For a quarter of the price, I'm pretty happy with my FD 55mm f/1.2 SSC (non-aspherical) using an RF-FD adapter! I do wish that the manual focus aids would work with it, although focus peaking is somewhat helpful.
I find the imperfections of this lens is what truly gives it character. Call me crazy,but if I were purchasing a 50mm for my R5 or R6m2, this is the one I’d get hands down. Wonderful video. Truly a fun and unique lens in a world full of clinically sharp and somewhat stale images.
Not really fair to compare this to slower 50mm lenses. That being said, this RF version seems to be less sharp wide open than my original M-Mount version. Curious. You get much closer focusing though, which is a plus. The M-Mount version of this lens is even sharper wide open and quite a bit better corrected for aberrations than the Leica Noctilux F0.95, and costs about 1/6th of the price. Pretty impressive!
I have the Z mount version that I use with the Zf and I absolutely love it. Not sure why they changed the design of the RF version. I like the Z mount better. It's a joy to manually focus on the Zf and it is quite usable at f1. I snagged a new copy on eBay from Japan for $1400 so deals can be found if you are patient. I mostly shoot portraits and the rendering is gorgeous.
I agree that the rendering of this lens is gorgeous. Do you see "onion rings" in bokeh balls on Z mount lens? I have an RF mount version and I have quite annoying "onion rings" & hexagonal bokeh balls when stopped down below f/1. Trying to figure out if it's just mine copy or all versions of this lens are like that.
Not sure about this Canon RF version, but since I purchased this lens it has I have not even tried attaching another lens to my Nikon ZF that is how impressed I am with the optics. It has also reduced the the size of my kit where I could always have that nagging thought about not having a better lens with me. I mostly shoot at F/1.0 and the sharpness is always shocking to me. I would be curious to see if the performance is that much different from the RF lens or if for portraits it just looks incredibly sharp regardless. 🤔
@@victorlim5077 It is similar to other systems with focus peaking and subject detection. Because your focus squares will default to the eyes and you just adjust until they turn green. I guess it is subjective I just find the challenge fun it makes the image much more rewarding. Obviously your hand isn't competing with an autofocus alternative, but you may not want to take my advice I still drive manual cars lol.
Seeing those results im actually quite happy with my "F/1 on a budget" setup, the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM Art for EF-S with a Viltrox EF-RF speedbooster.
Wild that lens shoots on full frame bodies just fine but they just built it to vignette lol. Its barely noticeable sometimes too. ill have to try a speed booster on the r5
@@johnnyisahermit Im not sure how much sense a speedbooster makes on any full frame camera (apart from a cropped 4k shooting mode maybe), im using it on a R7. The lens is indeed perfectly usable, especially for night photography, where vignetting really doesnt show.
If considering composition and bokeh, it's not F1, but F1.4 with the speedbooster. Without the speedbooster, it is effectively 48mm ~F2.2 lens on crop camera for composition.
Ye you're right. I didnt read the small print in an awesome video about speedboosters. Still have to add the crop factor back in (at least for the bokeh i think) @@testusersg
hi chris, I would love it if you made a Comparison video with all canon 50mm lenses. This includes the EF 50mm f/1.8 i, the EF 50mm f/1.8 ii, the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, the EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM, the RF 50mm f/1.8 STM and the RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM. And it would be so cool if you could also Include the EF 50mm f/1.0 L USM!
I'm reasonably sure he has reviewed all of those before, but hasn't directly compared them against each other. There is a video comparing the EF to the RF to the Sigma 1.4, and there's a 7 sharpest 50mm lenses he'd tested up to that point video though! And I think there might be an older one with the canon 1.4 against the EF 1.2? But that was a long time ago.
I turn beautifully with gentle clicks too , but that's mostly my knees.. Just curious, when a lens like this is soft at the corners, I wonder at what other distance the lens is sharper in the corners keeping the focus the same in the center. Closer? Further? Or not at all?
Sharpness at f/1 should have been very high if the M version on the M11 is a guide. You were given a marginal copy or Voigtlander has not effectively optimized the lens for the Canon sensor stack.
A review of the Voigtlander 50/1.0 VM (M-mount) version suggested Raws are corrected well with Adobe's Voigtlander 50/1.2 VM raw lens profile. That's what I use on my 50/1.0 VM and it does a very nice job moderating vignetting and the mild pincushion distortion. This is the very best f/1.0-0.95 lens on the planet, period. F/1.2 lenses are over 1/2 stop slower and are in a different class.
@@zeissiez it's not too heavy, not too big, sharp enough. Probably a joy to use if you like manual focus. Are you using the M mount version or the Nikon version? Only thing that I wished was better in this lens is color aberrations(big minus for me in some situations) and that reverse field curvature (which cannot be helped because of original rangefinder limitations. It can be worked around so no big deal)
@@nat-lj8kt I’m using the Nikon Z mount version. I actually prefer auto focusing, but none of the modern AF lenses give this kind of rendering. Especially for portraits. Modern lenses have too high contrast, and portraits look hard. That’s why some people use diffusers to soften up portraits. Well, these certainly look better than using diffusers.
I bought the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm 1.0 Aspherical for Sony two weeks ago, it is excellent for low light photography indoor and outdoor at night time at aperture 1.0 without pushing the ISO. I can recommend this Lens.
only excited on the electronic permission, will go without wanting this for that price. not much sense to me considering the options for the same money
You pay for the amazing build quality (just metal and glass) and for the nice vintage look. But it's still overpriced. In my opinion the Nokton 50mm f1.2 is a better choice for vintage look lovers (at half the price). For photographers wanting a great "technical quality" the 50mm f2 Apo Lanthar is the best choice.
