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Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review

  
 
tunisia
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p.36 #1 · p.36 #1 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


ysultan wrote:
This thread is getting a bit weird. Guys, if you want to buy the lens or if you already have done that, congratulations! It's a great lens. But you don't need to talk about it as if it is capable of taking extraordinary pictures by itself, regardless of the photographer 😃. At the end of the day, it's a lens.

If you don’t want or need to buy it for any reason, you don't have to trash it. Just keep what you have and let others decide for themselves.


In keeping with this sentiment: I'd love to see a lot more pics of what the lens is capable of in a variety of scenes/uses, etc.
For me, that is much more appreciated and ultimately helpful.

Thanks for all the info, by the way.

Joe



Jan 07, 2020 at 07:00 AM
stjepan
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p.36 #2 · p.36 #2 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


Couple more to showcase the lens and possibly help someone decide. All shot wide open.



Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 50mm F2 Aspherical @ f/2 by Stjepan Tomislav Svaljek, on Flickr




Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 50mm F2 Aspherical @ f/2 by Stjepan Tomislav Svaljek, on Flickr




Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 50mm F2 Aspherical @ f/2 by Stjepan Tomislav Svaljek, on Flickr


Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 50mm F2 Aspherical @ f/2 by Stjepan Tomislav Svaljek, on Flickr



Jan 07, 2020 at 04:13 PM
philip_pj
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p.36 #3 · p.36 #3 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


More for Joe.










































Jan 07, 2020 at 04:27 PM
dave unwin
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p.36 #4 · p.36 #4 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


philip_pj wrote:
More for Joe.


Good to see Hobart getting some publicity (and to see some other CV shooters down here!)



Jan 07, 2020 at 04:29 PM
stjepan
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p.36 #5 · p.36 #5 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


Few more, bokeh series. Different focusing distance, all wide open.



Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 50mm F2 Aspherical @ f/2 by Stjepan Tomislav Svaljek, on Flickr




Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 50mm F2 Aspherical @ f/2 by Stjepan Tomislav Svaljek, on Flickr




Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 50mm F2 Aspherical @ f/2 by Stjepan Tomislav Svaljek, on Flickr



Jan 07, 2020 at 04:35 PM
DannyBurkPhoto
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p.36 #6 · p.36 #6 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


It has very different bokeh from an Otus 55. More texture, and the Otus has more OOF blur at a given aperture than any other lenses I've seen. The Voigtlander has more of a "Voigtlander look" to its bokeh, if you will. Stopped down, they're more similar but still different. The Otus is like looking out a window, and its character doesn't really change as it stops down, just more/less DOF.

I'm glad to see that they're different, since I wouldn't really like having two lenses with (nearly) identical rendering.



Jan 07, 2020 at 04:45 PM
philip_pj
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p.36 #7 · p.36 #7 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


A beautiful place and the freshest air and some of the best people in the world, Dave. I've always loved it. A sailor was telling me about being 500km out in a massive storm that broke the screen windows - 'too big for the boat'. Tas is great for the Voigtländers, I want to go back in July, see the CH/NW again.

PDM, many of us appreciate the portrait abilities of the 55/1.8, and have posted many from it, it's still a great lens. What prompted me to post images showing the dark side of the lens is all the hullabaloo about some very minor 'flaws' in the new 50/2 AL.

It's best to keep perspective about how each lens compares with its competition as they all have flaws. Instead, we've seen a few gang up on the well-behaved new guy in some strange hazing ritual, where the reasoning seems to be: if it's not perfect it is somehow not legitimate or worthy. High standards!



Jan 07, 2020 at 04:50 PM
ysultan
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p.36 #8 · p.36 #8 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


I haven't seen anything that renders like Otus, not even other Zeiss lenses. It's not just the bokeh. The color and contrast give Otus images a very unique look. But you have to pay for that not just in $$, but also size and weight.

DannyBurkPhoto wrote:
It has very different bokeh from an Otus 55. More texture, and the Otus has more OOF blur at a given aperture than any other lenses I've seen. The Voigtlander has more of a "Voigtlander look" to its bokeh, if you will. Stopped down, they're more similar but still different. The Otus is like looking out a window, and its character doesn't really change as it stops down, just more/less DOF.

I'm glad to see that they're different, since I wouldn't really like having two lenses with (nearly) identical rendering.




Jan 07, 2020 at 05:32 PM
Fred Miranda
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p.36 #9 · p.36 #9 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


I had to repeat the CV 50/2 APO vs 55/1.8 ZA infinity test today. I can't believe how close they are starting at f/2.8...


Jan 07, 2020 at 07:19 PM
DannyBurkPhoto
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p.36 #10 · p.36 #10 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


ysultan wrote:
I haven't seen anything that renders like Otus, not even other Zeiss lenses. It's not just the bokeh. The color and contrast give Otus images a very unique look. But you have to pay for that not just in $$, but also size and weight.



