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Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S review
The Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S is a rare type of modern manual lens. As far as I know, Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL (SL II) is available only for Nikon and Pentax cameras, Canon camera owners will have to use the lens using an adapter Nikon Canon.
Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S
The review I visited was Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL version N / AI-S (i.e.Nikon AI-S, but in fact AI-P), while the lens has microprocessor contacts, which allows you to use it with automatic metering exposure on any Nikon cameras. In this case, automatic iris control is available through the camera menu, and the camera itself can work in any mode, for example, in classic P, A, S, M, or in full automatic mode (in the green zone). We can say that the lens is an analogue of Nikon FX, Non-D with the only difference that it does not have auto focus.
The lens has an aperture control ring. For it to work properly on modern Nikon cameras, you need to set it to F / 16 using the aperture control ring on the lens itself. After such manipulation, it will be possible to control the aperture directly from the camera, for more details in the section about Non-G Lenses. However, the Nokton 58 / 1.4 SL does not have an aperture ring lock, like Nikon’s native lenses, so you can accidentally slide the aperture ring from F / 16 and receive a 'fEE' message on the camera display (error setting the aperture ring).
Please note that Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL version N / AI-S does not transmit focus distance values into the camera, which may give errors in exposure, especially when shooting with flash in TTL auto modes.
All the same, I'll write again just in case: Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL version N / AI-S is manual lens and it will not automatically focus on any Nikon camera never and under no circumstances.
Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S
It is unfortunate that despite the presence of microprocessor contacts with support for metering exposure and iris control, it is impossible to achieve sound confirmation of focus, and with it the ability to use the focus priority function (when the shutter is released only when it is in sharpness). Focus trap also cannot be configured. Focus confirmation will be done as with other manual lenses - using the green dot (i.e. electronic rangefinder) in the lower left corner JVI. How to focus on manual lenses on Nikon cameras you can find here.
Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S
Nokton 58 / 1.4 SL has an excellent Japanese assembly, manufactured by Cosina, everything is done at the highest level (apart from some little things, such as the lack of slots for the hood, which is why it needs to be screwed into the thread for the light filter, and the aperture ring is non-rubberized, as some Carl Zeiss lenses have MMJ / AEJ versions and the not-so-convenient side 'tabs' cap like older 'Nikon' lenses). The lens weighs 320 grams and feels like a well-made thing in the hand.
Enlightenment of the front lens Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S
The focusing ring is rubberized and has a very smooth 'cream' stroke, while rotating 250 degrees. During focusing, the front lens does not rotate, only the trunk is slightly lengthened. When focusing, the entire lens unit moves inside the lens entirely. The minimum focusing distance is 45 cm and the maximum zoom ratio for macro photography is 1: 5.8. On the body there is a scale for focusing distances in meters and feet, as well as a depth of field scale for F / 8 and F / 16. The aperture ring can be used to set F-numbers from F / 1.4 to F / 16 in one-stop increments. If you use the aperture control from the camera menu, then the entire standard set of intermediate values is available, such as F / 1.6, F / 1.8, F / 7.1, etc.
Enlightenment of the rear lens Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S
The Nokton 58 / 1.4 SL uses 58mm color filters. The objective lenses have a pronounced enlightenment, which allows you to create a picture with a pleasant color rendering, while the lens tolerates side light well, and in the back light it can sometimes catch small spots and a rainbow arc. It's good that the Nokton 58 / 1.4 SL loses little contrast in the backlight. The lens uses a 9-bladed aperture, while bright light sources can produce 18-star effect and it is extremely difficult to get 'nuts' in the blur zone.
Aperture blades Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S
In the Nokton 58 / 1.4 SL network they are praised almost to the skies. Personally, after a few days of review, I did not really love him. A really good lens, 8mm longer than the classic fifty, with a really nice picture. On the technical side, I believe that optically the lens could be much better at F / 1.4, which has soft and contrast drops typical for super-fast lenses. From the artistic and intricate side, everything is very good - here you have a pleasant bokeh, color rendition, and 'volume' and other artistic 'troubles' :).
Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S on ZK
On Nikon DX cameras EGF the lens will be 87 mm, such a focal length is often attributed to portrait lenses and users of cropped cameras can use the Nokton 58 / 1.4 SL not only as a fast staff lens, but also as a 'portrait lens'.
On full-frame cameras, the Nokton 58 / 1.4 SL can serve as an excellent creative lens, and no one forbids taking great portraits with it. Personally, for review, I went with two cameras: Nikon D700 with Nokton 58 / 1.4 SL and Canon 5D with Nikon Nikkor 105mm 1: 1.8 (AI-S). At the same time, to shoot almost all the plots in the open air, especially the same portraits, it was much more convenient and pleasant for me to use a longer-focus lens. But this only concerns usability :).
Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S on ZK with a hood
I think that it takes some time to penetrate such a lens.
Here link to the archive with the originals - 608 MB, 51 photos in .NEF format (RAW) from the camera Nikon D700 (FX).
Labels on the Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S lens
Canon Lens EF 50mm 1: 1.8 II and Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S
Nikon Nikkor 105mm 1: 1.8 (AI-S) and Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S
Results
Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL N / AI-S (Voigtlander SL II line) is a very good and pleasant fast prime. You can squeeze a lot from such a lens :).
UPD: in September 2016 an updated version of this lens was released - Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL II S.
↓↓↓ Like ↓↓↓ Thank you for your attention. Arkady Shapoval.
I want Arkady to say thank you very much for the review of this wonderful lens. Thanks, among other things, to your report and the comments here, I decided to buy this glass of the latest version of the Voigtländer Nokton 58mm f1,4 SLII-S AI-S. And very happy with the purchase. I have other good glasses available, but this copy completely captured me. And while I mostly shoot with Nocton. Color reproduction is simply amazing, contrast, soft pattern. This has already been mentioned here. Sharpening, well, the famous bokeh is another story. Before buying, I had the opportunity to test the Nikon Noct-Nikkor Ai-s 58mm F / 1.2, almost new for 5000 euros, but, to be honest, I didn’t see such a difference that I would overpay for the aperture on F / 1.2. And, of course, people don’t lie when you shoot in BW, the richness of shades is amazing. In short, anyone looking for a great creative lens, for leisurely, for example, portrait shooting, can squeeze real masterpieces out of it. Provided that the hands are not crooked!