Jeeze this really does look like the Meike 50mm F0.95 and performs just like one lol. The asking price is just theft at this point, Voigtlander is just throwing its name for money at this point.
it's too much of a compromise because of it's rangefinder size restriction roots and M mount dimensions. Really strong vignetting + huge reverse field curvature (corners are focusing further away) means that in the corners, if you have anything distracting, it will be a lot more distracting because there will be more focus and less 'bokeh' What's good? It's the sharpest f1.0 lens. It's beaten by bigger, heavier branded autofocus 50mm f1.2 lenses at 1.2 and above. As much as I love the Voigtlander APO lenses and use the 50,65,110mm, I would pass on this lens and go for Sony 50mm 1.2 (or 1.4) GM lens. Btw I shoot Sony GM on Nikon FF using adapter. Still really fast focus, lighter lenses that perform quite good compared to giant 1.2 Nikon primes. If I were looking for a quirky, ultrafast 50mm lens with character, this lens would be on my radar. The cheap chinese 1.0 or 0.95 lenses lenses are terrible at close distances because they don't have floating elements so this lens is ideal for someone who enjoys close up photography (not macro) quirky, ultrafast lens with character and has the financial means to afford it. Thank you Voigtlander for producing this awesome lens. It will be a more niche lens but hopefully the profit margin is good enough.
Concerning the admittedly problematic corners, I encounter two situations: a) when these do not matter at all (many night shots): no issue; b) when these do matter: cropping to 4:3 ratio. Overall I find this lens well balanced between perfection and flaws, although the reviewer is right in saying that the price point could have been lower.
@@Airy59 well Voigtlander offers 50mm 1.2 which is cheaper lighter smaller but does not have the same rizz as this lens :) Most people may prefer that lens over this one due to size/cost. I went for 50mm 1.2 GM. Slightly slower but optically wanted that hyper modern design and approach to optics. Not much heavier than V 50mm 1.0 but much better corrected and with AF. No shortage of good optics nowadays but if you insist on f 1.0 this one is probably the best right now.
It’s certainly an interesting lens. I’ve bought it this Christmas and played around with it a bit; however not long enough to form my conclusive opinion. I like it at f/1 - rendering and bokeh are beautiful. However stopped down to anything below f/1 the bokeh balls are becoming extremely prominent hexagonal and I’m not sure I like it too much. There some onion rings as well, which is definitely a no go for me. I don't know if all lenses are like that or I was especially unlucky with the copy I have.
I own the Z mount version of this lens and after having owned the Otus 85, I say its properly priced. It has far more chromatic aberation than the Otus however, the images the Voigtlander produces.....even without trying hard....OMG! I LOVE IT!
I used to think my 58/1.4 Voigtlander was disappointing until I compared it to my Nikon 50/1.2 ais and yikes did the Voigtlander smash it in rendering. I have no doubt modern glass is better, but I don’t think one buys a lens like this for clinical rendering.
from f/2.0, the Nikon 50/1.2 is excellent, while the 58/1.4 has problematic bokeh. That being said, I often use it because of the shorter focal length (and the very pleasant handling)
With the focus aids I really thought this could replace my old EF 50 1.2L. Sadly neither sharpness nor CA handling seem to justify selling the EF and spending that much more on the Voigtländer :-/
Now this is what I am talking about for a Third Party Lens for Canon RF!!! With those connections they clearly got permission from Canon to make this mount of lens and these lenses are beyond awesome but they are not perfect. I love my Voightlander 35mm Nokton for emount. Will buy this for Sony when it is available.
I found one “like new” M mount, that I adapt to my sigma fp L and I love it. I wish Voigtlander was making L mount lenses with the electric connections. Seems like a logical move since it’s the system the new Leica cameras use.
I don't really get the comments about the sharpness being bad. It's fine, especially for such an extreme lens at it's size. What's less than fine is the contrast, CA, and spherical aberrations for this price. But that's the downside of trying to make lenses small, the Nikkor Noct 58mm f/0.95 is the perfect example of taking the polar opposite approach, optimal optical quality no matter the size and weight.
Well, precisely, the contrast is very good even at f/1.0 (I have the Z version, although I doubt there are constructive differences), and sharpness is more than enough in the center at least. CA is not a problem at all. Coma is strong and that was my only disappointment, but it does not always matter, while contrast always matters.
This or the newly released Sigma 50mm 1.2 without considering The AF. Just want those wide apertures and isn't sure if its worth the small difference in f stop
Completely different lenses. Nokton have more character wide open, it's giving a different look, Sigma is more sharp and better performing lens. If you don't care about AF, choose the one whose rendering you liked more.
I would have been more excited if it were a 58mm F1 lens (or 1.2). It would pair better with the Voigtlander 40mm F1.2 lens, and would be better for portraits.
What Christopher states is the MSRP for a market, not a dealers price. The price in Japan is mostly so much cheaper currently because of the weak yen, which has cause some manufacturers to prioritize other markets for some new cameras and lenses instead (for example Nikon Zf is almost impossible to find currently).
It’s all about the magic this lens produces!!The rendering and colours are just stunning and example what other brands should do : in stead of trying to get the highest sharpness and corner perfection , lens designer should more focus on what really matters : beauty and gentle old school rendering which is timeless.
The colors are off though. There is coma and purple fringing. For a lowlight lens where you expect point light sources, this isn't an appropriate choice. For example, you couldn't use this for astrophotography because the coma would mess up integration and plate solving. For cheaper, a xf 56 1.2 from fuji is practically perfect wide open.
@@jmctavishiii this lens is not designed for Astro!Please judge this lens for what it is created for: generating gorgeous pictures:that is what photography is about!
I agree, there’s a place for these classical lenses in photography. The images look less clinical and more soothing. Modern lenses could be too sharp and too contrasty. I even prefer the cheaper, less perfect versions.
Then you better watch out for any light sources getting into the background of let's say portrait photography and also steer clear of any high contrast scenes in the background and out of focus areas because coma and chromatic aberrations would ruin it.
Unfortunately its rendering/bokeh doesn't seem as harmonic as the gorgeous Nokton 50mm f1.2 - especially in the corners and it's almost twice the price of the f1.2.
Looks nice, but the RF 50 1.2 for me is still way more interesting. Only about 10% more money gets you: perfect sharpness even wide open, weather sealing and autofocus.
Oof. I think if I wanted a bright, manual focus lens for RF, the Brightin Star 35mm f/.95 lens sounds a bit better. And about $1600 cheaper, haha. Granted, it's APS-C, but....
Waaaaay overpriced. At that price point it should be weather sealed and be optically almost perfect wide open. Better off just saving a bit more for Canon's 50mm f1.2 lens instead 😅
Depends upon what you want: if you want top notch modern technical image quality and autofocus and carry a huge plastic lens, yes. If you love the build quality (just metal and glass like a Leica M lens), smaller size and weight and enjoy the smooth manual focus (I sometimes LOVE to focus manually) and the softer, gorgeous, special vintage look, the Voigtlander lenses are interesting. But I think the 50mm f1.2 Nokton is (at half the price) the better choice and has an even nicer rendering.
