BEST BUDGET 35mm LEICA M LENS? | Voigtländer Color Skopar F2.5 vs. Nokton F1.4

[@ArminHirmer]

I would choose the Nokton but SC :)

[@ankerwiedemann]

Probably one of the most meaningful and best practical reviews. It gave me exactly what I was looking for to make up my mind and get a clearer picture of the different 35 mm M-lenses and their characteristics. I bought the Nokton F1.4 MC after watching this - convinced it was for me. Thanks Karin, you convey this way too complex stuff brilliantly! 🙏😎

[@neppybynature]

I'm taking the Color Skopar, all day.

[@KarinMajoka]

It's an awesome lens, I loved mine! For which reasons did you decide to go for the Skopar? :)

[@neppybynature]

@@KarinMajoka I had a 35mm F2.5 Color Skopar for my Nikon S3 that I really enjoyed! I think images from both lens look good, but I like the Color Skopar a little more - I feel like it's a bit punchier and suits my style. I like the smaller profile of the lens as well.

[@Bbarm97]

i just ordered the skopar and i think that was the right decision for me. Great video. I was confused by your friend being called Elmar honestly :D I was like what elmar this is supposed to be nokton vs skopar

[@mykclk]

The Nokturn, I ordered one before watching the video! Thanks for a good show that confirms my choice.

[@paulhenry7678]

Enjoyed this one immensely. I have the 35mm Nokton 1.4 and a 35mm 2.5 Summarit. I recently picked up the Summarit in used condition at roughly twice the new price of thre Nokton. Perhaps I'm guilty of wanting the Leica badge on my camera. I confess I expected you to go with the Color Skopar lens. I have been happy with the Nokton. This was a lot of fun and you have have motivated me to get off my butt and do a head to head test of my 35's Cheers!

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment! Interesting - why did you expect me to go for the Color Skopar? :) And yes, if you don't have a strong gut feeling for either lens, a head to head test can make sense! Good luck with your decision ☺️

[@paulhenry7678]

@@KarinMajoka I had a difficult time deciding whether to get the Color Skopar or the Nokton. I assumed the worst and expected you to pick the Color Skopar and reinforce the doubts about my decision. I overthink everything! (Just ask my wife.)🙄

[@marcmcvey6618]

Wonderful presentation and I really like your concentration on the “look” style of the results and see what fits your individual style / look

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it! :) I think being critical and testing out gear extensively can be helpful - but in the end it’s still subjective and always a matter of personal preference.

[@quentinbaudry4535]

Nice vid once again ! I find 35mm to be a weird focal length to use and I can't make it work for some reason but you both use it in a very natural way ! Quick tip from an audio pro : you should try and use a de-esser on your voice because "s" tends to whistle a lot in your mic, it can become pretty unconfortable when using earplugs in particular, this is a very recurrent issue in digital audio, and the cause is most likely your mic not your voice. I don't know what editing software you use for your videos but most of them have stock plugins that work just fine !

[@rexgigout1472]

“Liked!” This is a useful presentation. I have the Color Skopar II, which I bought, pre-owned, a few years ago, but then somehow managed to almost immediately misplace the tiny thing, until I found it this year while spring cleaning. I recently met a fellow DPR forum member at a coffee shop, so that he could borrow my M10, to see if his eyes could still focus with the rangefinder, and I got to try his Nokton 35mm f/1,4 II MC, which he had been using on a digital CL. I had not yet found my Skopar, at the time of that meeting, so, could not test them side-by-side, but I was certainly impressed by the Nokton images. I think that I could make a case for having both, with the Skopar’s lesser distortion, for occasions with more buildings and other vertical/horizontal lines than people within the frame. Plus, I paid so very little for the pre-owned Skopar, and it does not eat much. 😉

[@hansvons1491]

Great channel, Karin!! I re-purchased the Nokton, but this time as the single-coated version because it gives a run for its money. I also own the Skopar. And I own a Summicron ASPH. The Nokton is a double-gauss design, the same as the classic Summicrons (not the ASPH and not the Skopar). That's why it renders pretty flat for a 35mm lens, flatter than the Skopar but similar to the Summicrons (also the ASPH). Faces look less distorted, closer to what one would typically expect from a 50mm. Perhaps that's why you like it more. In a way, it's the poor man's Steel Rim Summicron with very similar quirks. Great lens. Kudos to Voigtländer for making such a lens accessible to a broader public!!

[@MulliganAl]

Great review, thanks. I just ordered a Leica m11P and received this lens before getting the camera and was not sure I was going to keep it until you mentioned that it's not as clinical looking which is nice for street photography and is exactly what I'm looking for. I was looking for a good walk around lens with more personality so this may work well at a reasonable price, and the build quality is excellent.

[@mattm7899]

I personally prefer the ultron f/2 ii, mostly for size and feel. I haven’t used the Nokton, but have lots of experience with the Skopar.

