Stroll Seen while strolling...walking and wandering outside

Walking around a small Oregon city this morning, I stopped for coffee at a local coffee shop whose 'logo' is....a raccoon, of all things! So, of course, I had to stop and take a photo.

Raccoon_Coffee_Forge_Medford_Mono2.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
This is such a great photograph, Matt. Everything about it - the tones, the light, the composition - I really love it.

And if you pardon my curiosity - what lens were you using to take this?
Thanks a lot, Miguel :)

That was taken with the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.5 - a lens I'm really beginning to appreciate. Its bigger brother (the Nokton f/1.2) may be technically more competent, but the images from the f/1.5 are really appealing. I bought the smaller Nokton as a travel lens, but it already has more or less* replaced the Summicron M on the M 262 because I do love the results.

It's not the first time I experience this, either: The technically dismal 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 produces really beautiful images on the Sony A6000 - so much so that I often pick it over the "mighty" Sigma 30mm f/1.4. The Nokton f/1.5 is a much, much better lens than the 7Artisans, though - in my eyes, it's a seriously underrated gem. I'd say that most people considering the M system would be better off choosing this lens over everything Leica has to offer in the ballpark: It's a lot cheaper, not significantly bigger or heavier while being quite fast, and the images are really very nice, even technically.

*I actually just reordered my two day bags for the Ms and moved the Summicron M to the M10's bag - it's still a nice lens and much smaller and lighter than the f/1.2 for which it is a valid alternative. It's better behaved than both Noktons, too - so if technical IQ is key, it's the better pick, and as such, a good combo with the M10.

M.
 
Last edited:
Thanks a lot, Miguel :)

That was taken with the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.5 - a lens I'm really beginning to appreciate. Its bigger brother (the Nokton f/1.2) may be technically more competent, but the images from the f/1.5 are really appealing. I bought the smaller Nokton as a travel lens, but it already has more or less* replaced the Summicron M on the M 262 because I do love the results.

It's not the first time I experience this, either: The technically dismal 7Artisans 35mm f/1.2 produces really beautiful images on the Sony A6000 - so much so that I often pick it over the "mighty" Sigma 30mm f/1.4. The Nokton f/1.5 is a much, much better lens than the 7Artisans, though - in my eyes, it's a seriously underrated gem. I'd say that most people considering the M system would be better off choosing this lens over everything Leica has to offer in the ballpark: It's a lot cheaper, not significantly bigger or heavier while being quite fast, and the images are really very nice, even technically.

*I actually just reordered my two day bags for the Ms and moved the Summicron M to the M10's bag - it's still a nice lens and much smaller and lighter than the f/1.2 for which it is a valid alternative. It's better behaved than both Noktons, too - so if technical IQ is key, it's the better pick, and as such, a good combo with the M10.

M.
Well, simply based on looking (over and over) at this one photo of yours, I would have to agree: the Nokton 50mm f/1.5 is a great lens. Period. No ifs, ands, or buts. I haven't shot with Leica's for a few decades now - not since the ancient analog-only days - but if I were to ever dip my toes back into the Leica pool, I would get one.

Your comments about the 7Artisans lens interest me as well. Sounds like another lens worth taking a look at. Some years ago I shot with the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 on my Lumix's - I purchased a copy partially due to the rave reviews and partially due to my desire (at the time) for a faster 30mm focal length - but, honestly, for me the Sigma never lived up to the hype. Weirdly enough, a cheaper, and much smaller modern Sigma - the extremely compact 30mm f/2.8 - which I bought because of Kirk Tuck's reviews, was in my admittedly prejudiced opinion, a much better (and more satisfying) lens. The smaller Sigma did everything the more highly rated f/1.4 was supposed to; its only real 'defect' was giving up a few stops to its larger and more expensive sibling.

Judging lenses, at least the way I do it, often winds up being a much more subjective process than any of the reviews or reviewers I ever read. There are so many factors which go into the performance and results of a given lens on a given camera body. But - returning to the main point - your f/1.5 Nokton is a real gem.
 
Back
Top