Experience: Extensive field use.

Take: If you’re looking for a lens that gets 90% of the way to the look of the Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux ASPH but don’t want to spend the extra money, this is the lens for you. Optically, this fast 50mm is really close to the quality you’ll get from its more expensive cousin but ergonomically it falls really short. Voigtlander chose to go with a vintage-style exterior design that I think was a poor choice. The knurls on the focus ring start to hurt your fingers after a while and the apertures on the aperture ring can be difficult to see at first glance when you’re working quickly. I always rent this lens when I’m looking at past images I took with it and then remember why I don’t rent it as much when I get it back in my hands. If Voigtlander housed this lens in a more ergonomically pleasing package I’d probably own it.