Yes, all true. Once you know that look, you can pick them out right away.



Jan 07, 2020 at 07:23 PM
 


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tunisia
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p.36 #11 · p.36 #11 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


Umm, think you misunderstood; I wanted BAD photos to dissuade me from buying yet another 50mm lens!
These are too good to pass up, damn it anyway. lol
Thanks for posting. Specially like the water/boat scenes.

Joe



Jan 07, 2020 at 07:35 PM
Jeff Kott
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p.36 #12 · p.36 #12 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


Fred Miranda wrote:
I had to repeat the CV 50/2 APO vs 55/1.8 ZA infinity test today. I can't believe how close they are starting at f/2.8...


I think we determined here that the Zony 55 was super sharp stopped down a little when it came out. I guess that just because there’s a new super sharp lens, doesn’t make the old one less sharp. Still very interesting that two such different designs can yield similar results.




Jan 07, 2020 at 07:49 PM
Fred Miranda
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p.36 #13 · p.36 #13 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


Infinity Performance compared to Sony 55mm f/1.8 ZA









Voigtlander 50/2 APO is shorter but 80 grams heavier (49mm thread for both)



The FE 55/1.8 was introduced in 2013 with three aspherical elements, including two double-sided,. It's currently being sold for $1,000 which is only $50 less than the new Voigtlander 50/2 APO!
It's not well corrected for CA (longitudinal and lateral), has noticeable onion-pattern in specular highlights and manual focusing is not linear.

Why does it cost so much after all these years? Perhaps because it is capable of very high resolution across the field even at wide apertures (no noticeable dips or field curvature), has fast/accurate/silent AF and it's compact/light at only 280 grams. In my view, it's a lens that does everything well from landscapes to portraits if you don't mind the uncorrected color aberrations. At wide apertures, a slight haze is visible due to SA under-correction which in turn gives images a pleasant lower contrast and smooth rendering.

Here is the full image thumbnail showing the area demonstrated at 1:1 magnification.









  1. Distance: Infinity
  2. Camera: Sony A7R IV
  3. Focus: Center - Best of three @ 12.4x magnification
  4. WB: Daylight
  5. Lens perfectly centered using my decentering test
  6. Software: Lightroom with my default landscape sharpening. All other settings set to default
PS: Vignetting and distortion were NOT corrected. All in-camera corrections turned 'off'.


Center Resolution and Contrast:









Center at f/2: Great performance for both lenses. The Voigtlander does slightly better and less color aberration.










Center at f/2.8: The FE 55/1.8 ZA noticeably improves and now they are very close.










Center at f/4: Both very similar and perhaps their optimal aperture.










Center at f/5.6: Similar to f/4.










Center at f/8: Both diffract and lose micro-contrast and detail.






Mid-field Resolution and Contrast:








Mid-field at f/2: Strong performance for the 50/2 APO and very good for the 55/1.8. Here is where the 55/1.8 does better than the 50/1.4 ZA.










Mid-field at f/2.8: Just like in the center area, there is a noticeable improvement going from f/2 to f/2.8 for the FE 55/1.8 which almost matches the Voigtlander APO here.










Mid-field at f/4: Both similar and probably their optimal aperture for this area.










Mid-field at f/5.6: Similar to f/4.










Mid-field at f/8: Slight diffraction for both lenses.




Extreme Corner Resolution and Contrast:








Extreme corner at f/2: Here the 55/1.8 haze is more visible and the APO is performing better.










Extreme corner at f/2.8: Big jump for the 55/1.8 where is almost matches the 50/2 APO.










Extreme corner at f/4: Very similar for both. The 55/1.8 is capable of high resolution although lateral CA is evident.










Extreme corner at f/5.6: Superb performance for both.










Extreme corner at f/8: Both still great.




Jan 07, 2020 at 08:17 PM
philip_pj
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p.36 #14 · p.36 #14 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


The great Otus 55 has always had an overly edgy resolution appearance to me, what might be called 'shouting its sharpness'. Which is why it is important to view crops of real world images, the 50/2 is just so smooth and 'photographic' at full scale.

'Voigtländer bokeh' - fearless maybe foolhardy prediction here - will finally prevail over the blur out lenses so popular today. Why? people want to see hints of what is in the frame of the photograph, very few are connoisseurs of very blurry bokeh as much as the review community is. Separation is guaranteed by the huge performance at the focal plane in all APO lenses, incl this one. Context matters.

I've always said the 55/1.8 got very strong at where I shoot 50-55s: f2.8-f3.2. We have pretty much moved past sharpness bragging rights now the new lenses from Sigma and Canon (in particular, Leica also) all are more than most ever need. The new battleground: aesthetics, yes something down to personal preferences, at last.



