to find and really don't pop up very often. The 40mm is great, and I think better than the Nikkor 35mm AiS lenses. This past January I took a month-long trip to S.E. Asia and took the 28mm and 58mm with a Nikon FM3a, which proved to be just a great kit. I also included a Rollie 35T for when the weather was bad or when I was near/on the ocean. The 58mm is quite classic and has character at f/1.4 and stopped down is better than Nikon's lenses (maybe the long-nose 50mm f/1.8 is close). I think that I like the rangefinder setup better overall for people photos, and I just love my Zeiss ZM lenses too, but the Voigtlander F-Mount lenses are splendid. I think that Voigtlander needs to release a new 28mm and another longer lens too. It is also time that they made a new 28mm M-Mount lens (maybe an f/2) and a 90mm M-Mount lens.
Thanks Zach! Sorry I missed this. Yes agreed the Voigtlander lenses are amazing on Nikons. I later managed to find the 28mm so now have 20,28,40,58. I already had the well regarded 28mm 2.8 AIS (and AI) but got the Voigtlander as I new it would be good and also half the size. Amazing on my cheap FG-20 for a tiny carry-around camera!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom oh no worries, you’re a busy guy. I accepted a new “better” job position, and now I don’t have nearly as much time to follow my passion of photography. I think it may be time to downsize my lens collection, but my three Voigtlander F-mount lenses will be a part of the kit that I keep. I am also tempted to sell off all my M-mount lenses and just use the newest Voigtlander 28/35/50 lenses.
I see other great lenses missing here, but very rare to find : 90mm APO SLII f/3.5 : fantastic little lens 125mm APO SL f/2.5 : it is said to be one of the very best telephoto ever made. I don’t but it is for sure excellent. I have all of them and shoot almost exclusively with them. I can’t go back to Nikkor primes, both for image quality, form factor and build quality. I am selling the 125mm, just because it is on the heavy side, so it’s not often in my bag.
Proud owner of 40mm Ultron SL (original), Heliar 75mm f2.5, 20mm f3.5, 58mm f1.4. I like the 40mm and 75mm best, but that is due to them being my preferred focal lengths. All of them wonderful. I also have an original 40mm Ultron and 75mm Heliar in M42 and SLII Ultron in PKA! The original Ultrons have metal focus rings, the later ones rubber. They have now gone back to metal.
Thanks Richard! Great to hear you enjoy these lenses too. Yes I saw after making the video something about a 75mm so thanks for confirming that. All these older lenses are pretty rare now outside of Japan (it seems).
That's the Color-Heliar 75mm f2.5 for SLR right? What is it like? How doe sit render with regards to color/contrast/tonality? Any lenes whoose rendering you would compare it to?
@@torb-no Yes, for SLRs. Of course all of those things you ask about are subjective, but I think it delivers in spades on all of them. As to rendering it's hard to compare. I always like Pentax or Minolta MD glass for that, and I suppose the Voigtlander is similar but very slightly different.
@@richardhale9664 I was specifically wondering how well it matches up with Zeiss lenss, in particular the old (not Otus or Milvus) ZF 50mm 1.4 Planar. I prefer to have my lenses to have fairly close rendering to if they’re used together in a set the rendition doesn’t change too much.
Awesome content! More of this please! Would love to see each lens get its own video, comparing it first to the lesser nikkor equivalent and then to the superior (?) leica equivalent.
Awesome video Matt! Yeah, the original SL lenses were also available on Pentax K mount and M42! I have the 40mm f/2 Ultron and totally agree with your thoughts!! It’s a stunner! Mine is Pentax K mount and on the Pentax ME Super it is super compact and delivers magnificent IQ! I also use this lens on Fuji XE3 and Leica SL... in all cases it performs flawlessly and it’s one of my all time favourites!
Nice video Matt. I have the SL II versions of the 20, 40 & 58 which I use with my Nikon D610 and my smaller form factor Fuji's, they make a great compact focal length set. I got lucky that I managed to source them mint used from the sole Voigtlander agent here in Thailand for 730 GBP total, which I think was a really good deal. These are lenses I don't think I'll ever part with, same with my collection of Nikon Ai/Ais's, something about the build quality, compact size, smoothness of focus and output that makes them a joy to use.
The 50mm 1.8 Pancake (not e series) is amazing, corner to corner. As is the Nikon 20mm F4 and both small. The one time where the Voigtlander has a case is in the 28mm, as the Nikon 28 2.8 AIS is amazing sharp and distortion free, but not as small as the Voigtlander. Then again it will focus closer than the Voigtländer.
Cool Video! Don't forget about the 90mm f 3.5 macro SL2. Sorry if someone already wrote about it. Is not in production anymore. They are only producing 40 and 58.
I got the 58 this year and it has been a joy with the FM2. The look is very unique. Now I am in trouble: I don’t know if my next move will be the 40 glued to an F3 or (for a bit more) the Bessa R with a 35 2.5 (which would provide me a new system on its own). Great channel. Subscribed.
Yes! This is where I am. I want tiny lenses. The Nikon Japan only production 50mm 1.8 beginning serial number 2, focus .45m is the only thing Nikon makes that does the job but really rare.
Nikon shooter here. I have Zeiss classic (Planar design) 50mm and 85mm f/1.4 lenses. Both are great and similar in size with one another. I wouldn't say they are huge, but definitely bulkier than the Voigtlander ones. Would be interested to see a comparison between the two brands and your opinion/verdict.
Thanks Thomas, great to have you hear as a Nikon shooter! I will do my best to test some Zeiss glass in the future. The channel is only really just getting started but Voigtlander are now kindly supplying me lenses to test and I've worked with Leica in the past.. so fingers crossed this is just the beginning! :)
I think I can provide some inputs here, as I use the Zeiss Classic lenses for Nikon ZF.2., namely the 28 f/2, 35 f/2, 35 f/1.4 and the 85 f/1.4 as well as the Voigtlanders (28 , 40, 58). First of all, the Zeiss lenses (also made by Cosina which makes Voigtlander lenses) are much larger and heavier than the Voigtlanders, so mobility and ergonomics for a full day of shooting may be a factor here. Secondly, the focusing on the Voigts is smoother as per my evaluation. For most things f/2 is good enough, so unless you need the extra stop to 1.4, I would use the Voigts instead. However, I must confess that the 35 f/2 Zeiss Distagon (as well as the 85 1.4) is an amazing lens in terms of image rendition, and is also one of my favourites. However, I usually use the Voigtlanders for more things.
Yess! And then if you can find one look for the 28mm too! (I found one. Similar size to 20mm so perfect!) You'll see the 40mm in a video soon-ish so stay tuned! :)
Matt, this is the most expensive channel to follow on youtube 😂 . I use an Excel sheet to keep track on lenses and cameras now. Ordered the 40mm f2 today to sit on the Nikon FE. It will be my smallest rig.
Thanks Kim, haha sorry! But think how great your camera collection will be haha. Yes great travel setup! Since making the video I now have the SLII 28mm for my FG-20 or other Nikons 👏🏻
MATT : I have adapted TAKUMAR M42 glass on my F3 NIKON , just shot today 8 images of the gulls , sea and driftwood. Going to develop and see what the combo can do with texture. I have really rare older M42 rangefinder glass too. If you are interested , look in eBay and the adapter is there. Again have not developed any of the images yet. SUPER TAKUMAR 50mm 1.4 in higher element version , and the 85mm 1.8 are both amazing lenses and if I had a LEICA L Mount SL-2 would not hesitate to use any of the TAKUMAR glass on that camera. Cheers ~
Thanks yes I’ve heard good things about that lens. Currently I’ve collected more that I can use so I need to try to wait a Bit and test what I have first, but thanks!
