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ttartisan - 100mm f2.8 - bubble bokeh glass
With the COLOR SKOPAR 18mm F2.8 aspherical X-Mount, Voigtländer has introduced a really compact wide-angle lens for the Fujifilm X-Mount. Despite its small size, in my opinion the lens has a high-quality finish. Nothing wobbles. The aperture ring engages cleanly. The clicks during adjustment are very easy to feel, which is great. A stepless aperture would be great for videographers, but it's not essential for taking photos.
The small 18 mm is clearly in the so-called pancake style, with a total length of only 23.5 mm (from the bayonet mount). That's not very much and therefore calls for a compromise in terms of handling. More on this in a moment.
The integration of electronic contacts ensures reliable communication between the lens and the camera body - but only for the newer Fuji models. Everything works perfectly on my X-Pro3. Even in the optical viewfinder, the frame adjusts accordingly when focusing.
The somewhat small focus ring could be a drawback for some photographers. I think that enlarging this ring would make it easier to operate without a focus stick. The focus ring is therefore provided with an elevation that enables simple and precise control. The approximate focus point can thus be set relatively quickly and effortlessly without having to look at the distance scale, which makes it easier to focus quickly. However, I sometimes like to grab a focus ring without simply holding my index finger underneath it - so I'm not quite Leica-impaired yet. But I really can't grip the focus ring on the COLOR SKOPAR 18mm. I have to use the focus rod, so to speak. I would have gladly sacrificed two millimeters of compactness for a little more functionality. Maybe 25.4mm would have been ok too - that would have been a whole inch.
I was able to focus quite quickly using the fuji focus aids - but the focus magnifier on the X-Pro3 could really be better! At 18mm f2.8 you do have a limited focus range at under 5m, but with Fuji you can usually only see this clearly in the final shot. This is not a fault of the lens - but since it is specially built for the Fuji X system, you have to look at it together. Focusing on a precise point can take some time. Zone focus, on the other hand, is unbeatable. Aperture 8 and 2m distance... Ready for almost anything outside - in the harsh world of "street photography"...
The COLOR SKOPAR 18mm F2.8 aspherical X-Mount is based on a double-sided aspherical lens and atypical partial dispersion glass - the lens therefore produces impressive image quality. This is not just advertising slogans, but actually works really well. I would have expected more compromises in image quality with this powerhouse. But I neither find great aberrations nor is there an incredibly strong vignette. There is a little vignette at open aperture, but less than expected.
The small close-up limit of only 17 cm opens up interesting perspectives and gives the photographer a little creative leeway. With aperture blades consisting of 10 elements and 1/3-stop clicks, the lens also produces quite nice bokeh - although the 18mm f2 Fujinon is somewhat softer in terms of bokeh.
The sharpness performance of the small 18mm is quite high. The contrasts are (typical Voigtländer wide angle!) rather high. I already liked this very much on the 15mm Super Wide Heliar, and I find it here again. This leads to beautiful colors and a strong image effect.
Of course, and this should not go unmentioned, you will also find the Voigtländer aperture stars.
The new Voigtländer COLOR SKOPAR 18mm F2.8 aspherical X-Mount offers an optimal addition for photographers who value high-quality optics and compact design. You can either mount it permanently on a camera and then leave it there - an X-E4 would now be something for your jacket pocket. Or you can have a super-small wide-angle lens with you for when you need it...
Available in black and silver and including a screw-on lens hood, it offers a very attractive price-performance ratio in my opinion. The RRP at launch is €599 - of course there are cheaper alternatives, but we don't choose the one that says alternative.
I think it's great. Small, light, sharp. The lens hood protects the front element well. An ideal travel lens, I think. If you stop down a little, you can forget about focusing at times 😉