[@baladino]

Hi Karin. Thank you for this video. The intro was outstanding. My preference was the Colour Skopar. I agree that the final choice is often personal. It would have been interesting to see both this lenses being used for B&W film. photography and how the image differs.I felt your images were well composed though Elmar gave stiff competition. His images had a certain warmth and increased contrast. The colour skopar depicted more realistic colours with better detail and sharpness I felt. The colour skopar size certainly pairs well with your M6. Using an almost similar lens in terms of size; the Zeiss 35mm F2.8 Biogon ,the smaller size certainly stays out of the way when composing using the viewfinder. In daylight, not having an aperture of F2 isn’t often missed by me but when going indoors the F2 is sorely missed. I think the Asph Summicron 35mm F2 is possibly the best lens. Thank you for this wonderful video and for inviting Elmar as a guest. I will buy you some coffees soon. Thank you.

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks so much for your comment! :) The decision was certainly not an easy one. Sometimes I am still debating if it was right to keep the Nokton over the Color Skopar - but I guess generally the differences are so minor (especially when shooting film) that it's hard to say. But I sometimes missed a brighter aperture when shooting the Color Skopar, so I hope that the Nokton will be the better "allrounder"-lens. But yes, it would be interesting to see a Summicron in comparison to that, I guess in the long term this would be the best option.

[@lexusuk7901]

Thanks for this video. Purchased the f1.4 for a good price. Will run a roll of film through it and see how it plays out.

[@krolldavid]

Did you mention somewhere if it is the MC or SC version of the Nokton?

[@KarinMajoka]

Yes, I mention it in the video. I use the MC version.

[@RBRowe7]

I just stumbled on this excellent comparison two years late-- very helpful and entertaining. As a mirrorless Nikon Zf shooter, I would probably be leaning towards the Color Skopar 2.8 or the Ultron II. II'd be curious to hear what 35mm, and maybe also 28mm, lenses you've settled on now? I like your photographic eye on the street and engaging, clever presenting style. Incidentally, Anther comparison review I'd appreciate your doing would be the best low-profile backpacks and/or sling bags for your EDC photo walks. I really liked the low-profile black backpack (with blue zipper pulls) your male friend was using in this video--not too massive or boxy with ample front pockets. Is it possible to tell the model and name of that bag, after two years? Subscribed!

[@brandonsaulphoto]

This is arguably the best breakdown I’ve seen of these two lenses. Really practical and straight forward. I opted for the nokton for my first 35mm for my M2 and I haven’t looked back. It has been a very steady lens for me and I’ve used it more than I expected since I’m usually a 50mm guy. Great video!

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it a lot! Glad to hear you are also happy with your Nokton. Which version did you go for, the MC or SC version? :)

[@brandonsaulphoto]

@@KarinMajoka I went with the SC! Mostly because I knew someone in my area who was selling one haha

[@KarinMajoka]

That’s great though! The ones sold used in my area were just as expensive as a new copy from the shop. But otherwise I also prefer to buy lenses used sometimes

[@Nice-music585]

Nokton is the clear winner for me too. Excellent video. Please though, denoise your videos. It was difficult to watch but the good content kept me going. Kudos!

[@jz8638]

If one doesn‘t mind its 2.8 aperture I‘d highly recommend the Zeiss 35mm 2.8 C Biogon. That lens is a stunner!

[@KarinMajoka]

I heard a lot of good things about this lens. Thank you! :)

[@ReimannPembroke]

Great comparison! Seeing as how I don’t use super wide open apertures very much when shooting film, I would definitely save the money and go with the Color Skopar. I really want the LTM version for my canon p

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, Reimann! I totally see your point - when I use the Nokton I rarely find myself using the fast apertures. But every time I used the Skopar I would have needed that extra stops of light. So I am not sure which one I really "need" yet haha.

[@pdk]

Way back when I had one voigtlander 35mm/1.7 LTM. I loved that lens. it's very different than these newer lenses, but i loved the look, and the concave front element was super trippy. I don't have any film cameras anymore. If you can find one of those and compare to these "modern" voigtlanders, that would be very nifty video.

[@KarinMajoka]

I just googled it: looks really interesting indeed! Is it coupled with the viewfinder when using it on a Leica M body?

[@pdk]

@@KarinMajoka frame line coupling depends on the LTM-M mount adapter. So, yes, you can set up to bring up 35mm framelines. Or you could have it be very confusing. 😃

[@xander1052]

Personally preferred the Color Skopar in terms of image feel and it felt a tad sharper... though the difference was negligable overall to me.

[@cvandebroek]

I own the Nokton 1.4 SC and used it extensively for a couple of months. It renders significantly warmer meeting color film renderings a lot better. For digital I'd go the MC version but as we're film shooters 😎 Found a great deal on the Summilux recently and could not resist. It's the pre-asph version and the quality is from another planet vs. the Nokton. Kind of expected though given the price difference. I'd recommend the Nokton SC at any time though. It's a wonderful lens and is budget friendly.

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment! I would love to get my hands on an SC for a couple of days to do a proper comparison between both. Back when I got mine there was not a lot of information on the differences between both. The employee in the camera store told me that the SC is considered better for black and white photography while the MC is considered better for color. And since I shoot more color film at the moment I went for the MC. But a more in depth comparison between both would be insightful! :)

[@RyanBounedara]

I've been debating on what 35mm lens to get for my Leica all week; perfect timing!