I did a wedding in 2008 with a Nikon D40 and a 18 70 f3.5 f 4 lens. I used a 55 to 200 mm. The results were brilliant. The D40 was so light. Now I use filmagain with a Voightlander Bessa L with the 25mm f4 lens.
A wedding using the D40?; that is a Entry-Level DSLR!; I wouldn't even look at a Entry-Level plastic camera let alone use one, I'd rather use my farts to take photos instead
I have four Voigtlander lens 10 15 35 and 50nokton on a sony a7iv - the raw files out of camera are almost perfect, if you shoot correctly going in - they cost alot but worth it -
Yes, the voightlander lens are so good, .........right at the moment , using a 40mm f/1..4 voightlander ,, manual focusing , definitely improve your images/ photos, use manual focus , and since this is leica related - just got a used camera/ refurbished Leica d-lux typ 109, produces decent photos, its a very slick camera Thats the first Leica camera for me. Thank you for your vids , they help.
I have 40 and 58 mm. They are amazing but I put them on sale because Leica has fillled their place and I don't want my cabinet with gear to overflow with redundant lenses. Even though I'm very reluctant to part with them...
Just added the Voigtlander 58 silver ring to my stable. I primarily use Zeiss Distagon/Planar on my Z6/7, but this will fill a need where I tend not to want to drag the Otus 55 along.
I have the 58 on my cart, yes, I sold it … as you can see for my profile pic. I’m missing it so it is time to bring him back:). I intend to use it in a7iv and techart 🙂👍🏻
I have my copy of this lens for a few months, the manual focus ring is the most smooth to use compare to Nikon's own 105mm F2.5, 200mm F4 and few other manual lens I own. Techart adapter is pretty good, I am using it with 58mm F1.4. that lens can pretty much become an auto focus lens with almost no pre focus. On 105mm and longer lenses you will need to do a bit of pre focus otherwise it will hunt a bit to get into focus. Eye focus also work with these lenses. Auto focus on techart is not at native lens level in term of speed and accuracy but I put it at about 70-80% accurate.
I have multiple camera bodies from Pentax, Panasonic, Olympus, Fujifilm and Nikon. The last camera that I purchased was a Nikon ZF ,i have two Fujifilm XT bodys and enjoy the photography experience of these two camera bodies,,when Nikon announced the ZF i though this would be a great camera to round out my collection. The problem was the small prime 28mm and 40mm lens were mostly plastic with plastic lens mount. The design of the lens while small made the Zf look like a rushed after though. I liked the focal lengths but wanted something that would fit the stylish ZF, Voightlander and Viltrox solved the problem. I added the Viltrox 28mm and 35mm, from Voightlander i added the 15mm f4.5 and 40mm f1.2. These have a more classic design and complement the Nikon ZF really nicely.
I have the 40 and 58 but for the 20 I use the Nikkor 20mm AI f4. Same pancake size as the Voigtlander but much cheaper and easier to find. Good option if you're willing to give up the chip and 1/3 stop.
ahh you have discovered the hidden gem that is the f80, a steal on the market at the moment. The Zeiss 50mm 1.4 Planar in F mount is also very special . Thanks for all the great videos, learning loads .
Another great video Matt, I have been shooting with the F80 and FM2n for a while now so would love to see more on nikon. Also if at some point you could review the zeiss 50mm 1.5 sonnar it would be helpful. I just got an M3 but I can not find a good, informative review on the little Zeiss.
Great cameras Benjimen! Maybe you recognised some of my props in this video ;) More Nikon vids.. will do! Sonnar.. I sold mine but this might help you.. maybe I will have to do a video without holding it at some point - mrleica.com/zeiss-zm-sonnar-c-50mm-f1-5-vs-leica/
Hello again Matt just saw your mega test on Nikon 50s very interesting and exhaustive thanks a lot yes the voigtlander 55 1.4 is fantastic but pricey for a tenth of the price I can buy a 50 silver band pancake yes the voigt 58 is better but 10 times better???
Thanks Kevin, yes the pancakes are as close as you can find to the cheapest possible 50mm prime for F mount I think. Uncommonly cheap. I think the Voigtlander bought used is excellent value and will absolutely give you better photos shot at wider apertures. No contest. If you shoot at F5.6-8 then the pancake is fine.
Hi Matt, after all the hype, many on RUclips, about the Voigtlander 58mm 1.4, thought we would test it against the Nikon 60mm Macro D 2.8 lens that we have. Outcome, there is little difference in the image quality between the two, though the 60mm was a tad better. The 60mm D is also a fraction of the price, it is manual and auto focus. I would not say the Voigtlander was any better than the Nikon so would not recommend it. The 58 may be a prettier lens but we could not justify purchase when the 60mm matches it. The 58mm is claimed to have better this and that but this is not seen in the final image. Just something for Nikon users to think about before being lead down the path to purchase, as we did and then returned it.
Thanks! I own both these lenses so agree at f2.8 the 60mm will win on sharpness. (See my Nikon 50mm sharpness video which includes the 58mm and the 55mm Nikkor f2.8. The 55mm is also a killer lens). Where I think we need to be careful is how we word it. Yes if you shoot both lenses at f2.8 the results might be similar but most people don't buy a 1.4 lens to shoot at 2.8. I buy 1.4s to shoot at 1.4, hence the higher price tag of fast glass. You cannot compare the 58mm f1.4 images wide open vs the 60mm. The 58mm wins hands down for buttery smooth shallow DOF portraits. I love both lenses and for me 1 is for MF bodies, 1 is for AF bodies. (and if on a budget and just want sharp I always recommend the 55mm Nikkor over both of these).
Hi John, thank you. No Leicaflex only take Leica R lenses. I use the SL and R bodies. See those videos. I use these Voigtlander lenses on Nikon F bodies.
Thanks John, I feared I would be talking to myself on this video.. after 2 days of edits and the video being twice as long+ than planned. Great to hear you use the Speedbooster too! :)
I read on Christopher frosts reviews that many Nikon's can't meter using manual lenses. For example the f80 can't meter if using a manual focus lens. Is that the case with these voigtlander f mount lenses?
Yes I would treat Voigtlander F lenses as AIS lenses. Most "good" Nikons will be fine but not some budget models like the F80. (I've shot with I think 10 different Nikon film bodies and no issues)(I kept the F80 for AF lenses only before selling)
Matt, do the these Voigtlander SL SL II and SL IIs work in aperture priority on your Nikon FE2 or only in full manual mode? Also, is the chip being different between SL II and SL IIs make any difference on your Z6 with the FTZ adapter? I assume SL1 doesn’t have a chip. Thanks for your help!
Hi, I only use my cameras in full manual mode so sorry I don't know. I never tried. If the lens has a chip you will get EXIF on DSLR. Not sure about Z6 and not on SL.
See my blog MrLeica.com and double click images to see film used. I use a lot. Models, get my free ebook on the blog to find them, basically spend ages searching and aim for the best!
The 40mm f/2 SLII-N (last of the pancake 40mm's) and a Nikon FG is a great small lightweight combo, even smaller than my FE-2. Also works well on a Nikon F-80. Because of the lenses CPU it can be used in all camera modes except AF, obviously. Great lens, even at f/2.
hi, I've found a voigtlander 40mm f2.0 sl version one lens on Ebay but can't seem to find any reviews on it yet alone acknowledgement that it existed. The only difference I can see is that the min aperture goes to f16 instead of f22 like the version ii. Have you heard if this lens is any worse than its newer versions? Would be greatly appreciated if you did know anything about it because its currently a fair bit cheaper than the version ii :)
My 40mm SL-II has a rubber ring also. As do my 90mm APO-Lanthar. Those hoods are designed that way, because you can screw on close focusing lenses, wich both my objectives came with.
