Hot! After the superb [shoplink 15659 ebay]Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95[/shoplink] Cosina just (officially!) announced the new Voigtländer Nokton 17.5mm f/0.95! The German press release is online at Photoscala (click here to read the horrible google translation). The main difference with the 25mm version is that the aperture ring can be switched from “Click stops” to “Clickless stops” using the ring in the front of the aperture ring. That’s perfect for video use! And the lens should have a superb bokeh too! That beauty is priced at 1299 Euro and will be ship in March. And here are the specs:
| Specifications Nokton 0.95 / 17.5 mm aspherical MFT | |
| Focal length | 17.5 mm (35 mm corresponding to small picture) |
| Connection | MFT (Micro Four Thirds) |
| Maximum aperture | 0.95 |
| Minimum aperture | 16 |
| Lens construction | 13 elements in 9 groups |
| Angle | 64.6 ° |
| Diaphragm Blades | 10 |
| Shortest Distance setting | 0.15 m |
| Macro area | 1:4,0 |
| Max diameter | 63.4 mm |
| Length | 80 mm |
| Weight | 540g (without hood) |
| Filter Size | 58 mm |
| Color | black |
| Other | Snap off hood, sun visor with a second cover |
| Price | € 1,299 (MSRP) |
[poll id=”114″]
And here is one more picture:
101 Responses
wow 1299 euros…..
out of my reach unfortunately.
yea that’s heavy
Who knows, maybe SLR Magic copies this one as well and sell it for several times less ;)? They’ve done it to Leica, so why not to Cosina :)?
They will sell every one of these lenses and have a waiting list as well. Great job. This is a great addition for m4/3s. This is a company that listens to its customers.
Too expensive for me but if I could have just one lens this would be it.
I will not buy this lens, but then again I don’t shoot at 35mm FOV. But I like this lens for the system. Bravo CV!
+1 now we have two top quality f0.95 lenses from CV. Could there be a 45mm f 0.95 on the way too?? Rich MF shooters need not look any further in mft.
They make an excellent 75mm f1.8, so who knows?
Isn’t there a 50mm already? Why would you want a 45mm?… It’s only 10mm equivalent difference.
F0.95/50 from Cosina, designed specially for m43 mount?!
No need to specially design tele lenses for m4/3 mount. Full frame M-mount lenses like 50/1.1 plus the appropriate adapter work just fine. Designing a m4/3-only version would be a duplication of effort and just cannibalize their own product’s market. The only gap that isn’t filled by existing lenses in their line-up is wide and fast, and that’s just what they’re concentrating on.
I have the 25mm and it’s great. The E-M5 would be perfect for both of these… Since Fuji announced their X-Pro1 pricing in € I’m a little more modest… Time will tell…
YOUCH! $1700 at current exchange rates!
It’s out of my league. Bummmmer. Oh well, you never know… 😉
But, this a great addition to the system!
More, Voigtländer, MORE!
Things are expensive in Europe, and include tax in price.
It would probably be more like $1500.
The rates with photo equipment have been about equal (1300€ lens in Europe sells in about $1300 in USA… but add taxes on top). From here (Europe) everything seems to be very cheap in USA… But when you add taxes and transit, you have lost about the same amount of money.
But an interesting lens… Have to think…
And now, all together:
WE WANT MORE! WE WANT MORE! WE WANT MORE! WE WANT MORE!
Ugggggh. So damn expensive. And so damn desirable.
@ Admin I think the Aperture ring can be switched from Click stops to clickless stops using the ring in the front of aperture ring. Thats really good for both photo and video.
Thanks! I updated the post with your text 🙂
🙂
Awesome, that is about as ingenious as the Manual Focus feature on the Olympus 12/2 🙂
I have done a 3min procedure to all my Konica Hexanon lenses and they all work stepless. This isn’t something new… 🙂
BUT IT’S COOL AS HELL!!!
You mean take the little ball bearing out? Yes, I have done that same procedure, accidentally, to one of my hexanons before.
Exactly! It started as an accident and when I noticed how easy it was, I did it to all 4: 40mm F1.8, 85mm F1.8, 50mm F1.7 and 57mm F1.2.
All stepless now!
I think large DOF at huge apertures should be a selling point of m43. Otherwise, nothing could ever be in focus. What will be the DOF with this lens at f0.95?
