Vsanzbajo
Member
Being a 40mm lens, are they any issues I should be aware of. Do guys thin it is a good lens for the M3?
Any opinions will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Any opinions will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Question about Voigtlaender 40 mm 1.4 lens on A Leica M3
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ChrisC
Established
Hi, Sean Reid wrote a very interesting review of the lens on the M8, and it might be worth you subscribing to his excellent Reid Reviews site for that review, and also "35mm lenses on the M9". It's a lens I considered but discounted because of it's focus shift issues. After fruitless efforts to get a good 40mm lens my fortune changed when I opted instead for the remarkable Zeiss 35mm C-Biogon. But I do understand why the 40mm focal length has attractions for some of us.
Read Sean Reid, it will be money well spent.
.............. Chris
Read Sean Reid, it will be money well spent.
.............. Chris
rogerzilla
Well-known
Most obviously, the M3 has no 40mm framelines. In practice using the whole VF is close enough for 40mm and no worse than with a screwmount and a 50mm lens.
I would try and get a used Minolta Rokkor 40mm instead, though. It may only be f/2 but it is optically far superior. The Summicron-C 40mm is pretty much the same lens with inferior coatings.
An M3 with a 35mm lens is fine with an external VF, just a bit slower. Russian 35mm finders sometimes come up on eBay for $50 or so and they're quite acceptable.
I would try and get a used Minolta Rokkor 40mm instead, though. It may only be f/2 but it is optically far superior. The Summicron-C 40mm is pretty much the same lens with inferior coatings.
An M3 with a 35mm lens is fine with an external VF, just a bit slower. Russian 35mm finders sometimes come up on eBay for $50 or so and they're quite acceptable.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Depends a bit on how and what you're shooting.
I've used the Rokkor 40/2.0 on an M3 some years back (had a Minolta CLE and lenses and then bought an M3 without a lens).
When composing with the 50mm framelines you simply get some extra image when shooting, which you can always crop off if necessary. Real nice when shooting 'street' (or reportage as it's called nowadays) since sometimes you find something extra along the edges of your frame that adds to the shot.
Now, when you want to show your shots are uncropped (it's an issue with some photographers to not crop ever) and you want precise composing, you would need a finder on top and that would slow you down, at least a bit.
The Rokkor 40/2.0 makes the camera pocketable (large pockets though) and takes easily found 40.5mm filters. The Summicron-C is just as big but takes Series VI filters, much harder to find. The CV 40/1.4 isn't that pocketable at all.
Hope this helps.
I've used the Rokkor 40/2.0 on an M3 some years back (had a Minolta CLE and lenses and then bought an M3 without a lens).
When composing with the 50mm framelines you simply get some extra image when shooting, which you can always crop off if necessary. Real nice when shooting 'street' (or reportage as it's called nowadays) since sometimes you find something extra along the edges of your frame that adds to the shot.
Now, when you want to show your shots are uncropped (it's an issue with some photographers to not crop ever) and you want precise composing, you would need a finder on top and that would slow you down, at least a bit.
The Rokkor 40/2.0 makes the camera pocketable (large pockets though) and takes easily found 40.5mm filters. The Summicron-C is just as big but takes Series VI filters, much harder to find. The CV 40/1.4 isn't that pocketable at all.
Hope this helps.
haempe
Well-known
...optically far superior...?
This is a hard statement.
Sorry, but you must explain this ...
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ferider
Veteran
post #2: The Nokton 40 and 35 have very different design. While the 35 noticably distorts and shifts, the 40 does not.
post #3: I tested 40 Summicron, Rokkor and Nokton against each other and against the 35 Summicron v3. The Nokton is optically at least as good as the other three.
Have no fear, the 40 Nokton is an excellent lens. And its a very good lens on an M3 in particular. One of my favorite RF combos, really in practice, all I ever need ....
That being said, it's not a combo to use if you are fanatically against cropping. It's perfect if you like to print on 8x10.
One more note: make sure your M3 focuses down to .7m. If it doesn't you can have it modified (or DIY).
Roland.
post #3: I tested 40 Summicron, Rokkor and Nokton against each other and against the 35 Summicron v3. The Nokton is optically at least as good as the other three.
Have no fear, the 40 Nokton is an excellent lens. And its a very good lens on an M3 in particular. One of my favorite RF combos, really in practice, all I ever need ....
That being said, it's not a combo to use if you are fanatically against cropping. It's perfect if you like to print on 8x10.
One more note: make sure your M3 focuses down to .7m. If it doesn't you can have it modified (or DIY).
Roland.
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rogerzilla
Well-known
Any f/2 lens will be superior to an f/1.4 lens of equivalent quality.
kshapero
South Florida Man
I have used this combo, M3 and CV 40/1.4 a lot. It is a wonderful combo in all respects.
brbo
Well-known
I never noticed focus shift on film with CV 40/1.4. Very noticeable on my M8. So there definitely is focus shift.
Size? In handling I would've liked it to be a bit bigger, but I don't carry my camera in my pockets.
Often reffered to comparison test: http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/review/2004/12/03/466.html
When I was considering Summicron-C/Rokkor and Nokton there was a general consensus that Nokton was at least as good as Summicron-C optically, if not better (+ faster) on film. And side by side comparison of bokeh actually showed Summicron to be uglier but on this forum we just call that 'more character'... 🙂
Size? In handling I would've liked it to be a bit bigger, but I don't carry my camera in my pockets.
Often reffered to comparison test: http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/review/2004/12/03/466.html
When I was considering Summicron-C/Rokkor and Nokton there was a general consensus that Nokton was at least as good as Summicron-C optically, if not better (+ faster) on film. And side by side comparison of bokeh actually showed Summicron to be uglier but on this forum we just call that 'more character'... 🙂
