- Messages
- 43,206
- Name
- Alan
- Edit My Images
- No
I've just been reading the Voigtlander 35mm f2 apo thread on FM.
The 50mm f2 is thought by some to be amongst the best 50mm lenses ever made, I wonder if this new 35mm will perform as well? One interesting feature mentioned in that thread is the 50mm gives round bokeh at f2 and f2.8. I wonder if they'll carry this forward with the 35mm?
But there's the f1.2 alternatives. Copied from that thread, quoting Philip Reeve...
"If you are in the lucky position that spending a little over $1k on a 2/50 won’t cause you any financial stress go for it: You will enjoy handling it. You will also enjoy the images you take with it and you can be certain that there is no better for some applications applications. For example for landscape photography where speed isn’t important but sharpness, contrast, flare resistance and sunstars clearly make the AL 2/50 best in class and the images you take with it on a high resolution camera will hold up to gigantic enlargement.
But if you are in the more typical situation that this amount of money is a big investment to you I can only advise to not be blinded by the Voigtlander’s technical perfection. Other lenses give in my eyes nicer images for a wider range of uses. Take for example Voigtlander’s own 1.2/50 which is close in price and size but offers 1.5 stops more and also nicer bokeh. Sure the 2/50 AL is a lot better corrected but at the typical enlargements I find aberrations to be hardly ever an issue while speed and bokeh are easily visible in most images."
I suppose the same may be true of the 35mm f2 v 35mm f1.2.
These Voigtlanders are gorgeous lenses and maybe make my old film era lenses redundant.
The 50mm f2 is thought by some to be amongst the best 50mm lenses ever made, I wonder if this new 35mm will perform as well? One interesting feature mentioned in that thread is the 50mm gives round bokeh at f2 and f2.8. I wonder if they'll carry this forward with the 35mm?
But there's the f1.2 alternatives. Copied from that thread, quoting Philip Reeve...
"If you are in the lucky position that spending a little over $1k on a 2/50 won’t cause you any financial stress go for it: You will enjoy handling it. You will also enjoy the images you take with it and you can be certain that there is no better for some applications applications. For example for landscape photography where speed isn’t important but sharpness, contrast, flare resistance and sunstars clearly make the AL 2/50 best in class and the images you take with it on a high resolution camera will hold up to gigantic enlargement.
But if you are in the more typical situation that this amount of money is a big investment to you I can only advise to not be blinded by the Voigtlander’s technical perfection. Other lenses give in my eyes nicer images for a wider range of uses. Take for example Voigtlander’s own 1.2/50 which is close in price and size but offers 1.5 stops more and also nicer bokeh. Sure the 2/50 AL is a lot better corrected but at the typical enlargements I find aberrations to be hardly ever an issue while speed and bokeh are easily visible in most images."
I suppose the same may be true of the 35mm f2 v 35mm f1.2.
These Voigtlanders are gorgeous lenses and maybe make my old film era lenses redundant.

Newbattle Snow
Newbattle Snow
Newbattle Snow
Street Performer (7)-03505
for looking., 
The 200-600mm looks a great lens, I’d have bought it if it was lighter.