What are your Favorite Voigtlander Leica Mount lenses?

[CameraQuest]

If Ultron 35 M is much better than LTM it could be two things.
One - M version is most superior 35 in LTM, M.
Or Two - LTM Ultron isn't great lens at all.

or Three
The M mount version is a completely new improved optical formula compared to the 35/1.7 LTM lens (correct)

 

[kuuan]

....Add to that many M mount lenses far outperform the LTM versions...

I once had taken a similar photo with my LTM 4.5/15 and M 4/21, both on digital, Ricoh GXR M with APS-C sensor..of an infamous old movie theatre in downtown Osaka, see:

the 4/21 Skopar:

the 4/15 Heliar:

and noticed that the 21mm handled the electrical lights better

the 100% crops, the Skopar:

and Heliar:

ever since I have been wondering if this is due to 15mm vs. 21mm, or due to the 21mm, being a later M, having better coating as compared to the older LTM 15mm, or..?

 

[Leica All Day]

I voted for the 35mm/1.2 version 1. I've never used the version 2 but everything that I've heard about it has been positive. I also have a 15mm version 1 which I like a lot, but I realized that after I voted I could of selected multiple lenses.

Cheers, michael

 

[seakayaker1]

I have the 28/1.9 LTM, 40/1.4 SC, 50/1.5 LTM and 75/2.5 LTM. The three LTM lens are fantastic lens, I sold the 75 and missed it so much I picked up another.

MP with 28/1.9

M9 with 50/1.5

MM with 75/2.5

 

[CameraQuest]

I once had taken a similar photo with my LTM 4.5/15 and M 4/21, both on digital, Ricoh GXR M with APS-C sensor..of an infamous old movie theatre in downtown Osaka, see:

and noticed that the 21mm handled the electrical lights better

ever since I have been wondering if this is due to 15mm vs. 21mm, or due to the 21mm, being a later M, having better coating as compared to the older LTM 15mm, or..?

Some LTM and M Voigtlander lenses have the same formula. Those include the 12/5.6, 15/4.5, 21/4, 25/4, 35/2.5, 50/1.5, 50/2 LTM versions and the first versions of their M counterparts.

Some lenses were made in LTM only: 28/1.9, 28/1.9, 50/2.5, 50/3.5, 75/2.5, 90/3.5
Although they have their big fans today, all of these were discontinued due to relatively poor sales.

One was made in both LTM and M, both with completely different optical formula: 35/1.7.

Some were made in only: 35/1.4, 40/1.4

Recent M only versions have improved optical designs for digital sensors: 10/5.6 (not released yet), 12/5.6 III (not released yet), 15/4.5 III, 21/1.8 (M only), 35/1.2 (M only), 35/1.7 M (completely different optical formula compared to the LTM version).

The difference in your pics was most likely the difficulty your 1st version 15/4.5 LTM lens had with the Ricoh's sensor. The same pic taken with the current Version III lens will likely be better than the 21/4.

Stephen

 

[kevin m]

I love my 35/1.7 - seem to have a lot of good luck with it:

"Jesus is watching you" made me laugh, but "Last Supper" and "France 236" are both stunners.

 

[CameraQuest]

LOVE the 35 1.4 Nokton Classic


Alone... by Helen Hill, on Flickr

Watching BLOWUP have we Helen?

 

[Graham Line]

My LTMs have functionally been M lenses since the time they arrived -- don't believe the adapters have ever been off. And now they are being used on a Sony A6000 in addition to Leicas.

 

[wwkw]

I typed a bunch of praise for the 75 Heliar but your site logged me out. But in summary!!!! I think it's really good.

 

[agoglanian]

I've owned a bunch of CV lenses over the years as well and for the most part I really enjoyed them all for different reasons, but there were a few standouts to me.

The 28mm f/1.9 was the first CV lens I bought about 10 years ago (unfortunately I sold it) and I was really impressed with its character and rendering style. When I tried the 28 f/2 updated version I found I didn't care for it as much, but it still had a good look in its own right.

The 21mm f/4 I wanted to love because it was so tiny! I loved the size of it and I could tell it was ultra sharp in the center, but it just didn't play nice on digital (and at the time I didn't have a film M body around).

The 35 f/2.5 (M) was a really enjoyable lens to use when I had my Bessa R2, I really loved how crisp it rendered everything.

The 50 f/1.5 (LTM) was superb! What a beautiful look! Plus the lens itself looked gorgeous to me. I have not yet tried the new version but I'd rather just buy another LTM one personally. I miss this lens.

The 50 f/1.1 was fun to work with and an interesting challenge, but unfortunately I managed to break mine before I really got to know it well.

The 35 f/1.2 II I have now and it's taken me a little while to warm up to it (mostly due to the size) but to be honest now that I'm learning how it works I am quite impressed with the lens. I also like that it adapts nicely to my Sony system as well.

The 21 f/1.8 I haven't had a chance to try but it's on its way to me and I'm quite excited!

Keep it up CV!

 

[Lss]

The 21mm f/4 I wanted to love because it was so tiny! I loved the size of it and I could tell it was ultra sharp in the center, but it just didn't play nice on digital

Not sure which digital body you refer to, but it works well on the crop sensor cameras: M8 and R-D1.