[@KarinMajoka]

Awesome! Interested to hear which lens you decided to go for in the end :)

[@antonpaisov]

Thank you, Karin! Great video and so ideally timed for me, as I was about to order the Nokton and now won't rush it and maybe will get a 50mm first. I got the Skopar together with my M2 and was ever since impressed by how well it renders the image when paired with film. At the same time, I heard so much praise for the Nokton and thought it would be dramatically different in rendering. Another reason was the speed, as I fill limited in low light situations with Skopar. I actually would be just fine with the first part of the video, I guessed which one was the Skopar from the first moment, and what really surprised me was that images from Nokton looked blurrier to me the whole video, not sure why, maybe Skopar has higher contrast. Also very curious about who the two would perform with the black and white lower iso film. I understand that for your comparison the idea was to use it in the setting you prefer, at the same time I think I'm not a big fan of this particular color film :) So my main conclusion is that if I will switch to another 35mm lens, it might be a different one, or I might just get a fast 50mm lens and keep the Skopar. Thanks again!

[@MarcVolovic]

Thank you very much for this review - it was extremely helpful and informative. I was leaning towards the Color Skopar, but having watched this video, I think I will change my decision, in favour of the Nokton.

[@JamieMPhoto]

Great overview of these lenses! And I think you made a sound choice for your style. Back in my M4-P days, I had a Zeiss Biogon 35 f/2 ZM lens that was spectacular. I need to dig out and rescan those negatives at some point soon, especially since they're pre-Negative Lab Pro.

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, Jamie! :) I have heard so so many good things about the Biogon that I feel like I should try it out for myself one day! I think what held me back so far is the slightly bigger form factor of the lens.

[@JamieMPhoto]

@@KarinMajoka I could see that. I would say it's mostly a bit longer but still surprisingly compact. I do like the ease of focusing with it, too. I used it on a Sony A7 for a while before it joined my Leica, too.

[@garysmith7545]

Hi Karin, thanks for this. I recently purchased an M3. I already have a Barnack iiic. I suspect that both of the lenses reviewed are CS Voigtländer lenses? I'm considering getting a Voigtländer 35/2.5 with the LTM so I can use it on either (with an adapter on the M3).

[@aeyb701]

How old was your kodacolor 400? Seems to have held up well.

[@zettepix2009]

In the studio, the Nokton was a clear winer, but in the street, I would say the skopar looked sharper and contrastier. Maybe the skopar looses contrast when shot against light?. Also, the Sony thick stack, by what I have seen in other tests of any Leica mount lens worsens the quality at the edges. I have the Nokton and I am happy but whenever I see a picture on the net and I say wow, it is s Skopar. So I decided to get one second hand and will soon be able to produce a better opinion.

[@62smarty]

Hallo Karin! Danke für deinen Beitrag. In der Zwischenzeit ist das Nokton 35/1.4 meine Standard Linse. Ob an der SL601, der M240, M2, M6 oder der M9. Nachtaufnahmen mit der SL601 werden super. Für meine M8.2 hab ich einen UV/IR Filter kommen lassen. Noch keine Tests gemacht. Ich liebe den Look Wide Open. Super scharf in der Mitte und Randunschärfe. Wie du ja weisst, habe ich auch diverse Leica Linsen.... Grüsse, Gerhard

[@KarinMajoka]

Vielen Dank für deinen Kommentar - das ist auf jeden Fall eine breitere Auswahl an Bodies, an denen du das Objektiv testen konntest. Deshalb klasse zu hören, dass es auf allen Kameras eine gute Figur macht! :)

[@Mulokaj]

Dear Karin, im a big fan of the Zeiss ZM lenses. Did you ever tryed them? I bought the 35/2 Biogon for 550€ and the 35/2.8 is even cheaper. They have extraordinary build and picture quality with great micro contrast which has a beautiful cinematic look out of camera.

[@KarinMajoka]

I have heard so many good things about the Zeiss lenses - the F2.0 is a bit too big for my taste but other than that I hope I get the chance to try one one day. Thanks for your comment :)

[@albertmeyer8983]

Very well made video! I tried the 7 artisans 35 mm 2.0. For the money very well made. The Voigtländer Nokton is different league though… Thanks for the informative video! Keep up the good work!

[@KarinMajoka]

I have not tried a 7artisans lens myself yet, but I have heard surprisingly good things about this lens as well. Thank for sharing :)

[@hangmann89]

In the past I be been using both color skopar and the nokton. Color skopar was amazing lens. Really liked the images I got from it, but I decided to upgrade to nokton. Nokton was superb wide open. It proven irreplaceable indoors where every stop of light on film counts. But it had a fatal flaw: focus shift, which caused back- focus when stopped down. I just could not deal with it at f2. So off it went. All in all, looking back in time I regret selling both of these lenses. Maybe I’ll try Nokton v2 which supposedly has the focus shift issue fixed?

[@estefanycariatide616]

New favorite YT channel

[@photographicamateur]

I love your practical approach - having been led and influenced by an unhealthy diet of reading photographic magazines which focused on seemingly esoteric discussions which test graph gave better technical results ( test targets etc) it took a long time to ignore all that and just enjoy taking photographs. I would interested to learn how you digitized the negatives from your test shoot ?

