Voigtländer 35mm f/0.9 'Nokton' lens review (Fuji X)

[@enshongmiranda]

Sticking to my Mitakon which is pretty sharp and lovely at 0.95.

[@imharikrish]

Chris, your friendly sense of humor along with no bias, makes you the best lens reviewer on KZbin. For that, we salute you :)

[@Hornwiesel]

He only has a bias for Canon ;)

[@hyperborean2576]

He is biased as what he considers good bokeh is what many people including myself consider boring and dull. No appreciation for lenses qualities and character. That's not a lens reviewer but a lens snob, someone who does not like photography, but just like perfect gear and perfect photos.

[@KingFiercer_zip]

​@@hyperborean2576 But isn't it a subjective thing in the first place? And for example this review - the lens has imperfections, but he says the photos come out beautiful. He reviews in his own style, and usually about objective characteristics that everyone can understand.

[@hyperborean2576]

@@KingFiercer_zip Yes, it's subjective, hence i think his reviews are biased and have a personal opinion attached which does not correspond to the opinions of everyone. For me, his reviews become much better when you mute audio and just make your own opinion instead of being infuences by what he considers good or bad.

[@lakejindsay]

I have to wonder if this lens performs any differently on the 26MP fuji sensor. I just haven't been a fan at all of the 40MP sensor. Those F2 sunstars were stunning.

[@tankivulture148]

I dreamed you last night, we were going somewhere I don't know and at some point I left my camera on the street. I ran to get it back and I took the fastest way possible, which at some point was through a palace and I went in someone's room and jumped off the window. I got my camera back. Plus, you gifted me an adapted miniature Leica lens for my X-T4. Dreams are weird sometimes

[@zombiedude6699]

Wild

[@KingFiercer_zip]

Not a bad dream though!

[@chimpmunkboy8850]

Weird

[@KingFiercer_zip]

This is a long-awaited great review for me, thank you!

[@robertbirnbach2312]

would love to see a comparison to the 7 artisans or the other 0.95 35mm lenses out there for the fuji system

[@BelowKelvin]

That fringing is why I have unfortunately given up voigtlanders nokton lenses. I picked up the 27mm f2 ultron for Fuji and I love it so far. That said the control and feel of their lenses are amazing like you said.

[@MitchWebb94]

you're the first person ive read to have got that lens - I'm after a pancake and don't mind having full manual - have you had experience to compare with the Fuji 27?

[@AufKohleGeboren]

@@MitchWebb94I also got the 27mm f2 and I’m quite happy with it. The focus pull is really nice and I didn’t notice that sort of Color fringing.

[@andrewhamilton2201]

​@@MitchWebb94 I have both. I haven't done a detailed comparisons, but just from general use I prefer the Voigtlander. The extra stop of light and closer focus distance make it a more versatile lens. Also, I can't really define why (maybe the shallower depth of field), but I generally enjoy the images I've taken with the Voigtlander more than the ones I've taken with the Fuji. As long as you're okay with manual focusing and don't need weather sealing, I think the Voigtlander is a great choice.

[@MisAnkic]

It would be great if you did Brightinstar 35mm, f0.95 review. Based on some initial impressions on the net, it seems like a secret gem!

[@Skipsul]

I have the FF f1.2 version of this and I love it despite the chroma flaws. It rarely leaves my camera. Great for very low light work.

[@lionheart4424]

Thanks for the review, Chris. Good to see this tested in the X-T5! The price tag is quite bonkers, specially considering that it has no weather sealling. I would prefer to invest in the XF 33mm f/1.4 instead.

[@divyangkundaliya4468]

Plus no focus breathing. That lens is an optical masterclass. I own mitakon 0.95 & kamlan 50mm 1.1 ll both doesn't have focus breathing. Incredibly useful in video

[@tolga1cool]

You should try more of the Voightlander lineup! I personally own the 40mm F2 for Nikon f which I'm using adapted currently or on analog. I'd be super interested in the nokton 50mm F1 for full frame

[@Ghhrjovi]

I was waiting for this lens review! Thanks!

