The Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1, Z-Mount shown on the Nikon Z6 III — The Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical for Nikon Z-mount shown on the Nikon Z6 III

Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical for Nikon Z-Mount Review

Big Glass and f/1

I have always loved big glass, or fast lenses as some would say, and with the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical lens, this concept has been taken to the extreme.

Photos with a shallow depth of field are not a priority for some photographers, and for others, it is a look you strive for. The ability to blow out the background and make your subject stand out can be appealing and make a substantial impact.

Having a lens with a maximum f/1 f-stop can also be helpful for low-light photography, where you want to keep your ISO as low as possible.

However, having these traits in a lens can come with penalties, such as heavier, bulkier, and more expensive lenses, and their performance can vary significantly.

My friend Chris kindly lent me his Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Z-mount lens for a few days. Let’s see if I got along with it.

The Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical for Nikon Z-mount shown on the Nikon Z6 III

Handling and Build Quality

When I had the Nikon Zf, I debated between the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Z and the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 Z lenses. I ended up with the 40mm f/1.2, as it is lighter (315g versus 484g), more affordable, and significantly less bulky, especially when mounted on the Zf.

Now that I have a Nikon Z6 III, this is much less of an issue, and at 1.1 lb (484 g) and measuring 2.9 x 2.2" (73.6 x 55 mm), it is still a sizable lens but easier to manage with the grip on the Z6 III.

The tactile feel of the Nokton 50mm f/1 is top-notch, with a very smooth focus ring and aperture ring that has a very satisfying click sound, nicely dampened, and with just the right amount of friction. The included metal hood mounts without any wobble and rounds things off nicely in the looks department of this lens.

The Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 is also available for Sony E-mount, Canon RF, and Leica M mounts.

Morning coffee at English Bay, Vancouver. Sample image from a Voigtländer Norton 50mm f/1 Z-Mount and Nikon Z6 III. — English Bay, Nikon Z6 III, Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical Z-mount @ f/1

Specs, Z-Mount Version

12-blade diaphragm
9 elements in 7 groups, including a ground aspherical (GA) lens element
Floating elements system
Manual focus
62mm filter
Minimum focusing distance: 17.7", 45 cm
Aperture range: f/1 - f/16
Dimensions: 2.9 x 2.2", 73.6 x 55 mm
Weight: 1.1 lb, 484 g
Price: $1,699.00

Leaves of a plant at home. Sample image from a Voigtländer Norton 50mm f/1 Z-Mount and Nikon Z6 III. — Nikon Z6 III, Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical Z-mount @ f/1

In Action

I found the 50mm f/1 a joy to work with. The manual focusing is superb, and with the “green focusing light confirmation” (more about this below), focusing is a less worrisome process despite this lens being manual focus only.

I cycled with the Z6 III and Nokton 50mm f/1 lens around my neck, and even though it’s a fairly chunky setup, it didn’t become bothersome, mainly because the lens is relatively short, even with the lens hood attached.

The electronic contacts on the Nokton 50mm f/1 Z ensure electronic communication between the lens and camera, which is excellent.

The electronic compatibility also means you can take advantage of the IBIS in the camera, use focus peaking, and get focus confirmation. Your focusing point will light up green when you obtain accurate focus.

Hint - In the “Photo Shooting Menu” on your Nikon Zf or Nikon Z6 III, go to “MF subject detection area”, then pick one of the three area options. Via the iMenu, in the AF-Mode/subj. detection, pick one of the AF/MF subject detection options, ie. “face”.

Now, the camera will find the eyes of your subject and place two boxes around them. Via the multi-selector, you can switch eyes, the box will light, green, when you obtain focus. This happens regardless of your composition, which is fantastic.

Information about compatibility with your Nikon Z camera can be found on Voigtländer’s official page here:

Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 - Official Site

Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical, Nikon Z-mount version — The Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical for Nikon Z-mount shown on the Nikon Z6 III

Image Quality

After reviewing several Voigtländer Z-mount, M-mount, and F-mount lenses, I have come to have high expectations as they have never disappointed me.

With the Nokton 50mm f/1 Z being the most expensive Voigtländer lens I've reviewed, it was easy to fall into the trap of having even higher expectations.

