Today’s guest post about the Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.1 lens is written by Paulo Teixeira from 135street.com:
Iʼve bought this lens driven by curiosity and considering that for the “small” investment the risks would certainly be surpassed by having a very fast glass in certain situations. So…this lens has always been seen as one for specific situations and my 50mm of choice was and is still my beloved Leica 50mm Summicron (by the way check our review on 135 Street).
This is a very well made lens. The lens feels great when you manipulate it and you feel its solid construction very nice and resistant. I was also very pleased with the smooth focus ring (especially comparing it to my experience with the Noctilux that Iʼve shared in 135 Street) and the aperture ring is nice and precise. So… regarding the lens construction, I have to say itʼs a very good lens. The Nokton look has great similarities with the Noctilux f/1.
BTW, some reviewers consider that this Nokton is actually sharper than the old f/1 Noctilux, from what Iʼve seen I tend to agree and this means that regarding sharpness, the “only competition” would be the Noctilux f0.95. Unfortunately, I have no way to make that comparison.
Lens specifications:
| Aperture Ratio | 1:1.1 |
| Smallest Aperture | F16 |
| Lens Construction | 6 groups, 7 elements |
| Picture angle | 45,9° |
| Aperture blades | 10 |
| Closest distance | 1.0 m |
| Diameter | 69.6 mm |
| Length | 57.2 mm |
| Weight | 428 g |
| Filter size | 58 ø |
| Mount | M-Bajonett |
| Price | $999 |
Advantages:
- Fast! f/1.1 is great
- Great value for the money
- Good quality of construction
- Very precise and smooth focus and aperture rings
- Gives you more options and flexibility
- Great color rendering
Disadvantages:
- Big! Interferes with the viewfinder
- Focus only from 1 m
- Some barrel distortion and spherochromatism
- Sometimes has difficulties in dealing with strong highlights
So, who is this for? Thatʼs easy, for those who want a Noctilux but donʼt have the money. This is not an everyday lens, itʼs a specialty lens, for those who need the extra (almost half-stop) light from a f/1.4 lens, or for those who want to use the shallow DOF for creative purposes. For both situations the other options are priced well above the Nokton, so if you want a 50mm/f1.1 look no further. If you have the cash, buy a Noctilux!
The Full Voigtlander 50mm f1.1 Nokton Review – Part 1 will be available on April, 7th at 135Street.com and we hope this can help a lot of M users searching for more information on this lens.