[@KarinMajoka]

In the end technical specs about which lens performs better do not count if you simply don't like the look of it. I feel like those choices should more emotional than technical, because taste is not technical either. In this case I send my film to a lab and let it develop there (Fuji Frontier scanner).

[@suivezlemir]

Nice video again ! QQ, were you sharpening much in post ? Pics from both lenses looked razor sharp

[@KarinMajoka]

Absolutely no sharpening in post! Thanks for your comment :)

[@chu0nthat]

Great breakdown of the two lenses. Tough choice, but I’m drawn to the color-skopar look a bit more

[@carlosmcse]

They say the Skopar’s aperture is way too loose and easy to knock. Did you find the same?

[@stephenlumsden280]

Thx, looking for a 35mm option a bit better than my j-12 on my contax ii and the skopar comes in the contax mount. I already have the 25mm and this skopar compares well to the nokton, despite being a bit slower.

[@d.idowuolutosin4250]

Karin, I own the Color Skopar 35mm f2.5 and the NOKTON 40mm f1.4 SC. I use both lenses on my Fujifilm X-Pro3 and love the both for different reasons. I use the Color Skopar for colour photography and the NOKTON for black and white utilising a few film simulations on the X-Pro3. But interestingly enough, I prefer the 7Artisans 35mm f1.2 MkII over the Color Skopar in general. So I have two 35mm lenses in my X-Pro3 kit.

[@KarinMajoka]

That is really interesting, thanks for the insight! I have heard mixed things about 7Artisans lenses, so I am glad to hear you love yours. :)

[@d.idowuolutosin4250]

@@KarinMajoka I'd say 7Artisans M mount lenses are certainly a mixed bag but the X mount 35mm f1.2 MkII is their best one to date. The 35mm f1.4 Mount lens is no Leica but it's a great lens for the price based on the old Sonar design.

[@KarinMajoka]

Good to know, thanks! :) It‘s proabably easier to make lenses for cameras with smaller sensors, which would explain why their lenses are better for something like Fuji cameras

[@Specializedfabu]

Respekt wie du ihr einfach die Leute fotografiert,ich hätte sorge gleich angeblufft zu werden.

[@dl6urk88]

Toller Test! Kleiner Widerspruch bei 11:33. Weil die Schärfeebene deutlich weiter vorn liegt, sollte man hier nicht die Schärfe vergleichen. Was man vergleichen kann, ist das Bokeh. Typisch für ein lichtstarkes Objektiv ist die größere "Weichheit" in der Unschärfe auch bei gleicher Blende. Bewerten kann man das nur individuell, weil es Geschmackssache ist ;)

[@KarinMajoka]

Danke für deinen Kommentar und deine Anmerkung, das war mir so tatsächlich nicht bewusste, gut zu wissen! :) Ich dachte immer, dass das Bokeh der Unschärfebereich von Lichtquellen ist und wusste nicht, dass es sich generell auf den offenblendigen Unschärfebereich bezieht? Ich denke, dass nahezu alles in so einem Vergleich Geschmackssache ist, da ja auch die beste Abbildungsqualität nicht unbedingt jedermanns Geschmack sein muss :)

[@israelaparicio3263]

This is a nice video! The way it’s made is good for clarity.

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks a lot for your comment! :)

[@saltyroe3179]

I can be a snob on this one since along with an M3 my dad got a sumicron 50mm and Leica 35mm. In the 70s I got a Leica 35mm with goggles. The only non Leica lens that my dad got was a Schnieder 135mm which was for his IIIf. He added the adapter ring to mount to M3 and it is OK on bright days but not great for hand held on dim days. Since I consider my dad's M3 a museum piece the 50mm Sumicron ended up on my son's digital camera since the 1950s lens lens is better optically than most lenses made today. I got it cleaned and adjusted for my son's use and that cost more than the list price of the body in the 1950s.

[@1946gsp]

I bought the Nokton today for the same reasons you preferred it. 😃

[@KarinMajoka]

I will be selling mine again - but it’s an awesome lens!

[@JPWineberg]

Great breakdown, decided on the Nokton! Found a mint used one on Camera Quest and save $180 U.S.

[@Flying4Film]

I have both of these lenses, but I bought the version 1 of the Color Skopar because I preferred the focusing knob over the focusing tab and I preferred the aperture ring of the version 1. I’m seriously considering selling both of them and going with the Ultron II. That being said, I have enjoyed my time with both of these lenses.

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment! :) If I were you I would test the Ultron out before buying it. I loved how it sounded on paper and it is supposed to be incredibly sharp. But the lack of a proper distance scale and the closer minimum focusing distance sadly ruined the experience with this lens for me.

[@Flying4Film]

@@KarinMajoka thanks for the information. I very rarely if ever use the distance scale on my lenses for the type of photography I do. The minimum focusing distance doesn’t bother me since both of my Voigtlander 35mm and my 50mm focus closer than the rangefinder on my M2. It’s something I’ve learned to live with. Great video, by the way.

