Voigtländer Ultron 40mm f/2 SL-II | Final Review
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- čas přidán 9. 09. 2024
- Voigtländer Ultron 40mm f/2 SL-II | First Look | Photographer Dustin Abbott delivers a detailed final verdict on the little Voigtländer 40mm pancake lens, and includes one final comparison to a cheaper vintage alternative. Patreon: / dustinabbott | Read the Final Review: bit.ly/2rLONVW | Check out the Image Gallery: | Purchase the Voigtländer 40mm f/2 from Amazon: amzn.to/2m3MqfH
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Voigtländer Ultron 40mm f/2 SL-II, Voigtländer Ultron, 40mm f/2, Voigtländer 40mm, Voigtländer 40mm f/2, Voigtländer 2/40mm, Canon EF, Dustin Abbott, sharpness, resolution, focus, chromatic aberrations, Review, Voigtländer Ultron 40mm f/2 Review, Voigtländer Ultron review, Voigtländer 40mm f/2 review, Video Test, Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM, Comparison, Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 VC, Tamron 45 VC, Zeiss, Cosina
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Excellent review and might I say it was particularly good that you tested it against the vintage Takumar. Comparing Voigtlander lenses with modern AF alternatives would have been totally missing the point. The kind of shooter this 40mm f2 will inevitably appeal to is somebody who has an appreciation for low element primes which feature fundamentally on rendition and micro contrast. I was actually expecting quite poor CA but in that regard it carries itself rather well. For most shooters this lens will be lost on them. It's good that companies like Voigtlander still make manual only focus lenses the old fashioned way 😃
The lens really doesn't do anything badly...but neither is it exceptional in any way (other than the size/build).
Love love! the 50mm Super Takumar 1.4, even if it glows in the dark! ;)
Thank you, Dustin, for a very thorough review of a nice little lens that seems to have fallen off the radar a bit. Other reviewers would hardly bother at this point to be so conscientious (not that the lens is at fault here). Different agendas, I might suggest; so here's a thumbs up for your own perspective and sensibilities on the matter, which I largely share. I was almost beginning to lose "faith", pastor, that this C-V Ultron vs. Canon STM comparison was going to show up at all. You have had a lot of balls in the air at once lately!
It's been an extremely busy season.
Thanks for this thorough review, I enjoyed watching it :) especially the part about the takumar, which became my most favorite lens of all times.
Like you, I have tried lots of 50s compatible with my 5D Mk II and finally got rid of Canons 50 1.2 for the Takumar 50 1.4. Its such a joy to use and quite easy to focus with the Eg-S focussing screen.
Keep up the good work, your reviews are helping out lots of people looking for an evaluation of lenses in real world use.
Greetings from Germany
Ahh, another Takumar lover. They really are wonderful lenses.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Could you please enlighten me which version of Takumar you consider the best? (Looking for portrait lens for Fuji X)
I enjoyed the video! Keep it up!
Thanks!
In the test-shots at f2-2.8 the Takumar is sharper on the right side whereas the Voigtländer looks better on the left. Supposed the camera was strictly parallel to the target the lenses seam to be not perfectly centered. With the Takumara it may have took a blow during its long life but with the Voigtländer there is hardly an excuse for such a behaviour.
It's been too long, so I don't really remember.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Sure, I'm a bit late. Thanks, nevertheless for your kind response! 👍
Great review. I have 3 voigtlander lens (20, 40, 58). I find that I pack them with me more often and enjoy using them more than my nikon heavy lens during casual trip. If I know I specifically shoot something, then I bring along the nikon beloved gear (like the 20 f1.8 or 24-70 f2.8 or my zeiss 85 f1.4). Nikon and zeiss ones are just too heavy and bulky, it just makes you look like a photographer which is ok if you are on the job but not when you just want to hang out and casually taking pictures.
You should check out the 58mm f1.4. I'm not sure if it has canon mount or not but it is a beauty. Oh, and they recently release the 40 f2 and the 58 f1.4 in a more classic look. Not sure whether or not if they update the lens design and image quality. I have both the 40 old (sold) and new. I did not see any significant difference although I did not compare size by size or do any test on them. What I notice is the new 40 is slightly bigger although still compact. the size is comparable to the canon nifty fifty. The manual ring is slightly bigger which I find easier to grip especially if you have gloves on than the old pancake one. Oh and no lens hood or close-up lens provided.
