Voightlander 35mm vs 40mm

[alastc]

Hi,

 

I'm pondering an update to my Sony 35mm F2.8.

 

I would like something a bit faster (e.g. F1.4) and with a bit of "character", but I would still like it to be small and light.

 

I think that puts me into manual lens territory, so the Voightlander 35/F1.4 and 40/F1.4 seem to fit the bill.

 

I would rather get 35mm, as that fits between my 21 & 55 better, however, I would generally carry either just this 35/40, or the 21+55, not all three, so not the end of the world.

 

So I have two questions:

1. Does either perform better on the A7M2 (I thought the 40mm might be better in terms of corners?)

2. Why does the 35mm cost more on eBay?

 

Also, I assume I would want the MC coating, is that right?

[Gilgenberg]

i have some 35mm and 40mm lenses also the VC 35mm 1.4 and i would not recommend this lens

 

IMOH it is not usable at 1.4 and still at 2.8 the edge and corners from the picture are terrible

 

MC coating and SC coating does not make a distinguishable difference IMOH

 

best small 35mm i know are the VC Ultron 1.7 and Leica summilux 35mm pre asp.  if you look for character and IQ and compactness

 

my ranking from the lenses i own character wise:

 

1. summicron 35mm 8 elements V1... but contrast is not easy to fix and only usable at 2.8, coating is not up to date, no chance to shot against light,

but character and sharpness are awesome

 

2. voigtländer nokton 35mm 1.2 V.II  wonderful lens but to big, the ultron or the Leica summilux are much smaller

 

3. FE Sonnar 35mm 2.8..(i think you really don´t need a upgrade ......it is a wonderful lens)

 

4. Takumar 35mm 3.5 M42 

 

5. Minolta MD Rokkor 35mm 2.8

 

 

my most favorite and smallest lens is the Minolta M-Rokkor / Leica Summicron 40mm F2 not razor sharp open but very nice and as the the smallest lens own

 

 

in your case i would go for the Ultron 35mm 1.7 or the Leica summilux 35mm

 

the FE Sonnar 35mm 1.4, i don´t have it, but i think it is the best 35mm for A7 but not small at all

 

character wise also the nikkor 35mm 1.4 Ai/s is very very nice, i f i would not have already so much 35mm lenses i would buy one...(-;

[Michael_j]

In Leica mount the 35mm is more useful and so more expensive on the used market  because it brings up the appropriate viewfinder frame with Leica M cameras. There is no 40mm frame in the M series. I had a 35mm Voigtlander but got tired of the fairly severe focus shift. Otherwise it was a nice lens. Neither frame line problem or focus shift matters when using Sony.

[alastc]

IMOH it is not usable at 1.4 and still at 2.8 the edge and corners from the picture are terrible

...

 

Thanks @Gilgenberg, really useful.

 

The reason I was thinking of changing from the FE 35mm 2.8 was to get a bit more use in lower light, social situations. Therefore if a new lens struggles at under F2.8 it won't help me very much. Also, the Sony FE has a fairly clinical look, not bad, just lacking character.

 

I guess I should also have said I wasn't looking to spend over £1000, so whilst the Leica looks lovely, I can't afford that!

 

Perhaps there isn't a perfect 35mm lens for me (at least to upgrade from the FE one), but I'll look into the Ultron 35mm 1.7 and the nikkor 35mm 1.4,

 

@Michael_j thanks, good to know it isn't something that would affect an A7.

 

Has anyone tried the Voightlander 40mm 1.4 on an A7?

 

Thanks,

 

-Alastair

[Gilgenberg]

i think the sonnar 35 2.8 is a awesome lens and has lot´s of character!

 

yes the color´s a a bit to cool but you can easily  adjust the color balance a little bit and sometimes the black level or lower the contrast if needed

 

and adjust vignetting 

 

i have all these 35mm here and it is not much adjustment work in Raw developer with the sonnar to simulate the character from the other´s except the Summicron V1 this lens has really character and awesome sharpness and so much detail

 

different grays and colors .....but really old coating.....)-:...... sometimes not usable...... absolute not versatile but wonderful

 

the Nokton 35mm 1.4 has also a little bit cool colors so i think the 40mm will also go in this direction, also the nokton 35mm 1.2, so if you want great colors i would test the nikkor 35mm 1.4....(or FE 35mm 1.4...(- ))) .......

 

but take care,  nikkor 35 1.4 has also flaws 

 

you could also look for a newer version used summicron 35mm F2, you can use them open so you have 1 stop advantage

 

but take care ....G.A.S...........stay with the sonnar!

[Gilgenberg]

there is a very good review for the Voigtländer Ultron 35mm 1.7 on A7 Body by Phillip Reeve:

 

https://phillipreeve.net/blog/voigtlander-ultron-11-7-35-mm-review/

 

he wrote:

 

"To me it is the most attractive 35mm option for the Alpha 7 series right now"

[Golem]

Canon 40/2.8 ... need adapter. The combo

is $550 +/-. Might be the greatest 40 ever. 

Distortion, vignetting, corner blur, flare, etc 

are close to sub zero.  

     

Plus once you own the adapter, a whole 

new range of optical options opens to you. 

  

Acoarst it's no longer a pancake with the  

adapter applied, but since it starts out very 

pancaked, adding the adapter brings the

total package to about the size of various 

other mid-FL primes. 

[alastc]

Thanks, but anything over F2, or with a SLR adapter isn't an improvement over the FE 35/F2.8 for me.

 

Reeve's review of the Ultron F1.7 is interesting, makes it look like the best option.

[Gilgenberg]

as addition...there is also a Ultron 40mm F2 MF  in Nikkon mount, that must be awesome 

 

https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=ultron+40mm+f2&cm=sony%2Falpha-a7

 

http://www.kenrockwell.com/voigtlander/40mm-f2.htm

[lo9rd]

No one has mentioned the Loxia 35mm, from what I can see it has character, is small, and faster than your 2.8.

It was close between it and the SZ35/1.4 for me, but in the end I went for big and fast, over small and fasti-sh.