[@JeffWernerIthacaNY]

Interesting, before the reveal I thought that the lens you used (Skopar) had more "pop" (what does that mean?) and character! But on the other hand, is it correct (?) I feel like I noticed the Nokton's out-of-focus areas have less contrast and its in-focus areas more contrast in an interesting and engaging way? That's a quality I love about the old Sonnar lens I almost always have on my camera.

[@chromagraphphotoart]

I had the Color sloper way back in a L39 mount and it was a delightful lens that also worked well on an Olympus M4/3 Camera

[@erichartke4331]

Interesting findings. Not a M mount lens, but my Canon 35mm f1.8 ltm lives on my M2! Love that lens!

[@KarinMajoka]

It's always awesome when finding a combo that works well for oneself! :)

[@cameraprepper7938]

Those two Voigtländer are maybe budget prices, but I only want the best optical performance, so I have the Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 35mm 2.0 Aspherical which I think are worth all the money and I can very highly recommend it !

[@michelefranciotta]

Thank you for this amazing and practical review! I agree with you on the choice, at the end of the day if it inspires you with its look it is really all you need. I'm shooting a ton of film recently and I get a ton of inspiration from you channel, keep crushing!

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it a lot! It’s really easy to be technical and pixel peep - but I think sometimes it’s easier to trust your guts and go with what you like. :)

The one lens I kind of regret selling is the Nokton 1.4. I sold it to get an M2 with a DR-Summicron 50, so I’m not complaining too loud, but still. Sometimes I miss the Nokton.

[@KarinMajoka]

Actually, after selling the Color Skopar I really miss it. So I totally feel you! Luckily the Nokton is still somewhat affordable, so there is chance for a reunion for your two. ;)

[@camera.mellow]

I prefer the images from the Skopar f2.5. It just looks clearer and less hazy to me.

[@Bunnyisms]

I love the 35mm and have a bunch of them for some reason. I have started using the vignette to help frame my photos, so now I don't mind the vignetting as much as I used to, especially on my wide angle lenses I think the short focus distance on the Ultron is probably for people who like to adapt them to mirrorless camera bodies or use live view. Some of the vintage Nikon 5cm rangefinder lenses also did that, but they have this bump when you go from 1 meter to the minimum focus distance to remind you that you're not rangefinder coupled anymore. If you are getting it to use with rangefinders, it's a little bit of a pain when you're not used to it It's funny when you decided to stay with the Nokton because when I was looking at the photos I felt that it was definitely more your style! I'm glad they make many different options to choose from for everyone

[@KarinMajoka]

That is really interesting, I started to embrace some vignetting in my images as well! But it depends, when the vignette is evenly spread out it can be a nice and subtle look, but I hate when lenses that have a strong vignette purely in the corners of an images. I think that happens on the Nokton when being shot at F1.4, which is why I like to start using it from F2.0. And that is very true, I also thought that the Ultron would be more suitable for digital shooters that can make use of the 0.58m closest focusing distance.

[@akirsch76]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think the colors on the Nokon are a bit more on the warmer side, which I like. BUT there is one thing in your comparison that you need to know. Some lenses perform much worse on digital cameras than on film cameras. I have a tiny Color Skopar 21mm F4, a solid performer on film. With a digital Leica, I get a lot of vignetting and crazy color shifts in the corners. These effects are caused by the angle of attack in which the light beams hit the sensor. For a film, this is irrelevant as long as light hits the film. But for digital cameras, this is a huge problem. So keep that in mind if you compare lenses with digital cameras.

[@KarinMajoka]

Very very good point, that is true - thanks for noting that! :) I hope that there is still some useful information in this video for both, digital and film photographers. Some people might use these lenses on their digital Leica M bodies and I also know that many people adapt Voigtländer glass on their mirrorless digital cameras such as Sonys.

[@BillSmith1]

I have the 35 Color Skopar in Leica Screw Mount and its a very sharp lens. I've used it both on my Canon P, 7 and with an M mount adapter on my Leica M4-2. I was on the fence with the 35 F1.4 Nokton but chose a different path instead going with a vintage later 1950s Canon LTM 35 F1.8 lens which is a gem.

[@KarinMajoka]

That sounds like a really nice setup - thanks for sharing! Maybe I should do more research on Leica screw mount lenses 🤔

[@raksh9]

You might need only one 35mm lens, but having more than one means having extra versatility. The Nokton allows extra shallow DoF when you want it, and has a soft glow wide open. The Skopar is more compact, fun to use, and great for reasonable light.

[@TheBigNegative-PhotoChannel]

call: 112-ELMAR for 24/7 Leica support. :D I think the only really important aspect is whether you can use F1.4 in an emergency or not. Voigtländers makes some of the best M-mount lenses either way. Like the shot at 4:33 with the funny dog.😆 The vintage roll card in your office is pretty cool.

[@KarinMajoka]

I agree, Voigtländer makes really great glass and either choice is a good one! The dog's name is Manfred and I loved that haha. Thanks :)

[@haimtoeg]

I have the Nokton MC II on my M2 and really like the look. If you are looking for other budget friendly lenses for Leica try out the Canon 50mm 1:1.4, it is M39 thread so needs an adapter ring and has a weird 48mm filter thread, but it is fabulous.

