Voigtlander 25mm f4 Color Skopar M

kennethcooke · 08-31-2011

I was recently recommended by my friend at Classic Camera in London to try out the above lens and bravely, of foolishly I used it for the first time to record a friends wedding in B&W film. The digital guy who also covered his wedding was a Vogue Photographer, no pressure there then. It turns out his new wife works for Vogue so she had access to a tame photographer.

Anyway, to the lens. Andy said it was good and certainly I was very impressed as indeed was my friend. OK it's not a Leica lens but by the same token it is not the same GBP as a Leica lens. For what I paid, which included a 25mm CV viewfinder as my camera does not have 25mm frame lines it was really very impresive and as it does not break the bank I would strongly recommend it to the group if they have a need for that focal length. I cannot tell you how it performs with colour as I have not used any since the demise of Kodachrome

tajart · 08-31-2011

this is one of my favorite lenses. i foolishly sold my thread mount version...and finally settled on the m-mount version which i use on an m8. a couple examples are posted over at: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-...ml#post1463614

tajart · 09-02-2011

In addition to the image quality it renders, I love how compact it is. The thread mount version on leica thread mounts make such a great film setup.

newspaperguy · 09-02-2011

Let me add my agreement to this... the CV25/4 is a terrific lens that needs no
apologies. There is nothing else on the market that can produce any better images
in it's category... and isn't that what this is all about?

And yes, I've used mine on Barnacks, Canons, Bessas and my CL.

MISH · 09-02-2011

I love this lens (LTM) and feel the click stop focus is a wonderful thing as i can use it on
my standard (no rangefinder)

maybe not the greatest example but something I printed recently

self portrait with my daughter, holding the camera at arms length

also check out my avatar

MISH · 09-03-2011

I made the mistake of selling mine because I did not seem to be using it much and wanted to fund a different lens I thought I needed more. I quickly realized that I had to purchase another one.

Richard G · 09-03-2011

Great Lens, especially so compact. Putting it on an M5 is like wearing no lens at all. I have had some flare, even with the hood. I don't use a filter. The ZM is better, but more than twice the price and quite big.

raid · 09-03-2011

This is my all time favorite CV lens.
With the EP-2, it is a 50mm/4 with additional depth of field, and on film cameras, it is a wonderful wide angle lens with hardly any distortion. It is very well built, and it is compact. I have the LTM version, so it also fits cameras with LTM.

spartacus · 09-03-2011

Ditto on everyone's comments. I foolishly sold my LTM version last year and wish I hadn't.

Turtle · 09-03-2011

Quality is outstanding (if you get a decent one), its tiny and affordable. IMHO its technically a step ahead of the 21.

Great street lens for getting in close and zone/hyperfocal focusing.

PMCC · 09-03-2011

+1. Aces on a small body (CLE, Bessa L or T) for street. LTM version beats M version because of click stops.

jazzwave · 09-11-2011

What about Skopar 21/4, is this simmiliar lens but wider?

sanmich · 09-11-2011

The skopar feels great, but I have troubles getting good results from a 25mm...
I love the cs 28mm though.

Turtle · 09-12-2011

In my experience the 21-P is similar but not as good in the corners when comparing good samples of both, but it is still very good. Outwardly the two are identical.

gb hill · 09-25-2011

25/4 is a good wide angle portrait lens too. Is there any significant difference in the LTM & the M mount? Mine is the LTM.

MCTuomey · 09-25-2011

Sean Reid finds the CV 25/4 SC right up there with the Leica 24/3.8 and ZM 25/2.8, excellent company for a lens costing a fraction of what one pays for Leica/Zeiss.

Tom A · 09-26-2011

Lenin's head - sculpture in Richmond BC. Not shown is Mrs Mao balancing on his head!
VC 25f4 in M-mount. Leica M2, TriX in D76 1:1 10 min. Part of my Flickr "Back to Basics" - shooting with TriX and souping in D76 1:1/10 min.

jsrockit · 09-27-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by newspaperguy

Let me add my agreement to this... the CV25/4 is a terrific lens that needs no apologies. There is nothing else on the market that can produce any better images in it's category... and isn't that what this is all about?

I think Zeiss 25mm ZM users would have an argument here...

ajvin · 12-01-2012

Hi
I recently purchased a used 25mm skopar f2 for my m6. Shot a roll and quite pleased with it. I am thinking of getting an adapter for my lumix g1 4/3....any experience with this lens on a lumix g1. Thx..also I think I have an older version as mine is a "lens made in Japan" and I have seen a new in box version in a local shop marked cosina on the lens. Does anyone know if there is any difference in the qaulity of glass or build....thx

Pete B · 12-01-2012

I've got the non rangefinder coupled version used on a Leica M. I've only used it once despite thinking it's a brilliant lens. I must get out with it more. I've posted these before:
Pete

burancap · 12-01-2012

One of my favorites. I also need to get it out more!

grainhound · 12-01-2012

I have both the ZM and LTM C/V 25. I love the ZM, but take the C/V skiing, mounted on an M4-2, as is the VF. The combo fits so easily in a Mountain Co-op belt pack, along with a Digi-six, that it's scarcely noticeable when I'm skiing - or riding a lift, on which you must remove a backpack. It's also the ideal focal length for the ski shots I take (I don't shoot skier or boarder acrobatics with a super telephoto). Even with 100 ISO film it's easy to get shots at f5.6 or f8 on a ski hill, snow or shine.

The click stop focus renders the non-RF coupling moot on the street or on a ski hill. On the hill, most shots are near infinity anyway, and for urban use I spend a couple of minutes reminding myself of the DOF at the 3 click stops. At f5.6 or f8, it's hard to miss focus.

Great results too; at first I thought I'd made a mistake buying the ZM since I don't test equipment. There is a difference, however, and f2.8 and rangefinder coupling is important in situations other than the above. I don't do street, so the C/V is mostly a ski lens for me.

Godfrey · 12-01-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajvin

Hi
I recently purchased a used 25mm skopar f2 for my m6. Shot a roll and quite pleased with it. I am thinking of getting an adapter for my lumix g1 4/3....any experience with this lens on a lumix g1. Thx..also I think I have an older version as mine is a "lens made in Japan" and I have seen a new in box version in a local shop marked cosina on the lens. Does anyone know if there is any difference in the qaulity of glass or build....thx

Cosina licenses the Voigtländer brand name. Same lens.

Some of the Skopars don't image all that well with mFT sensors, only way to know is to try them.

Range-rover · 12-01-2012

Hi all.
I have this lens on my Nikon S2 and my Nikon S3 and it's terrific, smooth focusing
and the picture quality is fine.

Range

sparrow6224 · 12-08-2012

My version of this -- an M -- arrived today. Also I recently broke my 21/4 LTM and have an M version replacement coming. Here's my question: I'll soon be in the market for an M6 -- can anyone tell me what framelines in the M6 (and M4-P as well, I presume, which I might get instead of the M6) are called up by these two lenses? Obviously I'm hoping it's the 28mm, which will suffice for me with the 25mm. I have a 21mm VF. I can interpolate.