[@alfredway4168]

great video😊! could you review the new volgtlander 27mm f2 and 18mm f2.8 lenses for fuji x? there seems very few reviews about these lenses. looking forward to it❤❤❤

[@SamTaylors]

I *REALLY* hoped you were going to review this lens - thank you Chris! What an extreme optic and definitely a one for very select tasks. Perhaps if I’ve been very good this year Santa will get the hit 😄

[@StymyParsley]

YES! Thanks Chris! I don't think I've anticipated a lens review this much lol. Never thought I'd consider spending this much on a lens but your review was something I'd have to see first before deciding lol.

[@manhealme]

Hope you will review the 27mm f2.0 Ultron lens for the X-Mount. Looks like it'll be a manual competitor to the Fuji pancake f2.8 but priced at 200$ more...

[@manhealme]

also looks like you've upgraded to the X-T5 ! nice as we can see more lenses tested on basically the most demanding APSC sensor on the market

[@tomaskroupakkfoto4132]

It´s great. Go for it

[@DDXofficial]

hmm... i don't know how to feel about this lens myself - i've had the Mitakon 35mm f/0.95 for Fuji X for nearly two years now and it's performed exceedingly well for half the price...

[@key2adventure]

Thanks for the review. A suggestion now that you are reviewing on such a demanding camera is, that you also do the test of image quality on a less demanding camera. Probably, few of us have a camera with that high resolution (I have a Fuji X-T2 and an X-E1) and the results might look very different. Your review would be applicable to more viewers, if you do what I suggest.

[@protestagain]

I have a very expensive illness. Always on the lookout for lenses with extreme apertures, like this one, even though I don't have a Fuji camera. But then there was finding the "perfect" lens.

[@bobcunningham5288]

I don't normally care, but that lens looks stunning on the front of that Fuji camera.

[@quite1enough]

I wonder what are those artifacts on the edges of zebra patterns 3:54? Is Fuji post processing of 40mp doing some weird stuff? It's not a lens issue I saw similar thing with other lenses on X-T5 or X-H2 as well.

[@seth094978]

That actually shows up to some extent with quite a few cameras. It is quite strong here, though, and it makes me wonder whether the unique X Trans pixel layout is causing it to be worse. I will say that the X Trans layout IMO makes for a much more natural look in most cases, but I'm not surprised it would struggle with dense straight lines, which you basically never see in the real world.

[@quite1enough]

@@seth094978 I saw similar things when using lightroom on X-T3, but it seems to be ok with capture one. Idk how capture one renders and handles this issue with X-T5/H2s files.

[@FloKorp86]

Please do the voigtlander 23mm Nokton next

[@doctorsnarf8764]

At that price i would get the Laowa 33mm 0.95, the image quality is more controlled and little color fringing at all and little to no Chromatic Aberrations. At this point it feels like Voigtländer is throwing its name just to bump up the price of the MANUAL Lens. I truly expect to be blowned away with that kind of price., for sure i though it would finally decimate the Laowa 33mm F0.95. But this is in the same league of TTArtison or Meike lens. Sure its a gorgeous looking lens but thats about it.

[@patrickt3632]

The price is quite something! Great review as always. Are you planning to make a review of the Voigtlander 27mm F2 for APSC?

[@P_Waldo]

Chris, will you review Voigtlander APO Macro Ultron 35 mm F2 for X-mount? It's first APO for APS-C.

[@morespinach9832]

APO is nice, but the quality of portraits and closeups is so much nicer with f/1.2

[@fuantaji]

Oh how I miss EXIF information on my Sammyang 35/1.2.

[@Lethorio]

Hopefully Voigtlander will loan you a copy of their 27mm f/2 for testing soon.

[@tomaskroupakkfoto4132]

It´s great. Buy it.

[@nremac]

The outro music always takes me back to ~10 years ago when I first watched DigitalRev TV. 🥰

[@sharpskilz]

As a dude who likes fast primes.. I think that having a massive aperture can be great for getting sharper images around the F1.4 area than F1.4 lenses shot wide open. Shooting at F0.9-F1.4 seems a little bit niche, unless you're doing portraits at a level that the paycheck would be enough to warrant having a nice hasselblad or something.

