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 p.1 #1 · Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar Review | |
The Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar E-mount is in stock:
B&H Photo | CameraQuest
Review quick links:
- About the lens
- Infinity Performance: Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar
- Distortion
- Sunstar rendering and Flare resistance
- Minimal Focus Distance performance and Focus shift
- Chromatic aberration correction
- Rendering using the SA ring control
- Final Thoughts
- Samples 1: SA Under-Correction (Various Levels)
- Samples 2: SA Under-Correction (Extreme Level -6)
- Samples 3: SA Over-Correction (Various Levels)
- Samples 4: SA Over-Correction (Various Levels)
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Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar - Intro:
Voigtlander's first lens with spherical aberration control
The Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar is the first Cosina lens featuring a spherical aberration (SA) control ring, letting you adjust the level of under- or over-correction to shape the bokeh exactly how you want -- from smooth and dreamy to more structured with added glow on your subject. You can see the effect live through the EVF as you dial it in.
Designed for Sony E-mount, the lens includes electronic contacts for full EXIF data, supports 5-axis in-body stabilization through its built-in distance encoder, and automatically engages focus magnification when you turn the focus ring. Its optical design is adapted from the discontinued M-mount version and optimized for Sony's full-frame sensors, featuring a 9-blade aperture and a fully manual focus system with a smooth, all-metal helicoid for precise control.
Sony A7RC with Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar
The Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar shares the same 6-element, 3-group optical design as the original M-mount version, delivering a 33.2° angle of view. It features a 9-blade diaphragm, focuses as close as 0.7 meters, and offers a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:7.4. The lens measures 70mm in diameter, 88mm in length, weighs 560g, and accepts 62mm filters. No hood was supplied or listed as available for this lens.
6-element, 3-group HELIAR optical design as the original M-mount version
The lens features an all-metal helicoid unit, and the focus ring turns smoothly for precise manual adjustments. The aperture ring sits at the base of the lens and, while it moves a bit more freely than I'd like, it has clearly defined click stops. This likely makes it easier to adjust with a single finger. It's not ultra compact, but for a fast portrait lens, it's reasonably sized. Handling feels good on my A7RC, though cameras with a larger grip provide better overall balance and support.
Sony A7R II with Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar
The standout feature of this lens is its spherical aberration (SA) control ring, which offers 10 adjustment levels and makes it genuinely fun to experiment with different rendering styles, from subtle tweaks to more dramatic effects. Based on my testing so far, the "under" settings introduce SA into both the focus plane and the out-of-focus background. This softens the subject and produces smoother, more diffused bokeh.
In contrast, the "over" settings push toward overcorrection, giving specular highlights a soup-like (strong outlining) texture in the background and adding a noticeable glow to the focus plane, meaning spherical aberration is increased there as well.
Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar SA Ring
Interestingly, this mix of subject glow combined with more defined background bokeh is something I’ve noticed in several other lenses. The MS Optics 50mm f/1.0 ISM and the Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux Pre-asph show a similar effect when pushed toward the "over" side, while the Leica 90mm f/2 Thambar produces a comparable glow and veil when set to its "under" setting.
Sony A7RC with Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar
The "under" setting needs to be used with care. When dialed all the way down, images take on a soft, veiled look with pronounced vignetting, especially when the subject is at mid or long distances. It can work beautifully for certain beauty shots or when aiming for that old Hollywood soft focus style, but it's definitely something best used with restraint. I'd describe it as being sharp detail wrapped in a layer of soft haze.
Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar E-mount
Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Heliar M-mount (Officially discontinued in April 2019)
What I really appreciate about the Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 Portrait Heliar is that it offers six levels of under-correction (when rotated counter-clockwise) and four levels of over-correction (clockwise). This gives you a lot of flexibility to fine-tune the rendering based on your subject and the mood you want to create. I wouldn't go so far as to call it 10 lenses in one, but it does deliver 3 or 4 distinctly different looks in a single portrait lens.
Specifications
- Focal Length: 75mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/1.8
- Minimum Aperture: f/11
- Angle of View: 33.2°
- Minimum Focus Distance: 0.7m
- Optical Design: 6 Elements in 3 Groups (Heliar)
- Diaphragm Blades: 9
- Filter Size: 62mm
- Dimensions (ø x L): 70 x 88 mm
- Weight: 560g
- Hood not included
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