Hexar Af 35/2 compared to Voigtlander 35 lenses

[mercedes_sl1970]

Hi there

Was wondering if anyone has made a comparison or has any thoughts on the Hexar AF 35/2 lens compared to either of the Voigtlander 35s - 1.7 or 2.5? I find the Hexar lens to have a great balance of sharpness, contrast and good colour rendition.

I've been weighing up buying a Bessa R2A/3A and am curious about the difference in lens quality as I am thinking about a 35/75 or 35/90 combo (insert 40 if the R3A). I generally don't do too many enlargements and this is all simply for personal use.

I thoroughly enjoy the Hexar, but also like using rangefinders and like the ability to change lenses.

Indecisively

Andrew

 

[RayPA]

Hi there

Was wondering if anyone has made a comparison or has any thoughts on the Hexar AF 35/2 lens compared to either of the Voigtlander 35s - 1.7 or 2.5? I find the Hexar lens to have a great balance of sharpness, contrast and good colour rendition.

I've been weighing up buying a Bessa R2A/3A and am curious about the difference in lens quality as I am thinking about a 35/75 or 35/90 combo (insert 40 if the R3A). I generally don't do too many enlargements and this is all simply for personal use.

I thoroughly enjoy the Hexar, but also like using rangefinders and like the ability to change lenses.

Indecisively

Andrew

I haven't done a direct comparison, but my impression is similar to yours. I think balance is the key word. The contrast is the big difference to me. I think the CV is much more contrasty, and maybe a little sharper (?).than the 35/2.. I've shot fairly extensively over the last several weeks with the Hexar and coincidentally I'm currently shooting with the CV 35/2.5. on my M4-P. I really like the Hexar lens, probably more so than the 35/2.5, but I wouldn't go as far as saying I like it better than the 35/1.7. 🙂 at least not yet.

.

 

[sf]

The Hexar is going to be sharper than the CV glass. I have seen evidence that the Nokton 50mm is pretty nearly as sharp as the Summicron, though.

Hexar 35mm is one of the sharpest lenses on the planet - and paired with AF makes it truly amazing if used properly.

I found the CV glass to be sharp, but I've seen stuff from the Hexar that I'd have guessed to be medium format if I didn't know better. Can't say the same for the Voigtlanders.

this is, of course, the opinion of someone who sold his CV camera after owning it for merely 2 months.

 

[venchka]

...Hexar 35mm is one of the sharpest lenses on the planet - and paired with AF makes it truly amazing if used properly.

I'm not familiar with this lens. Is it mounted on a P&S camera? OR, are you talking about the 35/2.0 Hexanon-M lens? Enquiring minds want to know.

Thanks!

 

[venchka]

... I really like the Hexar lens, probably more so than the 35/2.5, but I wouldn't go as far as saying I like it better than the 35/1.7. 🙂 at least not yet.

Ray,

I take it you like the C/V 35/1.7? A lot?

 

[Dougg]

I'm not familiar with this lens. Is it mounted on a P&S camera?

Yes, the Hexar AF camera, very well respected fixed-lens leaf-shutter camera.

 

[borislee]

I have not been using a CV 35mm lens, however judging from about my 10 rolls experience of Hexar AF in about a month's time, I can say the 35/2 of hexar af is a spendid lens. Great sharpness and beautiful color. Overall the Hexar AF is a great camera - only the 1/250 max shutter speed puts me off and i decided to go the Bessa route.

 

[Taipei-metro]

I'm not familiar with this lens. Is it mounted on a P&S camera? OR, are you talking about the 35/2.0 Hexanon-M lens? Enquiring minds want to know.

Thanks!

3 versions of Hexar 35/2 L,M lens are the same w the lens on Hexar Silver. (aka AF).
I have M3 w Canada Cron 35/2, R6 w 35/2.8, Hexar Silver and Nikon 35 ti (Nikon 35/2.8).
I think the lesn on 35ti is the best one, then the Hexar 35/2.
When new, 35ti is $1,100, Hexar Silver $500. Remember cost/performance ratio?

 

[ampguy]

interesting Ray

interesting Ray

Hi Ray, -- How noticeably sharper do you find the CV over the hexar? Is the CV sharp and contrasty wide open? Thanks!

I haven't done a direct comparison, but my impression is similar to yours. I think balance is the key word. The contrast is the big difference to me. I think the CV is much more contrasty, and maybe a little sharper (?).than the 35/2.. I've shot fairly extensively over the last several weeks with the Hexar and coincidentally I'm currently shooting with the CV 35/2.5. on my M4-P. I really like the Hexar lens, probably more so than the 35/2.5, but I wouldn't go as far as saying I like it better than the 35/1.7. 🙂 at least not yet.

