Got the 40mm Nokton!

[justins7]

There is nothing else available now like this lens -- fast and compact.

What a beauty. It's more compact than I thought it would be. It seems like it's physically based on the early 35mm Summilux. It's only 5mm narrower than 35, yet it's DWARVED by the 35mm 1.2!

My only complaints:

The paint is already chipping, although I don't really care too much. (At $350, who does.)

It should come with a shade.

(I bought it from Photo Village in NY. The guy there is really groovy and reasonable. What a far cry from 10 years ago (when I first started throwing money away on this stuff) and I had to deal with awful, snobby camera geeks.)

 

[Peter]

Congratulation Justin! I almost bought one but changed my mind to get a black Ultron 35mm/1.7 instead. As for awful, snobby camera geeks, I get them all the time here in Singapore whenever I walk into a camera shop. But strangely these geeks will become friendlier when they conclude a sizeable sale from you! 😛

 

[Nikon Bob]

Congrats and looking forward to your user opinions on that lens. It sounds really sweet.

Bob

 

[peter_n]

Congrats and looking forward to the pics! 🙂

 

[Designer]

Congratulation !Justin,

Is it S.C. or M.C.? How you make your decision between the two?

Keven

 

[RML]

The paint is already chipping? For me that would be a reason to return it! $350 may not be much to you but to me it means half a plane ticket to Mongolia.

 

[justins7]

Well, maybe I exagerrated about the paint. As I was trying to fit an old Yashica lens hood (which fit perfectly) I could see that paint was ready to flake with just a small amount of abrasion.

Really it's a non-issue. I'm sure it's the same as the other VC (Viet Cong?) lenses. It makes you look like a battle-tested war reporter fresh from Falluja.

 

[RML]

Justin, that's perhaps a little too much authenticity than I care to for. 🙂

But seriously, I only own the CV 25/4 and, though it has some paint that got scratched off due to some rough handling (banging into things is a good way to get rid of your paint), this lens, after over a year of use, doesn't show flaking or chipping caused by abrasion or normal handling. If I were you I would take it back to the shop, but that's me. 🙂

Anyway, enjoy the lens! If it is as fine as the other CV lenses or my Minolta M-Rokkor 40/2 you should be pleased as Punch with it. 🙂

 

[Kris]

Nice lens indeed Justin. Somehow I don't like that LH-5 hood. It's just too big making this compact Nokton no longer compact.

...I almost bought one but changed my mind to get a black Ultron 35mm/1.7 instead.

No Nokton 40/1.4 coming your way Peter? You've got one Ultron already, right? Does that mean soon you will have FIVE 35mm lenses? 😱 :bang: 😀

 

[furcafe]

Congratulations! I just picked up my own (regular multi-coated "Classic" version) from Stephen Gandy. It is small & the shiny chrome bayonet mount front makes it look like a miniature Contarex lens. Fit & finish on mine seems to be fine. It does have the slightly stiff focusing action that others have complained about on the CVUG, etc., but I don't mind. I didn't think I would like the little winged tabs for the aperture ring, but I've grown to appreciate them, although I wish the focus tab could be a tad bigger. I don't care about the lack of a hood as I have a couple old Walz/Hoya 43mm vented hoods for the 50/1.4 Nikkor-S that fit fine (I prefer screw-in hoods to bayonet ones, anyway). I've only managed to burn a dozen or so night shots on T400CN so far, so I'll just have to wait & see how it stacks up to my other fast glass . . .

 

[Peter]

Nice lens indeed Justin. Somehow I don't like that LH-5 hood. It's just too big making this compact Nokton no longer compact.



No Nokton 40/1.4 coming your way Peter? You've got one Ultron already, right? Does that mean soon you will have FIVE 35mm lenses? 😱 :bang: 😀

Kris! You kept count of the number and model of my lenses! 😱 I cannot helped it! It is that voice in my head! He made me do it! 😀

 

[hoppinghippos]

Congratulation Justin! I almost bought one but changed my mind to get a black Ultron 35mm/1.7 instead. As for awful, snobby camera geeks, I get them all the time here in Singapore whenever I walk into a camera shop. But strangely these geeks will become friendlier when they conclude a sizeable sale from you! 😛

hahhaa I second that!

 

[alansoon]

I bought a 40/1.4 SC this past week, and I 've just shot up a roll of film (will be scanning it later tonight).

First impressions -- 1) the hood, which fastens on a bayonet mount, isn't as tight as the one on the 35/2.5 PII; 2) the "sweep" on the focus ring isn't smooth or consistent (it gets tighter toward the far end). I've missed a few shots because I couldn't "sweep" it in time.

 

[peter_n]

Welcome to the site alansoon! 🙂 Looking forward to seeing the results! (Other people have complained about the focusing.)