What about the Voightlander Skopar lenses ???

BradS · Aug 18, 2018

Disappointed by the condition vs cost of available Leica screw mount lenses, I've been looking at the screw mount offerings from Voightlander. Specifically, the 35mm Color Skopar and 25mm Snapshot-Skopar. What do I need to know about these?

Gerry M · Aug 18, 2018

Brad,
I have 25/ltm, 35/ltm, 35/M & 35/S. I like the images they produce as well (or better) than the Leitz/Leica lenses that I used to have. But, I am not a pixel peeper and do not agonize over minute details. I prefer lenses that give more contrast . I use them on R2A, IVSB2, Nicca 5L & S2. Maybe I have just been lucky, but I have never had a bad Color Skopar. Others can probably give you a more technical point of view.

Gerry
So. Oregon

Ai Print · Aug 18, 2018

I did not have either the 25 or 35 but did have the tiny little 28 and really liked it. But I did have to go through a couple to find one that was properly centered, sample variation seems a bigger issue than compared to Zeiss lenses and far more variation than Leica. I sold it because at 3.5 it was a bit slow and replaced it with a super clean Leica 28mm Elmarit Asph that I found for a great deal.

The other thing is that the coatings are more modern than a Leica screw mount so contrast is generally higher. I have the 50mm 1.5 Nokton Asph and I like it a lot, it’s lighter than any Leica 50mm 1.4 I have had and is really quite good as an option for that lens. It’s nowhere near the league of the 50mm Summilux asph especially considering color fringing or that “pop” that the lux has but a darn good option for the money.

Gerry M · Aug 18, 2018

I should have said that on film, I only shoot b&w.

ransel · Aug 18, 2018

Likewise, I have the 25mm and 35mm, both in LTM. I really like them, though I wish the 25mm opened up one more f/stop. I use them both on my Canon P. Wonderful build quality, very sharp and contrasty. I believe the 35mm is my favorite all-around lens.
This was shot with the 25mm stopped down - the rocks and river below are about 75ft below the train tracks.

Ko.Fe. · Aug 19, 2018

Why are posting not in RF sub forum ?
Anyway. 25 in LTM has no RF, only scale, if I'm not mistaken. I had M version. Same optics. No surprises lens.
I had all three version of 35. First LTM has shorter focus distance and 39 filter. Second LTM has 43mm filters and very short focus throw and not so close minimal focus distance. With second version I always had aperture shifting, because it is close to focus ring and no focus tab. Also no surprises lens. I was never impressed by it on darkroom prints. But it has good price and small size.
Watch for affected optics. I saw one bad yesterday on eBay.
Jupiter-12 with hood for wide lenses is good and cheap alternative. I had maybe four of them. Never with bad optics. I now have from very first batch, called as Russian Biogon.
It is very easy to shim for Leica or just use as is.

Addled · Aug 19, 2018

I have the 21/4, 25/4, 28/3.5, & 35/2.5 and they all show the same signature. From wide open they are sharp and contrasty in the centre but have to be stopped down to f8 or f11 for the corners to catch up. For their size and price they are wonderful lenses.

guangong · Aug 19, 2018

I have a bunch of modern Voightlander lenses bought from Steve Gandy from 15mm on up to 50mm. While build quality not equal to E. Leitz lenses they will probably be trouble free as long as I’m around and lens quality is quite good. My experience has been that Canon ltm lenses are frequently cursed with haze although extremely good when clear. My gut feeling that modern Leica products are marketed as luxury items.

BradS · Aug 19, 2018

Thank you everybody.

dourbalistar · Aug 20, 2018

You may already know, but the 25mm f/4 Snapshot-Skopar LTM is not rangefinder coupled, zone focus only. Depending on your camera, you may need an auxiliary viewfinder. I have one that I never really got along with, mostly because I'm terrible at zone focus.

mnemosyne · Aug 20, 2018

As Ko.Fe noted, the 35mm Skopar comes in three variations, two LTM, one bayonet, optical design is the same for all lenses. The first LTM version, sometimes referred to as "pancake", has the 43mm filter thread, the second LTM version and the bayonet version have a 39mm filter thread, which is standard for classic Leitz M lenses. Between the two LTM versions, the second one is preferrable because of the closer focus limit and is usually a bit more expensive on the second hand market. It is the one I own now. I used to own the M bayonet version, the lens developed a problem, it literally fell apart as some internal screws became loose. I also had problems with a certain type of flare with that lens with the sun at an oblique angle outside the frame. My suspicion is that it was caused by the shiny chrome lens hood mount. No such problems with the LTM lens. Optical quality is quite good. I use it only rarely as I normally prefer the Canon 35mm f2 which I find is even better value for the money than the Color-Skopar.

BradS · Aug 20, 2018

Kinda surprised and a little bummed that the 25mm f/4 is not range finder coupled.
I get that the fairly wide depth of field allows for there to be considerable focus error but...sheesh!
I'm sure glad I asked.
Thank you again to everybody who've responded and especially for the example photo!

I guess I should have mentioned at the outset...
I have a Leica IIIF, use mainly B&W film (Tri-X or FP4+) and make traditional prints in the darkroom.

Dismayed · Aug 21, 2018

guangong said:
I have a bunch of modern Voightlander lenses bought from Steve Gandy from 15mm on up to 50mm. While build quality not equal to E. Leitz lenses they will probably be trouble free as long as I’m around and lens quality is quite good. My experience has been that Canon ltm lenses are frequently cursed with haze although extremely good when clear. My gut feeling that modern Leica products are marketed as luxury items.

You don't consider the ostrich-covered Leica X2 Lamborghini 50th AD SE a necessity?

guangong · Aug 21, 2018

Do you remember the Hermès Leica with the leather peeling off while still in the display case?

dourbalistar · Aug 22, 2018

BradS said:
Kinda surprised and a little bummed that the 25mm f/4 is not range finder coupled.
I get that the fairly wide depth of field allows for there to be considerable focus error but...sheesh!
I'm sure glad I asked.
Thank you again to everybody who've responded and especially for the example photo!

I guess I should have mentioned at the outset...
I have a Leica IIIF, use mainly B&W film (Tri-X or FP4+) and make traditional prints in the darkroom.

Yeah, it's the M-mount Color Skopar version that's rangefinder coupled. The M-mount version didn't come bundled with an auxiliary viewfinder, since I think it was designed with the Bessa R4M/R4A which had built-in 25mm framelines. CameraQuest's website has some great details about these Voigtlander lenses:
https://www.cameraquest.com/voigtlen.htm

What about the Voightlander Skopar lenses ???

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