Hi Matt, Voigtlander has 3 more lenses from the same series. 90mm f3.5 Apo Lanthar, 125mm f2.5 Macro Apo Lanthar, and 180mm f4 Apo Lanthar. All have a great reputation. Especially 125mm.
Hi many thanks for sharing that! Happy the video found you. I may have seen the 90mm before but i'm probably thinking of the same lens in a different mount.
Hey, you seem very knowledable about Voigtlander lenses. What is the reputation of the 75mm f3.5 Color-Heliar SL (SLR lens, not rangefinder lens)? I can‘t find any reviews of it anywhere.
I have something of an outrageous question for you Matt. How would you think some of these Voigtlander lenses would mate with a "medium format" camera such as the Fuji GFX 50s II? They are massively smaller, lighter and faster. I anticipate a certain amount of cropping due to insufficient coverage. I'm wondering akso if the mount plays a part (F-mount vs M-mount). Thoughts? Experience?
I’m all for adapting. I’m currently enjoying these on MFT bodies, Just for fun. Any lens will mount to mirrorless. You need to check flange distance F vs your camera. Yes you’d need to crop in I expect. Sorry no experience. Try with a cheap Nikon lens and if works then get these.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Thanks, Matt. "Flange distance" might be the key factor to anticipate useful compatibility. If I go this way, I'll include a note.
I'm buying tomorrow the Voigtlander 40mm f1.4 lens from : Robert white photography with 5% discount code, so they owe you a beer !! Also buying a adaptor for the fujifilm x mount from them also...thanks for your reviews on this lens
Hi Matt, at the time I watched this video there are already 290 comments which I haven't read, so please forgive me if this has already been mentioned. In Nikon F mount I have the 40mm Ultron and the 58mm Nokton, but I also have another Voigtlander lens in Nikon F mount which is a Color-Heliar 75mm f2.5. It rarely gets mentioned because it was discontinued some years ago and has not been updated. I believe that it may also have been made in either M42 mount or Pentax K mount. With regard to the 58mm Nokton, mine is a 2008 version which is modelled to look like the long-gone Topcon RE Topcor 58mm f1.4. I have read that Cosina acquired the patent rights to the Topcor when Topcon ceased manufacture and that the Nokton is a tweaked and modernised version of that lens.
Thanks Peter! Yes i've not tried the 75mm or longer lenses yet but thanks. CV released the 90mm too along with the new M 90 APO (see that M lens video). Thanks regarding Topcon too. (I now use the 20,28,40 as a compact trio + 58).
Yes, the voigtlander lenses are a huge improvement over most of the nikons. In addition to the voigtlander 58, I also enjoy the 1990's zeiss lenses like the 35 distagon, the 85 planar and 100 makro planar. But I tend to like more compression in my portraits so I like the zeiss 100 for that and the nikon 135 dc at about 7 feet. Your F5 recommendation really enabled me to make more use of them with a few inched dof with its auto focus or focus confirmation. Weight and size? You are kidding. I am training for my last bodybuilding competition at 76. A black rapid strap allowed me to carry the f5 and 135 dc for 4 hours yesterday like it wasn't even there.
More NIKON mount please to save my F3 ... thanks. Love the close Film , and the B&W is stunning on digital, love B&W. I also think the Leica CL is better than the other M4/3 camera. Do not know why ...just is.
Hey Matt, you’re the best mate! Would love to read your review for Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f1.4 lens (NEW!). Link on your site seems to not be working. Cheers
I do not know these lenses, but I trust you that they are amazing. And surely better than the cheap original lenses. But there is one thing you should mention. If you use an SLR or DSLR built to use with AF, you will have a problem with these Lenses just because you do not have an optical focus indicator with these cameras. I've used Canon cameras in the past there; you can replace the focus screen with a traditional split-screen, but this can cause metering problems. Another option is to use the AF Points as a focus indicator, but this is not the same as a good focus screen. But for manual optical focus, a rangefinder is still the best option for me. On mirrorless cameras, it's not a problem at all. This is not a critic, but you are often talking about how small and light a lens is and how good the results are, but it would be nice to talk a bit more about how it is to use these lenses.
Thanks, great points. Yes i'm a weird one I guess in that I use SLRs mostly at 1m or less distance so I can see to focus. Beyond that and I need AF or a split prism as you say. Yes I find RF cameras better for my eyes, especially at distant objects but SLR better in close. Yes mirrorless make life so easy for sure! And for using lenses it is probably very subjective so i'm not sure many would care how I work but maybe in the future I can look to cover these 'softer topics'. At the moment i'm just trying to provide the facts and minimal fluff :)
Great video Matt. Quick question for you or anyone seeing this, can I put the 40mm SLII on my FE2 and still have my camera metre and use aperture priority? I saw someone say something about needing to use an external metre because the lens doesn’t work with the manual slr’s metres? Doesn’t sound right but thought I’d check
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom thanks for your reply. I saw both the video. Just think which one is better choice adapting to a mirrorless body. 58mm has better close focus distance, while 50 1.2 is a newer aspherical design with improve optical quality in term of wide open and smoother bokeh.
I bought the canon EF mount version of the 20mm lens hoping to adapt it to my Leica SL but there is no aperture ring on that lens. The aperture ring is only on the Nikon. So beware. Luckily it was a good price so can easily sell it again and keep looking for Nikon versions.
Hi Karen, ah wow, I didn't realise the Canon version didn't have an aperture ring. Thanks for sharing here and I hope you sell it easily and can pick up a Nikon mount like mine.
I have the 58mm lens and just bought the L mount Leica SL2. Do you know of an adapter that could take advantage of the electrical interface of the Voigtlander 58mm, it is more compact for that f1.4 and at 58mm may be more useful than a 50mm.
You don't actually need to stop down to F22 in a DSLR if you change the camera setting under pencil and control to choose to use the aperture ring. This way you shoot the "old way" by turning the physical aperture ring.
Hey Matt. I would really enjoy a video that discuss manual focus lenses for MTF cameras. Of course adapted lenses should be included. I was thinking that avoigtlaender Color Skopar 21mm M-mount is in my radar, as it could combine with my leica setup, and is small enought for the MFT concept. :)
Benefits of Voigtlander lenses for Nikon: 20mm SLII, Ultron 40mm SLII, Nokton 58mm 1.4 SLII
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I have both the 40mm and 58mm lenses, latest versions. Used on a Z6 and occasionally a D500. Apart from being fantastic lenses optically, the shooting experience is so much better than using auto focus lenses, although they have their uses! The build quality is superb and the smooth focus ring action is wonderful!
Thanks Neil! I'm a little out of touch with Nikon digital so didn't think to mention the Z series. Yes of course great combo..and as you say compared to modern lenses with no aperture ring and so on, a totally difference shooting experience too.
I love the viewfinder and focus peaking with the z6, manual focus is superior for me to the DSLR's I have. AF on the Z6 is just okay.
That 58 is magic. My favorite lens
Thanks yes I hope to get back to using my 58mm more.. I tend to pick up the 40mm if travelling light.
Definitely would like to see videos for each lens separately. Especially the newer 40mm and the 58mm
Thanks I will see what I can do going forward.
Thank you for the informative video on these third party lenses for Nikon. I like that you showed how these lenses operate differently depending on wether a rangefinder or SLR is used. You answered all my questions.
Great stuff! No problem
I am Nikon & Fuji shooter the adaptability of the Voights on the 2 systems are heavenly send! So joyfull videos Matt keep up!!!
