Voigtlander Nokton 21mm F1.4 Aspherical Review

Voigtlander sells its Nokton 21mm F1.4 mirrorless lens in two versions—one for Leica M cameras for $1,049, and another for Sony E models for a bit more, $1,199. Both sport the same optical formula, but there are some cosmetic and technical differences that separate them. Regardless of the camera you pair it with, the Nokton combines a very wide angle with an f/1.4 aperture and offers loads of character.

Throwback Fit and Finish

The Nokton 21mm F1.4 looks and feels a bit different depending on which version you buy. We tested the M-mount edition, which works natively with Leica rangefinder cameras, giving it some time on an older Leica M (Typ 240) camera body and, via an adapter, a Sony a7C.

The version of the lens sold for E-mount cameras looks a bit different, but houses the same optical formula. It focuses a little closer, and includes electronics so it triggers focus assists automatically, and also records the set aperture, options you don't get with the Leica M edition. Of course, it costs more, and it can't be used on M cameras.

The optics required to net a wide 21mm focal length and bright f/1.4 aperture are on the large side—as are both editions of the lens. The M comes in at about 2.7 by 2.7 inches (HD), while the Sony E version sports the same diameter, but is a little longer (3.1 inches). Each weighs a bit over a pound and supports 62mm threaded filters.

Regardless of the edition you buy, you'll get a lens housed in a metal barrel, finished in piano black. The manual focus ring offers an ample grip, alternating between curved finger hold valleys and ridged peaks. Aperture control is manual too—with the M lens you get third-stop adjustment, while the E lens can be set to turn freely (for video) or with detents (for photography).

Dust and splash protection is omitted from both versions of the lens. It's not something we've come to expect for M lenses, but is a standard feature for Sony glass, including the autofocusing FE 20mm F1.8 G.

Rangefinder or Mirrorless?

Using wide lenses with a rangefinder camera is a bit of a chore. Photographers still cling to models like the Leica M10-R because of its optical viewfinder and double-image manual focus patch, but the viewfinder doesn't show as wide a view of the world as a 21mm lens. For most M cameras, that means you'll need to use the main viewfinder to focus, and an accessory finder to get a properly framed image.

There are some older 35mm film models, notably the Voigtlander Bessa R4, with extra-wide viewfinders that show the 21mm angle of view; I didn't get to try the Nokton with an R4, but the viewfinder blockage is likely substantial. If you're an R4 owner, you know the drill.

It's not an absolute necessity. You can always eyeball it, use the entirety of the viewfinder, and enjoy images that show a bit more of the world than your eye sees through camera optics. You'll have to deal with a partially obstructed view, though—the lens itself juts into and blocks a good portion of the viewfinder.

To frame images accurately, you'll need to add an external viewfinder. With any M camera, film or digital, an optical accessory finder is an option, but you'll still need to switch your eye from one finder to another to go between focus and framing. While you can get pretty close using the distance scale on the lens to estimate focus distance by eye at narrow apertures and with further subjects, working up close or making photos at f/1.4 really requires precise focus.

Some digital M models also support electronic viewfinders. The add-on option for my aging Typ 240 isn't very good by modern standards, but M10 models support a much clearer add-on EVF.

When you use the lens with a mirrorless camera—you can put the M-mount version on any mirrorless system with a $20 adapter—you'll use an electronic viewfinder full-time, of course. I went this route when testing the M lens, using the Sony a7C as my camera in the field.

Close focus isn't a strong point for most rangefinder lenses. The M version of the Nokton focuses to about 20 inches (0.5-meter), but M cameras can't actually check focus through the viewfinder that close—rangefinder coupling doesn't work any closer than 27.6 inches (0.7m).

The Sony E edition focuses closer—rangefinder coupling isn't a concern after all. It can lock onto subjects at 9.8 inches (0.25m).

In the Lab

I tested the Nokton with the 60MP a7R IV and software from Imatest, an application that measures resolution, distortion, and vignetting—all characteristics of note for a wide-angle lens.

At f/1.4, the pair nets very good resolution through much of the frame (4,100 lines), but edges lag behind quite a bit. Field curvature comes into play—our resolution tests are shot at fairly close distance with a flat target.

This leads to muddy results in lab tests. In the real world, much of your frame will be naturally defocused at f/1.4, and while you can expect subjects framed off-center to show less contrast and detail than those near center, it never limited my choice of framing.

Central resolution is excellent at f/2 (4,625 lines), and field curvature lessens as you narrow the aperture and increase depth of field. For landscape use, the Nokton delivers excellent results from center to edge at f/5.6 through f/11.

Images are softer at f/16, a result of optical diffraction. With some lenses you'll need to live with that to get defined sunstars, but the Nokton draws sharp sunstars by f/8. By virtue of its 12-blade design, the aperture draws stars with 12 points when stopped down.

There is some distortion, a complex mustache pattern that's a little tricky to compensate for on your own, but can be addressed via software; Adobe includes a correction profile for the Nokton for photographers who process images in Lightroom. If you're thinking about the lens for architectural work, keep this in mind. For day-to-day imaging, the effect is modest to the point where you won't notice it.

You're certain to take note of the vignette. Corners are visibly dimmed at f/1.4 and f/2, and while the effect is lessened at f/2.8 onward, it's never really gone. It's something that you can compensate for when processing your photos with relative ease.

Wide Aperture Sets It Apart

A lens this wide and this bright, with full-frame support, is a rara avis. While it's fairly common to find 24mm F1.4 lenses, the Voigtlander Nokton is one of only two in-production 21mm F1.4 lenses for the sensor format.

The other, the Leica Summilux-M 21mm F1.4 ASPH., is a direct competitor, also available in M-mount. It's significantly more expensive, $8,295, nearly eight times that of the Nokton. I've not had the opportunity to use it, though, and its asking price is high, even for Leica.

Voigtlander also still sells the Ultron 21mm F1.8 in M-mount for around $900. It's been on the market for some time—we reviewed it six years ago—but it remains an appealing option if you want to spend a bit less.

Leica M photographers are locked into manual focus lenses, but Sony owners thinking about the E-mount edition will also want to mull the Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G. Its styling is more modern—it sports a composite polycarbonate barrel and autofocus, after all—and its optics are outstanding. The FE 20mm F1.8 G may not scratch specific itches, though. Photographers who prefer the handling and aesthetics of purely mechanical, manual focus lenses are likely to prefer the Nokton.

Posted in: Camera