Both lenses do NOT show "Italian flag" in this test, but a slight color shift towards the corners, where the color changes slightly towards red/magenta in the outer mid-frame and then a bit towards blue in the corners. Odd, but frankly I usually don't scrutinize vignetting behavior much. This may be in the normal range.
I have now uploaded the vignetting comparison as a single image file - see link below.
mapgraphs wrote:
The 28 Ultron LTM practically lived on my Sony. That plus a 35mm Ultron LTM. I worked around the field curvature issue for the most part with the 28. The 35 was more of a problem with the edges coming into focus when not desired. Both were superlative for near subjects (as long as the background was not too distant).
When I got the Z, with pixel peeping on the higher mp files, I found that the 28 was soft on one edge when focusing on distant subjects so I tested it on the M and Sony to see what 24mp showed, paying more attention to the edge in question, and both showed the same effect. Higher mp simply shows whatever issues exist more clearly. What got my attention with the new version is how close the lens design is to the original, and it's quite diminutive ... ; - )...Show more →
After I got all nostalgic about the original 28/1.9 Ultron LTM I checked Yahoo Japan auctions and there was one in excellent condition with a good buy-it-now price (around $370 converted to USD) from a reliable camera shop in Nara. I decided to add it to my 28mm rangefinder lens collection again and it should be arriving tomorrow. I hope it's a good well-centered copy.
Those are usually going for around $500 - $600 these days in similar or slightly worse condition so I figured this was a good opportunity.
Juha Kannisto wrote:
After I got all nostalgic about the original 28/1.9 Ultron LTM I checked Yahoo Japan auctions and there was one in excellent condition with a good buy-it-now price (around $370 converted to USD) from a reliable camera shop in Nara. I decided to add it to my 28mm rangefinder lens collection again and it should be arriving tomorrow. I hope it's a good well-centered copy.
Those are usually going for around $500 - $600 these days in similar or slightly worse condition so I figured this was a good opportunity.
I like mine, had it since bought new to use on M3 and M6. Since used on Nex 6, A7 and now Xpro-2 and XT-3. Very nice. Never understood why they changed to the f/2 with its problems.
rscheffler wrote:
Off topic, but I'm very curious if Leica fixed the field curvature problem?
Yes. It's fixed. The field curvature is now just barely noticeable. Wide open center also seems sharper, but the drawback seems to be a bit weaker extreme corner sharpness. This is consistent with a post I remember seeing by Roger Cicala showing how adjustment of just the front element of the Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 Distagon/Milvus could either make the lens (wide open) hyper sharp in the center with soft corners or good across the frame.
For reference to the 28mm Ultron II, my Summicron Asph II is not nearly as sharp in the extreme corners (now after the adjustment). I am not that interested in having super sharp extreme corners, so this is not a big deal. Having good sharpness from the center to the extreme sides is much more important to me.
After I got all nostalgic about the original 28/1.9 Ultron LTM I checked Yahoo Japan auctions and there was one in excellent condition with a good buy-it-now price (around $370 converted to USD) from a reliable camera shop in Nara. I decided to add it to my 28mm rangefinder lens collection again and it should be arriving tomorrow. I hope it's a good well-centered copy.
...
After looking at how small the front lens element of the Ultron II is, and how much larger it is in the Summicron-M Asph II, I measured both:
Front lens element in Voigtländer 28mm Ultron Asph II: 23mm
Front lens element in Leica 28mm Summicron-M Asph II: 30mm
The difference as big as I would expect between two lenses, with one being a full stop faster than the other. No wonder why the new Ultron vignettes so much...
Photo cross posted in the Sony FE Image Thread and taken yesterday at 5:20 PM. Processed in LR.
Looking at Farm, farmers fields, and Loch Valley Road at/along the intersection of Loch Valley Road and Stony Ridge Road.
Tripod mounted A7rII Kolari Vision UT sensor modified camera and Voigtlander 28mm f2 Ultron II Asph VM lens; silent shutter.
ISO 100, f11, 1/125 second; silent shutter.
Exposure Corrected +0.29 Stops.
August 9, 2021
Along Loch Valley Road, New Tripoli, PA.
Just got this lens today, gave it a test whirl around the house and yard on my m240 today.
1st impression, wow, small, solid build and beautiful.
2nd impression, weird, the focus is dampened differently at close focus compared to mid and infinity.
3rd impression....I love that!
4th...Every shot was in focus on the 1st test run (that's unusual for me...lol)
Nice and sharp wide open, colors are perfect on my m240 (maybe a tad cool), punchy contrast, brilliant sunstars.
Love it so far. Will be great for hiking it's so small.
Matt Kerby wrote:
Just got this lens today, gave it a test whirl around the house and yard on my m240 today.
