I’ve spent some time recently with the new Voigtlander 50mm f/1.2 Nokton II, and I wanted to share some thoughts with the RFF crowd specifically on how it balances that "clinical" bite with the soul we expect from fast M mount glass.
I’ll admit, I was a bit leery at first. I’m usually an APO Lanthar shooter, and I wasn’t sure if the Nokton II would satisfy my craving for surgical sharpness. However, after shooting it natively on the Leica M11 and adapting it to the Nikon Zf via the Techart Pro, I’m genuinely impressed.
A few quick takeaways from my review:
Sharpness: At f/1.4 and f/2, it comes startlingly close to the APO standard. The contrast on textures like fur and eyelashes is biting.
Rendering: The 12 blade diaphragm is a highlight. The "sawtooth" bokeh at f/1.4 gives way to incredibly smooth, circular orbs by f/2.
The Manual Experience: Using this natively on the M11 is a joy. The build is compact (even lighter than the v1), and the focus throw is perfectly dampened for rangefinder use.
Versatility: Shooting it on the Zf gave me the best of both worlds. AF convenience when I needed it, but with that unmistakable Voigtlander drawing style.
I've put together a full write up with several high res samples (color and B&W) showing everything from f/1.2 to stopped down.
You can see the full set of images and the technical breakdown here:
www.50mil.com
Curious to hear if anyone else has made the jump from the original v1 or the APO to this new Nokton!
I’ll admit, I was a bit leery at first. I’m usually an APO Lanthar shooter, and I wasn’t sure if the Nokton II would satisfy my craving for surgical sharpness. However, after shooting it natively on the Leica M11 and adapting it to the Nikon Zf via the Techart Pro, I’m genuinely impressed.
A few quick takeaways from my review:
Sharpness: At f/1.4 and f/2, it comes startlingly close to the APO standard. The contrast on textures like fur and eyelashes is biting.
Rendering: The 12 blade diaphragm is a highlight. The "sawtooth" bokeh at f/1.4 gives way to incredibly smooth, circular orbs by f/2.
The Manual Experience: Using this natively on the M11 is a joy. The build is compact (even lighter than the v1), and the focus throw is perfectly dampened for rangefinder use.
Versatility: Shooting it on the Zf gave me the best of both worlds. AF convenience when I needed it, but with that unmistakable Voigtlander drawing style.
I've put together a full write up with several high res samples (color and B&W) showing everything from f/1.2 to stopped down.
You can see the full set of images and the technical breakdown here:
Voigtlander 50mm f/1.2 Nokton II Aspherical Review: Clinical Performance in an M Mount Classic | By: jtorral
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Curious to hear if anyone else has made the jump from the original v1 or the APO to this new Nokton!
