So you thought the Nokton 35mm f1.2 RF lens was a lump! - Page 2

rxmd · 08-01-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speedfreak

How many percent of the global photography market do you think are represented by RFF? 5? 3? 1? 0.1?

How many lenses does Voigtlander sell in a month? How many kit lenses (!) does Canon sell in a month?

Honestly, who cares? This thread is about how Keith is happy with a lens he's got. Telling everybody that the system doesn't offer the same resale value, or that Voigtländer doesn't sell enough of them because Canon is selling more kit lenses seems beside the point.

Speedfreak · 08-01-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisN

If you are looking to make people feel guilty about enjoying the fruits of their hard work and success, look elsewhere.

Not at all. I was trying to reason why the 17mm 0.95 is a relative unpopular lens with hardly any reviews or sample pictures out there.

"making people feel guilty", that is your interpretation. It tells more about you than it does about me. Enjoy yourself.

Speedfreak · 08-01-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by rxmd

Honestly, who cares? This thread is about how Keith is happy with a lens he's got. Telling everybody that the system doesn't offer the same resale value, or that Voigtländer doesn't sell enough of them because Canon is selling more kit lenses seems beside the point.

It´s funny how you are compressing a full page of posts into one piece of nonsense and then complain about it.

Like you I am looking forward to seeing some samples from this combo.

gavinlg · 08-01-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speedfreak

The equivalent in terms of angle of view and depth of field would be more like a 35mm 2.8 for Nikon FX.

Correction: DOF equivalent on FF would be an f1.8 35mm lens. Light gathering ability is still f.95 though - a full 2 stops more than an f2 lens.

Keith · 08-01-2012

As for the lens being unpopular ... it was nearly a six week wait to get one and I had to more or less put the money on the line first.

I thought long and hard about this lens and the OM-D itself because it's not a cheap option. My needs are fairly unique though and it now looks as though this may just be as good as I was hoping ... if it wasn't I was quite prepared to sell it and move on.

And go easy on Speedfreak ... I've taken no offence at anything he's said to date.

ChrisN · 08-01-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speedfreak

Not at all. I was trying to reason why the 17mm 0.95 is a relative unpopular lens with hardly any reviews or sample pictures out there.

"making people feel guilty", that is your interpretation. It tells more about you than it does about me. Enjoy yourself.

Thank you. I do.

I think you've confused "unpopular" with "uncommon". How long ago did Voigtlander release the lens in this market? The importer seems to quickly sell what stock he can get. And an f/0.95 lens is never going to be a volume seller; most of us simply don't need that level of capability (with its attendant weight and bulk). Keith's work requires this capability, and we are all looking forward to seeing how it performs.

robert blu · 08-01-2012

I'm really curious to see the photos...
robert

Tom A · 08-01-2012

Tuulikki (my better half) has been using the 17,5 f0.95 since early this year. It is on her Lumix G1. Initially she was moaning about the weight and the fact that she had to focus and set aperture herself - but once she saw the result, she got to like it. I like it too - when I get a chance to try it. The 15 cm close focus is amazing - a 'semi" macro lens at f0.95!!!!

CameraQuest · 08-01-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith

I just got my Nokton 17.5mm f0.95 in the mail and was quite stunned at the weight when I unpacked it. Physically it's actually slightly larger than the 35mm f1.2 and it's also heavier at 573 grams ... the RF lens is 500 grams! Speed certainly comes at a price!

LOL. Sounds like you have never used a Noctilux f/1 or f/.095. both of those make both of the Noktons you mention look small and petite.

Not to mention the horrendously large and heavy 50/.95 SLR MAGIC lens.

Stephen

Keith · 08-01-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by CameraQuest

LOL. Sounds like you have never used a Noctilux f/1 or f/.095. both of those make both of the Noktons you mention look small and petite.

Not to mention the horrendously large and heavy 50/.95 SLR MAGIC lens.

Stephen

It's beautifully made I have to say ... a credit to Cosina and I never realised the lens had the option of stepless aperture adjustment!

The focusing action is incredibly smooth and perfectly damped and I had little trouble focusing it fairly quickly wide open.

For what it is I don't think it's that expensive ... I think that there's a mindset that all micro four thirds stuff should be cheap!