1st impression, wow, small, solid build and beautiful.
2nd impression, weird, the focus is dampened differently at close focus compared to mid and infinity.
3rd impression....I love that!
4th...Every shot was in focus on the 1st test run (that's unusual for me...lol)
Nice and sharp wide open, colors are perfect on my m240 (maybe a tad cool), punchy contrast, brilliant sunstars.
Love it so far. Will be great for hiking it's so small.
Congratulations!
The good news is that the Voigtlander 28/2 II works great on a SL body. I was very surprised when I saw that it holds IQ at the corners in a mirrorless other than a M body.
I imagine it does, I haven't thrown it on mine yet. Funny though, I was chimping during the first 50 shots or so on my (not so good) m240 screen and it actually looked GOOD, that almost never happens...lol
My sample has even dampening throughout the focus range. I consider varying resistance a sign that something isn't as it should be, no matter which lens we are talking about.
If it doesn't bother you (you even say you like it), then you could of course just let it be. However, from what I have heard, uneven focus dampening/resistance never gets smoother, only worse. Perhaps you should let the reseller know about the issue now and then later decide whether you to send it back or not.
This is only meant as a friendly heads-up and suggestion. (Sorry if you feel I am spoiling the joy of your new lens.)
Matt Kerby wrote:
(...)
2nd impression, weird, the focus is dampened differently at close focus compared to mid and infinity. (...)
Okay, I guess I stated it wrong, the dampening doesn't change, the amount you adjust for focus becomes a further throw as you focus closer. Perhaps every lens does this, and looking at my other lenses yes, this is the case, but the throw from .5m to 1.5 meters feels long, and as such, feels like this is to assist you when close focusing, or maybe it's because I can focus to .5m with the CV...In either case, dampening is even, throw is really sweet.
Matt Kerby wrote:
Okay, I guess I stated it wrong, the dampening doesn't change, the amount you adjust for focus becomes a further throw as you focus closer. Perhaps every lens does this, and looking at my other lenses yes, this is the case, but the throw from .5m to 1.5 meters feels long, and as such, feels like this is to assist you when close focusing, or maybe it's because I can focus to .5m with the CV...In either case, dampening is even, throw is really sweet.
Matt Kerby wrote:
I imagine it does, I haven't thrown it on mine yet. Funny though, I was chimping during the first 50 shots or so on my (not so good) m240 screen and it actually looked GOOD, that almost never happens...lol
Sorry, I thought you wrote SL2 instead M240. The CV 28/2 II is absolutely perfect on the M240.
I find it hard to choose the 5 times more expensive Leica lens over the Voigtländer from an image quality point of view, both technically and regarding rendering / bokeh. The only category where the Leica lens is clearly better is its much less vignetting. It has slightly less distortion too, I think.
The Ultron is less wide, but not by much. Whether the slightly less angle of view is good or bad probably depends on the situation.
As hinted before, I think one can argue that the Ultron is more like an f/2.4 lens than an f/2, but apart from that, it beats or equals the Leica lens in just about every category.
I think it's really going to depend on image content. The interior comparison has very few areas with OOF specular/pinpoint highlights and thus is difficult to really find differences.
My beef with the Ultron's rendering is less at near MFD but at maybe 2-3m with backgrounds containing a lot of specular light sources. The Ultron's optical vignetting truncates the bokeh balls and results in mild swirling that while not a lot, still feels unsettling for me. I'm sure it affects everyone differently.
In the 100% crop example you can see the Ultron exhibits a bit more purple fringing/LoCA, but whether it's a big deal will again depend on image content and expectations.
Without doubt though, the Ultron is a very strong performer. It has me contemplating downsizing from the Lux and accepting the tradeoffs.
rscheffler wrote:
I think it's really going to depend on image content. The interior comparison has very few areas with OOF specular/pinpoint highlights and thus is difficult to really find differences.
My beef with the Ultron's rendering is less at near MFD but at maybe 2-3m with backgrounds containing a lot of specular light sources. The Ultron's optical vignetting truncates the bokeh balls and results in mild swirling that while not a lot, still feels unsettling for me. I'm sure it affects everyone differently.
In the 100% crop example you can see the Ultron exhibits a bit more purple fringing/LoCA, but whether it's a big deal will again depend on image content and expectations.
Without doubt though, the Ultron is a very strong performer. It has me contemplating downsizing from the Lux and accepting the tradeoffs....Show more →
Hi Ron,
I have not handled or used the Lux and do not use the WA M-mount lenses on an M-body, but I have found that this small Voigtlander 28mm f2 Ultron II Asph VM handles extremely well and feels just great with my Kolari Vision UT sensor modified A7rII.