[@woelno]

Nice comprehensive review. will you considering to review brightin star 35mm f0.95 x mount as well. 😃

[@franciscoscaramanga2342]

Thank you for this mate! Finally Voigtlader review. Have the 35mm Macro and it’s really great on fuji due to the electronic functionality. Thinking of getting the Nokton 50mm but am aware that anything under f2.8 is unusable…

[@SiddhantParkar]

Check out the Nokton classic or heliar classic lines. They have much better character.

[@franciscoscaramanga2342]

@@SiddhantParkar Have several of these on other mounts already. Wish they made the Lanthar line for Fuji mount though...

[@SiddhantParkar]

Hard for me to justify 1.5k for a 50 1.4 full frame lens

[@Eyeofkamau]

It’s a f0.9 regardless of sensor, the fstop doesn’t change. It would still gather its f0.9 worth of light on a FF sensor. In terms of DoF, that’s just as much a matter of distance to subject as it is a matter of sensor, so speaking in terms of equivalence is only relevant when we make it relevant.

[@morespinach9832]

Would love to see it compared to the half-of-this-price Voigtlander f/1.2.... with just 0.3 stops diff. The f/0.9 at 1.2... and the f/1.2 at 1.2....

[@illustrationism]

I bought a Leica M-FX adapter so that I could use some of the other Voigtlander lenses. I have the Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 and it's fantastic.

[@ozguraydin5384]

Christopher, i hope you can review Brightin Star 35mm f0.95 too! Thanks in advance!

[@franciscoscaramanga2342]

Hello again! I finnally got the Nokton. Question: Did you see that there is a bug that regsters f22 when using f0.9 on the XT5? I think it might be software related because my Ultron is doing that as well with f2.0 since the las update.

[@mariobnc1995]

It's impossible to make an f0.9 lens that's sharp at all aperture, without using a lot of glass, you're forced to increase the size of the lens ❤🎉

[@princeharbinger]

Seems to line up with what I read about these CV APS-C lenses. It would be nice to see you test more FF CV lenses as well as the Loxias.

[@jaegerschtulmann]

mmm for that price I was expecting a better corrected lens with a bit more contrast wide open. I guess the apolanthars remain the better choice for most, at least in terms of IQ and color rendition.

[@CRaul87]

În curious how the brighting star 35 0.95 performs...

[@Ghhrjovi]

Omg, those purple edges 😂😂, I will choose laowa 33mm 0.95 APO, thanks for the review!!!

[@kh1188ish]

Would you say the Laowa 33mm f/0.95 has better performance? The Laowa is definitely less expensive.

[@DJJS7]

I own the Laowa 33mm and after using it for almost one year I can truly say it’s an amazing portrait lens with one single flaw, no clickable aperture ring. However, the boke is absolutely smooth and unique. I also thought the Voylander was going to destroy it but it’s not even close. I being seen a few videos of people complaining about the 27mm and now this 35mm. Maybe they can take all this feedback and go back to the drawing board because it’s not looking good at all.

[@KingFiercer_zip]

There is Laowa reivew too, so you can compare. What I noticed: at f/0.95-1.4 Laowa has a strong red circle flare near the bright light sources with stronger contrast drop; Voigtlander shows sunstars with fewer rays and already from f/1.4, Laowa needs to be stopped down more to make sunstars appear; Laowa has less CA and higher contrast wide open. Bokeh and transition from focus to out of focus are different, Laowa is more blurry type, Voigtlander is more structured. Subjective, but I don't like Laowa's bokeh and transition, it's weirdly smooth and maybe because there is so much little of CA too. Laowa weighs 100g more, it has clickless aperture and no electronic contacts.

[@quite1enough]

Agreed, it doesn't cost $1500, I'd say $600 much more suitable. Voigtlander is getting quite ridiculous with these prices.

[@manhealme]

i would argue that at most $1000 should be the max for this lens

[@TnFruit]

What about the Mayer Optik Görlitz lenses? Did or do you test them?

