What Shooting 35mm Taught Me About My Photography (Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.4 Review)

Joel Meyerowitz believed that setting boundaries could shape the way you see. One of the simplest ways to do that, he suggested, is to choose a single focal length—and stick with it.

It’s a simple idea, but one I had never fully committed to. So this year, I decided to test it for myself.

In this series, I’m choosing one focal length at a time and spending time with it—paying attention not just to the images I make, but to how it changes the way I see. Along the way, I’ll also be sharing my thoughts on the lenses I use and what I learn from each one.

I’m starting with 35mm—and with a lens that has quietly shaped much of my photography over the years: the Voigtländer Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 II. Let’s get into it.

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Why Limitation Helps You Find Your Style

Joel Meyerowitz believed that photography is, at its core, a way of discovering who you are. The images you’re drawn to make—whether you realize it or not—start to reveal what you find meaningful. Over time, that becomes your style.

One of the ways he explored this was by setting boundaries for himself. He would often limit his process—sometimes by sticking to a single focal length, other times by working with a fixed shutter speed. These constraints weren’t restrictive; they forced him to think more carefully about every decision he made.

And in that process, he began to understand himself more clearly.

This way of working is simple in theory: set a boundary, create within it, and then reflect on the results. Pay attention to the patterns that emerge—what you choose to include, what you leave out, and what you find yourself returning to without even realizing it.

Meyerowitz noticed, over time, that he was repeatedly drawn to photographing flowers. It wasn’t something he set out to do—it revealed itself through the work. That observation eventually led up to his book Flowers

What you notice will reflect the way the world speaks to you, and only you.” – J.M.

What 35mm Revealed About My Photography

When I first started out in photography, I almost always shot with a 50mm lens. It was what came with most of my cameras, and it was often described as the focal length closest to the human eye. At the time, I didn’t question it—I wasn’t really thinking about lenses at all. But over time, something started to feel off.

I began to notice that I was missing moments—not because I wasn’t there, but because I couldn’t include everything I wanted within the frame. That realization didn’t fully click until I picked up a 35mm lens.

Around the same time, I came across an idea that stuck with me: photography is less about what you add, and more about what you choose to leave out. That shifted the way I thought about composition. I didn’t just want to capture a subject anymore—I wanted control over the story surrounding it.

Moving to 35mm gave me that.

Instead of isolating a subject, I found myself drawn to including more of the environment—letting the surroundings become part of the image. Over time, I started to notice patterns in my work. A friend once described my photos as romantic, while another said they felt lonely.

I hadn’t set out to create that feeling—but it was there.

With 35mm, I’ve started to understand how I use space more intuitively. The extra room in the frame isn’t just background—it’s where I begin to express things I didn’t even realize I was trying to say. Grief, loneliness, and the quiet beauty of light all seem to find their way into my images.

And I think that might be the beginning of my point of view.

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Why the Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f1.4?

I bought this lens almost six years ago for my Leica M2. As I mentioned in a previous article, the M2 is my family camera—I’ve used it to record countless special moments, and this lens has been the eye through which I’ve captured them. It recorded my wife’s pregnancy, our daughter’s birth, and the small, everyday moments that make up our lives. Over time, it became my most used lens and now the starting point for this series

When I first chose the Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4, practicality played a big role. It was far more affordable than Leica glass, though I eventually added a Summicron 35mm lens to my kit—more on that in another article. Beyond cost, I needed that extra stop of light for shooting inside our dimly lit home. That decision proved invaluable; I’ve used this lens wide open more times than I can count, capturing soft, intimate images that would have been impossible otherwise.

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After six years of heavy use, I can confidently share what makes this lens special—and where it really shines in everyday photography.

Is the Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 a Good Lens?

The answer to whether the Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 is a good lens is, of course, subjective—but here’s my take.

Ergonomically, it’s a joy to use. The aperture ring is smooth and clicks precisely when it should, and I love the two grips on opposite sides that let me adjust the aperture without even looking—a feature I wish more lenses had. The focusing lever moves just as smoothly, working perfectly with the aperture ring to make shooting effortless and intuitive.

Despite its lower price, the lens feels solid and well-made. Its high-quality metal construction includes an aluminum barrel, brass focusing helicoids, and a chrome-plated brass mount. It’s compact and lightweight, though the lens hood can make it a bit bulky when storing it in a bag. Without the hood, it has a slim, unobtrusive profile that’s easy to carry all day.

The Character of the Nokton Classic

Voigtlander designed this lens to capture the style and character of lenses from the 1960s and ’70s—that’s where the “Classic” name comes from. While the Nokton 35mm f/1.4 is still fairly young, it carries a personality all its own.

The Nokton part of its name refers to the fast f/1.4 aperture. It gives the lens its signature low-light performance, and wide open it can vignette slightly—especially indoors. For me, these small imperfections are part of the appeal. I want the lens to have character; otherwise, images can feel too sterile.

The bokeh is, for lack of a better word, a bit messy. It swirls subtly toward the edges and doesn’t have any flashy artifacts—but that’s exactly what I like about it. It adds texture and depth without distracting from the subject. I’ve shot both with and without the lens hood and have never noticed significant flare, which makes it a reliable companion in almost any situation.

Final Thoughts

This whole project began after reading Joel’s advice while studying his photo-books. I’ve been exploring my style and vision as a photographer for a while, and this experiment feels like a step in that direction.

Sticking to a single focal length for a month is a boundary I’ve set for myself to challenge my creativity. So far, it’s been a lot of fun, and I’m excited to see what I’ll discover with other lenses in the series. If you’d like to join me on this journey, I’d love to hear from you—share your thoughts in the comments or send me a message. Do you have a lens that defines your vision?

Until next time, stay motivated and keep shooting.

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If you’d like to buy a Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm f1.4 lens to try for yourself, you can pick one up on B&H, KEH, or eBay.

The Joel Meyerowitz books I quoted from in this article:
How I Make Photographs
Where I Find Myself
Europa 1966-1967

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