If you shoot from the same distance, even an F1.4/50 has a smaller DOF.
Thuough these different focal lenses won’t be used for shooting from same distances…
Field of view and depth of field will be similar to 35mm f2 lens with full frame camera.
Wow… I guess we can be glad it egzists… For argument sake at least…
For 1300€ it should be Eye Focus, not Manual focus… no matter how fast it is. 🙂
longer, wider, heavier, more expesnive. I really want to see some samples; it appears to be one of a kind.
DAMN! TOO EXPENSIVE! I had the Nokton 25/0.95 for a couple of months and then I sold it to rise some cash. Was really looking forward to this but it’s already out of my budget. Also length is 80mm and weight 540g?! Really?? Come one CV! At least make it the same size as the 25/0.95!
Cosina’s point of view for the product line-up could be good.
But … Cosina should learn AF and/or “electric terminal” technology.
This is a just “embeded” mount adapter lens.
MF maybe OK, but I’m NO THANK YOU for no-EXIF lens anymore. There is many old-lens’ .
How do you know it’s a mount adapter lens? the 25mm 0.95 is designed specifically for m43 and I believe the same is for this 17.5mm 0.95.
I think what Zetton meas is that even though it requires no adapter it’s almost like an adapted lens since it has no electrical contacts. Therefore one can find Old MF lenses and adapters for much less.
The only problem with that is that your not going to find a fast lens like this, in this focal lenght that was considered ultra-wide in film. (Same goes for the 25 f.95)
Voigtlander is taking focal lenghts that are proper for m4/3 and making some exotic lenses out of ’em.
Fabulous, but why so close to the existing 25? I wish they would have done a more significantly different focal length first, and then come back to this “gap filler” later.
they are just being consistent…
Oly needs a cheap HQ 25mm f.18 to be consistent, to… 🙂
It feels close in m43 terms. 17.5mm is exactly 35mm and 25mm is 50mm equivalent of full frame. So 17.5mm is actually quite a bit wider than the 25mm.
Hmmm… bigger (80×63.4 vs 70×58.4 – 58 vs 52 thread) and heavier (540 vs 411) than the 25mm…
Well I think its a lovely lens that no-one can afford!
Since the price is so astronomical they might as well of made it a cool £2k and added AF 🙂
Everyone complains its too expensive while the equivalent canikon is about the same price, with AF of course…. But doesn’t have the coolness of clickless
Fact: most people on this forum complain about the lack of pro and specialised equipment and when some finally appear on the market they now bitch about the price.
Guys, not everybody is poor like you…
These lenses are not for everyone, but nice to see the options there for those that need them…
Admin, in the previous post you wrote $1095, is that still accurate?
No, no, the question in the poll should be 🙂 :
If you had 1300 euros to spare, which one would you buy:
1. Voigtländer Nokton 17.5mm F0.95
2. Olympus OM-D E-M5 with kit lens
I can’t answer this poll honestly as is. I *want* to buy it, but *will* i buy it.. i don’t know.
The yen keeps on rising to the dollar and euro. I do think it will sell for 25 percent less though.
Unless you’re getting this lens to take photos in candlelight I don’t see the point, you can get a used 5D and a 35mm/2.0 for the same cost, and get the same visual effect/low DOF shooting that you would with this lens. You would even have autofocus and everything.
I dunno. I’m sure this is a fine lens, but there are soooo many fine manual focus lenses available in the used market for a fraction of this cost.
I don’t really need a lens that bright, though – anything faster than F2.0 for me is a benefit but not a requirement. If you absolutely need this kind of speed, you won’t be able to get it in the used market, and the case for purchasing this particular lens becomes a lot more compelling.
“… but there are soooo many fine manual focus lenses available in the used market for a fraction of this cost.”
Oh, really? Where? Made by who?
Good luck finding a 17.5mm f0.95 lens. In fact, good luck findiing a 20mm, 24mm, 28mm or a 35mm, at f0.95, either.
+1
Yeah, I think the fastest 35mm before that was also a Voigtlander and it was f1.2 but the reviews weren’t too good. Lets just hope this one will be better in quality and sharpness wide open.
I’m having deja vu.
You have to read this to see the performance of CV 35mm 1.2 II
http://fotolebrocq.blogspot.com/
I’m sure it’s a nice lens, but I have no need that would justify that cost.