.

 

[RayPA]

Hi Ray, -- How noticeably sharper do you find the CV over the hexar? Is the CV sharp and contrasty wide open? Thanks!

I'm going to have to do a straight up comparision between the lenses. The Hexar 35/2 is a better lens than the CV 35/2.5. I think we both agreed (at the last RFF beer guzzler's meeting 😉 ) that the Hexar lens is excellent glass. If the weather is good this weekend I'll try to do a comparison between the lenses. I may need a model. Are you around? 🙂 😉

.

 

[ampguy]

Yeah, I should be around Sat/Sun.

Yeah, I should be around Sat/Sun.

for a model, I think we should try to hire this one from Warren T's photo blog site:

http://www.fpcf.blogspot.com/

(scroll down to "Nice Car at SEMA")

I think she'd benefit from my workflow of Walgreens 400/selenium cell meter/Longs processing, and my Picassa work. What do you think?? 😀

I'm going to have to do a straight up comparision between the lenses. The Hexar 35/2 is a better lens than the CV 35/2.5. I think we both agreed (at the last RFF beer guzzler's meeting 😉 ) that the Hexar lens is excellent glass. If the weather is good this weekend I'll try to do a comparison between the lenses. I may need a model. Are you around? 🙂 😉

.

 

[RayPA]

for a model, I think we should try to hire this one from Warren T's photo blog site:

http://www.fpcf.blogspot.com/

(scroll down to "Nice Car at SEMA")

I think she'd benefit from my workflow of Walgreens 400/selenium cell meter/Longs processing, and my Picassa work. What do you think?? 😀

infinitely better looking than the both of us combined! factoring the seleniium cell meter into your workflow is pretty funny!

.

 

[dcsang]

<snip>I thoroughly enjoy the Hexar, but also like using rangefinders and like the ability to change lenses.
</snip>

Which is precisely why I sold it to Joe here.

It is a great little camera - the AF and silent mode ROCK but I want lens interchangeability (if that is a word) as well.

The closest one could come to a similar camera with interchangeable lenses is the venerable, but now defunct, Contax G series.

That being said, the Ultron is a great lens at f2 itself - equally sharp imho - to the Hexar AF 35 f2.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

I've shot with the Hexar AF for the last month, and find the 35/2 lens to be pretty much on par with my 35 crons in terms of sharpness and smoothness. It is a hard lens to beat.

Set the focus distance manually, ISO 400 film, silent mode, and you have just about the most impressive stealth P&S ever made. If the camera had a manual focus throw, it would have been perfect.

And if Konica had designed a 50/2 to go with the 35/2 models, it would have been a wonderful 2 camera combination.

 

[Warren T.]

I was wondering where all the activity on my photo blog was coming from 😀.

I traced it back to this thread 🙂. (Thanks for the mention, Ted).

And FYI, Ted just became a photo contributor there.

Anyway, I owned a Hexar AF a while back, and I currently own the VC 35mm f2.5 Skopar. I also agree that the Hexar's 35mm f2.0 lens is an all-around better lens than the VC 35mm. I was extremely pleased with the Hexar's lens, and it often produced images with the "wow! factor". I've owned the VC 35mm for a while now, and have yet to be blown away by it even though it is very good.

I ended up selling the Hexar AF because I was getting annoyed by the weird user interface, and the poorly designed manual focus mode (for those times when I wanted to do MF). I kind of regret selling it though, because there are situation when the Hexar is uniquely capable.

--Warren

 

[ampguy]

Of course!!

Of course!!

yes, very nice car 😛

You guys are talking about the Cobra, right ? 🙂

 

[ampguy]

I regret selling mine too

I regret selling mine too

as you mention Warren, the UI is funky, also ongoing support, and max shutter of 250 were limiting, though I may end up with one again...

For an interesting read on the possible etymology of the lens, there is some stuff here:

http://www.apug.org/forums/showthread.php?t=26654&page=2

I was wondering where all the activity on my photo blog was coming from 😀.

I traced it back to this thread 🙂. (Thanks for the mention, Ted).

And FYI, Ted just became a photo contributor there.

Anyway, I owned a Hexar AF a while back, and I currently own the VC 35mm f2.5 Skopar. I also agree that the Hexar's 35mm f2.0 lens is an all-around better lens than the VC 35mm. I was extremely pleased with the Hexar's lens, and it often produced images with the "wow! factor". I've owned the VC 35mm for a while now, and have yet to be blown away by it even though it is very good.

I ended up selling the Hexar AF because I was getting annoyed by the weird user interface, and the poorly designed manual focus mode (for those times when I wanted to do MF). I kind of regret selling it though, because there are situation when the Hexar is uniquely capable.

--Warren