The Voigtlander NOKTON 50mm F1 Aspherical is a compact full-frame manual prime lens with a very fast aperture. Voigtlander already has a Nokton 50mm f/1.2 Aspherical Lens so you might be asking why on earth would they make an F1 version, well, because they can!
The optical design of the lens consists of 9 elements in 7 groups. It also features a 12-blade aperture that Voigtlander claims provide a soft and natural-looking bokeh and out-of-focus areas.
The lens weighs in at 484g / 17.07oz and it is just 5.5cm / 2.16″ long. It has a 62mm front filter diameter and a minimum focusing distance of 90cm / 35.4″.
The 50mm f/1 uses an all-metal helicoid unit so that the focus barrel has a nice amount of resistance.
The lens uses a VM mount that is compatible with the Leica M mount. Not only can it be used with rangefinder-linked cameras, but it can also be used with most mirrorless digital cameras via a mount adapter.
Realistically you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between an f1.2 and an f1 lens. There seems to be a fascination with lens manufacturers constantly releasing faster and faster lenses. The problem with using a manual focus f/1 lens on a full-frame sensor camera is that you are going to struggle to keep anything in focus.
Price & Availability
The lens is scheduled to be released in January 2022 and it will retail for ¥225,000 (about $1,900 USD). Please note that the Japanese prices are often higher than those in the US.