@ Miroslav- I’d pick #2!
Cosina and SLRMagic should hire 1-2 experience engineers from other glass companies to put SHM, SSM, USM AF into their lens. then the lens will be MUST OWN lens.
For now believe still have 50-50 choose over the Leica 25m1.4 AutoAF
Why?
Great! wish if it could be a bit less expensive. The range really great for daily purpose.
I have their 35/1.2 in m-mount and it is to die for. It’s simply an amazing lens, although I haven’t used in on m43.
Yea… Too expensive for me. And I like to collect the zuiko first.
If you have a choice between the 17.5 Nokton and the upcoming 12-35 mm Panasonic Pro lens, and they are about the same price – which do you buy?
The 12-35 is much more versatile, but the Nokton is probably so much more fun.
For me, the 17.5 and it’s not even close.
@fgl42, after looking at the images produced by the 25 mm Nokton, I’m starting to think I have to have the 17.5 mm. The image quality is superb. I might even sell my 20 mm to make this purchase less painful.
Admin. You needed another option on your questionaire. You asked will you buy it?. You should have asked:
Would you buy it?
1. Yes.
2. Want to, but can’t.
3. No.
I would then select option 2 like everyone else.
+10 🙂
And maybe as well since I’m waiting to see the street price. I bought my 25MM .95 new for $400 of the list. Perhaps I’ll just cut it in half.
Are these native m43rds lenses or are they adapted full frame lenses? They are incredible expensive! If I had cash to burn I’d buy one for sure, but there are tons of better things to buy with that kind of cash.
They are native designs.
17 mm F .95 is really great , but i prefer if there will be with AF eventhough 1.2/ 1.4
Admittedly I have no real world experience, but I’ve seen a few reviews saying there is a bit of vignetting above (below?) 2.0 on the 25. What’s the point in the big aperture if it’s only usable in certain applications? And will this one be any different?
Most lenses have a little vignetting wide open. But that doesn’t mean they become unusable.
I love love LOVE my 25/0.95 but am not likely to drop > $1000 on this focal length. The 25/0.95 is a native micro 4/3 lens, not adapted; I expect this is the same. If Voigtlander came out with a similarly special portrait length lens, for THAT I would change my plan for my next purchase to be a new body to replace the G1.
Is this again a manual focus lens ? Unlikely for me to buy it , I more on tele lenses . Please come out something like 100mm F1.4 or 200mm F2 , this is what I expect .
No manual focus please !
I will wait for Panasonic 12-35 😉
17.5 is to expensive and Panasonic has ois and more versatile….
That is F’n sexy. A fast 35mm equivalent is a sweet street photographers lens. Definitely entering Pro quality lenses for m43.
As with everyone else commenting here… TOOOOOO expensive. Want it, but can’t buy it….
Maybe if Cosina didn’t waste money so they could stick the Voigtlander name on it it wouldn’t be so damn expensive.
being as how they own the name I don’t think that matters.
Where did you hear they own the name? My understanding is they pay Voigtlander a licensing fee.
Yes , it’s expensive , I rather invest in the X 35-100mm lens , more practical for me .
Da~yum. I wonder how good the bokeh is going to be? Some of Cosina’s other fast lenses have been a bit lacking in that respect.
Da~yum. I wonder how good the bokeh is going to be? Some of Cosina’s other fast lenses have been a bit lacking in that respect.
50mm lens has been tested in youtube. Manual focus is very difficult to shot moving objects.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5T1LMd81UQ
So expensive(
While I love Voigtländer, and this lens seems great, I really wish Voigtlander would also come up with some more ‘standard’ primes.
If they made 17.5 and 25mm f/1.4 lenses for about 400 euros, I think they would be very popular.
Voigtländer is the lens of choice for Leica M owners on a budget. Why only these extreme niche lenses for m4/3? Is manual focus too poor for using an MF lens as standard equipment?
The reason they only make extreme lenses like this for m4/3 is because fast and wide is the only gap that can’t be filled with their m-mount lenses plus adapters.
But why not f/1.4? Why the big f/0.95? Everything 25mm or wider is f/4 or slower.
17.5 and 25 1.4 manual focus? Why not buy a legacy lens + adapter for the same money then? Or an AF lens (25 1.4 already exists)? Voigtländer needs these extreme max aperture to generate enough attention and have a reason for people to buy them.