[@nathanielsia8779]

Please review nokton 50mm f1, for RF Canon 💪

[@apage8143]

Hi Christopher, any chance you could do a review of the Voigtländer 50mm f1.2 for Fuji. It's been out for some time now and nobody has done a review as yet! 😊 @christopherfrost

[@CrnaInBela]

Can you please make a review on Brightin Star 35mm F0.95? I would love to see how it compares to this lens ☺ Thanks!

[@matthewneleigh567]

Yeah, for $1500 I shouldn't have to spend much time, as you say, taking into account a lens' limitations... and I'd expect weather sealing at that price regardless. I'd surely enjoy shooting with it if I was into the Fuji system (which, for the film simulation modes, I've been considering) but I couldn't justify paying full price for it.

[@jameskurzynski2386]

Quick question for you about the lens. I have a Fuji x-pro2 with the 24mp sensor. Am I right in presuming a lower megapixel sensor will reduce the purple fringing?

[@JaySilva88]

For the ludicrous price I'd expect to at least be weather sealed. Usable at f1.4 close to perfect at f2. Not bad, but expensive!

[@stephanweiskorn6760]

Excellent video 😊!

[@PraveenKumar-fs6of]

Thanks for the Honest Review.🙂 As usual 🙃😊

[@hellopsp180]

This Lens is an embassador = Just because you can choose 0.9 doesn't mean you should always shoot at 0.9, You are better of calling it an f2.0 with the option of going brighter with a hit on IQ I wonder if this is the type of results you would get from taking the standsrd 50mm 1.8 and just simply allowing it to open up to 0.9

[@jcblum1507]

Thanks

[@nivin3]

Waiting for your ZF review

[@waterfall1001]

Will you be getting your hands on the new canon 10-20 f4L ?

[@jeremytheoneofdestiny8691]

Let’s be honest, we don’t buy a f/0.9 lens just to stop down to f2 for usable IQ! This would be super fun for black and white though.

[@trym2121]

Those chinese 35 f0.95 seems a bargain now Edit: just noticed the xt5, can you redo the Chinese lenses with xt5? Gotta see those in 40mp

[@jasonwines]

Yes! I second that edit.

[@MARK-wt9cd]

how about the brightin star 35mm f0.95. they said it's a sharp lens.

[@GrandHuevotes]

Cool about a 53mm f/1.4 equivalent! Not bad.

[@Simon-Simon-Simon]

would love to buy this lens above F2 like most other lenses VILTROX 27mm for the money tho is a beautiful LENS

[@ProEditingLooks]

Love🥰

[@jiasios]

Come on...we need new Canon-lenses-reviews to start ordering!! :D

[@SummersSnaps]

Thanks but I think I will stick with the Kipon IBELUX III 40/.85.

Fyi: The name is pronounced with an f and without i. A bit like "folk lander", just with at t in in the middle: "folk-t lander"

[@fuantaji]

Why no comparison with other 35 lenses? You did it with 1.2, 1.4 lenses.

[@maxhammick948]

You can get an f/0.95 lens from the Chinese manufacturers for literally 1/10th the price. Those lenses have many optical issues, but Voigtlander really needs to do better to compete against them - no-one gets an f/0.9 lens to shoot at f/2. I'd rather see them bring their apo-lanthar design philosophy to APS-C, those lenses perform at the same level as their prices.

[@Axonteer]

„We see an image with a level of detail“ - this made me laugh hard, and i watch this on my daily commute home (1h) in the train. I will be known henceforth as „that guy on the backrow seat that bursts into random laughter“ 😂

[@KingFiercer_zip]

🤔

[@MikeFoto_na_Moto]

to be honest image quality at max aperture to 1.4 its quite disappointing if you consider price and legendary manufacturer. Recentely a bit wider Viltrox 27 1.2, has shown old optics legends how to make a lens with fully usable max aperture. I slowly consider replacing my 2 fujinons 23 1.4 and 35 1.4 with that Viltrox 27 1.2. Thanks for Viltrox 27 1.2 review btw :)

