Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5 Review

The Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.5 (made by Cosina), is a sharp, fast lens that is not excessively large. We buy fast lenses for their speed, and this lens performs great wide open. Some complain about the quality of the out-of-focus area, but I think it good. You'd have to spend 10x the money to get an incremental improvement in quality (Leica Summilux 50/1.4)

at f/1.5, Portra 400NC:


either f/1.5 or f/2, Portra 400NC:


either f/1.5 or f/2, Ultra Color 400:


f/1.5-f/2, Portra 400NC:


More photos here:

Fuji film reviews

I normally have been a consistent user of Kodak films, but I've been branching out based on curiosity and need.


Neopan 1600: High contrast, high speed, modest grain. Great for more artistic photos.





Superia 1600: While I really like Kodak's Portra 400, I was underwhelmed with Portra 800 I decided to give the Fuji 1600 a try.

The grain at 1600 is about equal to Portra 800, and the color balance is much better.



Fuji Pro 800Z - A high quality high-speed film. In 35mm format, it results in very light grain and good colors. Regarding 120 format, the larger size of the negative eliminates any noticable grain.

120 format:

Leica Summicron DR 50/2 Review

Built in the late 50s and early 60s, this lens combines performance quality with outstanding built quality. It's my go-to lens for black and white. Normally, it focuses as close as 34", but with a close focusing attachment also called the "eyes," it can focus down to 19". At that distance at f/2, the depth of field drops to an 0.4 inches.


The Summicron DR with the close focusing "eyes" on a M3:


Portra 400NC, likely at f/2:


Tri-X, likely at f/2:


With close focusing attachment, f/2.8, Fuji Neopan 1600:


With close focusing attachment, at f/2, Kodak 400NC:

Big Negatives: Getting into Medium Format

Besides an initial foray into 110 format when I was 8, I've spent my life shooting 35mm. I wanted to try medium format a try. Why medium format? 120 film has over four times the area of a 35mm negative, which facilitates big clear enlargements. With only 12 shots on a roll (with a 6x6 format), you have to be more careful and deliberate.

Being the bargain hunter I am, I wanted to limit my investment. Popular modern medium format cameras like the the Mamiya 7, Hasselblad, Bronica, Fujica, often still start at around $500 and go up from there.

The least expensive, and smallest, foray into medium format will be with a rangefinder-less folder (guess focusing). If you plan on using small apertures and distant focusing, then the lack of focusing guide won't be an issue. The Zeiss Ikonta or Voigtlander Bessa I come with reputable lenses and easily go for under $100. Update: I got a Zeiss Ikonta 523/2 - reviewed here.

I think TLRs offered the best value for the money, such as 50s era Rolleiflex or the Ikoflex. You can get a body with fixed Zeiss lenses for $150-$250. (A body and Zeiss lens for a Hasselblad system will cost multiples more.) The Yashica Mat is another quality camera which will go for . Rolleicords have a few less features than the 'flex, but the price discount isn't that much. There are a multitude of "off brand" TLR, such as the Ricohflex, Minolta Autocord, Ricoh Diacord, or the Ciroflex. Many of these can be easily had for under $100. Given the closeness in price on the used market, I went with the classic, a 1955 Rolleiflex with Zeiss Tessar 75/3.5 in user condition for less than $200. (Later Rolleis get quite pricey).

Examples of the Rollei

Portra 400NC, f/3.5:


Portra 400NC, f/3.5:

Leica Compatible Rangefinder Lens Reviews

My goal is eventually to review and comment on all of the lenses I own or have owned. I'll update this page as I complete the reviews. For lenses that I use extensively, I'll create a separate page for the review and add a link.

Voigtlander

• 21/4 Color Skopar
- Great lens: no distortion, very minimal vignetting.
• 35/2.5 Color Skopar- It's a great small lens, but the fact it was f/2.5 bothered me. With 400 film, 1/30 shutter and f/2, I can take a photo indoors without a flash.
Smaller aperture (f/8 - f/16), Fuji Velvia 100:
• 50/1.5 Nokton- A wonderful lens. It's my go-to lens. Sharp wide open, which is what you want from a fast lens. You'd have to spend 10x the money to get an incremental improvement in quality (Leica Summilux 50/1.4)

Leica

• 35/3.5 Summaron
- Solid performer, although slow. It is very tiny lens, sometimes, almost too tiny to quick change apertures. If you leave your finger on the focusing scale, you risk getting your finger in the photo. I don't use it terribly often because the Canon 35/2 not much more bulky and is almost 2 stops faster. Mid-aperture, Portra 400NC:
• 50/2 Summitar - Recently acquired. Haven't shot it yet.
• 50/2 Summicron DR (M)- One of the greats. Beautiful built quality. My go to lens for black & white.
• 50/3.5 Elmar - Compact collaspible lens that takes sharp pictures. I have a post-war coated "red scale" version, that is nominally one of the best. Aperture adjustment is a bit time consuming.
• 90/4 Elmar - Decent performer given the cost. However, the Canon 100/3.5 is the same size, slight faster, much sharper, and only slightly more expensive.
•  
• 135/4 Tele-Elmar (M) - Sharp, not overally huge. Can't ask for more. Much better than the 135/4.5 Hektor
• 135/4.5 Hektor - An early long focal length lens. Performance is average at best.

