More with the Voigtlander 40 f/1.2. What a lens for your Sony E Mount!
By Steve Huff
Last night we had the first ever Beers & Cameras meet up in Phoenix AZ and we had about 25 show up with cameras ranging from an Olympus EM10, to Leica Q, a few Leica M 10’s, a few Sony A7’s and an A9, as well as a slew of film cameras. Was an amazing fun time at the Angels Trumpet last night and it was so cool to meet all of you who showed up! Debby and I had a great time. Some of you left early before we went to the Lost Leaf for a photo shooting experience. I had my Sony A9 and Voigtlander 40 f/1.2 which is a lens I have fallen in love with without question. I write about it in a review HERE but I have used it since then and am having a tough time sending it back to CameraQuest. The build is fantastic, the size is perfect as it is sort of short and squat and fits the A9 perfectly. The manual focus implementation is superb as the Sony will automatically enlarge as you turn the focus ring so you can easily nail focus. The lens is sharp at f/1.2 and has lovely bokeh.
Video Update
Once again, thanks to all who showed up to the Beers & Cameras Phoenix meet up! We will have another in about a month!
Below are just a few more images from the Sony A9 and 40 f/1.2 … you can order this lens from CameraQuest HERE or on Amazon HERE
Click them for larger. The DR is stretched thin here as I needed as much of it as possible due to the darkness of the room mixed with the intense brightness of the flames. All were shot at f/1.2
How easy are you finding it to manually focus on the A9? As a Leica M user, I’m completely naïve to how one manually focuses on the A9 and how fast/slow or easy/hard it is.
For me it is easier than an M. While I love the M’s RF patch and how you manually focus an M, I get frustrated as they do go out of alignment and when they do, it makes it very hard to nail perfect focus. Many shoot with RF’s that are slightly off and never realize it, they just assume it is their skill holding them back from nailing perfect focus. With an A9 you turn the lens, and you can have it set up to automatically magnify so you can critically focus. Takes me about 1-2 seconds to achieve perfect focus like this. You can set it up for focus peaking, and use that or just have it do nothing. Depending on your preference you have those three choices. By default, the camera EVF will magnify the image as soon as you turn a manual focus lens barrel. Very very easy and enjoyable process.
And how about versus the Nocturnus ?
How would you compare it to the Loxia 50/2 as far as image quality, color, sharpness, etc?
Different. The 50 is an f/2 lens, this is an f/1.2. Sort of like comparing a Leica 50 Summicrom vs a Leica 50 Summilux. This would be more like the Lux, the Loxia like a cron. This will give you a more shallow DOF and better low light capability. The Loxia will off the Zeiss color and style but it is the aperture that makes the biggest difference here.
how is this lens compared to the 35mm/f1.2 II from Voightlander?
Different character altogether. The 40 1/2 is more modern, and will give a sharper image, improved colors and a more modern look all the way around vs the 35 1.2
I very much enjoyed the beers & cameras here in Phoenix !!! It was a great mix of very enjoyable people having fun and talking about one of our passions , Photography !!!! I do not think that I have ever seen as many Leica cameras at any one time before…. Hi to all of my new friends…. Thanks to Steve for giving us an opportunity to have so much fun !!! I hope this gathering is just the first of many to come …. John Young
now that you have used this lens a little more. how would you compare it to the Loxia 35mm?
I prefer it to the Loxia 35 100%. The f/1.2 Aperture and decent sharpness at that aperture sold me. The bokeh is nice as well as the color.