[@tahrimhere]

Got very excited about the lens, then the price tag gave me reality check

[@chefegzyle]

This is my picture perfect 2nd lenscto take with me on my backpacking trips. Stars and night shots ooooo. The price tag though. Oof

[@flikflak24]

is it just me or did it have less purple fringing at the edge at f0.9 in the corners then in the midel ( at least thats what it looked like to me at least ) slight barol distortion he said ? i almost fell of my chair when i saw it and almost though it was a fish eye lens

[@carimannola]

nice video Can we have sony 50mm f2.8 macro? >-

[@classicboy97]

Can you talk to voigtlander and ask them to bring some of these Fuji lenses to E-mount? Pretty please? Haha

[@armada1e]

why do you always test focus breathing at f/16? Is that when it's the worst?

[@PiTdeLyX]

To evaluate focus breathing you want the lowest aperture possible so it's easier to see what your frame is doing. Pulling focus at f1.2 means that your picture is blurry most of the time and you can't see whether your edges are moving or not

[@KNURKonesur]

6:58 "Next, bokeh. I really liked the quality of this lenses bokeh. It's beautiful and soft. And at f/0.9 there's plenty of it to be seen." I disagree. There's next to no bokeh to be seen. As a portrait photographer dealing mainly with surreal bokeh scenarios - I'd say there's plenty of blur to be seen. I think with modern lenses that are mostly well corrected and clinically perfect and the "blur" is super smooth and almost artificially gooey - it's understandable people use the words "bokeh" and "blur" interchangeably. I refuse to do so though. Blur is... well... blurry, by definition lacking shape and difficult to distinguish detail out of. Bokeh is the QUALITY of the background, so in my book bokeh kind of necessitates "imperfections" in the background rendering.

[@arturaszaleskis8907]

I don't see any reason spending for lense with such limitations when you can get Fuji 56mm f1.2 R WR and save some money and get much better optically lense

[@KingFiercer_zip]

f/0.9, electronic contacts, comfort of use and Cosina quality control

[@ozuidema]

Love Voigtlander’s Ultron 27mm f/2, but this one is way too expensive for what it offers. If you have to stop down for good IQ, what’s the point of an f/0.95 lens? Fuji’s own 33mm f/1.4 would be much more attractive.

[@KingFiercer_zip]

Fuji's 33mm is a great lens indeed, but with focus by wire. But there are cheaper manual options such as 35mm APO Ultron and Nokton f/1.2.

[@campbells0ups]

reminds me of a decent-to-good performing 50mm F/1.4 on full-frame.

[@kaimelis]

Thanks for testing on 40 megapixels. Even though we know voigties are made for that 3D pop.

[@Psiwt]

You need to run your RAF files through enhance detail in LrC to have them be demosaiced the same way as bayer files. I can tell you don't even through the video compression because detail looks smudgy.

[@nicedward7544]

I'm slowly moving to all manual glass. Pretty sure it's just out of boredom

[@KingFiercer_zip]

Manual glass is a joy to use - the shooting process feels different

[@nicedward7544]

@@KingFiercer_zip it is. It reminds me of being young lol. I started with an all manual film camera shooting skateboarding and biking in the 90's and now everyone complains about AF speed.

[@77appyi]

If you really want that focal length and DOF and MF for that money you can buy a 42MP Sony A7rii body and adapt a Contax- Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4 T which will give you similar DOF and FOV on FF but MUCH better IQ and enough cash left over for another 2 or 3 old MF lenses of similar elk I would go for to keep it simple with 1 adapter Contax Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 28mm F/2.8 and you may be able to squeeze in a Carl Zeiss Contax 100mm F2 Planar if you bought the items well

[@simontramper]

What's the point of having a F0.9 lens that you then have to stop down for a usable image very disappointing and I am a voigtlander fan

[@DigiDriftZone]

So this is a 50mm f/1.35 (barely better than f/1.4) equivalent full frame. Impressive for APS-C but I do wonder if you are after sub f/1.4 full frame equivalents if at this size/weight/price you may as well get full frame hmm?