Would love to see a comparison between the new and old 40/58. Thanks again for the great reviews.
I'm more invested with the Voigtländer glass for Sony FE these days, as I find that the best platform for using MF lenses.
I wanted the zeiss distagon 35mm f2, I settled for the voigtlander 40. Even if it might be lacking in sharpness, the color it gives me are key reasons why I continue to carry it around for photowalks :)
Color rendition is very nice.
a good tiny one is also contax zeiss 45mm, usable at f>=4, you can get one for ~$120
Interesting.
Ha, first? I've got this lens, 9 Zeiss and a few L, and had the Canon 40 stm. I'm having a hard time selling the SLII right now. Great lens really.
The reason to get this lenses for the size. But you're right about looking at other lenses to fill that purpose. Haha, this is the justification I have for keeping my Zeiss F2 makro planar, while my usual 50 mm is the twice big and heavy Milvus 50 1.4. In reality, the 50MP is just too nice to trade away; the 45 Tamron and 40 voigtlander are easier, not that they're bad lenses.
I've debated a MP50 myself. You are right about the usefulness of such a lens. I've never tested the Milvus version...maybe I should!
any way to get a focus tab onto this lens?
I LOVE this lens.... I adapt it to the Sony A7r3 and it is incredibly good, nearly flawless. Thank you pastor; may God bless you always.
I also love the old radioactive 35mm 1.4 SMC Takumar as well! Though I hope I never DROP mine! ;)
It is a sweet lens on the right camera.
Have this lens and love it, though the "close up" filter (used to shorten the MFD) is a bit inconvenient...
I agree on both counts.
Thanks pastor; hatzlacha and berachot lekha!
Thanks for the review! That the compression/bokeh of the 50 mm f/1.4 Takumar is better against the 40 mm Voigtlander is logical. BTW: Zeiss and Voigtlander are made by Cosina in Japan and therefore they render the same buth have a different price point.
You're welcome.
Hi Dustin, the bokeh analysis wasn't performed equally because of focal length difference. It is like saying 40f2SL has better bokeh than $2000 Zeiss milvus 35F1.4@F2. Actually 40mm FOV is much closer to 35mm than to 50mm I would consider take a 40mm lens and 55 or 58mm lens together but never carry a 35mm and a 40mm lenses together because of the similar fov feel.
Bokeh is a subjective analysis anyway, but my experience is that people would prefer some sort of comparison to help them draw conclusions, and I don't own every single lens in the world ;)
@@DustinAbbottTWI I quite enjoy your style of presentation and really appreciate the depth your review has. If I may raise a small concern is the third part final verdict has lots of repetitive words even entire sentence from part 1 and part 2. If watching all three together feel a bit cumbersome.
sample variation on the used Ultron? on this copy that the previous owner let go of?
That's hard to say without testing multiple copies.
I've got a little collection of Takumars. I've always had infinity focus problems on the 50 1.4 on the 6d. I have used the heavier fotodiox adapters and cheap ones, but get mirror hang. The only way I've gotten it is by putting slivers of electrical tape on the adapter between adapter and lens, but then the lens is slightly turned to the left. Any other solutions?
I've found with the current Fotodiox Pro adapter I have that it solved all such issues (I had previously had them) on my 6D and also my 5D Mark IV.
Very well done and a helpful review. Have you ever tried the Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 or 40mm f1.4 M mount on an adapted body? If so any thoughts?
I have the 20mm f3.5 and like it a lot , would want to try a Voigtlander M lens adapted to the Canon R , maybe those I was asking about or the 50mm f3.5
( tried the 35mm f1.7 and 35mm f2 and it wasn't so good).
I haven't tested either of them, no.
Fantastic review as always Dustin!
Just wondering, I already have the Tamron 35mm SP VC which is 5mm short of this Voigtlander lens. Do you think it is worthy of an addition to my collection?
Thanks!
Hmmm, as a focal length, I'd say no. If you sometimes want an extremely compact prime, then I'd say yes. That's the way I use lenses like this - as small compliments when I'm carrying a large alternative focal length (like a telephoto).
Thanks!
