Voigtlander CV 50mm f/1 with Leica M10

[raid]

I am trying out my 50/1 with some photos taken here and there.
link: https://raid.smugmug.com/Leica-M10-CV-50mm-1/

Downtown Pensacola

 

[raid]

Most likely, wide open:

At 2.0:

At 4.0:

At 8.0:

 

[raid]

This lens is very sharp when closing down the aperture, but even wide open it is an excellent lens. I see many possibilities in photography with such a modern and fast lens like the CV 50mm 1. The OOF can be beautiful in open shade. It looks like a painting then.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Excellent shots with an excellent lens! I love the colors and tonality of this one:

Incredible sharpness too.

Thank you, Raid, for showing these.

Erik.

 

[raid]

Thanks for your feedback Erik.

 

[raid]

With Jenny, the cat.

With the 50/2.8 Cintar for the ARGUS.

Pensacola

 

[raid]

Candle Holder

Joe Patti's Seafood on a clear day

On an overcast day

 

[raid]

This lens can be used like any excellent 50mm lens at 8.0 for nice looking images, but it can create special images at large apertures. Take a look at the last two images above. I love the clouds and their reflections in the water on an overcast day. I find that I can focus quite well with the lens wide open and without wearing glasses or using a magnifier.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

Thank you for these, Raid. From what I've seen so far - mainly between you and Brian - the new CV Nokton f/1 seems very "technical" (sharp at all stops with very clean renderings), but the bokeh suffers from this "perfection" in certain instances. Overall, however, - as much as I'm trying to hate it - I have to admit I really do like it. Although it's not a lens I really need, I'll have to get my hands on one at some point.

 

[raid]

Thank you, Bill. It is just another lens that we have access to when we want to. When I want especially beautiful colors, I go for a Sonnar, such as CZJ 5cm 1.5. In general, Aspheric lenses don't have the best looking bokeh.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

... Aspheric lenses don't have the best looking bokeh.

I've found this to be generally true, but one of the best 50mm lenses for bokeh I've ever seen is the 50mm Asph Summilux.

 

[the_jim]

...In general, Aspheric lenses don't have the best looking bokeh.

Of course, bokeh is a very subjective matter, but I find this opinion interesting. Ken Rockwell still says this too. Part of me thinks it's because the 90's - early aughts production lenses with aspheric elements had very pronounced onion rings as a side-effect of the molding process (Nikkor 28mm f/1.4 D...or I guess, even earlier, the Canon FD mount aspheric lenses). But, anymore, I can't think of a modern aspherical lens that doesn't show-up many legacy lenses (especially wide-open, especially in difficult situations). Now, again, everyone's taste in good bokeh is different...but I think if you torture tested the 50mm f/1 versus the prior 1.1 on a bunch of foliage, wide-open, I'd be willing to wager that the f/1 would look noticeably smoother.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I think if you torture tested the 50mm f/1 versus the prior 1.1 on a bunch of foliage, wide-open, I'd be willing to wager that the f/1 would look noticeably smoother.

Maybe it is, but it is this smoothness that I don't like. Smoothness in itself is not interesting. There must also be form, I think the shapes in the bokeh must be recognizable to be interesting, especially at short focal lengths such as 50mm. That's why the old cine lenses - like the Kinoptik Fulgior 50mm f/1.3, the Dallmeyer Double Six and many others - are so interesting.

Erik.

Dallmeyer Double Six 51mm f/1.9:

 

[the_jim]

Smoothness in itself is not interesting. There must also be form, I think the shapes in the bokeh must be recognizable to be interesting, especially at short focal lengths such as 50mm.

This is a lovely photo, Erik. I think it shows your point-of-view (one that I largely agree with), but also shows the subjectivity of 'good' bokeh that I am pointing to. I would argue that modern lens designs are angling toward objectively nice bokeh...which is inherently smooth and soft with evenly illuminated blur discs. Smooth for the sake of smooth is not interesting. It's why a modern, aspheric lens like the Sony 50mm 1.2, is not nearly as beautiful in it's rendering as say the Nokton f/1 (at least from samples I've seen on the web and in this thread). Voigtlander have done an uncommonly good job with their modern designs in creating bokeh with a signature.

Speaking of cinema lenses (and very off-topic), I re-watched 'To Live and Die in LA' yesterday. It's such a wonderful turn of fate that Robby Müller went from shooting Wim Wenders art films to this over-the-top-80's Friedkin genre piece. It's a weird melding of styles. Many of the best photographed scenes are very bokeh-centric. I'm just gonna assume he was using Zeiss Super Speed lenses for a lot of the shots that I am thinking of.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I'm always afraid to look at Raid's Threads with lenses in also own used on his M10. Keep telling myself if my M9 ever dies, the M10 is an option.

It's nice to have choices in lenses, and important to know what you like in an image, and which lens will achieve the desired results. Think of it like a Golf Bag with many clubs in it.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I absolutely agree that many Cosina Voigtländer lenses have character, I love the 50mm f/1.1, the Heliar Classic 50mm f/1.5 and also the new 50mm f/1, I just wanted to say that only smoothness is not the way we must go.

Erik.

 

[Evergreen States]

This is a lovely photo, Erik. I think it shows your point-of-view (one that I largely agree with), but also shows the subjectivity of 'good' bokeh that I am pointing to. I would argue that modern lens designs are angling toward objectively nice bokeh...which is inherently smooth and soft with evenly illuminated blur discs. Smooth for the sake of smooth is not interesting. It's why a modern, aspheric lens like the Sony 50mm 1.2, is not nearly as beautiful in it's rendering as say the Nokton f/1 (at least from samples I've seen on the web and in this thread). Voigtlander have done an uncommonly good job with their modern designs in creating bokeh with a signature.

Speaking of cinema lenses (and very off-topic), I re-watched 'To Live and Die in LA' yesterday. It's such a wonderful turn of fate that Robby Müller went from shooting Wim Wenders art films to this over-the-top-80's Friedkin genre piece. It's a weird melding of styles. Many of the best photographed scenes are very bokeh-centric. I'm just gonna assume he was using Zeiss Super Speed lenses for a lot of the shots that I am thinking of.

Robby Müller did wonderful work. For the scene where Harry Dean Stanton stumbles into the desert gas station/dive bar in the beginning of Paris, Texas, there is a very subtle opening of the aperture to show Stanton's eyes adjusting from the blinding high noon sunlight to the dim interior. It's almost imperceptible but such a wonderful attention to detail. Here's the clip: https://vimeo.com/113624869

 

[Evergreen States]

Maybe it is, but it is this smoothness that I don't like. Smoothness in itself is not interesting. There must also be form, I think the shapes in the bokeh must be recognizable to be interesting, especially at short focal lengths such as 50mm. That's why the old cine lenses - like the Kinoptik Fulgior 50mm f/1.3, the Dallmeyer Double Six and many others - are so interesting.

Erik.

Dallmeyer Double Six 51mm f/1.9:

Did you take this photo, Erik?

 

[raid]

This is a beautiful image, Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Raid, the photo was unfortunately not taken by me, I forgot to explicitly add this. I like the picture too. I started saving money for a Dallmeyer Double Six, though.


This one is by me.

gelatin silver print (nokton 50mm f1.1) leica m5

Erik.