Low light/portrait lens suggestions? Voigtlander, Rokinon or something else

[RVorinsky]

I am sitting on the ledge here, one little push away from becoming an owner of a Voigtlander Nokton 58/1.4. An equally little push would tip me the other way, which for now looks like Rokinon 85/1.4... but could easily be something else

Hoping to hear your experiences with either of these two lenses, but feel free to throw other ideas into the mix (please read below first).

I shoot Nikon film and digital crop camera and want something in the standard to portrait FL that does well in low light. Think low light street/candid shots with possible point light sources. The lens would also double as my MF portrait lens. In other words, I don't want AF.
Currently considering the Voigtlander 58/1.4 and Rokinon/Samyang 85/1.4.

Requirements: Must be good in the f/1.4-f/2 range. Must be a full frame lens. As I said, no AF.

Rokinon is primarily a portrait lens, while Voigtlander is more of a general purpose lens and both seem to excel in their primary roles. Voigtlander seems to be very good at taking portraits too.
Rokinon is $300, Voigtlander is $450 and both are hard to find used.

I already have Nikkor 35/1.4 AI-S and AF 85/1.8D, neither of which is sharp in that range (though the 35 is still the best lens ever made in the history of time, space and grilled pork chops).

I am not interested in Nikkor 50mm as that's too close to 35. For a while the 50/1.2 was in the mix but then got dropped for this reason.

I am not willing to spend more than what Voigtlander costs - even that is a bit of a stretch for this lens.

If there is anything you can say to help me decide, please do. Otherwise, I will have to flip a coin or ask my wife which is even more random than the coin flip.

Thanks.

[soymilk]

hmm.... 85mm seems kinda long for street candid shots. 85mm seems like its already pushing it on FX and on DX seems like it'll be way too long.

throw my vote in for the nokton 58mm f1.4

[RVorinsky]

Voigtlander 1 - Rokinon 0

Thanks Mike, and you are right - 85 is long, but still not too long for the type of shots I have in mind. Nokton does win from that perspective.

[soymilk]

Well, my thoughts are on film you got 58mm for film and on the d7000 you have 87mm. Best of both worlds.

[jeffclow]

Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 - a test shot and a recommendati

I have the Rokinon and it does a stellar job.....see link above.

[RVorinsky]

Originally Posted by soymilk

Well, my thoughts are on film you got 58mm for film and on the d7000 you have 87mm. Best of both worlds.

Yup, that is a big advantage for Voigtlander.

And sorry for calling you Mike earlier, I was multitasking here. Unsuccessfully, obviously

[RVorinsky]

Originally Posted by jeffclow

Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 - a test shot and a recommendati

I have the Rokinon and it does a stellar job.....see link above.

Thanks Jeff. You are not making it easier, you know

For those who haven't seen much from these lenses, here is more of both:

Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f/1.4
Flickriver: Most interesting photos from Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f/1.4 SL II pool

Rokinon 85mm f/1.4
Flickriver: Most interesting photos from Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical Lens pool

I would so get both, but that would probably end with a "buy 2 get one divorce free" kind of a deal, considering the amount I spent in the past five or six months.

[dmora]

Zeiss 50mm ZF.2 f/1.4

Or the Nikon 50mm f/1.2 (hard to find)


:o

[RVorinsky]

Daniel, I mentioned 50/1.2 in my first post. It's a fantastic lens, but just a bit too close to my 35/1.4 AIS. It's not so hard to find either so long as you are ready to shell out about $500.

[dmora]

I'm seriously considering getting the Zeiss ZF.2 50mm f/1.4 after i sell my 85mm AFS-D f/1.4

[RVorinsky]

If I had the money for a Zeiss lens now, I'd get the 100 f/2.
Alas, I don't.

[tc95]

Boris....both the ZF 1.4/50 and Voightlander 1.4/58 are great lenses...they both render color differently...the ZF is color while the Voightlander is warmer....both are good focal distances...I kept both of these...and sold my Nikkor 50 1.2....just did not see that big of a difference...between the three lenses...

ZF 2/100 is great...but the 1.4/85 is a must have for any MF kit...the lens you should look at getting is the ZF 2/35 I know you have a Nikkor 35 1.4...again...I am trying to quietly sell it because the ZF is just better for my tastes...

Good Luck...

[RVorinsky]

Tony,

I would love to lay my hands on a 85/1.4 and maybe I will if this madness with prices stops. I keep a 85/1.8D for those rare occasions when I need AF, but I am toying with the idea of dumping it and getting the 85/1.4 AIS. What can I say, I suck at AF and don't use it almost at all.
But while before Japan disaster clean copies of 85/1.4 AIS were going for about $600, now for that kind of money you can only get a beater with scratches all over glass. That is why I have included the Rokinon into my considerations - it's far from Zeiss or even Nikkor, but it doesn't suck, especially at less than $300..

We'll see, but right now I am aiming for Nokton. 58mm is just right.

[dmora]

You can get a nice Nikon 85 AFS-D f/1.4 cheap these days as people are jumping ship to the G lens. I'll sell you mine. :D

[RVorinsky]

I thought the ship they are trying to jump on is nowhere to be found? But yeah, I've noticed that market is flooded with 1.4D. They are still going for more than AIS, so no deal :D