ChrisN · 08-01-2012

Agree with you about the price - for the speed the CV 25/0.95 and the 15/0.95 are an amazing bargain compared to other lenses with that low-light ability.

My heaviest prime lens is the Pentax K 50/1.2, at 410gm, and 49mm in length. I consider that a specialist lens.

The CV 15/0.95 weighs 540gm, and is 80mm long! That's a serious chunk of lens. The little OM-D will be dwarfed by it.

I'm still looking forward to some pics of it on the camera!

And pics made with it! How does it render?

Tom A · 08-01-2012

Dont forget that the big market for lenses like the 17,5 mm f0,95 and the 25 mm f0.95 is the serious videographers. This is why the 17,5 has the dual aperture function, either click stops or non click stops. The Micro 4/3 market is quite small - though it is growing.

ChrisN · 08-01-2012

I think the availability of these lenses for MFT is a great thing for the format, too. It's like the existence of the Canon perspective control lenses - not all pros need them, but having them available if the need arises is a great incentive for pros to buy into the Canon system. Very few people will need the 0.95 speed, but it's nice to know it's there if needed. I think these lenses will appreciate in value.

igi · 08-01-2012

Ah this good thread has been trolled...

Keith, that's what you get for missing the 24hr deadline for pictures

Keith · 08-01-2012

Just got home from a day out with the OM-1 ... I needed some film and OM therapy after yesterday's two hours messing about with settings etc in the gallery gloom!

I'll take a pic of the setup this evening and upload some shots from yesterday ... which I may mention are very boring. An empty gallery with nothing but a truckload of monitors showing weird stuff has little to offer photographically I discovered!

Keith · 08-02-2012

Ok ... you asked for it! I will not be held responsible for the effect this may have on your eyes ... or wallet!

ChrisN · 08-02-2012

Nice! How does it handle? Not exactly like a rangefinder, I suppose.

Keith · 08-02-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisN

Nice! How does it handle? Not exactly like a rangefinder, I suppose.

It handles really nicely and feels quite balanced... but with this lens the battery grip is essential IMO!

jonasv · 08-02-2012

Looking forward to photos taken with it!

ChrisN · 08-02-2012

Good to see they have the focus and aperture rings turning in the right direction.

Keith · 08-02-2012

Here's a couple of images ... though I don't really think they're of much use to anyone here and you need to be aware that this environment is what I bought this lens purely for and little else ... the image Tom has posted is much more use in the real world IMO.

This test in the gallery mainly involved seeing how fast and accurately I could focus on any given point at f0.95 and finding out how the Oly sensor reacted to the video screens at ISO 1600 and how to go about metering. With the D700 I've discovered that the matrix system figures it out really well with me offering a little help with compensation now and then. Not so with the Oly ... the multi patterned metering is totally dominated by the dark spaces and it attempts to turn everything into daylight and of course the screens literally vanish into white ... it doesn't have the Nikons intelligence by a long shot!

I discovered that with the OM-D using the spot meter is the way to go ... meter on the middle tones of the brightest screen in the viewfinder, lock the AE with a half press of the shutter and recompose and focus. For some reason this doesn't work very well with the Nikon at all and the spot metering is all over the place when it's aimed at a monitor or video screen. Of course the video screens and monitors are changing constantly so my failure rate is extrodinarily high which I've learned to accept as part of the process ... I do a lot of chimping!

I'll add that focusing the OM-D and f0.95 Nokton combo was much easier than focusing the D700 and 35mm f2 Zeiss ... I had both cameras with me and made direct comparisons. The EVF really kicks the optical finder's but in these conditions.

Welcome to my crazy world.

StaaleS · 08-02-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisN

Good to see they have the focus and aperture rings turning in the right direction.

Would that be the Leica/Canon right direction, or the Nikon right direction?

Griffin · 08-02-2012

That is one badass mofo looking combo!

Keith · 08-02-2012

As a matter of interest when I took the OM-D out of my Low Pro yesterday I hooked the eyecup on something and plucked it off like a daisy petal ... pulling the rubber surround off and separating the mounting tag from the frame on one end of it.

The Nikon chuckled!

OlliL · 08-02-2012

From what I've read, Olympus should really supply a couple eyecups with the camera.