[@poniatowski3547]

Love my color skopar on my M3. great review, I agonised over nokton or skopar at the time purchase but happy with my choice.

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment! Glad you feel like you made the right choice! I also loved my Skopar :)

[@AbdonPhirathon]

Excellent comparison! I used to have the Color Skopar and I really enjoyed its look. Using it with Fuji cameras was a perfect match for the look I was going for. Also, it looked pretty cool when paired with my X-Pro1.

[@KarinMajoka]

That sounds like a good combo! But on an APSC camera it probably more of a 50mm in regards of the field of view, right?

[@AbdonPhirathon]

@@KarinMajoka Yes, it’s around a 50mm on APS-C, but I also used it on my Sony and worked great on both systems. I also had the VM 40mm f/1.4, and loved it on both systems. The VM 25mm f/4 Color Skopar was my “35mm” on the Fuji, and a Wide Angle on my Sony. I gotta say though, the VM 40mm f/1.4 was one the best lenses I’ve ever owned so far. It’s close to 35mm, but a tad tighter and similar in rendering to the VM 35mm f/1.4

[@mwales2112]

The Nokton was my first lens for my Leica M240 and my most used lens over the years.

[@ebreevephoto]

Another budget lens I am just test out for my Leica M6 is the Minolta Rokkor 90mm f/4. At about $225 used it should be great for the street portraits I like to do. But I need a 35mm badly. I love my Sumi 50 but it’s a little tight for the street.

[@KarinMajoka]

I have been considering a Minolta/Leica-C 90mm as well! Would be nice to see how it performs. Thanks for your comment! :)

[@redsphoto6708]

Great comparison and vid as always! I have the Voigtlander 35 f/2 APO on e mount which is great and I assume it performs really well in m mount too but I haven't tried it (it's one of those clinical lenses with slightly busy backgrounds and heavy vignette). I think the most budget stuff would be stuff from 7artisans or ttartisan. I hear they are good value. Also you can often very easily fix focus drift etc in some of those lenses. A thing you can't do with Leica or Voigtlander glass without paying $$ for it I have the Ultron 28 2.0 (the new one) and I'm a big fan, minimum focus beyond my rangefinder just means I can probably get more out of it when adapted to digital lol It's not 35 but a really neat option is the new Voigtlander 40mm heliar f/2.8. It's so small! And I love the way it renders highlights (at least on digital). I bought it in ltm so I can use it on my old Leica iii and my m mount bessa. If you want character I think this is a great lens for it so give it a try if you can.

[@cameraprepper7938]

The Sony E-mount version of the Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 35mm 2.0 are better then the M-mount version !

[@LCBear]

@@cameraprepper7938 really?? i have apo 35 and 35mm 2.0 that this video talked about i don’t know which one to keep for leica M10/M11

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@LCBear For a Camera with OVF you need a Lens that are compact like the M-mount Lens, get a Camera with EVF !

[@somegeezer]

I don't know which I like more, as they seem so similar, outside of the pixel peep. But my fav couple of pics here all came from the Skopar. Could just be coincidence, or it was used by the photographer whose work felt more to my style, rather than anything to do with the lens itself. I do think both are way too highly priced for what comes out of them. But that's Leica gear for you. Outside the screw mount stuff, at least. M39 mount is full of cheap and interesting lenses.

[@KarinMajoka]

They are indeed pretty similar, I agree! It’s pretty tricky to do a „real life comparison“ without the bias of the shooting style or motif. If I only had a blind test I don’t think I would be able to see much differences between the lenses to be honest. I actually think the prices are pretty fair if you consider regular Leica prices. And not all M39 lenses are coupled with the viewfinder of Leica M bodies - but generally great affordable options to absolutely take into account! :)

[@samprstn]

I got the nocton, didn't watch any videos like this about it. I guess I'll see if I like it when I get my scans back soon

[@KarinMajoka]

That's a good attitude! :)

[@pxtokarev]

Mine is a Color-Skopar but not the pancake version which I deemed too small for handling. There is a non-pancake version and it takes very sharp pictures too.

[@KarinMajoka]

Awesome, glad to hear you found a lens that works for you! :) I like the small form factor of the pancake lens, but I have to admit that my hands are super small, so I see why it might not be for everybody

[@sappyhamster]

Wow, the skopar really shines in the street section of the video. Considering sharpness tests later in the video (and youtube’s compression preventing any meaningful comparisons in terms of sharpness) it must come down to macro- and microcontrast. I also find the way skopar renders scene depth so enjoyable, though not quite sure what quality contributes to that effect. I own a nokton, and despite seeing really great photos on some reviews (KJ Vogelius did written reviews on both lenses) of skopar, I ended up choosing nokton because of the aperture. Considering purely film workflow, it was a right decision in hindsight. I can think of several situations where I just wouldn’t have been able to get away with 2.5 (some photos were taken @1.4, 1/60th, already way out of comfort zone both in terms of rangefinder focusing and blur from shaky hands), which, in the end, means much more than sharpness or contrast or vignetting. Now I want a skopar as well. Thanks for reminding about that, Karin. Seriously though, great video.