 

[WJJ3]

I once had taken a similar photo with my LTM 4.5/15 and M 4/21, both on digital, Ricoh GXR M with APS-C sensor..of an infamous old movie theatre in downtown Osaka, see:

the 4/21 Skopar:

the 4/15 Heliar:

and noticed that the 21mm handled the electrical lights better

the 100% crops, the Skopar:

and Heliar:

ever since I have been wondering if this is due to 15mm vs. 21mm, or due to the 21mm, being a later M, having better coating as compared to the older LTM 15mm, or..?

The flare around the lights could be caused by internal reflections off the back of the lens body. Check out the research and development done at the little Miyamoto factory that produces mount adapters. You have to mouse over the images to see the effect of the reflection mask.
http://homepage2.nifty.com/rayqual/L_MMA.html

 

[aoresteen]

My 1st CV lens was the original 15mm LTM, then I got the 21mm f/4 LTM, then the 28mm 1.9 LTM. Then the 35mm f/2.5 M pancake.

The 21mm is by far my favorite. Hardly ever leaves my IIIF. Caused me to buy an expensive Leicavit 🙂 !

 

[mike rosenlof]

My favorite is the LTM 75. It fits the way I see very well, and it's a good lens.

 

[seakayaker1]

From a sales standpoint, the M mount Voigtlander lens have proved far more popular than the LTM versions
- that is why the LTM versions were discontinued.

Add to that many M mount lenses far outperform the LTM versions
and were never made in M mount versions ... such as

10/5.6 M - not released yet
12/5.6 M II - not released yet
15/4.5 M III
21/1.8 M
35/1.2 M only - both versions
35/1.7 M - much better than the LTM
40/1.4 M only
50/1.1 M only
50/1.5 M version - improved over LTM
75/1.8 M only

It would seem that we simply have a lot of LTM fans at RFF
which is strongly skewing the voting

I own 3 Voigtlander LTM currently so I may have been one of those that skewed the voting. I would not want to buy the 50/1.5 M version since the I find the LTM version an excellent lens. I had a 75/2.5, sold it moved on to the 75/1.8 then after using it awhile I realized I enjoyed the images as well as the size of the 75/2.5 LTM much better. The 75/1.8 was sold and I picked up a used 75/2.5 and have not been disappointed at all. I picked up the 28/1.9 and have enjoyed the images that it produces and have no plans to replace it.

I purchased the original 75/2.5 I owned, the 75/1.8, 50/1.5 and 28/1.9 all from Cameraquest and have always appreciated your service and fast delivery! The second 75/2.5 I picked up used from a third party a mint copy and the price was mint as well 🙂.

Thanks for your continued support of the website and sales and service at CameraQuest.

 

[Mike-D]

I've had the 15/2.5 in LTM for like 15 years. I shot everything with it for the first couple of years. The super-wide look got old for me after a while so I stopped using it very much. Now I find its a great walk around lens for the crop-sensor Fuji. The combination is so small and light you feel like you aren't carrying anything. The less-wide focal length equivalent to me seems more useful. I'm sure the new M version is better, but for regular pictorial use the original is just fine.

Mike

 

[Erik van Straten]

My favorite is the Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.5 in black on a Leica II, III or IIIc, by far my most used lens. You can carry it with you all the time, it is fast to use and it performs nicely.

Leica II, Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.5, Tmax400.

Erik.

 

[Bingley]

I agree with Erik ^^^. I use the Skopar 50/2.5 a LOT on my IIIc.

On the question of preference and ownership, I've owned and sold the Nokton 50/1.5 (LTM), Ultron 37/1.7 (LTM), 75/2.5, Snapshot Skopar 25/4.0, Skopar 35/2.5 (LTM), Skopar 35/2.5 (M mount), and Ultron 28/2.0. Some of these I sold b/c I didn't get on with the focal length. Others I sold b/c the ergonomics/size bothered me. Others I sold because I was thinning the herd. All of these were nice lenses in their own ways. The two I've kept, still use, and probably will never part with are the Skopar 50 and the Skopar 28/3.5: I love the optics, the small size, and the incredible build quality, and they suit my photographic interests. So, for those reasons, they're my favorites.

One CV lens which I don't own, and haven't used, but am very interested in, might someday acquire, and therefore could become a favorite is the 40/2.0 MC version. I've seen some very impressive work with this lens, and I happen to like the 40 focal length.

 

[ferider]

On the question of preference and ownership, I've owned and sold the Nokton 50/1.5 (LTM), Ultron 37/1.7 (LTM), 75/2.5, Snapshot Skopar 25/4.0, Skopar 35/2.5 (LTM), Skopar 35/2.5 (M mount), and Ultron 28/2.0. Some of these I sold b/c I didn't get on with the focal length. Others I sold b/c the ergonomics/size bothered me. ....

Well, I'm sure glad you sold me your 28/2, Steve. I feel that lens in combination with 75/1.8 or 50/1.1 would get me through anything. All other lenses are "cream on the cake" 🙂

Roland.

 

[rogue_designer]

I really like the little Skopars in 21 and 25 (LTM mount, so I flexibility on which bodies to use). The 25/4 in particular pretty much lives on my XPro1 as a small walk-around 35 equivalent.

The old 35/1.7 ultron was a peach as well.

I just keep hoping for a slightly faster 24/25 that keeps small size a priority.