35mm Voigtländer Color Skopar f/2.5 surprisingly good

totifoto

totifoto

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I really want the 35mm f1.2 from Voigtlander but the price tag is out of my range at the moment. The only lens I had for my M6 was the 50mm ZM planar f2. So when I saw the Voigtlander f2.5 the other day for sale I jumped at it.

Long story short, I´m really happy I did. A bit to small for me but getting used to it, had a little problem at first adjusting the aperture but does not bother me any more.
Shot a Trix through it the other day and developed it last night and when I started scanning it I was surprised how sharp it is.

I think this little gem will be on my M6 for a while 🙂

Few samples from the first roll.

My kids.

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DOF test, shot at f2.5

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I have a bike fetish 🙄

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My buddy after a downhill run at the new downhill track at a local mountain.

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and the nerd behind the camera 😱

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I have the same gear and I am very happy with its size and capabilities...During my visit to Cuba, it was almost my only lens I used in this book:

http://www.blurb.com/books/1021399

enjoy!

try some "towards the sun" shots. it is extremely flare resistant!

p.s. you have lovely kids with beautiful eyes!!!
 
Great pictures of your kids! (I like that bike too.) Lovely light. I take it this is the M mount version, not either of the M39 versions? All the same optical design, I believe. I've owned all three at one time or another. It's one of Cosina's best efforts, I think.
 
No surprise actually! It can be known as the unsung hero of the CV lenses. Lots of people start with it, and then get seduced by either bigger names, faster lenses, or whatever. However I wouldn't mind re-buying another one! That is if I don't get seduced by f1.2.
 
Exactly what happened to me. I started with the CV 35/2.5 P I and kept it for a number of years then sold it when I got a 35 with a 0.7M closest focus. That was the only thing I didn't like about that lens - the 0.9M closest focus. A really old one from mine:


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I have always found this lens to be like the asph summicron in having a pleasing OOF rendition as well as being sharp on the focus. The f2,5 is the deal breaker for me as an all-round lens. But some beautiful shots here show it is a very fine lens if f2,5 is not too limiting for the way you shoot.
 
totifoto said:
I really want the 35mm f1.2 from Voigtlander but the price tag is out of my range at the moment. The only lens I had for my M6 was the 50mm ZM planar f2. So when I saw the Voigtlander f2.5 the other day for sale I jumped at it.

Shot a Trix through it the other day and developed it last night and when I started scanning it I was surprised how sharp it is.

I think this little gem will be on my M6 for a while 🙂
Click to expand...

You'll be pleasantly surprised at how well it handles color, as well. The reason I kept it was that color rendition and sharpness you already discovered.

 
Double Negative said:
Ha! Same here. I got the 50 and 28 after the 35. What a great trio. So easy to pocket the other lenses too.
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I got the 35 "by accident" together with a R2.

Very nice lens indeed. Because I liked it so much, I also bought the 50 and the 28 (I find those two feel like a better build), and I already had the 21 and 25 .. GAS ....

Stefan.
 
Another good thing about this lens, which is quite uncommon, is that you can choose size, profile and handling of your liking.

You can choose from lever focus - classic, tab focus - PII (M only), and ring focus - PI with same optical formula.
 
i love mine.

i started out with the 35/1.7 Ultron then got the 35/1.2 Nokton, sold the 35/1.7 Ultron to a friend and picked up a 35/2.5 Color Skopar.

the 35/2.5 Color Skopar is my day lens then the 1.2 comes out to play at night. a great combination.
 
Double Negative said:
Ahh, nice! I want the 25, but I'm not too keen on the lack of RF-coupling.
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In a certain way, it's liberating: you are "forced" to zone-focus and work with DOF, and once that's set, with a AE-camera, it can be used as a P&S.

I usually put it at f8 and the last click-stop. Of the top of my head (I don't have it here at my PC), that gives a DOF from about 1.2 meter till infinity.

One thing less to worry about: too often, I find myself trying to adjust focus perfectly, while the DOF would take care of all sharpness necessary for the circumstances.

Stefan.
 
ooh! This was the lens I was thinking about getting but found a good price on an Ultron 1.7. I am anxious to develop my first roll shot with the Ultron.

I was a bit surprised also with the .9m "close" focus. My 50 'cron has .7m. I guess that I never realized that I often shoot that close. I like the images of your chilrden above - very engaging! Here are a couple shots of mine with the 'cron.
 

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I now have the PII version, which is quite good and I need to use more often. Here's a somewhat recent sample on Portra 400NC:
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The Skopar line of lenses is fantastic value, and my PII version now keeps company w/ 50, 28, and 25 cousins. In fact, I'm thinking that the 50, 35 and 25 Skopars would make a fantastic travel kit particularly for urban destinations.
 
gliderbee said:
(About the not RF-coupled CV 25mm...) In a certain way, it's liberating: you are "forced" to zone-focus and work with DOF (...)
Click to expand...

Yes, liberating! I never believed you could get away without focusing until I got that lens, but it's true, it really works! And it's done wonders to my 'street photography': I'm now shooting my Bessa L with the 25mm mainly from the hip (actually from the belly), carrying my R3a with a 50mm only as a second camera, for telephoto-like shots or another failed attempt to shoot like HCB. 🙂
 
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