Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical : Specifications and Opinions

Reviews

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The following opinions have been automatically translated with Google Translate.

Romeo Lenzi

sent on 30 Aprile 2026

Pros: The pros are many, I recommend you read the review

Cons: Not having it

Opinion: Review: Voigtländer 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar The Voigtländer 50mm f/2 is a really great lens. At the time of purchase it was presented to me as comparable to the famous Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH; I cannot directly confirm this comparison, having never had the opportunity to try the Leica, but I can certainly testify to the very high quality of the Voigtländer. Sharpness and Character The lens is remarkably sharp even at f/2. In night shots, the light sources create the classic "star" typical of Voigtländer optics, an aesthetic touch that I love. The focus is exclusively manual, which for me is not a problem at all, on the contrary: the fluidity of the ring makes it, in the right hands, almost as fast as an autofocus. Ergonomics and Construction The all-metal construction conveys a feeling of great solidity. The ergonomics are studied to perfection: the aperture ring is positioned in such a way that, once mounted on the camera, you can adjust the aperture and focus with a minimum movement of the hand, without ever taking your eye off the viewfinder. Color Rendering The colors are extremely natural, so much so that in post-production the work on color grading is reduced to a minimum. The field test Below, here are some shots taken with the Voigtländer 50mm that show the sharpness and color rendering I told you about In conclusion: it is a lens that I can no longer do without; It now has a permanent place in my camera backpack.

Ulysseita

sent on 15 Gennaio 2024

Pros: All

Cons: I don't know.

Opinion: Perfection. I use it on the M10r, and I've tested it from family portraits to photos with polar temperatures at night to landscapes. Unattainable (only the 8k monster comes close to it sold by Leica but the mtf and age put it a little behind; the new GM for Sony 1.4 beats it in the center but not at the edges), no AC, excellent starry, blurred free of aberrations and very clean, bright color transmission, small and sharp from f2 onwards in the same way. Super flat fire plane and it shows in the landscapes. Thanks to the already TA rendering, it allows with bigmpx resolutions and microcontrast that do not suffer from evident diffraction, making the photos look like they came out of higher formats. Together with the 28, 21, 35 and 90 it fills the family of Voigtlander's excellent lenses.

Giorus

sent on 12 Dicembre 2023

Pros: Construction, aperture ring, focus, sharpness, color rendering.

Cons: I can't find any, to be picky: it's not autofocus.

Opinion: The essential qualities of this lens are succinctly described in the Pros. The construction is exemplary and maneuvering it is a real pleasure, both for the presence of a smooth and precise aperture ring, and for the equally fluid focus ring. Focusing is assisted, using it on a Sony body, by means of a magnification that makes the operation much easier. It is equipped with contacts for recording shooting data and a metal lens hood. It returns sharp images and the color rendition is ringing. It has a 12-blade diaphragm that produces pleasant stars, more pronounced as it closes. It's not the only Voigtlander I use, I would say that this one, like the others, gives a unique pleasure of use, having never forgotten the one I felt at the time of analog when I used Nikon FM2 and AIS lenses. Finally, it has a metal body and small dimensions that increase a little in length by keeping its lens hood mounted. When I need to reduce its size, I mount a retractable rubber lens hood. In short, for me, who loves this focal length, it's the perfect fifty.

Graziano Mazzetta

sent on 11 Dicembre 2023

Pros: Sharpness, smoothness of the maf ring, cost

Cons: Lacks lens hood

Opinion: For Leica M in use with Leica M10. An absolutely unmatched lens if not (perhaps) by the Leica with the same characteristics but with a prohibitive price (€ 8,300). At f2 it is sharp in the center and at the edges in the same way. Impeccable construction, very fluid Maf bezel. Beautiful detachment of the floors. Incredibly competitive cost. For those who love this focal length there is no equal. I put a sample photo in the gallery Rated 10/10

Fabio1951

sent on 30 Gennaio 2022

Pros: extreme sharpness up to the edges accompanied by a faithful and neutral rendering of the different shades.

Cons: the hood is missing, to be purchased separately at an absurd price

Opinion: I took several months ago this 50mm to accompany the Zeiss Sonnar 1.5 for my Leica M10R and M10 Monochrom. The sharpness of absolute excellence and truly extreme makes it inadvisable in female portraits, in which the Sonnar excels. Magnificent, however, to enhance the texture. In the urban and natural landscape it has an excellent yield, both as regards the detachment of the floors and the general microcontrast. The color rendering is clean and neutral but different from that of the Leica optics I own. Absolutely extraordinary pairing with the Monochrom. Unfortunately, this lens has a weight and dimensions a bit excessive for machines such as the Leica M, covering a part of the optical viewfinder. Serious the absence of the hood that in the original version has a disproportionate price. Compared to a friend's Summicron 50mm f:2, it is even sharper, especially on the edges and at open apertures. Highly advisable, but it must be taken into account that its merits can be defects if, depending on the subjects taken, softer yields are preferred.

Lory81

sent on 01 Giugno 2020

Pros: monstrous sharpness, lightness and compactness, detachment of planes, micro contrast

Cons: Nobody.... well it's not waterproof

Opinion: Well.... there's little to say.... I use it on A7RIV and it's the most spectacular lens I own. clearly it's manual focus but with the built-in focus peaking (as you turn the dial you activate) it really takes two seconds to focus. Lens that I mount when I want to go out to photograph without anxieties, obligatory times etc. Really a joy to use. The file it returns is crazy, both as colors, micro contrast, 3d pop, blurred from f2 up 2.8 really very nice, starry 12 tips from droo do, resistance to deadly flare. Obviously being an "APO" lens the chromatic aberrations practically do not exist, as well as the vignette that is almost nothing. A separate chapter for sharpness: I don't think there are other lenses as sharp, not even the 135 GM (albeit fantastic) does not return the same sharpness to the extreme edge of this lens. It's just a masterpiece. I think it's the "best buy" lens for A7RIV, you can use it for landscape, as everything do, for still, even for portraits, street. You have a hard time taking it off!