[@KarinMajoka]

I totally agree! I don’t know what it is, but I found the „blind test“ results with the Skopar really pleasing. I used it for years and was really happy with my results. However, I was also surprised how much „worse“ in some areas (such as vignetting and center sharpness) it performed even though it has such a nice look.

[@megansalt]

I had the 1.4 but sold it because it had too much contrast to my liking. Now I'm looking for a new 35mm lens, thinking about the old ltm version of the Skopar...

[@KarinMajoka]

Very understandable. Maybe the SC version of the Nokton might be something for you, since it's supposed to be less contrasty.

[@ivunchow]

Great review Karin, always a good idea to have a lens that gives you more flexibility. Was also hoping you’d move your head so I could get a better look at that awesome daido poster 😂

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks Ivan! Haha, I got that poster after watching the documentary about him in the cinema.

[@bryancorbin3760]

I really like the color skopar shots. It really surprised me.

[@hitthestreetsphoto1253]

The 35mm color skopar was my first lens because I needed an m mount lens and at the time didn’t have the $6K for a Leica version. It’s so tiny it was very difficult to get used to until later. It’s a fun lens

[@CaryZhao]

This is probably a little late, but for those considering the Nokton, Haoge makes good bayonet-mount lens hoods (same as Voigtlander). It’s not cheap compared to the screw-in style ones but you still get to save a little over the Voigtlander hoods.

[@KarinMajoka]

I ordered one actually but sadly did not really like it because it was too big and clunky. And the price was not that much less than the original Voigtländer one - I think I paid 55 euros or so for the Haoge one but send it back shortly after.

[@emmanuelthtan8572]

ThisVoigtlander 35mm f2.5 is pretty good performer on my Sony A7C and A6600.

[@ianafloat9250]

Love my Color Skopar. Have the LTM version, so usable on my FSU gear as well as the M2 (with adapter). Also use it on my Nikon Z7ii. It also came complete with a lens hood👍

[@Brause_Market]

you can also buy the m39 50mm Elmar 3.5 lens with an adapter for m mount for under 300€. Or the m39 35mm 3.5 Summaron for under 400€?

[@KarinMajoka]

Also good ideas, thanks! :) The Elmar is a different focal length though (I am for example not really a 50mm shooter). But the Summaron might be a great alternative if F3.5 is fast enough for you and you can find one used for that price ✌🏼

[@jamaicaigot9335]

this was really insightful - do you mind posting the audio version of these videos on audea? I like to listen more than watch and that's where I get most of my audio content

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it! :) My videos work as a concept between video and audio since they are not meant to be podcasts which is why I will only publish them in video format. If you prefer only listening to the audio I totally understand that and it is more than fine, but in that case you could download the audio from KZbin yourself for example :)

[@mynewcolour]

There are some decent 3d printed lens hoods in Shapeways I think. Voiglander hood prices are bit silly now.

[@KarinMajoka]

I did not know that - thanks for the hint! :)

[@bobchristian3560]

Thanks, fine choice. Great minds must think alike. Besides working great on my m3 it works well on my Fuji X pro3. Thanks again.

[@KarinMajoka]

It's probably a bit narrower on the APS-C sensor, right? But with that more problems like corner falloff and vignetting also disappear. Thanks for your comment! :)

[@zguy95135]

Im guessing Karin has the Skopar, lets see if Im right. Edit: ayy I was right. The skopar has a more modern look. I like a more clinical lens for film, I had the 7artisans 35mm and quite liked it (especially for b&w film). The softness at the edges and flare was really bad though. I had the Ultron f2 for a while and its a great lens but I didn’t like the swirl and I sold it after I got a really good deal on a 2.5 Summarit. That one is just about perfect IMO, but I might get a a Skopar bc I like the higher contrast on film. Its perfect on digital though.

[@KarinMajoka]

I decided to keep the Nokton :) It is really interesting because many people mentioned good results with their Summaron or Summarit lenses. maybe I will check it out one day - thanks for your comment! :)

[@Galeidan]

Would love to hear your thoughts and see comparison between Nokton and Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH.

[@KarinMajoka]

No problem, just send me a Summilux in the mail and then I can do it haha. Just kidding - sadly I don’t own a Summilux, but otherwise I would also love to see a comparison between these two.

[@Galeidan]

@@KarinMajoka Any possibility to rent / borrow it somehow?

[@KarinMajoka]

@@Galeidan I don't know anybody who owns a Summilux, only a Summicron. Also, I do not really earn a lot of money with these videos, so it's not an easy decision to even spend some extra money for making a video. But we'll see

[@jiji00321]

I recently sold the 1.4 SC first version and got the Color skopar, I haven’t used the latter extensively but I found the Nokton to be too imperfect sometimes, the bokeh was sort of distracting and even though they are both small i kinda enjoy the even smaller form factor of the 2.5 I’ll keep an eye out for the second version of the nokton, should be a good in between, voigtlander also has a 35 ultron that would probably be the best Leica alternative

[@KarinMajoka]

Interesting choice, glad you have found a lens you like for now :) I also think that the Ultron is supposed to be the best lens of the bunch image quality wise. But ergonomically it was a pain - at least for me. I don't think it's a lens that was made to be shot on old rangefinder cameras but makes more sense when shooting with an LCD screen on digital cameras where you don't really need a distance scale.

