Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f/2.0 Lens with Leica M Mount - Black

2020-06-04T08:46:08

Again, the focus ring on this was faulty.

DAN E.

2018-09-07T15:49:52

I used to own the Leica 28mm f/2 Summicron ASPH (the current version 2) and that lens was optically outstanding in every way, as it should be given what it costs. I ended up having to sell that beautiful lens and now have this much-cheaper Voigtlander (1/7 the price) and must say, this lens is far more than 1/7 as good. The Voigtlander has some field curvature, but then so does the Leica, a bit more flare and a bit more purple fringing and at wide apertures the Voigtlander is much softer in the corners and a little softer on center. There is also a small amount of focus shift at f/2.8 through f/4 in close focusing distances, though honestly depth of field more than covers this under the vast majority of situations. I’d say this lens is about 85% as good as the Leica, which is very good indeed. It is far better than my Canon 24-70mm f/4 IS at the 28mm position, even at f/2, and by f/5.6 it actually rivals the 7X more expensive Leica Summicron. Contrast is excellent at all apertures and distances, and while sharpness is good at f/2 in the center, by f/5.6 it is tack sharp from corner to corner and shows almost no distortion at any aperture or distance. I’d also like to say that the build quality is far better than I expected, and that is true with the other Voigtlander lenses that I own as well (35mm f/1.4 Nokton SC and 50mm f/1.5 Nokton ASPH chrome). It’s not quite at Leica Summicron level, but it is very, very close and is better than the old manual focus Nikon Nikkors and Minolta Rokkors I grew up with, to say nothing about modern plastic autofocus lenses whcih don’t come anywhere the build quality of those Voigtlander. Finally, while many call this (and all) Voigtlander M mount lenses cheap or budget options, these lenses are only cheap in the context of Leica M mount. Compare to other modern lenses for mirrorless or DSLRs and this is absolutely a premium product, with look, feel and optical quality befitting one. I am absolutely delighted with my purchase, and only give it four instead of five stars for reasons that have nothing to do with quality (the Leica is also a 4-star lens for me), specifically it is fairly bulky and blocks more of the 28mm frame line than it should, and (also in common with other Voigtlander lenses) the markings on the aperture ring, focus ring and depth of field scale are small and difficult to read at a glance. Minor nits on an otherwise outstanding wide angle rangefinder lens.

ANDREW F.

2018-08-21T16:51:23

I had no intention of buying this lens. However, we're visiting Ireland in a few weeks. I looked at some of the travel pics I took in the UK last year, and realized that my 35mm lens just falls short for travel. I did some 'net searching and found people rated this lens very favorable, both in optical quality & price. Adorama had the lens in stock, so I ordered it. It arrived the next day (free shipping!) Let's start with the packaging. Gone is the retro, 1960's box. The new box reflects a company that is now producing lenses that can complete, for all intents & purposes, with Leica & Zeiss. The fit & finish of the lens is first rate. The f/stops click into place with a firm snap. The engravings are clean & crisp. A minor point: the red markings indicating the footage scale are difficult to read. Voigtlander should paint the footage scale white for USA inports. Right now, the white scale is for meters. The second quibble is the poor design of the lens cap. A first class lens should have a first class cap. To mount a 46mm filter, you need to unscrew the lens hood. The lens does intrude into the viewfinder of my M4-P. I'd estimate it blocks about 5% (in the lower right corner.) It's not a deal breaker. From close focus (about 2.5 ft.) to infinity is just shy of a 1/4 turn. The scooped focus tab makes that action very fast. By carefully choosing a working f/stop, you can forget about focusing and work with the generous depth of field the 28mm focal length offers. The lens is sharp wide-open, with a tiny bit of distortion at the edges. I shoot film, so this is a minor distraction. Stop down to f/5.6 and the lens is a powerful optical tool. It produces negatives with good contrast. I would imagine that it renders good digital color images. The cost of the lens puts it in a category that most photographers can afford. If you want the OEM lens for Leica, go for it. If you want an excellent 28mm lens, and have money left over in your pocket for travel, then this lens is for you. There will be people that will argue that this lens is sub-par, as if it was made in a factory with dirt floors. Nonsense. This lens is equal to one costing thousands more.

DANIEL C.

2018-07-31T12:40:47

I’ve been a loyal customer since the mid 1980’s. Once again they came through with flying colors. Prompt, efficient, great customer service, on time shipping. Product perfect as described

DAVID H.

2013-06-18T21:00:00

Mounted on a Sony NEX 6 with a Voigtlander adapter, this lens provides 42mm equivalence and is very sharp and contrasty. The lens is small and balances well on the camera. There are no color shift artifacts. The lens is a pleasure to use with this camera, which provides great dual focus aids for manual focusing. And, the results are terrific. No noticeable distortion. Highly recommended.

Peter M.

2011-02-19T19:00:00

I studied up on this lens. The $$$ lens was simply too expensive! I use this lens for street photography and low light photography. Also the size of the lens draws less attention than the faster $$$ lens. I would recommend this lens too any photographer. i love it!

STEPHEN P.

2010-07-19T21:00:00

For the price, the 28mm f/2 Ultron is a great deal, especially when mounted on a Leica M8. The 1.33x crop on that camera will give you a hair's bigger focal length than a 35mm. It has pleasing bokeh, nice contrast, and is a easy performer on the streets. Of course, it will not be as sharp in the corners as a Leica Summicron, but you'll really only notice that in larger prints, and even then it's not signficant. When compared to a Leica, or arguably even a Zeiss, the Ultron is "cheap," but it doesn't feel cheaply made nor does it give you cheap results. And, when it comes down to it, approximately $600 dollars for a rangefinder lens is cheap, but in the whole scope of things, it's not pennies like a Canon 50mm Mark II f/1.8. That's a cheap lens in every sense of the word. The main negative is that the lens will show in the bottom right corner of your view finder. Then again, so will the Leica 28mm. I think the only one that doesn't do that is the Zeiss.

ELI K.