Bessa R on its way: Now what glass? (re: Putts' CV reviews)

[gbb]

Hello,

So I decided to go w the bessa r for now, got a good deal on one w the 35 skopar. So now I',m wondering what other glass to put on it. I looked at Erwin Putts' reviews of the vc glass and was curious whether owners of the 25/4,28/1.9 and the 75 agree w him (http://www.imx.nl/photosite/japan/voigt2890.html).
If anyone has first hand experience, how do the equivaleent canon ltm lenses match up w the cv stuff, and are there really lots of decentering problems and low contrast at max aperture w cv glass? TIA,

GBB

 

[pvdhaar]

I have the CV25/4 and have had the CV90/3.5 (sold because I'm not a 90mm kind of person).

Perhaps it's because I don't take pictures of test charts and don't care a hoot about MTF curves, but I've never noticed anything wrong with them.

Especially the 25/4 is a gem, it's ever so compact and gives outstanding pictures. Sharp, lots of contrast and nice saturation from f4 all the way up to f16.

The CV90 has a different character, a tad warmer in tone, and somewhat softer in the corners wide open (excellent portrait lens).

There can only be one reason not to be pleased with them, and that's that they lack the red dot..

 

[Toby]

I've got CV 25/4 35/1.7 75/2.5 I think this a good balanced combination and I found the quality of the lenses excellent. I would be cautious about a 28 35 combo bit to close together for my taste

 

[RML]

I have the CV 25/4 and use it regularly. I find it a wonderful lens, with very nice results.

Check it my Mongolia gallery for lots of photos taken with the CV 25/4: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=3352 .

 

[rover]

I currently have the 28/1.9 and owned the 75/2.5. Both are excellent lenses and great matches for the R. They are well made, sharp and produce very nice images. I also own the 21/4 and 90/3.5. These lenses are also great performers.

As far as 75mm lenses go, your choices are the CV or the two Leicas which are very much in a different class price wise. Both the 75 Summicron and Summilux look to be extraordinary, but with the great performance of the CV 75 you can feel good about having that lower cost choice.

I think you will find that Canon and other older LTM lenses are often very good too, particularly from 35mm and longer. They will have a little less contrast, or sharpness, or both and offer an "old fashioned" type image that is also very good. If you choose to go this way for a 50mm you have many good options. For wide angle lenses, like 28mm, I think you will find the modern designed CV lenses to be better. The coatings are better, they are more flair resistant and benefit from advancement in glasses and optical design that was not available in the 1950s or 60s.

Generally speaking, I don't think that you have to worry about the quality of any of the CV products. It seems to have been a very well thought out and executed product line.

 

[Fred]

Now where do I start? I've used a few of these things.

The bargain! the 15 F4, sold with a viewfinder (that distorts somewhat but the lens does not). Cheap and very good, huge DOF so little need to focus, bets at f5.6 and avoid over f11 to get the best. I don't use it that much but I'll not sell it.

I have the 28 Skopar, arguabely slow at f3.5 compared to the Ultron but has cracking contrast and sharpness. It's a very well made lens that is also very small. Focus is via a little stalk.

I was also impressed also with the 35 Ultron, a lot closer to a Summicron than you might think when stopped down a little. I know some think the 28 is too close to 35 but I would disagree, I use both but tend to use a 35 more.

The 90 Lanthar is a real cracker, a fantastic bargain. Crisp and sharp at all apertures from my experience, only very slightly softer wide open than at F4. It's a lot lighter than a Cron.

I've since moved to M mount lenses for 35 and 90 so I might keep an eye out for a Bessa R at a silly price and pick up a cheap 50 Skopar for a lightweight kit. More GAS!

 

[sockeyed]

The 25/4 is a great lens and a joy to use. One thing to note about the 28's is that they don't usually come with a finder (unless someone is selling them used as a set), so this adds quite a bit to the price.

 

[rover]

Yeah, $145 new for the 28 finder, and they don't come up used too often.

 

[Daniel Unkefer]

I went for the whole system. Got 2 R's, 2-L's, 12, 21, 25, 28/1.9, 35/1.7, 50/1.5 and 75. Plus 28/50/75 finders, cases, 4-grips, bubble level, two shoes, lens tubes for storage, etc etc.

It's a great well-thought out system, decent build quality, no issues, no regrets. I've tested all the lenses critically, and I'm pleased with the results (I have owned Leitz, I prefer this stuff).

