Voigtlander 15mm 4.5 V1 vs V2 for Leica M?

From a 35mm film Leica M camera perspective: considering the Voigtlander 15mm 4.5 V1 screw mount and VM/V2 M mount, other than price and rangefinder coupling of the V2 (which arguably is not needed at 15mm) any reason for choosing the V2 over the V1?



Few notes:

To be used on 35mm film (colour and B&W) or Digital M9 (B&W)

The V1 focuses closer at 30cm while the V2 focuses closest at 50cm. This makes a difference in relative subject size in the frame.

V1 cant take filters but V2 can

V1 shorter and less wide

V1 VF easier to look through but plastic fantastic. V2 VF lovely, compact and all metal. Well made. But more difficult to look through.

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Final point and just for fun: If you weren't using on film but rather only on digital and colour, would it make a difference for the above and your final answer?

I had the first version, and I recall it causing quite a sensation in the Leica community when it was released, both for it's excellent performance and modest price. As depth of field is very deep at f/8, I didn't find lack of rangefinder coupling an issue. But it wasn't designed with a digital sensor in mind, and I recall it being marginal in the corners with M8, and pretty bad with the M9's FF sensor. Think if you wish to use it with a digital sensor, you may want the 3rd version.

I've had both, sold the V1 because it did not accept filters (and V2 because I did not use it enough)

Since then, I saw there are 3D printable adapters.

I have the V2 with the 52mm filter thread. Being able to use filters is essential to me. Nice that It also has rangefinder coupling for those really close shots. One of my favorite lenses for the M camera with film. It's been with me all over the world. The later retrofocus ones are too big and bulky, and designed for digital sensors that can't handle a non-retrofocus lens.

Minimum focus distance is kind of a moot point since it's such a wide lens.

One of my favorite lenses:

img20240530_14531904 (1) by Marco Wikstrom, on Flickr

Germany-Switzerland 2019-257 by Marco Wikstrom, on Flickr

Germany-Switzerland 2019-367 by Marco Wikstrom, on Flickr

Axelwik said:

One of my favorite lenses:

img20240530_14531904 (1) by Marco Wikstrom, on Flickr

Germany-Switzerland 2019-257 by Marco Wikstrom, on Flickr

Germany-Switzerland 2019-367 by Marco Wikstrom, on Flickr

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Lovely pictures. Do you use the v1 or 2?

jodad said:

Lovely pictures. Do you use the v1 or 2?

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I use the M mount version that came right after the original screw mount, so I suppose that's version 2. Takes 52mm filters.

"V1 cant take filters but V2 can"

Hi Jodad -

V1 can take filters.

The original advice from Voigtlander was to use their custom 12mm f5.6 and 15mm f4.5 interchangeable front mount push fit (screw lockdown) filter (pictured).

The front filter inconvenient trade off required is an 82mm. Rather extraordinary compared to the V2 at 52mm however there is no benefits in optical formula of one over the other.

The V2 loses the ability to be used on Barnack and other screwmount LTM cameras. In this way, you can shoot infrared ultra wide angle 15mm on a Barnack (if you have/can find).

Axelwik said:

I use the M mount version that came right after the original screw mount, so I suppose that's version 2. Takes 52mm filters.

Click to expand...

Yes it is. Thank you