I have been very much looking forward to this final part of your review. I own the Voigtländer 20mm pancake, which I bought to a great part as a result of your review of that, and I love it! This 40mm however I have been more sceptical about and decided to go with the Canon instead. Considering this review I feel I made the right choice, for me at least. I do know that Voigtländer also produced a 28mm f/2.8 version, which I am considering. I hope it will have the same nice color rendition and contrast that you saw as the strongpoint of this 40mm. Thanks for yet another great review!
I do think the 20mm is more unique because of the focal length. I have no plans to part with my copy of it.
Hi Dustin, there is an updated version of this lens -> SL IIS , price is $515. Do you have any plan of reviewing this lens; latest lens body and usage design seems to be better. Your opinion is helpful as I am planning to buy latest updated lens. Thanks
What's great is that they eliminated the extra "close-up" lens and incorporated that into the lens design. Downside is that I haven't seen a Canon mount - only a Nikon, so I have no way to test it.
Dustin Abbott Thanks Dustin. I understand you shoot with Canon; I hope canon version release soon . Thanks again
Hi Dustin! I am big fun of Voigtlander lenses and thinking about buying some fpr by Nikon DSLR body after my MILC one. I am a bit concerned however, that the manual focusing accuracy will be far worse, than with the MILC body as the DSLR lenses are not calibrated to the DSLR body and focusing is facilitated by the body's AF system which can be fooled by the slight out of calibration, just like with AF DSLR lenses. This may be the reason that these lenses are often found not perfectly sharp wide open, while in fact this could be a result of the uncalibrated focus assist. (AF fine-tuning). What do you thin of this? Did you calibrate your camera to this MF lens tested?
There's no question that DSLR focus is more difficult...but it is possible.
Thanks for the review. What adapter did you use to test on the Sony7rii?
Metabones IV (EF to E-mount).
Those takumar lenses are they generally good or do you need to get lucky to get a good one?
I've used about 4-5 of them, and most of them are pretty good. You will run into an issue where one of the elements starts to yellow (it has some radioactive thorium in it). My copy had that, but I put it under some UV light and cleared it up within a few days.
Ah interesting, I'm going to hit up ebay and see if I can get some for a reasonable price.
I'd recommend this adapter: bhpho.to/1D34Lzy. I used some of the cheap eBay ones, and I couldn't get infinity focus without mirror hang, but with the Fotodiox Pro one I have no issues on either a 6D or 5D Mark IV.
Thank you.
Dustin, you generally use 45VC for filming these videos. Would like to know the reason, is it because of the focal length (being perfectly normal, . . or is it due to your studio space constraint) . . or something about the lens in particular ? . . . why not 35VC (distortion?) or 85 VC (distance issue?), or any other Canon lens ? Thanks.
Above all it is the focal length. I shoot in 4K, which on the 5D Mark IV (1.7x crop in 4K) makes this a 76.5mm focal length equivalent that works well from framing my set.
will this lens work on eos r??
Via the EF to RF adapter, yes.
i guess you can get good results with certain manual focusing lenses, However, even with the help of peaking, manually focusing is no match for todays auto focusing system.....I tested this situation and if you do not blow up the images that were Zone manually focused they do look good, but once you blow them up and compare you will never ever use manual Zone focusing......I used a Sony a99/2 and a full frame Tamron 28-300mm f3.5 lens...
that old lens is radioactive
Yes, though in levels so low as to be essentially meaningless.
Why don't you compare the 40 mm Voigtlander to the 50 mm Series E Pancake Nikon lens.
Because I don't review Nikon, for one.
8:00 How's that possible?
Likely the Canon's actual aperture opening is a little smaller than the Voigtländer's, and one is a full frame lens.
Aren't they both full frame? Maybe it's because Voigtlander's bigger front element or different optical design?
I think the bigger maximum aperture is the most likely cause. I've seen that a lot with lenses with larger maximum apertures that even at identical aperture values the one with the larger maximum aperture has a softer background.
Interesting… but I will stick with my Tamron 45mm 1.8
The Tamron 45 VC is a really underrated lens.
@@DustinAbbottTWI It is... and so is the Tamron 35mm 1.8. Quality construction, close focus and Vibration Control on a prime, for a very reasonable price. I am still awaiting a Tamron 24mm 1.8, I am sure there working on it.