 

[unohuu]

great reviews of the CV lenses. Anyone using FSU glass on an R? I am also considering an R for a briefcase RF and want the metering and accuracy that I'll not likely have with the Fed 5.

 

[gbb]

Still waiting for the bessa, just curious what you prefer about cv over leitz, Daniel?

 

[GeneW]

A nice Jupiter-8 50/2 is a good match for a Bessa R.

Gene

 

[Daniel Unkefer]

GBB,

I prefer the CV lenses, over the Leitz lenses I have owned in the past, quite simply, not that they are better, but for what I get for what I have spent. They are absolutely up to whatever use I have put them to, so far (hundreds of rolls). I tend to use these cameras for grab shooting, often wide-open in low-light. I don't see any downside to this investment, whatsoever.

I seriously doubt I could buy one Leitz body and one lens (new) for what I have paid for my entire Voigtlander system! And for what I have paid, I am not afraid to take it out and use -all- of it. If I do suffer a calamity, it's reassuring to know that this gear can be had easily and for a relatively small investment. Hope this helps!

 

[Richard Black]

I have the Color Skopar 28, f3.5, and truly love it. I use a Jupiter 8, black model, for a standard lens, but the 28 stays on most of the time. I seem to see thing that way, even in the slrs, they all wear 28mm. Old habits, huh! Any way, it is sharp and contrasty without harshness.

 

[Solinar]

Still waiting for the bessa, just curious what you prefer about cv over leitz, Daniel?

Well in my case, Leitz quit making screw mount lenses quite a while back. I also have a couple of Leica IIIf's, so my lenses do double duty.

My Leitz glass is pleasantly balanced with regards to contrast, resolution is strong towards the center and smoothly transitions out towards the edjges. They have that 1950's solidness with regards to build quality. Due to their age, the important thing is to have the lenses properly cleaned of internal haze.

I have only bought a V/C 35/2.5 Skopar and a 75/2.5 to go with my Bessa R and IIIfF. They augment a 35/3.5 Summaron, 50/2 Summicron, 50/2.8 Elmar, 90/4 Elmar and 135/4 Elmar.

I like to nit pick and the V/C lenses are an anomaly. The screw mount lenses are affordable. The V/C lenses are more flare resistant than my older Lietz Wetzlar glass. Both of the above lenses are stunningly good at f/4 and acceptable at f/2.8. I can't complain.

Cosina builds their lenses with 10 aperture blades, so OOF areas have a pleasant look. Furthermore, the build quality is several steps above the 21st Century AF primes for modern SLR's that I'm seeing at my local camera retailer.

 

[Solinar]

If you can forgive its largeness, the 50/1.5 Nokton is an extremely tempting lens.

 

[Kin Lau]

A nice Jupiter-8 50/2 is a good match for a Bessa R.

Gene

Yes it is, very compact since the R & brethern don't take well to collapsible lenses. I've got the J8 on the Bessa this week.

 

[former member]

The Canon 50mm F1.8 is sharp, and will cost a lot less than the CV Nokton. The J-8 is a fine lens, high contrast, but not as sharp as the Canon (at least my two were not). Both of my J8's were Contax mount, and I used them on the Kiev and Contax IIIa. They are made to the 52.3mm standard, but the DOF at F2 will cover it. The focus is shifted slightly beyond what is indicated by the Bessa. Beware of build quality on Russian lenses, and it is best to buy one from someone who has actually used it and is willing to post pictures taken with it. Or be good at taking lenses apart and collimating them.

 

[xpress_on]

I have a Bessa R and just two lenses a Jupiter 8 and a Heliar 15mm. What can I say, both are great lenses. I printed (in a pro lab) a poster size (A3) picture took with the Heliar 15mm and I’m delighted with the quality of this small little lens. So, if you like wide angle, get this lens.

Right now I’m trying to get either the 28mm 1.9 or the 35mm 2.5

Regards

Cruz Lisboa / Portugal

 

[Burkey]

Also congratulations on becoming a member of the CV clan. I only recently went with a R3A with a 40/1.4 Nokton and although there is much discussion here about the lens, I among others, find it a fine and very useable lens. I think your selection depends on what type of work you do. I do mostly "PJ" stuff so right now the Nokton 40 is working well. I will probably add a CV 90 sometime soon since I really enjoy informal portrait work. But as it's been already mentioned here your choices are many, it's the type of imaging you do that really dictates your choice of optics. Good luck.