@stefan_becker nobody will look at your photos and say oh this wasn't shot on voigtalnder. Nobody look at bokha at all .those are all marketing tricks to make people pay more
just do it then... I dont think he ever Re REviewed and it was released before the r5... But I think it he would see different results on the r5 and id be interested to see that... you wont regret buying it unless you hate the flaring contrast ...but it has character and a 3d pop that is hard to find in most canon rf glass... in my opinion Rf 50 1.2 looks amazing wide open(portaits/models) which is kinda the point IMHO...
I stopped buying Voigtlander lenses because in Poland, and even in Europe, there is no way to repair such a lens if something bad happens. And this is exactly what happened to me. I have an expensive broken lens and I am helpless.
Woooow!! Be aware everybody: Sharpness is not always important to PHOTOGRAPHERS (who take pictures of life instead of a test bill boardy thing). Take a look at the work of many great photographers and artists. They are often like paintings. This review says nothing of the character of the lens. How it renders. Pure magic. Pictures coming from this this are nothing like you get from Sony GM or other lenses that "are perfect". Chris, I love the way you test optics on a clinical level but please be careful with your advise to the creative community who often don't want perfect computerized pictures 😊👍🏼
As the reviewer demonstrated, this lens is optimized for contrast rather than sharpness at wide apertures. From that point of view, it is a much better alternative to the otherwise excellent Voigt 58/1.4 for night shots or subject isolation, when that matters to the photographer.
By that logic, very few professional photographers value extremely low F stops as well. in the real world, dreamy images can be taken very easily with vintage 50mm F1.4 lenses and nobody would tell the difference. TTartisans sells a full from 50mm F0.95 with similar "magic" (aka flaws that we glorify) for 880 dolllars or less.
@@CanditoTrainingHQ I agree, the difference will be visible only to whose who has alredy tried these lenses (mb flaring, bokeh character, colors). For a stranger or a client, the difference will hardly be noticeable. But many people buy and shoot as a hobby for themselves, and I think in a direct comparison there will still be a difference. Plus reliability, look, ease of use etc.
You're right about "dreamy". But the purpose of the Nokton is not "dreamy images" because I get them with the Nikkor 50/1.2 for instance. The images of the Nokton *look* sharp because of consistently high contrast, and you can freeze movement even in very low light. In that sense it is pretty unique. @@CanditoTrainingHQ
I simply don't understand this lens. The reason in buying them was the fact that they were pretty affordable, but with this prices I'd rather prefer pricier options of actual vintage glass, rather than this. And I can have like 3-4 really good vintage lenses for this price. Voigtlander/Cosina are out of their touch in my opinion.
It has the same flaws as the vintage fast fifties wide open so might as well save money and go that route. The Canon 55mm 1.2 aspherical has gone down in value a lot recently and can be had for about the same money if one is patient.. That is if one wants something exotic and collectible, if not there is always other options from all the big brands for way less. The 50 1.2s usually go for around $200-400 from my research and should give about the same experience as the Voigtlander. So yeah.. it's a cashgrab.
I have both the z version of this lens, and the 50 mm f2 apo lanthar. Great pair, each complementing the Nikon 50 1.8. Use them all regularly, quite satisfied.
Is there any Voigtlander lens which is not basically a scam? Mediocre performance at best for a ridiculous premium I have no idea what makes them think they're worth it.
When you see the size of this lens and the maximum aperture marking, you know something has definitely got to give. And sure enough as Chris so clearly demonstrates to us that something is pretty significant. First this lens is useless for video work for too many reasons. Second for still photography, it's an f2 lens at best because at the wider apertures, central sharpness is very poor and the edge resolution, light falloff, contrast and chromatic aberrations are quite abysmal compared to most newer f1.4 or f1.2 lenses from camera or third party manufacturers these days. An expensive toy at best for some rich Canon RF system owners.
I have this lens (Z mount) and find it perfectly usable (and enjoyable) at f/1.0 for actual photography, whenever f/1.0 makes sense. Of course there are even more expensive, bigger, heavier lenses that would offer clinical sharpness at f/1.0-f/1.2, but I got accustomed to small MF lenses with "flaws" below f/2.0: most were "special effect" (Nikkor 50/1.2, Voigt 58/1.4), one was "just about usable" (Noct Nikkor: high contrast), and this one beats them all by a wide margin, while remaining small enough (62mm filters on Z mount...) which also matters in the street.
No, that is not the case. I frequently use it at f/1 - f/1.4. Of course the close-up of the clockface at f/1.0 looks like a deterrent, but I routinely shoot at f/1.0 close to MFD and never got such bad results. I have no explanation, except for my not shooting clockfaces (or brickwalls, by the way).
I unpacked this lens yesterday thanks to a Black Friday deal. Oh, the click when you turn the focus ring to either end is worth all the money! Oh, this lens plays with light. But I'm very early with getting experiences. If you just are looking at sharpness in the edges wide open you are a RF50mm STM or a Milvus 50mm 2.0 Macro guy.
Canon doesn’t have a vintage camera to match it. So, if I want a lens like that, I'll switch from Canon to a Nikon DF. Canon is becoming a dirty company!
@@michelecintramika8482 My FD 100 fits greatly on the R and R5 My Milvus 135, 100M, 50M and 18 fit greatly on the R and R5 Some M-mount lenses made by Voigtländer and the Leica Summaron 28mm fit greatly on the R and R5. There was no dirt at any Canon product in my hands ever as long as I keep them clean. Thankfully you don't want decent mechanical lenses, so your reply is somewhat obsolete and off topic.
If not for the price, this would have made me okay with a switch to Canon. I like my 50mm f/2 APO too much, and even if I get why this costs so much and like the look it gives, I could never justify it for myself.
It’s starting to get hard to justify buying some of the prime Lenses out there when Lightroom lens blur new feature it’s quite impressive to say at least.
Definitely too expensive. At that price point you can nearly get a used RF 50 1.2 or the EF 50 1.2 with an adapter new. Don’t really see a reason to spend that much money on a lens without modern features
Thanks Chris! I’d love you to test the Nikon Z version please? This lens seems overpriced but if the Z mount version is slightly better wide open, then it’s “cheaper” alternative to the mighty Noct...