Thank you and great to hear you enjoy these lenses on both your systems!
i just asked on your F5 video about a Voigtlander lens on a nikon. this video really made me smile. thank you! :)
Happy I could help! I recently bought the 28mm SLII so i'm happy too! Full set of compacts for Nikon! 20/28/40 (others are bigger)
Would love to see more videos on Nikon 3rd party, SLR mounts. I'm still sporting my Nikon 750 and your video(s?) will breath new life into it!
Thanks, I still use film SLR but I stick to what are good these days. I use Voigtlander or Nikkor own brand. Many 3rd party are not great (or that was the case 10 years ago when I shot Nikon). If you like AF look at the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro. That's good (I still have it)
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Thanks Matt :)
I will buy them. Without any good lenses, your photos performance is magnificent! These are very different, special from any others.
Thanks! Much appreciated
@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Only MF mode produces unique portraits. Therefore, screen also very important. I returned to Fuji gw 690 3 and Nikon F3.
Great review Matt! I bought the 58mm and 40mm this year for my Nikon DSLRs. I am very happy with both of them. These are my best lenses so far and new 40mm can focus down to 25cm which is great. I would then recommend camera calibration in AF fine tune for those lenses to ensure accurate focus reading. My D750 does not recognize whether it is the 40mm or the 58mm that is attached so I have to remember the numbers and change the settings when I change Voigtländer lenses. It is -2 for the 40mm and +5 for the 58mm in my case and believe me it is worth the trouble. And btw. I like your new background colour.
Thanks Helgi! So good to hear i'm posting videos on gear some of your are using AND enjoying! Great. Thanks regarding digital bodies, that will be useful for others reading this. I will probably be using mine for film. New 40mm and 25mm sound amazing for creative shallow DOF photography, very nice! Many thanks reagrding backdrop too. I will use a similar idea in future I think.
Voigtlander also made 90mm, 125mm, and 180mm, all APO Lanthar with close up capability for the F mount in the early 2000s. The latter two are quite expensive as they are relatvely rare and unique. The 58mm Norton is essentially the Topcor 58mm from the 70s. The first batch of Norton actually look exactly just like the Topcor and are now collector items. I am quite amazed by Voigtlander reintroducng lenses for the Nikon S mount back in the 2000s. I am now using its SC Skopar 35mm for my 70 year old Contax IIa. Cosina has really done some amazing stuff with its Voigtlander brand.
Thanks Eric, great info. Yes I thought it was a Topcor copy but I wasn not sure if that was only the early ones so decided not to mention it. I have Nikon S mount cameras so more of that to come in future videos :) (I have the SC Skopar 28mm!)
Lovely. Your enthusiasm is addictive!
Ha thanks. You probably see that in last nights video!
Really like the background! Mixing things up is always good.
Thanks for feedback! Yes it might be a happy accident that takes the presentation up a noche (which is always welcomed ha). Moreof it to come I think :)
The 58mm and 40mm in the new body design are amazing. I think Cosina has enormous experience with these types of lenses due to them making all of the Carl Zeiss manual focus lenses for Nikon, Pentax and Canon mounts - although they don't make all of the ZM lenses for them. That is one of the reasons that they have unusual focal lengths in their own offerings in SLR mounts as they are all lengths they don't make for Zeiss already.
Thanks David, great info and I agree Voigtlander are making some fantastic glass 👍🏻
Thanks Matt , I shoot nikon and now have one Sony the a7siii for video. I have been using it for photos also but mainly for social media. It’s just 12mp . Even though not long ago 12mp was doing magazine covers and posters. We forget about viewing distance and rendering.
Thanks buddy as always great work
Thanks Troy!
I've just bought a Voightlander 21mm for EOS mount and I love it on my EOS1 ... Great colour rendition and superb built quality.
Great! Yes these SL line lenses are fantastic
Good to see some love for the Voigtlander lenses. I've watched a few of your videos and we seem to have a fair amount of overlapping gear. I use the 40 and 58 on an F5 and F3 body. I like the mechanics better than my Zeiss ZF glass, but while Voigtlander renders great for people and similar work, I prefer the acuity I get from my Zeiss lenses for landscapes and general photography. That said, it was a royal pain having to send my F5 in to NPS to get it reprogrammed to work with my non-chipped ZF (25, 50 and 85mm) lenses. I've since added a 25 and 100 ZF2. The latter weighs too much, but is nice if you like that focal length. I'm now trying to get Voigtlander to send me an SL version of the 90mm 2.8. They don't seem too eager though. BTW in general, I like my Voigtlander lenses in M mount better. Love the 21 1.8, 40 and 50 1.2 and the 35 1.7 is fantastic too. Though theoretically the 90 VM you tested has similar optical characteristics as the new SL, seeing is believing. Given my previous experiences with Voigtlander lenses in M and SL versions, I will have to keep bugging Voigtlander into sending me one, haha.
Thanks Jan! Yes I love the M Biogons for landscapes (25mm and 21mm). The 90 SL should focus closer than M version which helps and is a nice size for a 90.
Glad to see you talking about little bit forgotten Voigtlander SL series, Matt :). These are the great lenses. I shoot with ef mount versions myself, with 20mm being less exciting 5han the rest, nice color, great skin tones by the way, then good all arounder 28mm (my goto travel lens and great contrast with nice cooler tones), preety fantastic 40mm ultron - nicest skin tone among all of them. But i would say I was even more surprised of 90mm 3.5 apo lanthar. I think this lens is really very often overlooked cause of small aperture. But this is a real gem. I have not tried even a 1/1000 of that amo7nt of lenses you have probably shot with, but if to compare against Canon L or Zeiss Classic primes to me voigtlander wins. Rich color, great contrast, sharpness, but what really blew me away is the dimensionality this lens gives to the images, this what i value petsonally the most, and this what is more likely to see by 28-40mm from focal length. To my eye voigtlander 90mm could be a true "3d printer". I will put a link with an example if it is ok (nothing extraordinary, just a sample image from walking trip):
instagram.com/p/B5tHEzth07z/?igshid=e2vraaw0zgt
Thanks Alexander! Sorry I missed this. Agreed, amazing lenses! I later found the 28mm too. Thanks about 90. I looked a few times at those, maybe I look again, thanks!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom I found an instance of the 90mm earlier this year in Nikon F mount. It doesn't focus as closely as the shorter focal lengths. I have yet to fully exercise it.
@@nvrumi that’s normal. All wider lenses can focus closer.
Good video. I have grown to love my Voigtlander lenses over my larger collection (maybe around 20-25) of Nikkor lenses. I own the 28mm, 40mm, and 58mm. The 58mm like you said is something special, and the 28mm Voigtlander is really great too, and in my experience, better than any of Nikon's manual focus 28mm lenses and I have several photos from the 28mm printed and framed on my wall. The 28mm was really hard to find and really don't pop up very often. The 40mm is great, and I think better than the Nikkor 35mm AiS lenses. This past January I took a month-long trip to S.E. Asia and took the 28mm and 58mm with a Nikon FM3a, which proved to be just a great kit. I also included a Rollie 35T for when the weather was bad or when I was near/on the ocean. The 58mm is quite classic and has character at f/1.4 and stopped down is better than Nikon's lenses (maybe the long-nose 50mm f/1.8 is close). I think that I like the rangefinder setup better overall for people photos, and I just love my Zeiss ZM lenses too, but the Voigtlander F-Mount lenses are splendid. I think that Voigtlander needs to release a new 28mm and another longer lens too. It is also time that they made a new 28mm M-Mount lens (maybe an f/2) and a 90mm M-Mount lens.
