new 40mm Nokton - experiences?

S

shaaktiman

Guest
Hey all,

I've been thinking of getting the 40mm Nokton for my Bessa 2. I know my 35mm framelines aren't perfect for this lens, but I'm hot for the 2 extra stops the 40mm gives.

Does anyone have any experiences working with this lens. How is it wide open? How is voigtlander producing a lens this fast for 350 bucks?

thanks,

adam
 
Hi,
I have one with single coating. For the 35mm frame line, it just doing fine to compose and you'll get used to it when you use the lens for awhile. I use mine with M3 now and everything is great ! I can say I love the pictures from this lens, very very close to my 4th version 'cron 35mm (just a little bit more contrast). At wide open is very well also (I don't mind for a little light fall off at the corner). It could be the best choice for this price, I'm very happy trying the lens on M3 body, I could have the summilux speed with a little wider field without the need of goggles or finder !

PoP
 
Thanks. Huck, what forum is that post in?
By the way, I'd also be interested in the differences between the SC and the multiple. What is the parctical differences there? Is it ruly noticable?
 
I LOVE this lens, although using it with an M6 and 50mm framelines is a bit wacky. My only real complaint is the focusing: it's stiff and, weirdly, if you touch the lens while focusing with the other hand, it will barely move. It's tight or something; but it's really a "non-issue" as far as I am concerned.
 
It's a nice lens & a bargain for new glass. Not as super-sharp & contrasty as the Leica 35/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH, but better than the Minolta 40/2 M-Rokkor &, of course, faster than the Rollei 40/2.8 Sonnar. I have the regular multi-coated version (from what I've seen on the web, there doesn't seem to be a big difference between it & the single-coated version). The focusing on mine was a little stiff out of the box (has improved w/use), but I haven't encountered any of the more serious quality issues raised in the photo.net Leica Photography forum.

Most of the time, I like to use 40mm lenses on my M3 & use the entire VF for framing. On other bodies, I'll use a CV 40mm external finder or frame tightly w/50mm frames (or the entire VF for LTM bodies) & mentally adjust.

To see some of my shots w/the 40/1.4 Nokton, go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/furcafe/tags/cv4014nokton/

shaaktiman said:
Hey all,

I've been thinking of getting the 40mm Nokton for my Bessa 2. I know my 35mm framelines aren't perfect for this lens, but I'm hot for the 2 extra stops the 40mm gives.

Does anyone have any experiences working with this lens. How is it wide open? How is voigtlander producing a lens this fast for 350 bucks?

thanks,

adam
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Adam, the forum for Sean's tests is Epson RD-1 Digital RF.

There have been numerous posts that the stiff focusing of the first production series has been corrected on the next batch. I have a friend who does environmental portraits who just loves this lens. That may be its best use.
 
Last edited:
Huck Finn said:
Adam, the forum for Dean's tests is Epson RD-1 Digital RF.

There have been numerous posts that the stiff focusing of the first production series has been corrected on the next batch. I have a friend who does environmental portraits who just loves this lens. That may be its best use.
Click to expand...

I've just picked up a (lightly) used 40/1.4 (thanks Phil) at the weekend. I don't have any results yet, but can definitely state that not all first-version examples exhibit this stiff focussing problem; mine is smooth as you like and just stiff enough to focus positively with the lever.

The only slightly annoying thing about it so far is that the hood blocks the rangefinder on the CL at near focus, although it's fine out beyond about 8 feet.

Tom
 
tom_f77 said:
....can definitely state that not all first-version examples exhibit this stiff focussing problem; mine is smooth as you like and just stiff enough to focus positively with the lever....
Tom
Click to expand...

I have an early version too and have never had any stiff focusing issues from day one.

Richard
 
I got the 40mm/1.4 Nokton when I got the Bessa R3A. So far, the photos that I've gotten from it are really sharp with great color reproduction. I'm very happy with my purchase. With 3200 speed film, I haven't had any problems with any lighting conditions.
 
tom_f77 said:
The only slightly annoying thing about it so far is that the hood blocks the rangefinder on the CL at near focus, although it's fine out beyond about 8 feet.
Click to expand...

I discovered last night that the screw in shade for the 35/2.5 P1 fits the filter threads on the 40/1.4 and makes a much more compact hood arrangement that I can use on the CL. The angle shaded looks about the same as the bayonet hood, although I guess there might be vignetting wide open so will do some tests...

Tom
 
tom_f77 said:
I discovered last night that the screw in shade for the 35/2.5 P1 fits the filter threads on the 40/1.4 and makes a much more compact hood arrangement that I can use on the CL. The angle shaded looks about the same as the bayonet hood, although I guess there might be vignetting wide open so will do some tests...

Tom
Click to expand...

Great tip, Tom. There are a few left at Photo Village for $29. After that, I don't know where anyone will be able to get them. Everywhere else they seem to be listed as discontinued.
 
Huck Finn said:
Great tip, Tom. There are a few left at Photo Village for $29. After that, I don't know where anyone will be able to get them. Everywhere else they seem to be listed as discontinued.
Click to expand...

Yes - get them while you can! Cameraquest has them marked discontinued but still green and priced (also $29) which I think means he has stock. I just bought a push-on cap for it there so he definitely has those.

Somehow I'd ended up with two hoods for the P1 as I discovered when I packed it all up to send it to Phil. Glad I kept the spare one now!

Tom
 
Another hood solution is 1 of the Walz/Hoya/Kenko vented hoods that were originally made for the 50/1.4 Nikkor-S (Nikon RF or LTM). They work perfectly, without vignetting, on the 40/1.4 Nokton (the 40.5mm version of these hoods, originally for the Zeiss 50/1.5 Sonnars, work great on the 40/2 M-Rokkor).

tom_f77 said:
I discovered last night that the screw in shade for the 35/2.5 P1 fits the filter threads on the 40/1.4 and makes a much more compact hood arrangement that I can use on the CL. The angle shaded looks about the same as the bayonet hood, although I guess there might be vignetting wide open so will do some tests...

Tom
Click to expand...
 
Huck Finn said:
Tom, I like very much the idea of keeping your rangefinder compct. Does the lens cap for the Nokton fit on the P1 hood, or does it also requie a new lens cap?
Click to expand...

You will need a new cap; the P1 hood screws in and blocks the filter threads that the original 40/1.4 cap bites onto.

Makes the total cost about the same as the bayonet hood, but c'est la vie!

Tom
 
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