@@quikee9195 That’s a good point, but they externally look fairly different and with a shorter distance to the cameras sensor, that may give a slightly different light path and the larger mount opening may give less vignetting.
@@quikee9195 Another point: if you look at DX0 mark ratings, you will find that Zeiss lenses in ZE mount and ZF mount rate surprisingly differently for the same model lens...
$1500 for a MF-only lens that doesn’t have weather sealing or in-camera corrections seems kinda ridiculous. Also, wide open I’d say the image is very unimpressive (too soft for me). Add that as a cherry on top for reasons to avoid this lens unless you absolutely need that f1.0 bokeh
Hey, Chris have you ever considered doing one of your lens tests with say an iphone camera? Since everyone is so accustomed to your lens tests, it would be interesting to see how phone cameras compare.
All the folks saying "The lens is worth it because of the magic" are either A) Working for the company or B) Have drank wayyy too much cool-aid. This is horribly overpriced for what its producing at f1.
Thank you for the review and sorry but no cigar. Absurdly overpriced for what it is and a far cry from other MUCH better performing Voigtlander lenses. This was originally designed as an M-Mount glass and there it performs much better (despite an unfortunate 1m minimum focusing distance). But the design adapted on a Canon RF is just not cutting it. In the meantime the 7artisans 50mm /1.05 (no electronic communications) beats it all round for less than a ONE FOURTH of the price, let's get real please.
They cost £1,599... I mean, what's even the point if you can have a 50mm RF F1.2 from Canon with autofocus and all the bells and whistles of that high end lens for almost the same price or cheaper if you're browsing the grey market like HDewcameras for example? If it costed 300 uk pounds, sure I can understand the appeal. But £1,599? Jesus, cmon, Voigtländer...
Even though this lens has “magic,” Canon doesn’t have a vintage camera to match it. So, if I want a lens like that, I'll switch from Canon to a Nikon DF. Canon is becoming a dirty company!
I'm using it (Z version) and I am impressed. No "magic", but clean pics with tons of contrast and remarkable light transmission, so I can use "normal" speeds at low ISO... No buyer's remorse at all, although I admit is is overpriced (1000 would have been OK in my perception).
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For a quarter of the price, I'm pretty happy with my FD 55mm f/1.2 SSC (non-aspherical) using an RF-FD adapter! I do wish that the manual focus aids would work with it, although focus peaking is somewhat helpful.
that FD 55mm is a killer lens
I find the imperfections of this lens is what truly gives it character. Call me crazy,but if I were purchasing a 50mm for my R5 or R6m2, this is the one I’d get hands down. Wonderful video. Truly a fun and unique lens in a world full of clinically sharp and somewhat stale images.
Not really fair to compare this to slower 50mm lenses. That being said, this RF version seems to be less sharp wide open than my original M-Mount version. Curious. You get much closer focusing though, which is a plus. The M-Mount version of this lens is even sharper wide open and quite a bit better corrected for aberrations than the Leica Noctilux F0.95, and costs about 1/6th of the price. Pretty impressive!
I have the Z mount version that I use with the Zf and I absolutely love it. Not sure why they changed the design of the RF version. I like the Z mount better. It's a joy to manually focus on the Zf and it is quite usable at f1. I snagged a new copy on eBay from Japan for $1400 so deals can be found if you are patient. I mostly shoot portraits and the rendering is gorgeous.
I agree that the rendering of this lens is gorgeous. Do you see "onion rings" in bokeh balls on Z mount lens? I have an RF mount version and I have quite annoying "onion rings" & hexagonal bokeh balls when stopped down below f/1. Trying to figure out if it's just mine copy or all versions of this lens are like that.
It is about a grand more than it should, but apart from that a nice lens. :D
£1500
I'd love to see more reviews of the Z mount voigtländer lenses
This should be better on Z mount because of the larger rear.
From the diagrams published the exit pupil looks the same on both. Happy to be corrected if not the case.
Not sure about this Canon RF version, but since I purchased this lens it has I have not even tried attaching another lens to my Nikon ZF that is how impressed I am with the optics. It has also reduced the the size of my kit where I could always have that nagging thought about not having a better lens with me. I mostly shoot at F/1.0 and the sharpness is always shocking to me. I would be curious to see if the performance is that much different from the RF lens or if for portraits it just looks incredibly sharp regardless. 🤔
Is it easy to manual focus it on the Zf?
Yes, astonishingly easy, in particular using eye detection @@victorlim5077
@@victorlim5077 It is similar to other systems with focus peaking and subject detection. Because your focus squares will default to the eyes and you just adjust until they turn green. I guess it is subjective I just find the challenge fun it makes the image much more rewarding. Obviously your hand isn't competing with an autofocus alternative, but you may not want to take my advice I still drive manual cars lol.
Seeing those results im actually quite happy with my "F/1 on a budget" setup, the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM Art for EF-S with a Viltrox EF-RF speedbooster.
Wild that lens shoots on full frame bodies just fine but they just built it to vignette lol. Its barely noticeable sometimes too. ill have to try a speed booster on the r5
@@johnnyisahermit Im not sure how much sense a speedbooster makes on any full frame camera (apart from a cropped 4k shooting mode maybe), im using it on a R7. The lens is indeed perfectly usable, especially for night photography, where vignetting really doesnt show.
If considering composition and bokeh, it's not F1, but F1.4 with the speedbooster. Without the speedbooster, it is effectively 48mm ~F2.2 lens on crop camera for composition.
Ye you're right. I didnt read the small print in an awesome video about speedboosters.
Still have to add the crop factor back in (at least for the bokeh i think) @@testusersg
hi chris, I would love it if you made a Comparison video with all canon 50mm lenses. This includes the EF 50mm f/1.8 i, the EF 50mm f/1.8 ii, the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, the EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM, the RF 50mm f/1.8 STM and the RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM. And it would be so cool if you could also Include the EF 50mm f/1.0 L USM!
I'm reasonably sure he has reviewed all of those before, but hasn't directly compared them against each other. There is a video comparing the EF to the RF to the Sigma 1.4, and there's a 7 sharpest 50mm lenses he'd tested up to that point video though! And I think there might be an older one with the canon 1.4 against the EF 1.2? But that was a long time ago.
