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Author Topic: Voigtlander lenses for MFT  (Read 2746 times)

Paulo Bizarro

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Voigtlander lenses for MFT
« on: October 03, 2014, 03:47:11 am »

Good morning,

Just wondering if someone else around here has experience to share with the Voigt lenses for MFT mount. They seem to be really good, of course MF only. I am particularly interested in the 42.5 f0.95, for portraits and more compressed landscapes. This would be to use on an Olympus EM-1.

I have no problem with lack of AF, as the EM-1 will give me magnification and/or peaking at the push of a button.

For 2015 they are coming out with a new 10.5 f0.95 lens, which happens to be one of my favourite focal lengths for landscape work:)

Kind regards.

Jim Pascoe

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Re: Voigtlander lenses for MFT
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2014, 04:36:03 am »

Hello Paulo

I have had the 25mm for several years now and used it extensively on my GH2 camera.  I now have the E-M1 and can honestly say the combination is even better (partly because of the IS).  The lens was bought on impulse and I have never been disappointed.  I do like to shoot at fairly shallow DOF with my full frame cameras and so MFT can leave me missing something.  The 25mm lens answers that problem.  I love the images from it.  Photographing weddings sometimes I use that lens for 50% of my pictures.  I shoot a lot of video too so manual focus is great there.  When the lens is wide open, or even one stop down, focussing is very easy without needing to magnify.  When stopped down magnification helps as the DOF is too great to easily see where the focus lies.

Image quality is excellent.  Wide open there is a certain dreamy look and some fringing around high contrast edges.  But I'm shooting people mainly so that is not a problem.  Stopped down a little everything settles down.  For low light shooting it is a great lens and I can be in a dimly lit room shooting at ISO400 sometimes.

Of course I do hanker after the 17.5 primarily, and the 42.5 more recently.  I have the Oly 45mm though and that is lovely anyway.  But the 17.5 would be great for shallow DOF wider shots.

So I only have experience of one lens from the series, but it has been worth every penny of it's cost and is definitely my favourite MFT lens.

Jim
« Last Edit: October 04, 2014, 02:11:15 am by Jim Pascoe »
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furtle

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Re: Voigtlander lenses for MFT
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2014, 01:21:40 pm »

Hello Paulo

I have had the 25mm for several years now and used it extensively on my GH2 camera.  I now have the E-M1 and can honestly say the combination is even better (partly because of the IS).  The lens was bought on impulse and I have never been disappointed.  I do like to shoot at fairly shallow DOF with my full frame cameras and so MFT can leave me missing something.  The 25mm lens answers that problem.  I love the images from it.  Photographing weddings sometimes I use that lens for 50% of my pictures.  I shoot a lot of video too so manual focus is great there.  When the lens is wide open, or even one stop down, focussing is very easy without needing to magnify.  When stopped down magnification helps as the DOF is too great to queasily see where the focus lies.

Image quality is excellent.  Wide open there is a certain dreamy look and some fringing around high contrast edges.  But I'm shooting people mainly so that is not a problem.  Stopped down a little everything settles down.  For low light shooting it is a great lens and I can be in a dimly lit room shooting at ISO400 sometimes.

Of course I do hanker after the 17.5 primarily, and the 42.5 more recently.  I have the Oly 45mm though and that is lovely anyway.  But the 17.5 would be great for shallow DOF wider shots.

So I only have experience of one lens from the series, but it has been worth every penny of it's cost and is definitely my favourite MFT lens.

Jim

I would agree with all of the above.   I use the 25 mm on an E-M1 and it is great - but a big lens.   Superb for evening shots.

The 10.5 mm will be fab for interiors, if that is your thing.   Again, a big lens which kinda loses the point of mft..
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JV

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Re: Voigtlander lenses for MFT
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2014, 01:57:08 pm »

Again, a big lens which kinda loses the point of mft..

It all depends where you are coming from, doesn't it?

These are the dimensions of the Voigtlander 25mm for m43:

Dimensions (DxL)   Approx. 2.39 x 2.76" (60.6 x 70 mm)
Weight   15.34 oz (435 g)

If you are used to medium format lenses this is tiny and light.  Even compared to DSLR lenses this is not big.

I sold my Voigtlander 25mm a few weeks ago, together with my other m43 lenses.
« Last Edit: October 03, 2014, 01:58:42 pm by JV »
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scooby70

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Re: Voigtlander lenses for MFT
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2014, 07:44:20 pm »

I'm another (former) owner of the 25mm which I thought was an excellent lens. I haven't owned the others but I'd be amazed if they too aren't excellent lenses.

One nice feature of the 25mm is that it'll focus quite close.

I sold mine and I often wish I hadn't as it was one of the best lenses I've ever owned and easily beat any native or legacy lens I've used on MFT.
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Telecaster

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Re: Voigtlander lenses for MFT
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2014, 12:54:14 am »

One nice feature of the 25mm is that it'll focus quite close.

This is a handy feature shared by all three m43 Voigtländers.

-Dave-
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Paulo Bizarro

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Re: Voigtlander lenses for MFT
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2014, 09:24:32 am »

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I have finally received the 42.5 lens, and it is indeed something. Built like a tank, but operates smoothly. I now have to convince my daughter to serve as a "test" (my wife and son have since long stopped doing that...).

The only nit pick is that the lens is a bit front heavy, even with the EM-1 with grip.

I am gona start saving for the 10.5 lens now...

Jim Pascoe

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Re: Voigtlander lenses for MFT
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2014, 05:46:49 pm »

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I have finally received the 42.5 lens, and it is indeed something. Built like a tank, but operates smoothly. I now have to convince my daughter to serve as a "test" (my wife and son have since long stopped doing that...).

The only nit pick is that the lens is a bit front heavy, even with the EM-1 with grip.

I am gona start saving for the 10.5 lens now...
Do let us know how you get on with the lens - perhaps some images too.

Jim
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