Canon

• 35/2 Canon
- This compact beauty is one of my "go-to" lenses. It's fast and produces good results.
• 50/1.9 Serenar
- Collapsible Summitar take-off. It's a bit soft wide open, but not really soft enough for artistic shots. Wide open with high speed film (more grainy) produced some disappointing results. Wide open on Kodachrome:
• 85/2 Canon Serenar - Sharp fast lens from the early 1950s. The major drawback is that it is huge and heavy. It can be bought for about $100 give or take $20. I sold it to buy the Nikkor 85/2.
probably wide open on Tri-X:
• 100/3.5 Canon - Sharp, tiny 6 element lens. Great for travel.
  

Nikon

• 85/2 Nikkor compact chrome early Nikon lens. It is a Sonnar design based off the Zeiss Sonnar. The Germans effectively lost their patents after WWII and Nikon couldn't build equipment for the Japanese Navy anymore, so they started making camera lenses. It's probably the smallest 85/2 for any camera system, although its chrome body makes it heavy. It's got nice center sharpness and the out-of-focus area is pleasing.
Kodak Portra 400NC, at f/2: Kodak Portra 400NC, at f/2:
• 135/3.5 Nikkor - compact chrome early Nikon lens. It is a Sonnar design based off the Zeiss Sonnar.
Here it is compared in size to the Hektor 135/4.5. It's at least 1/2 stop faster and it is smaller in size:

Voigtlander Color Skopar 21/4

The Voigtlander Color Skopar 21mm f/4 is an excellent quality super wide angle lens at an affordable price. While older lenses with focal lengths 35mm and longer can be of excellent quality, older super wide angle lenses aren't as good in quality and have high prices due to collector value. This leaves us with three brands: Leica, Carl Zeiss, and Voigtlander.

The least expensive super wide Leica lens (new) is the the 24/3.8 Elmar which retails for $2395. The Voigtlander retails for about $400. Zeiss finds middle ground for about $1,000.

The first decision I really had to make was, which focal length? Voigtlander, Zeiss and Leica also makes a 12mm, 15mm, and 25mm lenses. After doing some research, most users reported that the 15mm lens is more of a specialty lens. After buying and using the 21mm, I can't say I ever thought, "Oh, I wish my lens was wider." In Europe, it stayed on my camera almost all the time. Once in a while, I wondered if it was too wide as a general walkaround lens. Overall, it's a good comprimise.

While the maximum aperture is only f/4, the lens is quite small. It's hard not to bring the lens along.

Overall, it's a high quality lens and offers great value for the price. There is minimal vignetting at the corners and there is no noticeable distortion - straight lines appear to be straight. There is always some optical distortion with wide angle lenses.

Old Cameras on eBay: Questions for Buyers and Sellers

Buyers can avoid buying junk if they ask the right questions. Sellers can bidding by providing information. Sometimes people sell broken junk claiming "they don't know much about cameras." Other times, people have nice stuff that is poorly described, so bidding remains low as people are skeptical about whether it is junk.

Seller need to present a want to do is try to present some decent indication of the gear's condition. Most people want to buy something and use it, not bother with trying to fix it. If you don't say anything, people will price the risk of gear being in very poor condition into the final sales price.

So here are questions that buyers can ask and seller should address.

For lenses:

• Move the aperature and focus ring. Do they move freely and smoothly?
  
• Open the aperture and hold it up to an LED light. Can you see clearly through it? Does it look hazy or have any spider-like growth. Are there bubbles in the glass? Generally haze can be cleaned by a pro, but spider-like growth (fungus) or bubbles (seperation) are can permently effect the photos and the lens.
  
• Are the scratches? Minor scratches which generally come from cleaning are common and do not really effect picture quality.

For the camera:

• Wind and Release the shutter. (Your camera will require two small strokes of the winder lever). Did it go smoothly? Repeat at different shutter speeds. Try to time the opening of the shutter curtain at one second and a half second. Are they accurate?
  
• Look through the viewfinder? Is it clear?
  
• Attached a lens. Change the focus on the lens while looking through the viewfinder. A second image should move. How distinct is the second image? Try it indoors
  
• Look at the shutter curtain. Does it appear to be wrinkled or have any tiny holes?