[@taneltinnuri8985]

@@KarinMajoka was the disdance scale bad on the new or old Ultron?

[@KarinMajoka]

@@taneltinnuri8985 I tried the new Ultron. The distance scale on the old version is better, however I did not like the style of focusing tab on that one.

[@rfishkin4900]

Skopar because it can be had with m39 ltm for my canon 7

[@daxu9605]

If you can find a copy, the Jupiter-8 35mm f2.8 is great, if you are into that old lens look.

[@KarinMajoka]

Jason from grainydays has been using it for a while if I am not mistaken. He got some pretty nice results with this lens!

[@GARO1967]

You are actually very funny and a very good photographer :))

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks so much for your comment, I appreciate it! :)

[@donjagoe]

Great review!!!

[@dan-le-brun]

I used to use a V5 35mm summicron and boy did I have to be careful to avoid sun flaring!! Never had that on my color skopar. I found the color skopar got considerably worse the further away from the subject i got. Terrible corners on my copy when shooting urban or countryside scenes... fine for street.

[@KarinMajoka]

That is really interesting! I never had the chance to try out a Summicron more in depth, but I will pay attention to sun flaring the next time I get my hands on a copy. I also noticed that there are big differences between the batches on Voigtländer lenses. The Ultron I got for a day was also not well calibrated, so I guess you also have to get a bit lucky with the batch.

[@dan-le-brun]

I think I would I would try a Summarit as and when I inevitably have an M body again! Thanks for the video. Interesting watch

[@mynewcolour]

Are you using a digital body by any chance?

[@dan-le-brun]

@@mynewcolour yes I was. I’ve heard the angle of light onto the sensor can mess things up

[@mynewcolour]

I think these small, low element count Voigtlanders are optimised for film. With the wider lenses this makes a big difference with fall-off and colour. The rear element is quite close to the film/sensor. Personally I’m very happy to have grabbed film optimised lenses (that may become a rarity). I _really_ like the 25 f4 and 40 f1.4 personally.

[@donovanchin]

Actually there’s a very good and cheap 3rd party vented lens hood that has a bayonet fit to the front of the Nokton just like the original Voigtlander one for much less. It’s made by Haoge available on Amazon. Check it out

[@Nick_r]

I use the Skopar on my M2 and the Nokton on my M240, I prefer the Skopar lenses on film. Haoge do cheap round and square bayonet hoods for the Nokton.

[@KarinMajoka]

Interesting choice, thanks for sharing! :) The Haoge lens hoods were rather pricy when I looked at them (over 50 euros) which is why I decided to invest the extra 20 euros for the original one.

[@Nick_r]

Oh mine was cheaper than that on Ebay, I can understand why you bought the original. BTW the Haoge looks identical to the Voigtlander original 😉

[@carltanner9065]

If it were me, I'd keep both.There are times when I wouldn't want to shoot something that looked too clinical and other times when I wanted that more clinical look. So, having both lenses would give me that option.

[@KarinMajoka]

If finances would not be an issue that would definitely also be an option for me. However, at this point I can sadly not justify to own both, which is why one will have to go. :/

[@calvinchann1996]

I see nothing wrong in having more than one lens in any particular focal length. They all render differently. I have about 4 50mm and 3 35mm lenses for my M bodies. As for A or B, B all day, much to my surprise. But its always difficult to compare when shot by different people who might use different apertures and shooting different subjects.

[@kessejoch]

best budget Leica M Lens tbh is the Leica Summicron-C 40mm 2.0, you get the old summicron look and that for round 500-700 bucks

[@KarinMajoka]

I had that lens for a while and did not like it at all. The ergonomics, especially the focusing tab made it hard to operate for my style of shooting and since it’s a 40mm it’s more estimating when it comes to framing compared to a 35mm lens. But luckily this is all subjective and the Summicron-C might be the perfect budget lens for others :)

[@jeremykeller211]

Is sharpness the current technical term? What has happened to resolution as expressed in lines/mm? Did it get left behind in the '60s?

[@HD-tj2uo]

Hab das Skopar F2.5 auf meine M2 und bin begeistert.

[@KarinMajoka]

Das klingt nach einem sehr guten, kompakten Setup! :)

[@PhilKnall]

Great comparison, you did great on the technical part as well! And i fully agree. The 40mm Nokton was the first M mount lens i bought and i still enjoy it quite a bit!

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, Phil! :) I actually wondered before if the Nokton 35mm and 40mm are alike or differ much.

[@PhilKnall]

@@KarinMajoka back when i bought it, reviews said that the 35 had nosier bokeh. Also it was a bit more expensive so I went for the 40, but I'm sure i would've enjoyed either just fine!

[@brineb58]

I actually like the look of the Nokton!!!

[@garychen7000]

nice shoot👍

[@nightcoder5k]

Glad I found your channel.

[@KarinMajoka]

Hellooo ✌🏼