Voigtlander Ultron 28mm/F1.9 Aspherical in M39/LTM

[tb_a]

As usual only boring pictures just to show some capabilities of this lens.
As many of you already know, the pictures taken with LTM lenses are always out of my Ricoh GXR-M 12MP/APS-C camera.
All pictures shot RAW and converted with minor adjustments in LR. However, no sharpening at all.
Resized for presentation with some crops for pixel peeping.

Overview infinity F5.6 followed by 100% crops center/right corner/left corner:





Some few meters distance at F4 followed by a 100% crop of the upper center:



Fully open for bokeh testing:


Only apprx. 1 m distance F5.6 (the wine is looking promising this year):



Infinity F4:



My final judgement is that this lens is certainly usable and doesn't show any major defects.
For the time being I am not able to tell how it compares to my 5 or 6 (not sure yet) other lenses in 28 mm.
The crop factor of my Ricoh turns it rather in a "universal" lens in 42 mm FOV equivalence (based on FF).
It's the predecessor of the presently available Ultron 28/2 in Leica M mount and was introduced in 2000.
Details of the lens can be found here:
https://www.cameraquest.com/voigtlen.htm (you have to scroll down to find it).

Cheers,

[tb_a]

Some more examples:


#1


#2


#3

[kds315*]

Looks like a pretty good lens to me Bernard!!

[tb_a]

[tb_a]

With 5 mm extension tube at F1.9:

#1


#2


#3


Without tube at different apertures:

#1


#2


#3


#4


Comments (as always) welcome....

[tb_a]

Today I made some test shots with my A7R II (42MP/FF) and I'm happy to share them with you......

Lens used with my Techart PRO AF adapter. Pictures are clickable for best quality viewing.

Wide open at F1.9:









Stopped down to F5.6:



Stopped down to F8:



For perfect landscapes, i.e. top sharpness from edge to edge the lens has to be stopped down considerably. Most probably more caused by the Sony sensor than by the lens.

[Gatorengineer64]

Would be interesting to see some 100 percent crops at F8 of center and edge. Hard to tell from the photos but it looks really soft even there..... While not nearly as experienced as most on the forum, I have tried a variety of RF lenses (probably 20) and have yet to find one that gives a sharp edge to edge on a Sony A7r2.....

[tb_a]

[Gatorengineer64]

Thank you very much for sharing. At one time, I was a lens collector, but unfortunately i have been needing to pare down the collection, and at the same time upgrade some areas of weakness. Right now my 2 28s are a Kiron 28 F2, which is very sharp at F8, and an SL26 Tessar, that I am still chasing a light leak in the 3d printed adapter.....

Best

[calvin83]

[tb_a]

[calvin83]

This is just my opinion based on my experience. Out of the three 28/2.0(Nikon, Kiron, and Komine close focus) I have tried, they can't match the sharpness of FE 28. Unlike other latest fast wide angles, I found the bokeh of FE 28 perform more closer to the manual lenses made in the old days.

Which one or more to have is the sole decision of the photographer. I am not making any conclusion.

[Gatorengineer64]

My frame of reference is a teen, I worked long and hard to save up for a 35MM camera, when I got one, Developing film was still expensive for me, so I took every shot with care and thought about it before I depressed the shutter.

If I were a professional photographer, or a person who only cared about the output image, then I think I would likely go all Modern Sony / Zeiss, as budget allowed. However, a lot of my interest is in the act of taking a photo (I still want good results), but I like to enjoy the equipment and have that feeling of focus, and aperture control. After reading the prior posts on the sony 28, I did a little review reading and read the review on Optical Limits of this lens and while good its not spectacular from a technical standpoint. Its still probably a lot better than my Kiron, but is a plasticky ultralight focus by wire no aperture control lens...

For me the Pinnacle of optical / Mechanical performance were the Contax lenses and later ZE/ZF/ZK Zeiss lenses.... Many seem to agree with my view as a contax 28 F2, now fetches close to New top of the line zeiss Money.

[philslizzy]

I've just got one of these. I was looking for a decent 28mm for my Leicas. I have the Orion 15 which is great at f8 but the max aperture is f6 and not very useful with medium speed film on a dull day. I've had my eye on a canon 28mm f2.8 but it was a little rich for me and had to come from Japan. I read bad and good about L@@K MINT EXC+++ items with fungus so I avoid Japan. Anyway this chap turns up, a stop faster than f2.8 so I pressed the button.

I've done a couple of shots in the garden comparing it against the Orion and its so much better. Bigger and heavier but 3.5 stops faster. It vignettes noticeably as you stop down but that's not a great problem.

My only criticism is the focusing ring is difficult for me to locate as its not easy to feel. I have numb fingers. A rubber band round the ring will do the job.

[caspert79]

Images have this typical Voigtländer clarity, very nice.

[kathala]

Thank you for those samples, Thomas! They definitely cured me of any intent I had of wanting this lens. Especially at its present (collector) price. Not an outright "bad" lens, but at its size and age, it better be. And certainly not worth 4oo+€ imho. But of course, that is just an opinion.