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Voigtländer Snapshot-Skopar f4 25 mm first shots
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PostPosted: Sat May 18, 2013 8:02 am    Post subject: Voigtländer Snapshot-Skopar f4 25 mm first shots Reply with quote
the Voigtländer Snapshot-Skopar f4 25 mm is a lovely lens Wink







I have not become all that fond of it's snapshot mechanism, or more precisely with the lever to focus which is nice in landscape mode but really difficult to handle in portrait mode, there I miss a 'real' focus ring. Nevertheless I am already liking this lens a lot, here first sample images, first taken on NEX5N, the rest on Ricoh GXR M module, first 4 around Osaka, Japan, last 2 in Saigon, Vietnam













cheers,
Andreas


PostPosted: Sat May 18, 2013 8:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
...and that shows!!


PostPosted: Sat May 18, 2013 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kds315* wrote:
...and that shows!!


thank's for looking and commenting Klaus,
cheers,
andreas


PostPosted: Sat May 18, 2013 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
nice shots with lovely clarity andreas. this is a perfect 'street' lens companion for you gxr. what a nice small quality compact kit!
tony


PostPosted: Sat May 18, 2013 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
rbelyell wrote:
nice shots with lovely clarity andreas. this is a perfect 'street' lens companion for you gxr. what a nice small quality compact kit!
tony

+1 great choice of course!


PostPosted: Sat May 18, 2013 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've never seen a focus mechanism like that before. Results seem very good though.


PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2013 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
rbelyell wrote:
nice shots with lovely clarity andreas. this is a perfect 'street' lens companion for you gxr. what a nice small quality compact kit!
tony


right! Tony I still remember when you first inquired about the GXR here in this forum and I was all of praise for it even though i didn't own it yet and not much later opted to get a NEX5N instead. I don't question my decisions then, but since I have the GXR I hardly have touched the NEX, even though the later has some advantages too. The GXR now mostly as talked about as being a dying, rare species, already obsolete. But well, the 4 year old body imo offers better handling, layout, UI than any small mirrorless I have tried and since the launch of the M module the sensor technology has not advanced all that much. unlike it used to the years before. So in the end, because now I could get it much cheaper than at the time when I got the NEX, I could not resist and got this lovely camera which imo already is a classic and anything but obsolete!
I am still tempted to write a longer 'article' about how I feel the GXR M compares to NEX5N, one doesn't find many of this kind, GXR users quietly enjoy Wink Not sure if it would be of much interest though, in this fast moving world to most users both seem to be outdated already, I obviously don't think so!

I should try to learn from you which are your preferred lenses you use with your GXR. 'Cosmetically' this silver Color Skopar imo even looks better on the NEX5N and I prefer the looks of my black CV 4.5/15 and 2.5/75 on the GXR ( should take some pics of these kits ) anyway it sure makes a great combo on either camera Smile

cheers,
Andreas


PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2013 11:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
rbelyell wrote:
nice shots with lovely clarity andreas. this is a perfect 'street' lens companion for you gxr. what a nice small quality compact kit!
tony

+1 great choice of course!


it is such a lovely lens! the 4.5/15 may even outresolve it, and I realize that the 25mm on APS-C might be even a tad too narrow for my intended use as my 'default street lens', maybe the Color Skopar f4/21mm would have been the better choice for that.
nevertheless already I consider it to be it is one of my best lenses!


PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2013 11:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yebisu wrote:
I've never seen a focus mechanism like that before. Results seem very good though.


I think that a lever on the lens to adjust focus is very common with rangefinder lenses, but I can't say for sure, have very little experience with rangefinder lenses. I have some fixed lens analog rangefinder cameras that have a similar lever to adjust focus. I guess most of them are similar to focus in portrait mode, so me finding that very awkward must be just me not being experienced with it.

