Lens ReviewMorten Byskov - 5050 TravelogOctober 19, 2026Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 first look, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 sample images, Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical sample photos, Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical sample images, Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical Review, Voigtlander Nokton 28mm f1.5 review, Nokton 28mm 1.5 review, Voigtlander 28mm 1.5 review, Nokton f/1.5 review, Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical Image quality, Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical Specs, Leica SL2-S, Leica SL2-S sample imagesComment

Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical (M-Mount) - Long Term Review

The Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 and Leica SL2-S — Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical on the Leica SL2-S

This is my second review of the Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5, the first review posted in early 2024 shortly after I got the lens.
The majority of the photos in the first review were done with the Nikon Zf and I felt I had so many sample images captured with my Leica SL2-S and wanted to share these. Part of the text here has been copied from the first review.

Two Years with the Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 and a Leica SL2-S

I will address the elephant in the room right away. I sold my Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 in the spring, and regret it. If I had taken the time in the spring to compile the images I now share, I might have thought differently.

The fact is, running this review site makes me do things I don’t always feel good about. I do it to keep moving; I am always looking for the next interesting thing to review, and most often, selling one piece of kit funds the next.

The Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 is probably one of those lenses I should have kept, and now I ponder if I should get another one.

Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical on the Leica SL2-S

Introduction

Voigtländer released the Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical in February 2023. It is one of four L-mount 28 mm lenses from Voigtländer.

Besides the Nokton, we have the Ulton 28mm f/2 II, the Colar-Scopar 28mm f/2.8, and the Apo-Lanthar 28mm f/2, giving you four variations with different weights and sizes at the same focal length.

Voigtländer also offers Nokton 28mm f/1.5 versions for Nikon Z-mount and Sony E-mount.

When I last updated this review, the Nokton 28mm f/1.5 (L-Mount) was $999.00 for a type 1 lens and $1,049.00 for a type 2 lens.

Centennial Festival 2024 - UTAC Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome. Race car lining up. Sample image from a Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 (M-Mount) and Leica SL2-S. — UTAC Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome near Paris, Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 (M-Mount)

Handling and Build Quality

The Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 feels great on the Leica SL2-S. The focus ring is smooth, and the aperture ring feels good.

I went with the type 1 matte black version, which weighs just 8.8 oz (250 g). Even with an adapter, this is a compact wide-angle choice.

The LH-6 lens hood (sold separately for $69.00) gave me a brief challenge. I attached it without issue but couldn’t remove it again. You must gently push it in, then turn it counterclockwise to detach it.

I briefly tried the Ultron 28mm f/2 II on my Nikon Zf, but it felt too small on this camera.

The Nokton 28mm f/1.5 has the benefit of having a focus lever as well as room for a “normal” focus ring, meaning you focus the lens as you would with a rangefinder camera, or if you are used to conventional lenses, there is room on the lens barrel to focus the lens as you would without the focus lever.

I haven't tried the Colar-Scopar 28mm f/2.8 yet. This nimble lens weighs just 3.7 oz (106 g), making for a compact setup many Leica M users will appreciate.

Choosing between the four Voigtländer 28mm lenses depends on your need for speed, your preference for size/weight/bulk, and the camera you use.

Four Variations: Type 1 and Type 2

Type 1 lenses have an aluminum exterior, are lightweight, and come in matte black and silver. Type 2 lenses are made of brass and feel solid. They are available in black paint and silver finish.

Voigtlander Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical, Type 1 and Type 2 in Silver and Black Colors — Voigtländer Vintage Line Nokton 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical, Type 1 and Type 2 variants

Specs

Focal length: 28mm full-frame
Leica M-Mount - can be adapted to almost any mirrorless camera with the proper adapter
All-metal lens barrel
Manual focus only
Aperture range: f/1.5-16
10 elements in 8 groups
2 aspherical elements
12 aperture blades
Minimum focus distance: 19.7" / 50 cm
Filter size: 39mm
Dimensions: 2.1 x 1.8" / 54 x 45.5 mm
Weight, Type 1: 8.1 oz / 230 g
Weight, Type 2: 11.6 oz / 330 g
Price: Type 1: $999.00 - Type 2: $1,049.00

Leica SL2-S and Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 (M-Mount) — Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical on the Leica SL2-S

In the Field

After using K&F Concept and Novoflex adapters, I found a Leica M-Adapter to L-Mount on our local buy-and-sell, and it is the best of the bunch. I find it easier to remove the lens with the Leica adapter, and it has the best fit.