I turn beautifully with gentle clicks too , but that's mostly my knees..
Just curious, when a lens like this is soft at the corners, I wonder at what other distance the lens is sharper in the corners keeping the focus the same in the center. Closer? Further? Or not at all?
Sharpness at f/1 should have been very high if the M version on the M11 is a guide. You were given a marginal copy or Voigtlander has not effectively optimized the lens for the Canon sensor stack.
A review of the Voigtlander 50/1.0 VM (M-mount) version suggested Raws are corrected well with Adobe's Voigtlander 50/1.2 VM raw lens profile. That's what I use on my 50/1.0 VM and it does a very nice job moderating vignetting and the mild pincushion distortion. This is the very best f/1.0-0.95 lens on the planet, period. F/1.2 lenses are over 1/2 stop slower and are in a different class.
Are we going to forget the 58mm 0.95 Noct-Nikkor exists?
@@JPCl You got me there I did forget. But it's a real boat anchor and only fits the Nikon Z mount.🙂
And more than 5x the price @@goodbokeh
The 7artisans 50mm /1.05 looks like it performs better wide open, and it's $400. I'd love to see the two go head to head.
yep. Ridiculous.
it's an APS-C lens? you cannot compare their price or performance. Voigtlander will be much better for closer distance photos probably if we compared.
I thoroughly enjoy using mine on my Z7. It’s not perfect, but I like that classical rendering by this lens, and the price doesn’t hurt.
@@zeissiez it's not too heavy, not too big, sharp enough. Probably a joy to use if you like manual focus. Are you using the M mount version or the Nikon version? Only thing that I wished was better in this lens is color aberrations(big minus for me in some situations) and that reverse field curvature (which cannot be helped because of original rangefinder limitations. It can be worked around so no big deal)
@@nat-lj8kt I’m using the Nikon Z mount version. I actually prefer auto focusing, but none of the modern AF lenses give this kind of rendering. Especially for portraits. Modern lenses have too high contrast, and portraits look hard. That’s why some people use diffusers to soften up portraits. Well, these certainly look better than using diffusers.
I bought the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm 1.0 Aspherical for Sony two weeks ago, it is excellent for low light photography indoor and outdoor at night time at aperture 1.0 without pushing the ISO. I can recommend this Lens.
Great review, as always.
I love that this lens has a traditional depth-of-field scale: it's such a pity that manufacturers stopped doing that.
After enjoying todays insanely good AF I cant go back to manual focus. AF speed and accuracy is the biggest upgrade from my old cameras.
The one man's trash adage applies.
only excited on the electronic permission, will go without wanting this for that price. not much sense to me considering the options for the same money
The sagittal aberrations in the corners is a real shame. Otherwise it would make a nice astro lens.
No way this lens is $1800. That purple fringing goes wild, also very soft wide open. You are just paying for the brand
You pay for the amazing build quality (just metal and glass) and for the nice vintage look. But it's still overpriced. In my opinion the Nokton 50mm f1.2 is a better choice for vintage look lovers (at half the price). For photographers wanting a great "technical quality" the 50mm f2 Apo Lanthar is the best choice.
@@stefan_becker If by metal you mean silver and by glass you mean diamonds, then it's fairly priced.
@@Rumplestiltskin7 Compare it to Leica M lenses and the Voigtlander lenses are a bargain 😅
@@stefan_becker Yeah buy leica glass is at least almost flawless. This is not justified, just my humble opinion
@@Rumplestiltskin7 Leica glass is far from flawless, in fact this lens is better than the vaunted Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux.
Jeeze this really does look like the Meike 50mm F0.95 and performs just like one lol. The asking price is just theft at this point, Voigtlander is just throwing its name for money at this point.
it's too much of a compromise because of it's rangefinder size restriction roots and M mount dimensions. Really strong vignetting + huge reverse field curvature (corners are focusing further away) means that in the corners, if you have anything distracting, it will be a lot more distracting because there will be more focus and less 'bokeh'
What's good? It's the sharpest f1.0 lens. It's beaten by bigger, heavier branded autofocus 50mm f1.2 lenses at 1.2 and above.
As much as I love the Voigtlander APO lenses and use the 50,65,110mm, I would pass on this lens and go for Sony 50mm 1.2 (or 1.4) GM lens. Btw I shoot Sony GM on Nikon FF using adapter. Still really fast focus, lighter lenses that perform quite good compared to giant 1.2 Nikon primes.
If I were looking for a quirky, ultrafast 50mm lens with character, this lens would be on my radar. The cheap chinese 1.0 or 0.95 lenses lenses are terrible at close distances because they don't have floating elements so this lens is ideal for someone who enjoys close up photography (not macro) quirky, ultrafast lens with character and has the financial means to afford it.
Thank you Voigtlander for producing this awesome lens. It will be a more niche lens but hopefully the profit margin is good enough.
If you don't count the Nikon 58mm f/0.95 Noct as a (near) f/1.0 lens then it is the sharpest f/1.0 lens.
Concerning the admittedly problematic corners, I encounter two situations: a) when these do not matter at all (many night shots): no issue; b) when these do matter: cropping to 4:3 ratio. Overall I find this lens well balanced between perfection and flaws, although the reviewer is right in saying that the price point could have been lower.
@@Airy59 well Voigtlander offers 50mm 1.2 which is cheaper lighter smaller but does not have the same rizz as this lens :) Most people may prefer that lens over this one due to size/cost. I went for 50mm 1.2 GM. Slightly slower but optically wanted that hyper modern design and approach to optics. Not much heavier than V 50mm 1.0 but much better corrected and with AF. No shortage of good optics nowadays but if you insist on f 1.0 this one is probably the best right now.
Yes, I would probably have bought the 1.2, had it been supplied in Z mount.
@@nat-lj8kt
It’s certainly an interesting lens. I’ve bought it this Christmas and played around with it a bit; however not long enough to form my conclusive opinion.
I like it at f/1 - rendering and bokeh are beautiful. However stopped down to anything below f/1 the bokeh balls are becoming extremely prominent hexagonal and I’m not sure I like it too much. There some onion rings as well, which is definitely a no go for me. I don't know if all lenses are like that or I was especially unlucky with the copy I have.
