Duplicate of the Voigtlander Nokton 28mm f/1.5 Type II VM — same as ID 3481.
The Voigtlander Nokton 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical VM is a duplicate listing of the ultra-fast 28mm rangefinder prime described under ID 3481. At f/1.5, it is the fastest 28mm available for Leica M mount. The aspherical element controls aberrations well for the speed. Electronic communication is not available in the VM version — it is a fully mechanical M-mount lens.
Optical performance is excellent. Sharpness is very good from f/1.5, becoming outstanding by f/2.8. The aspherical element is the key optical improvement. Bokeh is smooth at wider apertures. Vignetting is present wide open on digital M bodies but correctable. The f/1.5 speed at 28mm enables low-light street photography and creative DOF work at wide angle.
Leica M mount with rangefinder coupling. Filter thread is 46mm. Weight is approximately 260 grams — compact for an f/1.5 lens. Build quality is superb with brass and aluminium construction by Cosina in Japan. Manual focus with smooth, precise helicoid. Zone focusing markings on the barrel are well-spaced for street photography technique.
Available on the used market. Check rangefinder coupling accuracy and smooth focus. An outstanding fast 28mm for M-mount shooters. The f/1.5 speed is faster than any Leica-branded 28mm. Well-suited to street and documentary photographers who want maximum aperture at the classic 28mm focal length.