Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1.2
Summary
The Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1.2 is a solid optical performer — a standard prime (53mm equivalent) with f/1.2 maximum aperture. The lens is priced at approximately ~$750 USD. Please check the official product page for sample images, manuals, and firmware updates.
Genre Suitability
- Excellent for: Street, Travel
- Avoid for: Nightscape, Landscape, Architecture, Portrait, Sport, Wildlife, Macro
Strengths
- Exceptionally smooth bokeh
Weaknesses
- Poor corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
- Very soft center performance wide open
- Very soft corners wide open
- Severe coma (point lights smear into wings at corners)
- Strong spherical aberration reducing contrast wide open
- Heavy vignetting wide open (2+ stops in corners)
- Below-average flare resistance
Specifications 19/20
| Optical construction | 8 elements in 6 groups (1 anomalous partial dispersion) |
| Coating | Multi-coating |
| Focal length | 35mm |
| Max aperture | f/1.2 |
| Sweet spot | f/4 |
| Aperture blades | 12 (circular) |
| Sunstar points | 12 (soft — circular blades) |
| Max magnification | 0.15x |
| Min focus distance | 300mm |
| AF motor | Manual focus |
| OIS | No |
| Weather sealed | No |
| Aperture ring | Yes |
| Clickless aperture | No |
| Focus ring | Yes |
| Focus by wire | No |
| Distance scale | Yes |
| Rotating front | No |
| Tripod mount | No |
| Weight | 196g |
| Diameter | 59.6mm |
| Length | 39.8mm |
| Filter thread | 46mm |
| Year | 2019 |
Optical Quality 14/14
| Center (wide open) | 0.0 |
| Corner (wide open) | 0.0 |
| Center (stopped) | 2.0 |
| Corner (stopped) | 0.0 |
| Coma | 0.0 |
| Astigmatism | 1.0 |
| Spherical aberration | 0.0 |
| Longitudinal CA | 2.0 |
| Lateral CA | 1.5 |
| Distortion | 1.0 |
| Vignetting (wide open) | 0.0 |
| Vignetting (stopped) | 1.5 |
| Bokeh | 2.0 |
| Flare resistance | 0.5 |
Sharpness
- Very soft center performance wide open
- Very soft corners wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Poor corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
Aberrations
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Severe coma (point lights smear into wings at corners)
- Moderate astigmatism
- Strong spherical aberration reducing contrast wide open
Rendering
- Exceptionally smooth, creamy bokeh
- Heavy vignetting wide open (2+ stops in corners)
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Below-average flare resistance
Distortion
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
All optical scores are based on lab measurements and field tests from trusted review sources. For details on how we score lenses, see our scoring methodology.
Genre Fit
✗ Nightscape Photography 1/5
Nightscape Photography prioritizes coma control, astigmatism correction, and a fast aperture for short star exposures.
- Severe coma (point lights smear into wings at corners)
- Moderate astigmatism
- Fast f/1.2 aperture
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Very soft center performance wide open
- Very soft corners wide open
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Heavy vignetting wide open (2+ stops in corners)
- Strong spherical aberration reducing contrast wide open
✗ Landscape Photography 1/5
Landscape Photography prioritizes corner-to-corner sharpness at stopped-down apertures and good flare resistance.
- Poor corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Below-average flare resistance
- Moderate astigmatism
- Severe coma (point lights smear into wings at corners)
✗ Architecture Photography 1/5
Architecture Photography prioritizes geometric precision with minimal distortion and even corner sharpness.
- Poor corner-to-corner sharpness stopped down
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Below-average flare resistance
✓ Street Photography 4/5
Street Photography prioritizes sharp stopped-down performance and a fast enough aperture for low light.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Fast f/1.2 aperture
- Very soft center performance wide open
- Below-average flare resistance
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Severe coma (point lights smear into wings at corners)
✓ Travel Photography 4.5/5
Travel Photography prioritizes balanced image quality in a lightweight package.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Lightweight at 196g
- Fast f/1.2 aperture
- Below-average flare resistance
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
✗ Portrait Photography 1/5
Portrait Photography prioritizes smooth bokeh and critical center sharpness wide open for subject isolation.
- Exceptionally smooth, creamy bokeh
- Very soft center performance wide open
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Strong spherical aberration reducing contrast wide open
- Heavy vignetting wide open (2+ stops in corners)
✗ Sport Photography 1/5
Sport Photography prioritizes sharp wide-open center performance to freeze action at fast shutter speeds.
- Very soft center performance wide open
- Fast f/1.2 aperture
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Well-controlled lateral CA
✗ Wildlife Photography 1/5
Wildlife Photography prioritizes center sharpness across apertures for distant subjects.
- Very soft center performance wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Fast f/1.2 aperture
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Well-controlled lateral CA
✗ Macro Photography 2/5
Macro Photography prioritizes stopped-down center sharpness and high magnification for close-up detail.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Low magnification (0.15x)
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Strong spherical aberration reducing contrast wide open
- Exceptionally smooth, creamy bokeh