Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.1

Noctilux lite The Voightlander 1.1 does pretty much everything the Noctilux does, but for a price that will let you take it out and use it. As with the Noctilux, you don't want to throw it wide open into high contrast lights, because you are going to get pink halo chromatic aberrations, but that's to be expected with such a wide aperture. It's pretty sharp throughout, but starts to slightly vignette wide open, which depending on your preference is either stylishly cool, or a deal breaker. I have been using it for about a year on my Sony A7SII, and it's a solid all around lens. It's a little hard to get the 1.1 dead on with manual focus, but can be done, and looks Noctilux buttery smooth. I probably wouldn't be up for buying many other lenses for my street photography style, if I wasn't trying to get the occasional long focal length shot of a volcano or something. However, the biggest downside is the 1m minimum focus distance. It's an absolute struggle to take photos in the car, or at dinner without going right back against the wall. And that's the only thing stopping me buying the compact voightlander 35mm f1.4 too. 70cm minimum focus just isn't enough for casual close-ups. Pros: Low light + Bokeh+ Contrast + Clarity + Cons: Wide open abberations - Minimum focus distance - *** Note: the Voightlander 1.1 realises bokeh a lot smoother than the 1.0 for whatever reason, and is the main reason I chose the 1.1 over the 1.0 . Thanks to the review by Kai over at DigitalRev's Youtube channel. I added one of the more wide open shots I have taken since I don't tend to go faster than f2 often, this is one of the only wider shots I have to demonstrate the potential.Read full review

80% of the quality of the Noctilux, assuming it's properly adjusted, and you like collecting butterflies. According to independent MTF charts published by Roger Cicala, who is in a position to know, this lens is about 80% as good as the Leica F0.96 Noctilux, which I have also used. The Noctilux is an amazing lens, creamy and beautiful wide open. The Voigtlander is good too, but has a couple of shortcomings: First, it is great for butterfly collectors, because you will see new species of butterflies all over the perimeter. They are coma. The Noctilux, on the other hand is great for mushroom collectors, because its coma takes the form of mushrooms, though they are smaller and less evident. Second, the focus adjustment is sometimes off. I had to send my copy out to a lens repairman to be adjusted. Use the focus peaking rather than the rangefinder, if you want to be sure. Other than that, the Voigtlander is an excellent lens, well-made and amazingly good quality considering the low cost compared with the Noctilux. Once the focus is adjusted I expect to get a lot of use out it. May shoot it with an EVF to be sure I see what I get. Read full review

The Nokton 50mm F1.1 is a high quality, fast, sharp, contrasty lens. My particular copy of the Nokton 50mm f1.1 M mount is very sharp and produces contrast on film shots (Delta 100) so close to other M lenses that I would not be able to justify the extra expense. I would recommend anyone desiring a fast M lens that is well built and a pleasure to use, try the Nokton.