Thanks Zach! Sorry I missed this. Yes agreed the Voigtlander lenses are amazing on Nikons. I later managed to find the 28mm so now have 20,28,40,58. I already had the well regarded 28mm 2.8 AIS (and AI) but got the Voigtlander as I new it would be good and also half the size. Amazing on my cheap FG-20 for a tiny carry-around camera!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom oh no worries, you’re a busy guy. I accepted a new “better” job position, and now I don’t have nearly as much time to follow my passion of photography. I think it may be time to downsize my lens collection, but my three Voigtlander F-mount lenses will be a part of the kit that I keep.
I am also tempted to sell off all my M-mount lenses and just use the newest Voigtlander 28/35/50 lenses.
I see other great lenses missing here, but very rare to find :
90mm APO SLII f/3.5 : fantastic little lens
125mm APO SL f/2.5 : it is said to be one of the very best telephoto ever made. I don’t but it is for sure excellent.
I have all of them and shoot almost exclusively with them. I can’t go back to Nikkor primes, both for image quality, form factor and build quality.
I am selling the 125mm, just because it is on the heavy side, so it’s not often in my bag.
Proud owner of 40mm Ultron SL (original), Heliar 75mm f2.5, 20mm f3.5, 58mm f1.4. I like the 40mm and 75mm best, but that is due to them being my preferred focal lengths. All of them wonderful. I also have an original 40mm Ultron and 75mm Heliar in M42 and SLII Ultron in PKA! The original Ultrons have metal focus rings, the later ones rubber. They have now gone back to metal.
Thanks Richard! Great to hear you enjoy these lenses too. Yes I saw after making the video something about a 75mm so thanks for confirming that. All these older lenses are pretty rare now outside of Japan (it seems).
That's the Color-Heliar 75mm f2.5 for SLR right? What is it like? How doe sit render with regards to color/contrast/tonality? Any lenes whoose rendering you would compare it to?
@@torb-no Yes, for SLRs. Of course all of those things you ask about are subjective, but I think it delivers in spades on all of them. As to rendering it's hard to compare. I always like Pentax or Minolta MD glass for that, and I suppose the Voigtlander is similar but very slightly different.
@@richardhale9664 I was specifically wondering how well it matches up with Zeiss lenss, in particular the old (not Otus or Milvus) ZF 50mm 1.4 Planar.
I prefer to have my lenses to have fairly close rendering to if they’re used together in a set the rendition doesn’t change too much.
Awesome content! More of this please!
Would love to see each lens get its own video, comparing it first to the lesser nikkor equivalent and then to the superior (?) leica equivalent.
Nice idea! I will see what I can share next year! (There is a Nokton vs Leica photo in today’s video actually!) Out later!
Yes please, more Nikonians out here! Also i like to adapt them to Sony mirrorless.
Great! .. yes i've played with some Nikon mount stuff on Leica too :) ..sounds crazy I know haha
Awesome video Matt! Yeah, the original SL lenses were also available on Pentax K mount and M42! I have the 40mm f/2 Ultron and totally agree with your thoughts!! It’s a stunner! Mine is Pentax K mount and on the Pentax ME Super it is super compact and delivers magnificent IQ! I also use this lens on Fuji XE3 and Leica SL... in all cases it performs flawlessly and it’s one of my all time favourites!
Thanks Mike! Sorry for slow reply. Happy to hear you have the 40mm too and thanks re. K mount info.
Nice video Matt. I have the SL II versions of the 20, 40 & 58 which I use with my Nikon D610 and my smaller form factor Fuji's, they make a great compact focal length set. I got lucky that I managed to source them mint used from the sole Voigtlander agent here in Thailand for 730 GBP total, which I think was a really good deal. These are lenses I don't think I'll ever part with, same with my collection of Nikon Ai/Ais's, something about the build quality, compact size, smoothness of focus and output that makes them a joy to use.
Thanks Robin, It sounds like you did well finding those and yes they are keepers for sure! :)
The 50mm 1.8 Pancake (not e series) is amazing, corner to corner. As is the Nikon 20mm F4 and both small. The one time where the Voigtlander has a case is in the 28mm, as the Nikon 28 2.8 AIS is amazing sharp and distortion free, but not as small as the Voigtlander. Then again it will focus closer than the Voigtländer.
Yes, I have the mentioned lenses. The little ‘Japan’ pancake is good. Nikkor 55, 180ED and 200f2 also great.
Cool Video! Don't forget about the 90mm f 3.5 macro SL2. Sorry if someone already wrote about it. Is not in production anymore. They are only producing 40 and 58.
Thank you! Yes a few mentioned the other lenses made but i've not tried those yet. If I do I will be sure to share the results :)
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom The 90 is really nice, compact, smooth focus. Is my travel tele.
@@irimiebogdan1847 thanks, good to know! I’ll keep an eye open just in case :)
I got the 58 this year and it has been a joy with the FM2. The look is very unique. Now I am in trouble: I don’t know if my next move will be the 40 glued to an F3 or (for a bit more) the Bessa R with a 35 2.5 (which would provide me a new system on its own). Great channel. Subscribed.
Thanks Pablo! It depends what you shoot. If you want a walk about camera get the Bessa. If portraits then the F3. That’s what I would use them for. :)
..you can see Bessa and Skopar videos too 👍🏻😊
Yes! This is where I am. I want tiny lenses. The Nikon Japan only production 50mm 1.8 beginning serial number 2, focus .45m is the only thing Nikon makes that does the job but really rare.
Thanks. Yes! I imported that special 1.8 lens from Japan last year (or maybe the year before). I need to do a follow up video.
Nikon shooter here. I have Zeiss classic (Planar design) 50mm and 85mm f/1.4 lenses. Both are great and similar in size with one another. I wouldn't say they are huge, but definitely bulkier than the Voigtlander ones. Would be interested to see a comparison between the two brands and your opinion/verdict.
Thanks Thomas, great to have you hear as a Nikon shooter! I will do my best to test some Zeiss glass in the future. The channel is only really just getting started but Voigtlander are now kindly supplying me lenses to test and I've worked with Leica in the past.. so fingers crossed this is just the beginning! :)
I think I can provide some inputs here, as I use the Zeiss Classic lenses for Nikon ZF.2., namely the 28 f/2, 35 f/2, 35 f/1.4 and the 85 f/1.4 as well as the Voigtlanders (28 , 40, 58). First of all, the Zeiss lenses (also made by Cosina which makes Voigtlander lenses) are much larger and heavier than the Voigtlanders, so mobility and ergonomics for a full day of shooting may be a factor here. Secondly, the focusing on the Voigts is smoother as per my evaluation. For most things f/2 is good enough, so unless you need the extra stop to 1.4, I would use the Voigts instead. However, I must confess that the 35 f/2 Zeiss Distagon (as well as the 85 1.4) is an amazing lens in terms of image rendition, and is also one of my favourites. However, I usually use the Voigtlanders for more things.
@@indraneilbiswas very useful info! Thanks a lot for sharing. I never use my lenses at f/1.4 anyways because I can never nail down the focus...
@@indraneilbiswas great insight, many thanks for sharing!
I have both the 40mm 2.0 and 58mm 1.4 by Voigtlander and now want to round out my collection with that sexy little 20mm!
Yess! And then if you can find one look for the 28mm too! (I found one. Similar size to 20mm so perfect!) You'll see the 40mm in a video soon-ish so stay tuned! :)
Excellent review. Love your videos especially the Leica ones.
Thanks Harry I try to mix it up a bit but Leica will always be at the heart of this channel! :) ...today's video is Leica :)
Matt, this is the most expensive channel to follow on youtube 😂 . I use an Excel sheet to keep track on lenses and cameras now. Ordered the 40mm f2 today to sit on the Nikon FE. It will be my smallest rig.