However, the overall image quality is neither better nor worse than that of the other two Z-mount lenses I have tried—the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 and the Apo-Ultron 50mm f/2, but it’s different.

While a zoom lens offers a variety of focal lengths to create different photos, the Nokton 50mm f/1 has an expansive aperture range from f/1 to f/16, allowing you to change the look of your pictures with gorgeous-looking bokeh. This is the secret sauce—what makes the lens stand out.

Photos at f/1 have a very special look and are not what you’d call a perfect rendition. Some will love it and call it perfect, but optically, there is heavy vignetting, and the lens also benefits by being stopped down just a tad.

Things improve in terms of sharpness already in the f/1.6 to f/2 range, while vignetting can still be spotted at mid-range apertures.

I don’t mind the vignetting, as I think it often adds to the artistic look. You can fix this to a certain degree in post-production, but be aware that it’s a significant issue, or feature, depending on how you view this.

Please see the two sample images below: the first was captured at f/1, and the second at f/2.

The sample images in this review can be viewed up to 2500 pixels wide, depending on the size of your monitor. Please click to view larger images or use pinch-to-zoom if you're on a mobile phone.

Brockton Lighthouse. Sample image from a Voigtländer Norton 50mm f/1 Z-Mount and Nikon Z6 III at f/1 — Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical Z-mount @ f/1

Brockton Lighthouse Stanley Park. Sample image from a Voigtländer Norton 50mm f/1 Z-Mount and Nikon Z6 III at f/2. — Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical Z-mount @ f/2

Conclusion

The Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 has lived up to expectations. When capturing images in the f/1 to f/2 range, it’s like having a new set of paintbrushes.

Contrary to what you would typically consider using this lens for, it is also razor sharp when stopped down. At f/8, photos have an almost medium-format look.

The build quality is phenomenal, and the combination of the Z6 III and Nokton 50mm f/1 makes for a chunky but solid setup. If this is a bit too heavy for you, consider the Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 combined with a Nikon ZF as an alternative. You can read more about this combination here:

Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Z and Nikon Zf

April morning at Coal Harbour in Vancouver. Sample image from a Voigtländer Norton 50mm f/1 Z-Mount and Nikon Z6 III. — Coal Harbour, Nikon Z6 III, Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical Z-mount @ f/1.8

Personally, I have picked the smaller, lighter, and more affordable Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2 VM (M-mount version). This lens is almost as fast as the Nokton f/1 and delivers somewhat similar results.

The Nokton 50mm f/1.2, however, does not have electronic contacts, so you will miss niceties such as EXIF information and the green focus confirmation light, which admittedly instills confidence while shooting, and is much faster than my usual routine of punching in to verify focus.

You can read an in-depth review of the Nokton 50mm f/1.2 here:

Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2 VM - review

Size comparison: Nikon Z6 III with the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 (Nikon Z-mount) and Leica SL2-S with a Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2 VM (Leica M-mount)

When choosing Voigtländer lenses, which I obviously think is a great idea (Voigtländer does not sponsor me), you face a tough decision.

Will you pick a Leica M-mount lens, which can be used on many different cameras, either natively on a Leica M camera or with an adapter on other brands (and sensor sizes), or do you pick one that fits your camera, as in the Z-mount version in today's review?

There are certainly benefits to the Z-mount, E-mount, or RF-mount versions, as the whole experience feels very integrated and complete without having to fiddle with adapters.

The fact that you have to focus manually is not as significant a drawback as you may expect. In many scenarios, I prefer it to autofocus, but not always :)

Thanks again to Chris for lending me the Nokton f/1 for this review.

Pros

Fantastic build quality
Fast f/1 f-stop
Retro-style looks and ergonomics
Chipped for EXIF info and focus confirmation
Smooth focus ring

Cons

Lack of weather-sealing
Somewhat bulky

Please see more sample images below.

Price / Availability

Thank you for reading my review. If you're planning a purchase and would like to support us, you can do so at no additional cost by using the affiliate links below. A small commission goes to us and helps us keep the wheels turning at 5050 Travelog.

Check the current price at B&H Photo

Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Z-mount - B&H Photo

Nikon Z6 III - B&H Photo

Thank you for being supportive.