I own the Z mount version of this lens and after having owned the Otus 85, I say its properly priced. It has far more chromatic aberation than the Otus however, the images the Voigtlander produces.....even without trying hard....OMG! I LOVE IT!
Pricey, but takes pleasing photos.
I am happier to see that Canon opened up the RF mount to a third party : hope to see Sigma get a crack at a RF line up ❤
not really they have always allowed for manual focus 3rd party lenses. it's the AF they block. getting a canon chip for data is easy
I used to think my 58/1.4 Voigtlander was disappointing until I compared it to my Nikon 50/1.2 ais and yikes did the Voigtlander smash it in rendering. I have no doubt modern glass is better, but I don’t think one buys a lens like this for clinical rendering.
from f/2.0, the Nikon 50/1.2 is excellent, while the 58/1.4 has problematic bokeh. That being said, I often use it because of the shorter focal length (and the very pleasant handling)
Nikon Zf or Zfc paired with Voigtländer lenses is a dream team!
Why didn't you also test it on the r7?
Is the RF TTArtisan 0.95 better than their $200 Sony E mount version? Or just more expensive because, Canon?
The 50MM 1.05 seems on par or better in most scenarios except flare resistance and is 1/5th the cost.
With the focus aids I really thought this could replace my old EF 50 1.2L. Sadly neither sharpness nor CA handling seem to justify selling the EF and spending that much more on the Voigtländer :-/
Now this is what I am talking about for a Third Party Lens for Canon RF!!! With those connections they clearly got permission from Canon to make this mount of lens and these lenses are beyond awesome but they are not perfect. I love my Voightlander 35mm Nokton for emount. Will buy this for Sony when it is available.
I found one “like new” M mount, that I adapt to my sigma fp L and I love it. I wish Voigtlander was making L mount lenses with the electric connections. Seems like a logical move since it’s the system the new Leica cameras use.
I don't really get the comments about the sharpness being bad. It's fine, especially for such an extreme lens at it's size.
What's less than fine is the contrast, CA, and spherical aberrations for this price. But that's the downside of trying to make lenses small, the Nikkor Noct 58mm f/0.95 is the perfect example of taking the polar opposite approach, optimal optical quality no matter the size and weight.
Well, precisely, the contrast is very good even at f/1.0 (I have the Z version, although I doubt there are constructive differences), and sharpness is more than enough in the center at least. CA is not a problem at all. Coma is strong and that was my only disappointment, but it does not always matter, while contrast always matters.
Optical performance aside, there is no fking way I’m paying that much money for a non weather sealed lens…
This reminds me of a meme.... went something like:
"Hey, why did you get into vinyl?"
"Because it was expensive and impractical."
Thanks for the review, I'm very excited to watch it!
I’m pretty new to cameras and my experience is only in Ef but I have never seen a f/1 lens before
This or the newly released Sigma 50mm 1.2 without considering The AF. Just want those wide apertures and isn't sure if its worth the small difference in f stop
Completely different lenses. Nokton have more character wide open, it's giving a different look, Sigma is more sharp and better performing lens. If you don't care about AF, choose the one whose rendering you liked more.
4:45 omg has that batman logo in the snow been there this whole time!?
I would have been more excited if it were a 58mm F1 lens (or 1.2). It would pair better with the Voigtlander 40mm F1.2 lens, and would be better for portraits.
I mean, for the price, you may as well get the Canon RF 50mm F1.2. Has AF and is much sharper wide open.
This lens is not about AF and sharpness wide open, it's about MF experience and specific look, plus comfort of use and high quality control
The video I’ve been waiting for.
It’s probably the lack of decent dealer and agency in UK that make this looks overpriced. In Japan it sells at 213,900 JPY, or 1,150 GBP (1.450 USD).
What Christopher states is the MSRP for a market, not a dealers price. The price in Japan is mostly so much cheaper currently because of the weak yen, which has cause some manufacturers to prioritize other markets for some new cameras and lenses instead (for example Nikon Zf is almost impossible to find currently).
It's £1327 on Black Friday not sure for how long.
It’s all about the magic this lens produces!!The rendering and colours are just stunning and example what other brands should do : in stead of trying to get the highest sharpness and corner perfection , lens designer should more focus on what really matters : beauty and gentle old school rendering which is timeless.
The colors are off though. There is coma and purple fringing. For a lowlight lens where you expect point light sources, this isn't an appropriate choice. For example, you couldn't use this for astrophotography because the coma would mess up integration and plate solving. For cheaper, a xf 56 1.2 from fuji is practically perfect wide open.
@@jmctavishiii this lens is not designed for Astro!Please judge this lens for what it is created for: generating gorgeous pictures:that is what photography is about!
I agree, there’s a place for these classical lenses in photography. The images look less clinical and more soothing. Modern lenses could be too sharp and too contrasty. I even prefer the cheaper, less perfect versions.
Then you better watch out for any light sources getting into the background of let's say portrait photography and also steer clear of any high contrast scenes in the background and out of focus areas because coma and chromatic aberrations would ruin it.
Which is why folks are better off just buying vintage glass at a fraction of the price 😂
I was looking for this review earlier today!
Unfortunately its rendering/bokeh doesn't seem as harmonic as the gorgeous Nokton 50mm f1.2 - especially in the corners and it's almost twice the price of the f1.2.
@@stefan_becker definitely! The price is also a downer if you're not REALLY into manual focus lenses
Looks nice, but the RF 50 1.2 for me is still way more interesting. Only about 10% more money gets you: perfect sharpness even wide open, weather sealing and autofocus.
My Nikon 50mm 1.2 is 1090 g/2 lb 6.5 oz, but is very sharp wide open 😮💨
Oof. I think if I wanted a bright, manual focus lens for RF, the Brightin Star 35mm f/.95 lens sounds a bit better. And about $1600 cheaper, haha. Granted, it's APS-C, but....
The aperture on this lens is 35% wider (50mm vs. 37mm).
Waaaaay overpriced. At that price point it should be weather sealed and be optically almost perfect wide open. Better off just saving a bit more for Canon's 50mm f1.2 lens instead 😅
Depends upon what you want: if you want top notch modern technical image quality and autofocus and carry a huge plastic lens, yes. If you love the build quality (just metal and glass like a Leica M lens), smaller size and weight and enjoy the smooth manual focus (I sometimes LOVE to focus manually) and the softer, gorgeous, special vintage look, the Voigtlander lenses are interesting. But I think the 50mm f1.2 Nokton is (at half the price) the better choice and has an even nicer rendering.