Jan 07, 2020 at 08:25 PM
philip_pj
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p.36 #15 · p.36 #15 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


You're making it hard, Joe. We've already posted the bad ones. One thing that can be confidently said: the hit rate is very high. Just watch the highlights, that's where the real action is with this lens.





the image that showed me what f8 can do







informative bokeh







from tiny fibres to smooth bokeh - rich colour




Jan 07, 2020 at 08:29 PM
DavidBM
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p.36 #16 · p.36 #16 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


Fred Miranda wrote:
Infinity Performance compared to Sony 55mm f/1.8 ZA


https://www.fredmiranda.com/Buzz/50apovs55.jpg

Voigtlander 50/2 APO is shorter but 80 grams heavier (49mm thread for both)

The FE 55/1.8 was introduced in 2013 with three aspherical elements, including two double-sided,. It's currently being sold for $1,000 which is only $50 less than the new Voigtlander 50/2 APO!
It's not well corrected for CA (longitudinal and lateral), has noticeable onion-pattern in specular highlights and manual focusing is not linear.

Why does it cost so much after all these years? Perhaps because it is capable of very high resolution across the field even at wide apertures (no noticeable dips
...Show more

The 1.8/55 is perhaps the least exciting 50 I own: there’s nothing it’s the best at. But it’s also the one I would keep if I could only have one, because it does everything well enough!



Jan 07, 2020 at 09:38 PM
Fred Miranda
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p.36 #17 · p.36 #17 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


DavidBM wrote:
The 1.8/55 is perhaps the least exciting 50 I own: there’s nothing it’s the best at. But it’s also the one I would keep if I could only have one, because it does everything well enough!


Well said David!



Jan 07, 2020 at 10:39 PM
philip_pj
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p.36 #18 · p.36 #18 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


Here is Sony's wide open MTF (f1.8) and the 50/2 APO-Lanthar at f2. First one is certainly calculated, Cosina's appears to use a real lens (AL middle line pair is 30lpmm, not 20lpmm). This rapid fade of the FE55 in the outer frame (it loses almost half of its contrast by the corners) illustrates why the Voigtländer is such a revelation by comparison, when shooting at focal distances of 20m plus, even at f2 - flat field, very high and very consistent MTF. At f4 its chart is also much better than the Otus 55 as well, due to the Otus's significant outer frame dip and astigmatism at this aperture (all presumed at infinity).

For people not familiar with MTF, simply look at the bottom lines in each chart - the higher and flatter, the better. The left side axis shows contrast levels (performance). These lines scientifically measure how well fine detail is shown in your images, from the centre to the corner (left to right).





Sony 55/1.8 - f1.8







Voigtländer 50mm f2 APO-Lanthar - f2




Jan 07, 2020 at 11:13 PM
pdmphoto
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p.36 #19 · p.36 #19 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


Fred Miranda wrote:
Infinity Performance compared to Sony 55mm f/1.8 ZA


https://www.fredmiranda.com/Buzz/50apovs55.jpg

Voigtlander 50/2 APO is shorter but 80 grams heavier (49mm thread for both)

The FE 55/1.8 was introduced in 2013 with three aspherical elements, including two double-sided,. It's currently being sold for $1,000 which is only $50 less than the new Voigtlander 50/2 APO!
It's not well corrected for CA (longitudinal and lateral), has noticeable onion-pattern in specular highlights and manual focusing is not linear.

Why does it cost so much after all these years? Perhaps because it is capable of very high resolution across the field even at wide apertures (no noticeable dips
...Show more

Thanks Fred. Close enough for me, and I like the colors and contrast from the Zony. Very similar to what I saw with my 90/110 comparison overall. Except of course the 90 has less Ca than the 55.



Jan 08, 2020 at 03:20 AM
nhsonyshooter
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p.36 #20 · p.36 #20 · Voigtlander 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Review


So, I'm still struggling with this lens. I miss the colors and sunstars of the CV in general. So looking to buy one back. Have not had one since I've had the Riv. Assuming it's even easier to focus with the better EVF. Had the 40 1.2 which was my favorite for a while. Really prefer the 40 mm focal length. Had the 50 1.2 which was very nice as well, gapped alittle better. Now this one shows up and looks very nice as well. I like the options of fast glass though. The 50 1.2 if I remember was pretty dang sharp by f2. The question I guess I have to the owners of both is how much different is the 50 1.2 and the 50APO from f2 on. I know the blades are different. I guess I'm just not convinced the IQ is that much better to give up the 1.2. I don't know maybe just getting another 40 is the right move


Jan 08, 2020 at 07:28 AM
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