Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f/2 SL IIS Review
Lens Review: A practically perfect Manual focus lens
I've had this lens for about a year now and it's virtually perfect. I mostly use it for film photography and it looks great on my Nikon FM2n. It also works well on my Nikon F80s, and I can even use the aperture ring when it's on my Nikon F6.
Since this is a manual lens, I've found that the best way to use it is to set the zoom to infinity and zone focus. When I want to take a photo, I turn the focus ring in the opposite direction to where the lens is already focused. The focus is smooth and fun to use, but the focus throw is quite long for close-up shots. The lens can focus at a minimum distance of less than 10 inches, which makes it great for close-up shots.
I really love the 40mm focal length, as it feels more natural to me than the tighter 50mm length.
The build quality is impressive, with an all-metal construction that feels premium and substantial. The aperture ring is smooth and clicks into place nicely. The lens is smaller than the Nikon 50mm 1.8D, and that’s saying a lot. (See image below).
This lens has CPU electrical contacts, so it can be used on digital Nikon cameras. I use it with my very old Nikon D70 and it works perfectly, allowing me to use matrix metering and providing a circle indication in the viewfinder when I hit focus.
This is an expensive lens but I think it’s excellent and worth it. Its a retro look & feel and the lens is very sharp!
size comparison to Nikon 50mm lens
This Voigtlander 40mm f/2 lens is actually the second version. The first version had a different design and was even smaller. I think about half the size and weight. I originally wanted that one but it was discontinued by Voigtlander when this current one was released.
Film Photo Samples Shot on Kodak Ektar 100
The lens has CPU electrical contacts and can talk to digital Nikon cameras.
Retro, expensive and fantastic.
