I hadn't yet fully appreciated the size of this lens. Very keen on you further findings - this looks very, very interesting.
However, I admit to being a real fan of the older M mount version - it's my favourite 50mm lens, in fact. And I have seen - preliminary - reports of somewhat wild bokeh of the new version, something my Nokton doesn't have to any major extend. But what I see in your test shots doesn't show that at all ... Consider me intrigued.
EDIT: I just took another round of test shots - boring, but instructive; the 50mm f/1.5 VM is just the best balanced performer of all the M mount 50mm I own (not that many), even over its f/1.2 stable mate which is, on purely optical terms, superior, but it doesn't render the more pleasing image, nor is it considerably sharper wide open (if anything, the much older f/1.5 is at least as sharp). I know that's an unfair comparison, and the - much bigger and heavier - f/1.2 is a really solid performer and more versatile, but it doesn't *outshine* the f/1.5. Interestingly, I time and again prefer both Voigtländer lenses over the otherwise very reliable Summicron-M. That lens certainly isn't a lot sharper wide open (again, from what I'm seeing in my totally unscientific testing, the f/1.5 holds its own against the legendary
Leica lens), and its rendering is less attractive, though really nice for an f/2 lens. I'm beginning to suspect that I wouldn't have to regret selling on the Summicron ...
Again, should the new f/1.5 version equal or even outperform its predecessor, that'd be a major feat! Looking forward to the comparison! It might also be the death knell for the Summicron in my kit since the f/1.5 II is smaller than even the superbly compact Leica lens ...
Besides, I now own another wonderfully satisfying 50mm f/2
M.