If you are concerned about close focusing, check adapters from Voigtländer or Light Lens Lab.

I find the viewfinder on my Leica SL2-S very good, and sometimes I get away without cross-checking focus, either with peaking or by punching in. But most often, if I'm not in a hurry, I will punch to check for accurate focus using the joystick.

For a long time, the Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 VM was the lightest and smallest lens for my Leica SL2-S, and sometimes that alone was enough reason to use it. As you can see, I mostly took it for travel and street photography.

Vegetables at the market in Coutances, France. Sample image from a Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 (M-Mount) and Leica SL2-S. — Coutances, France, Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 (M-Mount)

Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 VM on the Leica SL2-S — Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical on the Leica SL2-S

Image Quality

I am happy with the overall image quality from the Nokton 28mm f/1.5. While it may not ultimately reach the quality of other Voigtländers lenses I have tested, such as the Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2, it trails not far behind and is perhaps more in line with the Voigtländer Ultron 75mm f/1.9 MC.

It works great in low-light scenarios with its max. f/1.5 f-stop and renders images with a nice vibe, with plenty of sharpness in the center and mid-field, even when shot fully open. Stop it down to f/4 or f/5.6, and it is sharp across the entire frame.

It does have vignetting when shot wide-open, but it is hardly a nuisance. Vignetting improves noticeably at f/2, is almost gone at f/2.8, and disappears at f/4.

A man walks down the street and car reflection. Sample image from a Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 (M-Mount) and Leica SL2-S. — Vancouver, Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 (M-Mount)

Chromatic aberration is visible at the widest f-stop, but it is to be expected for a wide-angle lens with such a fast f-stop. You can clean this up in post-processing.

To my knowledge, Lightroom doesn’t have a lens-specific profile. Instead, I use the Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.4 profile but often leave images untouched in this regard, since I don't mind the vignetting.

Please see more sample images below. You can view the images up to 2500px wide, depending on your monitor size, or pinch-zoom on your mobile phone.

The Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 (M-Mount) lens shown on a Leica SL3 — Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 (M-Mount) shown here on a Leica SL3

Conclusion

The Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical is a fast-aperture wide-angle lens in a very portable package compared to other lenses with these specs.

It has excellent build quality and, to boot, looks great, especially paired with a Leica M camera. And you have four styles to choose from. The problem is choosing which one to pick. I prefer the matte look and lighter weight of the Type 1 lenses.

With the right adapter, you can use it on many different cameras. In my test, I think the Leica SL2-S captures slightly better images than the Nikon Zf, even though both have a 24-megapixel sensor.

This may come down to personal preference and could have something to do with the Leica camera's adapters.

UTAC Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome vintage motor bikes lining up before the race. Sample image from a Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 (M-Mount) and Leica SL2-S. — UTAC Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome near Paris, Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 (M-Mount)

I miss this lens, and I'm torn about whether to buy another one or just leave it as a good memory.

One thing is for sure. I am very happy with the photos I captured over two years with a combination of the Leica SL2-S and the Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5.

Fred Miranda says in his review that the rendering is remarkably similar to the Leica Summilux-M 28mm f/1.4, a lens that costs almost eight times as much.

If you want a detailed review that emphasizes lens performance and samples shot on a Leica M camera, I suggest heading over to fredmiranda.com.

Price / Availability

Thank you for reading my review. If you are planning a purchase and would like to support us, you can do so at no additional cost by using the affiliate link 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 28mm f/1.5 - B&H Photo

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