Thanks Kim, haha sorry! But think how great your camera collection will be haha. Yes great travel setup! Since making the video I now have the SLII 28mm for my FG-20 or other Nikons 👏🏻
How are you finding the lens, Kim ?
Hi Matt, another fantastic video...thanks!
Thanks Ronald!
MATT :
I have adapted TAKUMAR M42 glass on my F3 NIKON , just shot today 8 images of the gulls , sea and driftwood.
Going to develop and see what the combo can do with texture. I have really rare older M42 rangefinder glass too. If you are interested , look in eBay and the adapter is there. Again have not developed any of the images yet.
SUPER TAKUMAR 50mm 1.4 in higher element version , and the 85mm 1.8 are both amazing lenses and if I had a LEICA L Mount SL-2 would not hesitate to use any of the TAKUMAR glass on that camera. Cheers ~
Thanks yes I’ve heard good things about that lens. Currently I’ve collected more that I can use so I need to try to wait a Bit and test what I have first, but thanks!
I did a wedding in 2008 with a Nikon D40 and a 18 70 f3.5 f 4 lens.
I used a 55 to 200 mm. The results were brilliant. The D40 was so light.
Now I use filmagain with a Voightlander Bessa L with the 25mm f4 lens.
Thanks Neil, a few yeard after that I used the D90. I think I used the Tarmon zoom! 17-55mm? That was before it started to get crazy.
A wedding using the D40?; that is a Entry-Level DSLR!; I wouldn't even look at a Entry-Level plastic camera let alone use one, I'd rather use my farts to take photos instead
I have four Voigtlander lens 10 15 35 and 50nokton on a sony a7iv - the raw files out of camera are almost perfect, if you shoot correctly going in - they cost alot but worth it -
Thanks! Nice, yes i'm a big fan of Voigtlander M lenses and Nikon F as here. I reviewed most of the latest M ones now I think.
As for the issue of close focusing of Nikkor wide lenses, Nikkor 28mm f2.8AIS focuses as close as 0.2m.
Thanks yes see my 28mm video. I have that Nikkor lens. It's great.
Yes, the voightlander lens are so good, .........right at the moment , using a 40mm f/1..4 voightlander ,, manual focusing , definitely improve your images/ photos, use manual focus , and since this is leica related - just got a used camera/ refurbished Leica d-lux typ 109, produces decent photos, its a very slick camera Thats the first Leica camera for me. Thank you for your vids , they help.
Thanks and I agree! Nice lenses 👍🏻😊
You are so right. I only have a few, but they are good. Shockingly good to this old coot. (Mine were all used as well)
Thanks and yes I buy used too 👍🏻😊
I have 40 and 58 mm. They are amazing but I put them on sale because Leica has fillled their place and I don't want my cabinet with gear to overflow with redundant lenses. Even though I'm very reluctant to part with them...
Thanks understandable, my current excuse is keep a cabinet of lenses to make videos with! :)
Just added the Voigtlander 58 silver ring to my stable. I primarily use Zeiss Distagon/Planar on my Z6/7, but this will fill a need where I tend not to want to drag the Otus 55 along.
Congrats Gary, very nice, great lens!
I have the 58 on my cart, yes, I sold it … as you can see for my profile pic. I’m missing it so it is time to bring him back:). I intend to use it in a7iv and techart 🙂👍🏻
Nice! Yes great lens for sure :)
I have my copy of this lens for a few months, the manual focus ring is the most smooth to use compare to Nikon's own 105mm F2.5, 200mm F4 and few other manual lens I own. Techart adapter is pretty good, I am using it with 58mm F1.4. that lens can pretty much become an auto focus lens with almost no pre focus. On 105mm and longer lenses you will need to do a bit of pre focus otherwise it will hunt a bit to get into focus. Eye focus also work with these lenses. Auto focus on techart is not at native lens level in term of speed and accuracy but I put it at about 70-80% accurate.
@@jliang70 thanks John!
voigtlander 58mm f1.4 is a dream lens
Yes! It will certainly transform any Nikon camera! :)
What is the difference between the SL-SLII-SLII S-SLII-AIS-SLII N??? I refer to 58 mm, but same refers to 40 mm.
All very similar, older ones were just SL, newest have the N at the end, I use all versions across the lens range, all are great.
Thks a lot
I can't find the 58mm for Canon EF mount anywhere unfortunately. I did find the 40mm and 20mm. Thanks for the review.
Hi Stu, thanks and sorry to hear. Keep an eye on eBay. Canon mount ones do show up.
I have multiple camera bodies from Pentax, Panasonic, Olympus, Fujifilm and Nikon. The last camera that I purchased was a Nikon ZF ,i have two Fujifilm XT bodys and enjoy the photography experience of these two camera bodies,,when Nikon announced the ZF i though this would be a great camera to round out my collection. The problem was the small prime 28mm and 40mm lens were mostly plastic with plastic lens mount. The design of the lens while small made the Zf look like a rushed after though. I liked the focal lengths but wanted something that would fit the stylish ZF, Voightlander and Viltrox solved the problem. I added the Viltrox 28mm and 35mm, from Voightlander i added the 15mm f4.5 and 40mm f1.2. These have a more classic design and complement the Nikon ZF really nicely.
Great. Yes I use a lot of the nice Voigtlander lenses. (LTM, M and F mount).
I have the 40 and 58 but for the 20 I use the Nikkor 20mm AI f4. Same pancake size as the Voigtlander but much cheaper and easier to find. Good option if you're willing to give up the chip and 1/3 stop.
Thanks Clay, great tip. I just found the 28mm SLII too. I already have Nikons but wanted the size + optical performance combination for travel
ahh you have discovered the hidden gem that is the f80, a steal on the market at the moment. The Zeiss 50mm 1.4 Planar in F mount is also very special . Thanks for all the great videos, learning loads .
Thanks! You spotted it! ;) Sooo cheap! Just crazy. Can't wait to try it and later share a video! :) ..thanks regarding Planar F too!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom just watch the back door, plastic catch is a weak point, I've had one lost this way.
@@TangoDJAnthonyCronin thanks! Yes I read this so thanks for reminder 🙏🏻
+1 colored gels-the BG looks great.
Thanks yes I will fine tune it but I might be onto something! Thanks!
Another great video Matt, I have been shooting with the F80 and FM2n for a while now so would love to see more on nikon. Also if at some point you could review the zeiss 50mm 1.5 sonnar it would be helpful. I just got an M3 but I can not find a good, informative review on the little Zeiss.
Great cameras Benjimen! Maybe you recognised some of my props in this video ;) More Nikon vids.. will do! Sonnar.. I sold mine but this might help you.. maybe I will have to do a video without holding it at some point - mrleica.com/zeiss-zm-sonnar-c-50mm-f1-5-vs-leica/
Great images!
I would to buy now 28,40, and 58 lenses
Thanks! See my second video, the 90mm is fantastic as is the 20 too!
Hello again Matt just saw your mega test on Nikon 50s very interesting and exhaustive thanks a lot yes the voigtlander 55 1.4 is fantastic but pricey for a tenth of the price I can buy a 50 silver band pancake yes the voigt 58 is better but 10 times better???
Thanks Kevin, yes the pancakes are as close as you can find to the cheapest possible 50mm prime for F mount I think. Uncommonly cheap. I think the Voigtlander bought used is excellent value and will absolutely give you better photos shot at wider apertures. No contest. If you shoot at F5.6-8 then the pancake is fine.