The Snapshot mechanism indeed must be rarer, between closest focus distance of 0.7m to infinity it has three 'dented stops', that is rel. subtle 'resistance points' located at 1.2m, 2m and 6m. This snapshot feature, I read, is considered a powerful feature by street or snapshot photographers to get the focus right faster, the deep dof of a 25mm @ f4 and smaller apertures usually doesn't require more precise focusing than the 5 ( incl min. focus and infinity focus ) 'presets'.
I am not yet decided if I find this feature to be of advantage when focusing with the aid of enlarged view on a mirrorless as I do.

cheers, andreas


PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2013 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
yes andreas, the lever is part of the 'snapshot' theory. this is not a rf coupled lens, so with film, is intended to be shot 'scale focus'. in order to do this quickly you use the big lever to get to one of the three distance ranges, made if i remember correctly, for use at f8.

as for lenses, i havent used so so many, but i personally was disappointed in the cv15, maybe i had a bad copy, but i couldnt get the kind of clarity i wanted from it. the cv 75/2.5 is awesome, as i'm aure youve noted. the leica elmar-c 90/4 is also tremendous and very compact. my all around favorite is the tiny nikkor-w 35/2.5. the gxr really brings out its charachter, and it has stunning clarity. it also has for me the perfect contrast for b&w, though i also love its color performance. i usually shoot the gxr in the multiple jpeg mode that gets me both a color and b&w jpeg (i shut off the 'sepia' option). i found i get nothing extra from shooting raw.
tony


PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2013 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
rbelyell wrote:
yes andreas, the lever is part of the 'snapshot' theory. this is not a rf coupled lens, so with film, is intended to be shot 'scale focus'. in order to do this quickly you use the big lever to get to one of the three distance ranges, made if i remember correctly, for use at f8.

as for lenses, i havent used so so many, but i personally was disappointed in the cv15, maybe i had a bad copy, but i couldnt get the kind of clarity i wanted from it. the cv 75/2.5 is awesome, as i'm aure youve noted. the leica elmar-c 90/4 is also tremendous and very compact. my all around favorite is the tiny nikkor-w 35/2.5. the gxr really brings out its charachter, and it has stunning clarity. it also has for me the perfect contrast for b&w, though i also love its color performance. i usually shoot the gxr in the multiple jpeg mode that gets me both a color and b&w jpeg (i shut off the 'sepia' option). i found i get nothing extra from shooting raw.
tony


thank's for your answers Tony.

oh, i did not think that the Snapshot idea had any relation with aperture used, f8 as you say makes sense though to make sure that any distance near to one of the 'preset snapshot' distances will be sharp.

I guess I should look for an 90mm Elmar before prices go up even more..
the CV 2.5/75, wow, you noticed that i got one. Can't say all that much yet though, must use it more first. It feels great on the GXR, that's for sure!
oh, Nikkor-W sounds sweet Smile 35mm seems to be the focal length to look for if one wanted an old RF wide lens, but I hardly ever have been using any lens between 25mm and 40mm for quite a while now.
These Leica and even Japanese RF lenses cost dearly..but I guess once started there is no return Wink Actually I did get a Canon LTM 1.8/50. An inner element has minor coating damage, still I like first results very much!
Guess better I get some not expensive Russians in LTM first, maybe another J-8. So far, besides my 3 CVs, my other rangefinder lenses have Contax RF mount but I did not like the focusing via adapter much and have not used them all that much, and I'd love to use them on the GXR too.

thank's a lot for the hint of the jpeg on the GXR!! So far I have been using RAWs, now I will check out jpegs. I had not been aware of the double jpeg mode, sounds sweet

best greetings, andreas


PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2013 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
yes' its called 'CL Bracket' and its like the third or fourth entry on the vey first menu. you also separately set CL Bracket to either include or not include sepia; so it can be 2 shots (color and b&w) or three including sepia.

as for lens expense, really you just have to look around for good deals. ive adopted a little different POV on this over the last few years. ive gone from having many lenses of medium to very good to just a very few but all very good. i try to have no more than 2, and really mostly 1, at the main FLs. and i find i rather enjoy a more limited choice because it makes me feel better about spending more money on a really good lens knowing i will be forced to use it more often. then my choice is more what FL i want to shoot rather than which of 20+ lenses i want to use.

ps, between the J8 and the nikkor, no contest! save some $ and get the nikkor, you,ll never regret it! when i push myself to the wall and can only keep 1 or 2 lenses, i know i'll keep the nikkor and then probably the cv 75/2.5 out of all the lenses ive owned.


PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2013 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
rbelyell wrote:
yes' its called 'CL Bracket' and its like the third or fourth entry on the vey first menu. you also separately set CL Bracket to either include or not include sepia; so it can be 2 shots (color and b&w) or three including sepia.


yep, found it. thank's again Smile

rbelyell wrote:

as for lens expense, really you just have to look around for good deals. ive adopted a little different POV on this over the last few years. ive gone from having many lenses of medium to very good to just a very few but all very good.


that, in the long run, is my aim too, but I am not there yet Wink

rbelyell wrote:

i try to have no more than 2, and really mostly 1, at the main FLs. and i find i rather enjoy a more limited choice because it makes me feel better about spending more money on a really good lens knowing i will be forced to use it more often. then my choice is more what FL i want to shoot rather than which of 20+ lenses i want to use.


I am sure that, even though I aim at a set of very good lenses that don't overlap, I also will keep quite a few that do, specially 'normal' lenses. As it looks I am very happy with 'modern', sharp, well coated lenses for wide angles, the CV 4.5/15 and 4/25 and I don't miss them being faster, but will always want to have quite a number of normal, incl. fast lenses to play with an ever fascinating play of differing characteristics

rbelyell wrote:

ps, between the J8 and the nikkor, no contest! save some $ and get the nikkor, you,ll never regret it! when i push myself to the wall and can only keep 1 or 2 lenses, i know i'll keep the nikkor and then probably the cv 75/2.5 out of all the lenses ive owned.


I believe you! After your recommendation I did check out availability and price of the Nikkor but really I have not been using 35mm lenses at all for a long time and therefore I don't seriously consider getting one, at least not now.
Though I must admit that am a bit inconsistent here, I just bought a broken Minox and plan to adapt it's f2.8/35 Minotar to Leica M, and have been bidding on a Jupiter 12 too Wink
As it is I have many more lenses than I can use, but I am sure that I will get a few more rangefinder lenses, mostly normal lenses and maybe a 35mm in the long run and shall remember your recommendation of the Nikkor-W

btw. talking GXR, just received the P10 module today: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic,p,1318483.html#1318483

best regards and greetings, andreas


PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2013 5:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
good luck with the P10. i have it as well. amazingly compact.
tony


PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2013 5:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
rbelyell wrote:
good luck with the P10. i have it as well. amazingly compact.
tony


minimum focus distance of the P10, in macro mode: 1cm Smile
my first digital camera was a compact Ricoh Caplio R3 which has the same amazing macro ability, a real specialty of Ricoh compacts Smile


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 2:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
For the last 1+ year, the 4/25 Snapshot Skopar has been my most used lens.
I took a lot of B&W film photos with it on my Zeiss Ikon, and I've been always pleased.
You don't really need rangefinder coupling with a 25mm lens at f/8, which is where
this lens really is meant to be used. Guesstimate is more than enough.
Faster apertures (f/4 or f/5.6) are there for difficult light situations, but this is the
kind of lens that really you want to use all the time at f/8 and boost ISO when needed.

I grew so fond of this little lens that even now that I have the 2.8/25 Biogon, I am
reluctant to let it go Sad


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 3:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio thank you for bringing back the topic to the Snapshot Skopar.
good to know that you are very pleased with yours!

I have not been thinking that I should use it @f8 'all the time', deliberately used it wider for the pic of the flowering bush in the left foreground creating a contrast to the softness of the red torii gate in the background, also liked it's 'bokeh', that on digital APS-C, of the last pic with the smiling man taken wide open.


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 8:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
kuuan wrote:

I have not been thinking that I should use it @f8 'all the time', deliberately used it wider


Well, on Nex it becomes a "regular" lens, in that you can focus it, so it's normal that you use it at all apertures - on rangefinder,
it's not coupled, this and the name it was given (snapshot) are indications that it was planned for hyperfocal use Smile
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