Voigtlander 17.5mm f/0.95 Nokton Micro Four Thirds Lens Review

Voigtlander 17.5mm f/0.95 Nokton Micro Four Thirds Handling and features

Compared to other prime lenses designed for the Micro Four Thirds camera system, this lens is quite large and heavy, weighing 560g and being 80mm long. Due to the size and weight of this optic, it may feel a little cumbersome to use on some of the more compact MFT bodies available, but it feels good to use on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 used for testing, partially due to the size of the camera, and the finger grip, which adds extra stability.



Materials used in the construction of this lens are of the highest order. Plenty of metal has been used, which adds to the quality feel of the lens. The manual focus action is silky smooth and can be adjusted with the lightest of touches. Given that depth of field is very shallow at maximum aperture, extreme care needs to be taken to get images properly focused with these settings. Most MFT cameras have a facility for magnifying the image during focusing and it is best to take advantage of this feature. A useful hyperfocal scale is provided on the lens for aperture values between f/4 and f/16. A minimum focus distance of 15cm is great for shooting in claustrophobic environments, or for taking frame filling close up images.

A unique design has been implemented for the aperture ring. The aperture range is divided into half stop intervals, with a smooth clicking action between each setting. The click-stops can be disengaged by sliding and rotating a bezel in front of the aperture ring, allowing the aperture setting to be seamlessly adjusted, which is a boon for people who wish to use the lens for both video and still photography.

A 58mm filter thread is supplied, which does not rotate during focusing. This makes the lens ideal for use with graduated or polarising filters. A compact metal lens hood that screws into the filter thread is also supplied.

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