I shall agree with the other reply, this lens is rendered obsolete not by the Canon, but by Voigtländer's own 50mm 1.2.
Or just get the 50mm f1.8 for 200 bucks .nobody can tell a different between 1.8 and 1.2 and save 2500 dollars
@@A.EdilbiUnfortunately the bokeh of that $200 lens will not look as nice as the Voigtlander 50mm f1.2 Nokton
@stefan_becker nobody will look at your photos and say oh this wasn't shot on voigtalnder. Nobody look at bokha at all .those are all marketing tricks to make people pay more
Glad to see you're reviewing more Voigtländer lenses - any chance you're doing the new 50mm f/1.2 for x-mount?
voigtlander 23mm f1.2 fuji would be nice
Agree. 23 and other Voigtlander lenses for X mount would be great. 👍
I like it, the problem is I can get a new Canon 50mm 1.2 RF from Hong Kong for that 😕
just do it then... I dont think he ever Re REviewed and it was released before the r5... But I think it he would see different results on the r5 and id be interested to see that... you wont regret buying it unless you hate the flaring contrast ...but it has character and a 3d pop that is hard to find in most canon rf glass... in my opinion Rf 50 1.2 looks amazing wide open(portaits/models) which is kinda the point IMHO...
Looks like gorgeous colours and bokeh for night time. Despite coma. Can't really see much CA at night time.
Someone needs to send you an OM-1 or G9.m2 so you can test the Voigtlander 60mm F0.95 for MFT.
I stopped buying Voigtlander lenses because in Poland, and even in Europe, there is no way to repair such a lens if something bad happens. And this is exactly what happened to me. I have an expensive broken lens and I am helpless.
Thanks, Christopher!
Your voice sounded different.
Woooow!! Be aware everybody: Sharpness is not always important to PHOTOGRAPHERS (who take pictures of life instead of a test bill boardy thing). Take a look at the work of many great photographers and artists. They are often like paintings. This review says nothing of the character of the lens. How it renders. Pure magic. Pictures coming from this this are nothing like you get from Sony GM or other lenses that "are perfect".
Chris, I love the way you test optics on a clinical level but please be careful with your advise to the creative community who often don't want perfect computerized pictures 😊👍🏼
As the reviewer demonstrated, this lens is optimized for contrast rather than sharpness at wide apertures. From that point of view, it is a much better alternative to the otherwise excellent Voigt 58/1.4 for night shots or subject isolation, when that matters to the photographer.
Image quality (objective matter) is lower in this price category, but the pictures are great. I think this opinion was on point.
By that logic, very few professional photographers value extremely low F stops as well. in the real world, dreamy images can be taken very easily with vintage 50mm F1.4 lenses and nobody would tell the difference. TTartisans sells a full from 50mm F0.95 with similar "magic" (aka flaws that we glorify) for 880 dolllars or less.
@@CanditoTrainingHQ I agree, the difference will be visible only to whose who has alredy tried these lenses (mb flaring, bokeh character, colors). For a stranger or a client, the difference will hardly be noticeable. But many people buy and shoot as a hobby for themselves, and I think in a direct comparison there will still be a difference. Plus reliability, look, ease of use etc.
You're right about "dreamy". But the purpose of the Nokton is not "dreamy images" because I get them with the Nikkor 50/1.2 for instance. The images of the Nokton *look* sharp because of consistently high contrast, and you can freeze movement even in very low light. In that sense it is pretty unique.
@@CanditoTrainingHQ
01:29-01:43 - That renders focus peaking completely obsolete. I wish Sony will implement this feature in their cameras ASAP!
I simply don't understand this lens. The reason in buying them was the fact that they were pretty affordable, but with this prices I'd rather prefer pricier options of actual vintage glass, rather than this. And I can have like 3-4 really good vintage lenses for this price. Voigtlander/Cosina are out of their touch in my opinion.
It has the same flaws as the vintage fast fifties wide open so might as well save money and go that route. The Canon 55mm 1.2 aspherical has gone down in value a lot recently and can be had for about the same money if one is patient.. That is if one wants something exotic and collectible, if not there is always other options from all the big brands for way less. The 50 1.2s usually go for around $200-400 from my research and should give about the same experience as the Voigtlander. So yeah.. it's a cashgrab.
It does look like Viltrox has a better approach in general.
I miss the samyang xp and it's feel is the same...
Voigtländer lenses. You love it or you hate it. Nothing between😅
Thanks for the review.
I was considering the Nikon Z version of this lens but it’s just way too overpriced for what you get.
I have both the z version of this lens, and the 50 mm f2 apo lanthar. Great pair, each complementing the Nikon 50 1.8. Use them all regularly, quite satisfied.
@@boblozano yeah i think i’ll stick with the Nikon 50mm “pancake” 1.8 That voigt is not worth a penny over $1,000
Is there any Voigtlander lens which is not basically a scam? Mediocre performance at best for a ridiculous premium I have no idea what makes them think they're worth it.
Pretty much all the APO Lanthar's ? Incredible corner to corner IQ lenses with no to minimal CA (because of the apochromatic design).
I like their look tbh, color and bokeh rendering too
bro, most of the vogitlander lenses are absolutely amazing, small, great colors, good price (especially used), in a small form factor.
When you see the size of this lens and the maximum aperture marking, you know something has definitely got to give. And sure enough as Chris so clearly demonstrates to us that something is pretty significant. First this lens is useless for video work for too many reasons. Second for still photography, it's an f2 lens at best because at the wider apertures, central sharpness is very poor and the edge resolution, light falloff, contrast and chromatic aberrations are quite abysmal compared to most newer f1.4 or f1.2 lenses from camera or third party manufacturers these days. An expensive toy at best for some rich Canon RF system owners.
I have this lens (Z mount) and find it perfectly usable (and enjoyable) at f/1.0 for actual photography, whenever f/1.0 makes sense. Of course there are even more expensive, bigger, heavier lenses that would offer clinical sharpness at f/1.0-f/1.2, but I got accustomed to small MF lenses with "flaws" below f/2.0: most were "special effect" (Nikkor 50/1.2, Voigt 58/1.4), one was "just about usable" (Noct Nikkor: high contrast), and this one beats them all by a wide margin, while remaining small enough (62mm filters on Z mount...) which also matters in the street.
photography is not about sharpness
you buy f1 but you need to use it at f2 ...
