(UPDATED W/IMAGE SAMPLES!) HOT! NEW CV 25MM f0.95 NOKTON!

[vincechu]

Update 03/09/2010: IMAGE SAMPLES!: Samples at 43Rumors Looking good?

HOT! NEW COSINA-VOIGTLANDER 25MM f0.95 NOKTON!

Hey everyone... at the time of writing my face is stuck like this --> - I'm in awe at the speed of the lens... and the price tag.

As we're in the run up to Photokina, a few sources online anticipated that a few new fast primes (from Panasonic?) would be coming. But boy! I bet no one saw the "f0.95" coming! :smile:

This new Nokton may be pricey at 900 Euros but (in my opinion) but CV have a history for providing some good value for money lenses (Such as both the 35 1.4 and 40 1.4 Noktons) and some more pricey but very stellar lenses (IMO of course) such as the 35 1.2 and 50 1.1 Noktons.

In my opinion the new Nokton is definately going to give the micro four-thirds system a massive lift, it shows that the system is gaining support, and I believe CV have been very clever in designing and releasing this lens for m4/3rds. This is because as we all know, micro four-thirds have slightly poorer high ISO performance than other systems and faster lenses with wider apertures will definately help, but also because there is a lack of fast native lenses for the format, whilst similar lenses with an adaptor often suffer from vignetting and the Noktor 50mm f0.95 is double the focal length and it's image quality is questionable.

Here's a link to more info at 43rumors:

43 Rumors | Home

43rumors original source(google translated):
Google Translate

Finally I have my fingers crossed that this is only the start of new things to come to the system. It seems CV has listened to the demand for fast prime lenses for the format... now if only they listened to demand for a rangefinder-like body [/I

Update:

1. Official Cosina joins the micro four thirds group of companies OLYMPUS | News Release: COSINA CO., Ltd. Joins the Micro Four Thirds System Standard Group

2. Cosina's official website updated (Google translated link):
Google Translate

3. Price seems according to 43rumors might be 749Euros instead of 899Euros

Credit to 43rumors.com, it's a site I follow daily, and IMO it's a great source for rumors about micro four thirds - they were right about the E-PL1, G2 and G10 in the past, so I'd recommend taking a look at their site once in a while, especially with Photokina coming up ;-)

 

[Vidar]

Most likely I will buy this lens:smile:

 

[hmpws]

You beat me to it..

I think I am going to have to sell some lenses and get another job to fund this.

 

[Amin]

I'm excited to see CV lenses being designed for MFT .

 

[arpoador]

Most likely I will buy this lens:smile:

me 2

 

[everythingsablur]

The lack of AF will likely put many people off, but those same people would probably be right put off by the price tag alone.

What I'm curious about is if, despite the lack of AF, the lens is fully electronically compatible with the system and will properly report information for EXIF data. Otherwise it looks like a regular MF lens (no AF, manual aperture control ring) with an m43 mount thus precluding the need for an adapter.

Still, it's a very nice win for m43 to have another manufacturer putting out product, even if it is a very niche product. Hopefully this isn't the only glass we will see out of CV. Fingers crossed!!

 

[Jonkobeck]

Isn't that a lot of money for a normal 50mm prime? Now if it was a 35 then.......

 

[Pilaco]

Man... That's a really nice lens but quite a bit of money.

Hopefully, this is a sign of good things to come for m4/3s. :]

 

[vincechu]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I agree it is a lot of money, but CV has a history of providing good glass (IMO), hopefully they'll deliver this time too. Also lLet's not forget that sometimes photography equipment often sells 25%-33% of the RRP (well atleast here in the UK)

My 21st birthday happens to be around the time this lens is released for sale... good timing?

Jonkobeck, yes it is a 50mm equiv, but what's makes it stand out is the 0.95 aperture, very desireable for lowlight photography and shallow DOF. To my knowledge making lenses with very wide maximum apertures makes it harder to produce better image quality with less imperfections and is harder to manufacture, I guess these factors contribute to the high price of the lens.

 

[chylld]

this is definitely an interesting release. shame about all the naysayers in the 43rumors comments

my current lenses are the Panny 20/1.7 and the Nokton 50/1.1. both great lenses, but this one slots painfully in the middle! in terms of DOF, my 50/1.1 beats it (45mm aperture vs 26mm for the 25/0.95) however this is at twice the focal length so it's not quite fair to compare. against the 20/1.7 though it can be compared, and it will be twice as good

unfortunately my 50/1.1 is a bit too "dreamy" (soft and flares in the daytime) wide open, and i suspect the same of this new 25/0.95.

the big disadvantage though (apart from MF) is that it is too close to the nearly flawless panasonic-leica 25/1.4 for comfort. granted the leica needs an AU$140 43-m43 adapter...

i think i will wait for panasonic's response... photokina hurry up!!

