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[OM] First Look: Voigtlander 40mm f2 for OM

Subject: [OM] First Look: Voigtlander 40mm f2 for OM
From: "Keith Quarles" <kquarles@xxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 14:17:40 -0400
About 2 weeks ago I received the new Voigtlander 40mm f2 SL Aspherical
Lens in Olympus OM mount.  Since a few folks really like this focal length
and I have what maybe one of the first of this lens in the U.S., I thought
I'd give a little report on it.

I've been too busy to actually shoot with it so far, so you'll have to
wait on my evaluation of its optical performance.  But I've heard good
things
about the Nikon mount version which is more plentiful.

Construction-wise it's a real beauty. It feels quite rather hefty, as in
all metal construction (probably brass, but I can't swear).  It's black with
a chrome focusing ring, and the filter ring/hood bayonet is also chrome,
so I guess it's a Silver-Nose!


Focusing is extremely smooth and it goes from infinity to 0.4 m in just
over 90 degrees.  This might be a negative for some of you, but it has
a Nikon-style helical, which means it focuses backwards from the normal
Zuiko direction.  Aperture goes from f2 to f16, with half-stop clicks
between 2.8 and 8, full stops outside that range.

If you're looking for a lens as compact as the Zuiko 40/2, this isn't it.
It's about the same length as a Zuiko 50/1.8, and a little larger in
diameter.  However, if you campare lengths with hoods mounted, the
Voigtlander is shorter since you can get it with the dome-style hood
like the new Nikon 45mm.  Although the lens comes with a screw-in front
cap, the hood also comes with a slip-on cap, so you can can keep a cap on
while the hood is mounted (something I really like).  It might upset
a few people's sensibilities, though, to see that Voigtlander logo
across the front of the lens on their Olympus :-)

The links below should show you some shots of the lens mounted on my
OM-4T.  For folks who like their photo equipment to be beautiful as well
as functional, I think this lens has it.  I got mine from Stephen Gandy
at CameraQuest for $375, plus $49 for the dome hood.  That's less than
you can pick up a used Zuiko 40/2 for.

<http:\\kquarles.home.att.net/Images/CV40_1.jpg>
<http:\\kquarles.home.att.net/Images/CV40_1.jpg>
<http:\\kquarles.home.att.net/Images/CV40_1.jpg>


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