No, that is not the case. I frequently use it at f/1 - f/1.4. Of course the close-up of the clockface at f/1.0 looks like a deterrent, but I routinely shoot at f/1.0 close to MFD and never got such bad results. I have no explanation, except for my not shooting clockfaces (or brickwalls, by the way).
Tbh 50 1.2 from RF can do so much better
I unpacked this lens yesterday thanks to a Black Friday deal.
Oh, the click when you turn the focus ring to either end is worth all the money!
Oh, this lens plays with light. But I'm very early with getting experiences.
If you just are looking at sharpness in the edges wide open you are a RF50mm STM or a Milvus 50mm 2.0 Macro guy.
Canon doesn’t have a vintage camera to match it. So, if I want a lens like that, I'll switch from Canon to a Nikon DF. Canon is becoming a dirty company!
@@michelecintramika8482 My FD 100 fits greatly on the R and R5
My Milvus 135, 100M, 50M and 18 fit greatly on the R and R5
Some M-mount lenses made by Voigtländer and the Leica Summaron 28mm fit greatly on the R and R5.
There was no dirt at any Canon product in my hands ever as long as I keep them clean.
Thankfully you don't want decent mechanical lenses, so your reply is somewhat obsolete and off topic.
Canon has made you private property. 😄😄😄
I would pick my $80 RF 50mm F1.8 over this overprice lens everyday.
Honestly my Brightin Star 55mm f1.8 performs comparably for a 70 USD...
imagine being a RF user and waiting for 3rd part lens and then you see that crap at this price...
HOW MUCH! I'm outer here 😆
Nice lens though
If not for the price, this would have made me okay with a switch to Canon. I like my 50mm f/2 APO too much, and even if I get why this costs so much and like the look it gives, I could never justify it for myself.
Really impressive for an f/1 though, that bokeh is just so good and the colors and saturation took my breath away.
It’s starting to get hard to justify buying some of the prime Lenses out there when Lightroom lens blur new feature it’s quite impressive to say at least.
Understandable, but AI sometimes falls short and optics never do
go buy an iphone
Pretty image quality and build but manual lens at that price for canon… it isn’t so far off from canon’s 1.2
I wish the manual focus aid worked with lenses that do not have cpu contacts 😡🤬
This is worth of £100-£150 at MOST!
Definitely too expensive. At that price point you can nearly get a used RF 50 1.2 or the EF 50 1.2 with an adapter new. Don’t really see a reason to spend that much money on a lens without modern features
Thanks!
Thanks for your support!
The 7artisans 50mm /1.05 seems to be a better deal!
It is!
it's a shame Nikon F mount can't accommodate this kind of design 🥺😞
I see them on ebay for $1400, no thanks I'll just get a used EF 50mm 1.2 lens instead, autofocus will get me way more useable portraiture shots.
Nice review. Seems like it should be sold as an f2.0 lens with a respectively lower price
When you have "dandelion RF" you have manual focus assistent and focus point can stock on eye. Why we can't buy dandelion RF like dandelion EF?
Thanks Chris! I’d love you to test the Nikon Z version please? This lens seems overpriced but if the Z mount version is slightly better wide open, then it’s “cheaper” alternative to the mighty Noct...
Why would the Nikon Z version be any better? The optical formula is the same, so the only thing to hope is that Chris got a bad copy.
rear mount is bigger@@quikee9195
@@quikee9195 That’s a good point, but they externally look fairly different and with a shorter distance to the cameras sensor, that may give a slightly different light path and the larger mount opening may give less vignetting.
@@quikee9195 Another point: if you look at DX0 mark ratings, you will find that Zeiss lenses in ZE mount and ZF mount rate surprisingly differently for the same model lens...
Finally a proper review of this beast! Definitely a dream combo for the nikon ZF
$1500 for a MF-only lens that doesn’t have weather sealing or in-camera corrections seems kinda ridiculous. Also, wide open I’d say the image is very unimpressive (too soft for me). Add that as a cherry on top for reasons to avoid this lens unless you absolutely need that f1.0 bokeh
Hey, Chris have you ever considered doing one of your lens tests with say an iphone camera? Since everyone is so accustomed to your lens tests, it would be interesting to see how phone cameras compare.
I'll not be selling my Milvus then lol
hmm..... best at F5.6, good at F2. So I pay for an expensive lens at F1.0 and uses it at F2.0 and most likely F5.6 to get the best out of the lens
All the folks saying "The lens is worth it because of the magic" are either A) Working for the company or B) Have drank wayyy too much cool-aid. This is horribly overpriced for what its producing at f1.
Thank you for the review and sorry but no cigar. Absurdly overpriced for what it is and a far cry from other MUCH better performing Voigtlander lenses. This was originally designed as an M-Mount glass and there it performs much better (despite an unfortunate 1m minimum focusing distance). But the design adapted on a Canon RF is just not cutting it. In the meantime the 7artisans 50mm /1.05 (no electronic communications) beats it all round for less than a ONE FOURTH of the price, let's get real please.
Nice😍😍
They cost £1,599... I mean, what's even the point if you can have a 50mm RF F1.2 from Canon with autofocus and all the bells and whistles of that high end lens for almost the same price or cheaper if you're browsing the grey market like HDewcameras for example? If it costed 300 uk pounds, sure I can understand the appeal. But £1,599? Jesus, cmon, Voigtländer...
optic quality is just horrible, I don’t understand who will spend $1800 to get this…
Because you don’t understand the magic of this lens!
Even though this lens has “magic,” Canon doesn’t have a vintage camera to match it. So, if I want a lens like that, I'll switch from Canon to a Nikon DF. Canon is becoming a dirty company!
I'm using it (Z version) and I am impressed. No "magic", but clean pics with tons of contrast and remarkable light transmission, so I can use "normal" speeds at low ISO... No buyer's remorse at all, although I admit is is overpriced (1000 would have been OK in my perception).
another joke from a company exploiting the name it leases from someone else.
HIGHLY Overpriced. We have recently seen Brigtin Star 35mm 0.95 for APSC with much better results (and under 200€).