 

[vincechu]

this is definitely an interesting release. shame about all the naysayers in the 43rumors comments

my current lenses are the Panny 20/1.7 and the Nokton 50/1.1. both great lenses, but this one slots painfully in the middle! in terms of DOF, my 50/1.1 beats it (45mm aperture vs 26mm for the 25/0.95) however this is at twice the focal length so it's not quite fair to compare. against the 20/1.7 though it can be compared, and it will be twice as good

unfortunately my 50/1.1 is a bit too "dreamy" (soft and flares in the daytime) wide open, and i suspect the same of this new 25/0.95.

the big disadvantage though (apart from MF) is that it is too close to the nearly flawless panasonic-leica 25/1.4 for comfort. granted the leica needs an AU$140 43-m43 adapter...

i think i will wait for panasonic's response... photokina hurry up!!

Agree about Panasonic's response, rumor has it that they're planning a 25mm 1.4 for micro four thirds, would be a great lens, although a bit pricey I'm guessing ;-)

I can't wait for photokina too, the 14mm 2.5 should be out, and hopefully a few cameras from both Olympus and Panasonic

 

[ccmsosse]

Man... That's a really nice lens but quite a bit of money.

Hopefully, this is a sign of good things to come for m4/3s. :]

Well the Leica Noctilux 0.95 is >$10Grand; so it's all relative
Manual focus should be ok - Leica is all manual focus and it works well (range finder works different but never-the-less)
What I will like most would be the MANUAL control over the aperture - it's a charm on the Leicas and will be a delight with my GF1 and EPL1.
If the image is good, I'll get it.
The Leica Noctilux 1.0 is huge on the GF1 and EPL1 - so this might be a great addition and backup.
Cheers

 

[chylld]

Agree about Panasonic's response, rumor has it that they're planning a 25mm 1.4 for micro four thirds, would be a great lens, although a bit pricey I'm guessing ;-)

last i heard it was going to be faster than 1.4... i'm comfortable letting the CV 25/0.95 go by but if panasonic releases a smallish AF 25/1.2.... aaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrghhhh

 

[chylld]

Well the Leica Noctilux 0.95 is >$10Grand; so it's all relative
Manual focus should be ok - Leica is all manual focus and it works well (range finder works different but never-the-less)
What I will like most would be the MANUAL control over the aperture - it's a charm on the Leicas and will be a delight with my GF1 and EPL1.
If the image is good, I'll get it.
The Leica Noctilux 1.0 is huge on the GF1 and EPL1 - so this might be a great addition and backup.
Cheers

Manual focus works really well on m43, so long as you have a good viewfinder (e.g. G1/G2 or Olympus VF-2). MF on my E-PL1 screen is guesswork at best!

Manual aperture control is also a godsend... instand DOF preview!!

About the size, the 25/0.95 is interestingly just as big as the 50/1.1, which is already quite chunky. I wish it could have been smaller, but they probably needed more optics for the speed and also the 15cm minimum focus distance.

 

[grebeman]

I'm excited to see CV lenses being designed for MFT .

I couldn't agree more. Nothing wrong being a manual focus lens, this is how it used to be and many of the greatest iconic photographs were taken years before auto focus lens let alone image stabilisation. There seems to be a growing band of people who think that photographs can't be taken without these features.

Barrie

 

[grebeman]

My 21st birthday happens to be around the time this lens is released for sale... good timing?

Its good to see one of the younger generation embracing this older technology, there are plenty of people older than this that have never seen a lens with depth of field scale on it, let alone understand it and able to use it.

Barrie

 

[mav]

Read about this just this morning. I'm pretty excited.

I think I might get one, MF doesn't seem to be much of a problem on the GF1. The MF assist function lets me get almost perfect focus when I use MF on my 20mm. I don't have a viewfinder.

Would be nice to know if it does have electrical connectors to tell the camera when I'm turning the MF ring and what aperture its using. Thus allowing auto MF assist and the use of aperture priority mode.

This however does open the door for more Voigtlander lenses which is a good thing.

 

[chylld]

Would be nice to know if it does have electrical connectors to tell the camera when I'm turning the MF ring and what aperture its using. Thus allowing auto MF assist and the use of aperture priority mode.

I would hazard a guess that it wouldn't, but fingers crossed anyway

Either way, you can use aperture priority mode even if the camera doesn't know what aperture is being used - it'll auto-expose properly anyway. Similarly you can use manual mode for holding a certain shutter speed and it'll auto-expose by varying the ISO (or at least my EPL1 can.) However you can't use S mode or Auto mode.

 

[Brian Mosley]

I think you can use Shutter priority on the Pen... adjust aperture on the lens barrel, set shutter speed and EV compensation then allow auto ISO to achieve the desired exposure.

Great development! Can't wait to see samples

Cheers

Brian

 

[chylld]

I think you can use Shutter priority on the Pen... adjust aperture on the lens barrel, set shutter speed and EV compensation then allow auto ISO to achieve the desired exposure.

Ooh I have to try this when I get home! Would love to be corrected on this.