Hi Matt, after all the hype, many on RUclips, about the Voigtlander 58mm 1.4, thought we would test it against the Nikon 60mm Macro D 2.8 lens that we have. Outcome, there is little difference in the image quality between the two, though the 60mm was a tad better. The 60mm D is also a fraction of the price, it is manual and auto focus. I would not say the Voigtlander was any better than the Nikon so would not recommend it. The 58 may be a prettier lens but we could not justify purchase when the 60mm matches it. The 58mm is claimed to have better this and that but this is not seen in the final image. Just something for Nikon users to think about before being lead down the path to purchase, as we did and then returned it.
Thanks! I own both these lenses so agree at f2.8 the 60mm will win on sharpness. (See my Nikon 50mm sharpness video which includes the 58mm and the 55mm Nikkor f2.8. The 55mm is also a killer lens). Where I think we need to be careful is how we word it. Yes if you shoot both lenses at f2.8 the results might be similar but most people don't buy a 1.4 lens to shoot at 2.8. I buy 1.4s to shoot at 1.4, hence the higher price tag of fast glass. You cannot compare the 58mm f1.4 images wide open vs the 60mm. The 58mm wins hands down for buttery smooth shallow DOF portraits. I love both lenses and for me 1 is for MF bodies, 1 is for AF bodies. (and if on a budget and just want sharp I always recommend the 55mm Nikkor over both of these).
Couldn’t agree more! You only forgot to mention the 90mm. That lens is a unicorn though...
Thanks David! Yes I’ve looked at the 90 a few times since. If I ever see one cheap I will be tempted! :)
Do you know what happened to the Voigtlander APO-SKOPAR 90mm f/2.8 SL II S lens for Nikon F-mount?
Hi Simon, See the recent video that focuses mostly on the 90mm APO :)
Well, I really think that your channel should have a disclaimer for those guys affected by GAS... :)
Ha thanks Felipe! Well my Patreon does have actually haha!
Hi Matt, nice review. Will these Voightlander SL lenses work on a Leicaflex SL or Leicaflex SL2? Thank you very much!
Hi John, thank you. No Leicaflex only take Leica R lenses. I use the SL and R bodies. See those videos. I use these Voigtlander lenses on Nikon F bodies.
Voigtlander 58 Nikon f mount 1.4 or voigtlander 50 M mount adapted 1.2 on Nikon Z6II? Which one do you recommend???
Nokton unless you like softer dreamy photos then get 1.2 and shoot wide open
I have the 40mm f2 asph and the 58mm nokton. They are both amazing. The 40mm focuses very close.
Thanks Mike. Yes, both are great! Love the 40mm size. (See my follow up video for the 28 & 90 too.
What about the Nikon 50mm f1.8 series E pancake small light well made sharp cheap! ( what about pointed sticks )
See the video, 50E vs Voigtlander. 58mm easily wins.
Thanks for the great video. I think you can expand on each of these lenses.
More videos then ha.. well I'll never be sort of content I guess :) Thanks!
The 20mm version for Nikon is not anymore available new or am I wrong? Love to have that one too besides my 28, 40, 58 and 90mm.
Correct, you need to buy on eBay. Worth looking for!
I love my 58mm SL II for my Nikon, I also have a Viltrox Speedbooster, mine is for Fuji X.
Thanks John, I feared I would be talking to myself on this video.. after 2 days of edits and the video being twice as long+ than planned. Great to hear you use the Speedbooster too! :)
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom I do not use it as much as I should, but I have a plan for early next year to do some videos about it myself.
@@highlander200107 great! I need to use mine more too
I want to use the 58 mm 1.4 lens to my canon 6d what adapter should i buy?
They make a Canon mount version
I read on Christopher frosts reviews that many Nikon's can't meter using manual lenses. For example the f80 can't meter if using a manual focus lens. Is that the case with these voigtlander f mount lenses?
Yes I would treat Voigtlander F lenses as AIS lenses. Most "good" Nikons will be fine but not some budget models like the F80. (I've shot with I think 10 different Nikon film bodies and no issues)(I kept the F80 for AF lenses only before selling)
Matt, do the these Voigtlander SL SL II and SL IIs work in aperture priority on your Nikon FE2 or only in full manual mode?
Also, is the chip being different between SL II and SL IIs make any difference on your Z6 with the FTZ adapter? I assume SL1 doesn’t have a chip. Thanks for your help!
Hi, I only use my cameras in full manual mode so sorry I don't know. I never tried. If the lens has a chip you will get EXIF on DSLR. Not sure about Z6 and not on SL.
Great images. What B&W films did you ise for 58mm? And how the hell do you get to work with so gorgeous models? Any tips?
See my blog MrLeica.com and double click images to see film used. I use a lot. Models, get my free ebook on the blog to find them, basically spend ages searching and aim for the best!
The 40mm f/2 SLII-N (last of the pancake 40mm's) and a Nikon FG is a great small lightweight combo, even smaller than my FE-2.
Also works well on a Nikon F-80. Because of the lenses CPU it can be used in all camera modes except AF, obviously. Great lens, even at f/2.
Thanks for sharing! Yes great lens :) More Nikon stuff to come!
Hi Matt, any thoughts on the Nikon 58mm 1.4?
I like it/ have it. You might see it in a video comparison again soon.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Thanks Matt, love your portraiture too, its quite outstanding imho.
hi,
I've found a voigtlander 40mm f2.0 sl version one lens on Ebay but can't seem to find any reviews on it yet alone acknowledgement that it existed. The only difference I can see is that the min aperture goes to f16 instead of f22 like the version ii. Have you heard if this lens is any worse than its newer versions?
Would be greatly appreciated if you did know anything about it because its currently a fair bit cheaper than the version ii :)
Hi Chris. I have the older version. It’s smaller and I like that. Great optics.
My 40mm SL-II has a rubber ring also. As do my 90mm APO-Lanthar. Those hoods are designed that way, because you can screw on close focusing lenses, wich both my objectives came with.
Thank you Roger, good info on the close focus lenses thanks. I nearly bought the 90mm a few times!
Hi Matt, Voigtlander has 3 more lenses from the same series. 90mm f3.5 Apo Lanthar, 125mm f2.5 Macro Apo Lanthar, and 180mm f4 Apo Lanthar. All have a great reputation. Especially 125mm.
Hi many thanks for sharing that! Happy the video found you. I may have seen the 90mm before but i'm probably thinking of the same lens in a different mount.
Hey, you seem very knowledable about Voigtlander lenses. What is the reputation of the 75mm f3.5 Color-Heliar SL (SLR lens, not rangefinder lens)? I can‘t find any reviews of it anywhere.
I have something of an outrageous question for you Matt. How would you think some of these Voigtlander lenses would mate with a "medium format" camera such as the Fuji GFX 50s II? They are massively smaller, lighter and faster. I anticipate a certain amount of cropping due to insufficient coverage. I'm wondering akso if the mount plays a part (F-mount vs M-mount). Thoughts?
Experience?
I’m all for adapting. I’m currently enjoying these on MFT bodies, Just for fun. Any lens will mount to mirrorless. You need to check flange distance F vs your camera. Yes you’d need to crop in I expect. Sorry no experience. Try with a cheap Nikon lens and if works then get these.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Thanks, Matt. "Flange distance" might be the key factor to anticipate useful compatibility. If I go this way, I'll include a note.
I'm buying tomorrow the Voigtlander 40mm f1.4 lens from : Robert white photography with 5% discount code, so they owe you a beer !! Also buying a adaptor for the fujifilm x mount from them also...thanks for your reviews on this lens
Thanks John! Noted. I can compare notes when I speak to them! :) Great little lens, I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Matt, at the time I watched this video there are already 290 comments which I haven't read, so please forgive me if this has already been mentioned. In Nikon F mount I have the 40mm Ultron and the 58mm Nokton, but I also have another Voigtlander lens in Nikon F mount which is a Color-Heliar 75mm f2.5. It rarely gets mentioned because it was discontinued some years ago and has not been updated. I believe that it may also have been made in either M42 mount or Pentax K mount. With regard to the 58mm Nokton, mine is a 2008 version which is modelled to look like the long-gone Topcon RE Topcor 58mm f1.4. I have read that Cosina acquired the patent rights to the Topcor when Topcon ceased manufacture and that the Nokton is a tweaked and modernised version of that lens.