Why? I like the idea of a nice metal, manual focus lens, and don’t want to start with legacy glass and adapters (personal preference). Voigtlander can make them very compact, much smaller than the 25mm PL. If m4/3 cameras are easy to focus manually (I have no idea if they are), it would be a nice option to use a manual focus prime as a primary lens.
I remember one review of the NEX5n where the reviewer used MF lenses and loved it. ‘Slow food’ photography was what he called it. Like using a rangefinder, but with a modern twist.
In many situations, especially macro shooting, I prefer manual focus. I want to decide exactly what is in focus rather than leaving it up to the camera to dictate.
Don’t forget the real aperture ring! That means a LOT less button fiddling! When I set my aperture to f0.95 I know it will stay there. M mode suddenly becomes quicker and easier than A.
Adapting lenses is no big deal. I buy an adaptor for each lens, to minimize fiddling and juggling. There are so many excellent prime lenses available for great prices. Also, there are MANY lenses that will probably never be available as native M4/3 lenses. Fast telephoto primes, for instance.
Yes, the aperture ring is a great advantage. I have done a few stop motion videos, and fixing the aperture is a great advantage to maintain the closest possible exposure from frame to frame. Something I couldn’t do with my Canon lens.
Will see what I do once I have made the switch to m4/3. First I need to decide between the E-M5, GX1 and G3.
I would rather wait for the nexT Leica/Panny lens.
so far i feel like their 25 1.4 DG is hard to beat
I like that they are doing this. Right on Cosina! The 25mm was expensive but still sold a lot, so I have no worries about this. Next up, a 42.5mm f0.95? And then how about a 10mm f2 or f2.8?
Sure I will buy it…
…one day 😉
For the time being, my next investment, like 99% of us I guess, will be the EM-5 ^_^
(they will look so cool together btw)
fantastic, best digital lens ever
This is 35/1.8 equivalent for FF, but much more complex, much larger, almost certainly inferior performer (though still likely nice), and much more expensive (good comparison point is CV 35/1.4). Kind of antithesis of the micro 4/3 size advantage.
For videography applications, the focus throw and breathing characteristics will most probably be superior compared to FF equivalents. Voigtländer has a good track record with their previous Noktons.
You simply can’t have the video quality of a hacked GH2 in any FF camera.
Antithesis of the micro 4/3 size advantage? I wouldn’t call 540g that hefty… Sure, a bit front heavy. Same thing with 25mm Nokton. I don’t mind. It’s still a lighter combination than any FF camera body alone.
you are wrong, aperture 1.8 – this is 1.8, aperture 0.95 – it will be 0.95 …even on the frame 35 mm.
Еven from the viewpoint shooting in very low light, nokton already wins the 1.8!
Kudos Voigtländer! Now there´s a lens for M43 shooter.. Maybe I should sell my Canon 35 f/1.4 L and get that one instead 😉 Coincidently, the price is pretty close..
This lens defeats the object IMO. Too large and heavy for the most common uses. I hate to bitch, but at this focal lengths the best solution would be something along the dimensions of the 12/2 or PL25, probably f/1.8 or so.
Voigtlander would be silly to develop a 17.5/1.8 when you can get autofocus in the excellent Panny 20/1.7 for just $300. They’d never sell enough of them to recoup their R&D costs.
I was waiting forever for this lens. And when it comes to life, I start questioning its intended use.
You can get bokeh unitl around 1m (after 1m comes the infinity sign real quickly).
It is for sure not for enviromental portraits, cause nearer then 1m everything would look like a fisheye distorted face.
With those fantastic Voigtländers in the system, Olympus and Panasonic should really implement useful manual focus assistance. Anything what will make manual focusing comfortable, exact and reasonably fast.
I can’t speak for Olympus but Panasonic has the best manual focus assistance I have ever used. Granted I’ve only used the Canon 5DII, Canon T2i and Nikon d7000. It would be nice to have even better control though. Considering the camera’s already have autofocus you would think it wouldn’t be too hard to tell you whether when it was in focus and what direction to go.
The CV Nokton 25mm is THE BEST lens I’ve ever used, for any format, so if this proves to have similar build and optical quality then I fully intend to eat noodles for a year in order to buy one 🙂