[@seth094978]

No it's roughly equivalent to f/1.35

[@DigiDriftZone]

@@seth094978 Ah, sorry you're right! - corrected.

[@jcblum1507]

😮😮

[@Soul_Visuals_Photography]

Ouuuuu. Want.

[@TheMetalButcher]

Yikes. Purple fringing is the number 1 sin to me. Much prefer a Sigma 32mm.

[@mikefoster6018]

As I start watching this vid, I'm defensively thinking "it'd better not be better than my new 33mm f1.4". UPDATE!: Awesome, it doesn't have autofocus or confirmed weather sealing and is a bit heavy.

[@nightdonutstudio]

I would just buy a great f1.4 lens then.

[@PedroIvoV]

seems great but I’d get the chinese 35mm f0.95 and a new camera for the price of this lens.

[@estoylisto]

Exactly my thoughts... Actually the Chinese lenses are getting better and maybe soon we gonna see a better version of those cheap lenses (take 7artisan 50mm f1.05 as an example and yest very few paid 400$ for it)

[@PedroIvoV]

@@estoylisto I have the 50mm f1.2 and absolutely love it. Only thing that kinda bothers me is that it loses a sharpness when shooting close subjects with the aperture fully open.

[@michaelq16000]

let's be honest, for that price f1.4 image quality test should look like f2, f1 should look like f1.4 etc also, pick one: this or a full frame with 50 1.4

[@SMGJohn]

Voigtländer is pricing themselves out just like with the 29mm F0.8 which no one buys.

[@landyshserebristyy2493]

This is the equivalent of f1.4 to ff.

[@mgscheue]

No.

[@panmaew]

This lens is at least f0.15 or even plus another whole stop more short of a justified bragging right from genuinely good image quality at the faster apertures. Sure it may produce an excellent image from f2.0 but then what's the point of having it over the other f1.4 or f2.0 competitors?

[@afshark6319]

wow, they should call it Fringelander 😹

[@DJJS7]

No kidding I was absolutely blown away in the worst kind of way how bad it is and then on top of that other price, this is literally in the same league of TTartison 😂

[@raygamma8739]

6.39----6.42 … f1.4-2.0 nice

[@PavlosPapageorgiou]

It's worth pointing out that this is roughly equivalent to f1.4 full frame.

[@Spyzilla1850]

In terms of DoF yes but a brighter aperture still lets in more light no matter the sensor size

[@anasrida3454]

How is this any better than the chinese stuff?

[@KingFiercer_zip]

The reviews say that the build quality and quality control are better + well-known brand and made in Japan. Well, and electronic contacts, of course

[@nicolask.3825]

Unlike some other Voigtländers, this lens does not justify its existence very well. Literally going out and buying a Canon 5D classic and a Canon 50mm 1.4 gives you comparable image quality at less than 500 for body and lens combined. Not that I advocate for everyone to do this, it's just meant to put this lens in perspective. Yes, the whole aperture equivalent thing on APS-C vs. full frame gets tiring, but it really merits scrutiny when a lens sacrifices image quality for a wide aperture on APS-C like this one does. Fuji's own 33mm 1.4 is vastly more appealing, cause that thing gives you substantial benefits over my previously mentioned 5D combo, so it's not like I'm just trying to downplay all bright APS-C lenses.

[@KingFiercer_zip]

Different systems, as well as different types of lenses - autofocus and manual. It would be more reasonable to compare it with Chinese analogues, for example TTArtisan 35mm f/0.95 and f/1.4. This Voigtlander is clearly more for hobbyists and brand lovers, rather than those who want to find the best price/quality.

[@seth094978]

I came to the same conclusion with regard to the Voigtländer 29mm f/0.8. It's stunning for how wide aperture it is, but just not worth it when full frame cameras exist. (Though I suppose if you already have a Panasonic GH6 you're not going to get better video quality out of anything full frame that's near that lens's price)

[@nicolask.3825]

@@seth094978 gah, I always forget about the video shooters. Yes, I can see how this would pan out differently for them.