Thanks Peter! Yes i've not tried the 75mm or longer lenses yet but thanks. CV released the 90mm too along with the new M 90 APO (see that M lens video). Thanks regarding Topcon too. (I now use the 20,28,40 as a compact trio + 58).
Ultron 40mm f2 sl vs sl 2 what do you think ? For canon eos mount
Hey Tasos, I think they are opically the same, the one I have is just smaller which is nice. There may be slight improvements in the v2
any way to get a focus tab onto the 40mm f2?
Because it is small and some are knurled it might be difficult
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom thanks for the reply!! If anyone else has done this successfully with the non-knurled version, I’d love to hear about it!
Yes, the voigtlander lenses are a huge improvement over most of the nikons. In addition to the voigtlander 58, I also enjoy the 1990's zeiss lenses like the 35 distagon, the 85 planar and 100 makro planar. But I tend to like more compression in my portraits so I like the zeiss 100 for that and the nikon 135 dc at about 7 feet. Your F5 recommendation really enabled me to make more use of them with a few inched dof with its auto focus or focus confirmation. Weight and size? You are kidding. I am training for my last bodybuilding competition at 76. A black rapid strap allowed me to carry the f5 and 135 dc for 4 hours yesterday like it wasn't even there.
Thanks Bob, Yes, I love mine! Yes with a good strap they’re fine.
Hi Matt thank you for the very informative video. Do you have plans on getting your hands on the upcoming F/M mount Voigtlander 90mms?
Thanks Arthur! I looked at the 90mm many times but haven't bought one yet! (I have 4 90s already for M, see that video)
Another great video. Have been looking into an F4 but not necessarily a Nikon lens. More research required.
Thanks Peter! These lenses are excellent! :)
Great video , you do not mention Nikon F3 , I have that .. is it a bad camera ? The video was good.
Thanks Chris! No I hear the F3 is excellent but I’ve never tried it so couldn’t comment on that model.
Great video, looking to buy the 40mm for my FM2
Thanks Ed! Check out my latest video too.. the Nikkor 50/1.8 AIS pancakes are also good.
Would the 20mm Voigtlander be any good for pinpoint stars in astrophotography?
I’m not experienced in this type of photography but the lens is excellent and very small.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom well there's only one way for me to find out :) Thanks!
Images are outstanding
Thanks so much! (I include photos in 90% of my videos)
More NIKON mount please to save my F3 ... thanks. Love the close Film , and the B&W is stunning on digital, love B&W.
I also think the Leica CL is better than the other M4/3 camera. Do not know why ...just is.
Nikon - I will! CL yes that’s my go to for easy digital
Wow, beautiful lens. I'd really appreciate a comparison video with the really expensive Nikon 58mm 1.4
Thanks Mike, I will if I ever get a chance!
Hey Matt, you’re the best mate! Would love to read your review for Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f1.4 lens (NEW!). Link on your site seems to not be working. Cheers
Thanks for info, OK thanks!
I do not know these lenses, but I trust you that they are amazing. And surely better than the cheap original lenses. But there is one thing you should mention. If you use an SLR or DSLR built to use with AF, you will have a problem with these Lenses just because you do not have an optical focus indicator with these cameras. I've used Canon cameras in the past there; you can replace the focus screen with a traditional split-screen, but this can cause metering problems. Another option is to use the AF Points as a focus indicator, but this is not the same as a good focus screen. But for manual optical focus, a rangefinder is still the best option for me. On mirrorless cameras, it's not a problem at all. This is not a critic, but you are often talking about how small and light a lens is and how good the results are, but it would be nice to talk a bit more about how it is to use these lenses.
Thanks, great points. Yes i'm a weird one I guess in that I use SLRs mostly at 1m or less distance so I can see to focus. Beyond that and I need AF or a split prism as you say. Yes I find RF cameras better for my eyes, especially at distant objects but SLR better in close. Yes mirrorless make life so easy for sure! And for using lenses it is probably very subjective so i'm not sure many would care how I work but maybe in the future I can look to cover these 'softer topics'. At the moment i'm just trying to provide the facts and minimal fluff :)
Voigtlanders are nice lenses. Don’t worry about the 50mm 1.8 E series. Look at the AIS 1.8 50mm Japan only pancake. That lens is the bomb.
Thanks I have the E but not the one you mention.. I will do some research!
Great video Matt. Quick question for you or anyone seeing this, can I put the 40mm SLII on my FE2 and still have my camera metre and use aperture priority? I saw someone say something about needing to use an external metre because the lens doesn’t work with the manual slr’s metres? Doesn’t sound right but thought I’d check
Hi thanks, I tend to always shoot cameras in M mode so i've not noticed but I think the light meter worked correctly.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Thanks Matt, love the channel, just subscribed.
Matt, as a Nikon enthusiastic you should give Nikkor ais 50mm F1.8 pancake lens Japan version a try.
Thanks, they seem quite hard to find! I have the E version that focuses to 0.6m meter but I find it pretty good.
Can you compare the voigtlander 58mm SLII and the Voigtlander 50 f1.2 aspherical ?
Hi you can compare both videos to get an idea but I probably won’t get chance to compare side by side (both are great!)
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom thanks for your reply. I saw both the video. Just think which one is better choice adapting to a mirrorless body. 58mm has better close focus distance, while 50 1.2 is a newer aspherical design with improve optical quality in term of wide open and smoother bokeh.
@@ngterry9653 I prefer the 58 but watch the 1.2 to hear my thoughts
I bought the canon EF mount version of the 20mm lens hoping to adapt it to my Leica SL but there is no aperture ring on that lens. The aperture ring is only on the Nikon. So beware. Luckily it was a good price so can easily sell it again and keep looking for Nikon versions.
Hi Karen, ah wow, I didn't realise the Canon version didn't have an aperture ring. Thanks for sharing here and I hope you sell it easily and can pick up a Nikon mount like mine.
Great video! Can I get those for a Canon FD mount camera?
Thanks Giovanni! Yes originally they made them for Nikon, Canon FD and many others.
I have the 58mm lens and just bought the L mount Leica SL2. Do you know of an adapter
that could take advantage of the electrical interface of the Voigtlander 58mm, it is more compact
for that f1.4 and at 58mm may be more useful than a 50mm.
Great setup, sorry i'm not sure about adapters, only the normal manual ones I use.
You don't actually need to stop down to F22 in a DSLR if you change the camera setting under pencil and control to choose to use the aperture ring. This way you shoot the "old way" by turning the physical aperture ring.
Thanks! Yes that's how I do it with film, turn the aperture ring
More Nikon F mount videos 😍
I just posted one! Haha, lucky timing! :)
Hey Matt. I would really enjoy a video that discuss manual focus lenses for MTF cameras. Of course adapted lenses should be included. I was thinking that avoigtlaender Color Skopar 21mm M-mount is in my radar, as it could combine with my leica setup, and is small enought for the MFT concept. :)
Hello, check out my Smallest M mount lenses video.. as these are some of the smallest of any lenses they work well on MFT.
Great vid Matt! u have a gallery with this amazing Voigtlander 58mm 1.4 SL?
Thanks Pablo! I've not shot it that much yet but - www.flickr.com/photos/32681588@N03/albums/72157710648175222
Damn, your photos are so good!
Thanks! Just 10+ years of constant practise! :)