p.2 #1 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
Maybe some peoples expectations for a 90mm APO lens is being set by the Leica APO-SL. Very very flat and high. Also perfect alignment of color channels at multiple points. Probably the reference for such a lens.
If you go look at the full MTF chart for the APO-SL you will see that It is also far better wide open at f/2.0 than this Voigtlander is at f/4 or f/5.6.
Of course this level will never be achieved within the limits of an appropriate M lens form factor. Still, probably worth referring to in discussions such as this one.
Jul 15, 2026 at 10:47 AM
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p.2 #2 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
1bwana1 wrote:
Maybe some peoples expectations for a 90mm APO lens is being set by the Leica APO-SL. Very very flat and high. Also perfect alignment of color channels at multiple points. Probably the reference for such a lens.
Of course this level will never be achieved within the limits of an appropriate M lens form factor. Still, probably worth referring to in discussions such as this one.
Yes, that lens is of course a good reference and at f/5.6 this new lens does match it in the center, but as you say in a much smaller lens you can't expect the same performance across the frame. Still in the center at it match the SL 90 APO that is stopped down 3 stops when it is only stopped down one suggested very high center performance indeed.
p.2 #3 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
Has anyone ever seen an MTF chart for the VM APO-Skopar f/28? I have this lens and it has been good but doesn't compare to my APO-SL. I use it for landscape, portrait, general photography so the f/2.8 is meaningful to me so don't think I will change to this one unless results are significantly better.
p.2 #4 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
Steve Spencer wrote:
Yes, that lens is of course a good reference and at f/5.6 this new lens does match it in the center, but as you say in a much smaller lens you can't expect the same performance across the frame. Still in the center at it match the SL 90 APO that is stopped down 3 stops when it is only stopped down one suggested very high center performance indeed.
Center is not the point of the APO-SL lens set. Many lenses can match this at center. Center is not the reason to own APO lenses. It is across the frame performance, color management, and falloff (rendering of OOF areas) that were the areas of concentration when designing them. I think they set the industry standard for these attributes.
AS you can see below even the Summilux (in the case 50mm) can achieve very high performance at center.
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p.2 #5 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
1bwana1 wrote:
Has anyone ever seen an MTF chart for the VM APO-Skopar f/28? I have this lens and it has been good but doesn't compare to my APO-SL. I use it for landscape, portrait, general photography so the f/2.8 is meaningful to me so don't think I will change to this one unless results are significantly better.
Cosina only publishes MTF charts for their APO Lanthars, not for their APO Skopars or APO Ultrons, so I don't think anyone outside of Cosina has seen an MTF chart for that lens. I had it too and it was a decent performer, but IMO not quite as good of a performer as any of the other Voigtlander APO lenses, other than some of the older SLR ones (the 90 f/3.5 APO for SLRs was particularly weak in my experience).
p.2 #6 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
In Italy the VM 90/4 Apo Lanthar is available for pre-order at 849 Euro.
The 90/2.8 Apo Skopar price is € 729 (M-mount) or € 579 (Nikon F-mount).
The Apo Skopar has pretty good reviews (see https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-voigtlander-90mm-2-8-sl-iis-apo-skopar/) so I wonder why should I spend more to get a slower lens. To get 0.5 m minimum focusing distance?
1bwana1 wrote:
Has anyone ever seen an MTF chart for the VM APO-Skopar f/28?
I haven't been able to find an MTF chart for the 90/2.8 Apo-Skopar either.
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p.2 #7 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
1bwana1 wrote:
Center is not the point of the APO-SL lens set. Many lenses can match this at center. Center is not the reason to own APO lenses. It is across the frame performance, color management, and falloff (rendering of OOF areas) that were the areas of concentration when designing them. I think they set the industry standard for these attributes.
I agree with all of that except that many lenses can match their performance at center. I actually don't think that is true, and only a small number of lenses can match their center performance. For example, the 85 Otus ML f/1.4 at f/4 has 75% contrast at 40 lp/mm in the center which is terrific performance, but doesn't quite match the performance of the Leica 90 f/2 APO-SL. The aforementioned Leica M 90 f/4 at any aperture does not exceed 65% contrast in the center at 40 lp/mm. This new 90 f/4 APO Lanthar from Voigtlander is one of the few lenses that actually matches the Leica 90 APO-SL in the center.
Jul 15, 2026 at 11:19 AM
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p.2 #8 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
1bwana1 wrote:
Center is not the point of the APO-SL lens set. Many lenses can match this at center. Center is not the reason to own APO lenses. It is across the frame performance, color management, and falloff (rendering of OOF areas) that were the areas of concentration when designing them. I think they set the industry standard for these attributes.
AS you can see below even the Summilux (in the case 50mm) can achieve very high performance at center.
Hi Steve,
A 50mm is not a 90mm and they each pose their unique challenges. That said, the 50 lux had fantastic center performance and it too is a pretty rare in having such high center performance. You don't see the full extent of that performance until stopped down a little, but that is to be expected for an f/1.4 lens.
That that like the 90 APO Lanthar that this lux struggles toward the edges and corners. That is to be expected and in this case it actually struggles a lot more than the 90 APO Lanthar.
p.2 #9 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
Steve Spencer wrote:
I agree with all of that except that many lenses can match their performance at center. I actually don't think that is true, and only a small number of lenses can match their center performance. For example, the 85 Otus ML f/1.4 at f/4 has 75% contrast at 40 lp/mm in the center which is terrific performance, but doesn't quite match the performance of the Leica 90 f/2 APO-SL. The aforementioned Leica M 90 f/4 at any aperture does not exceed 65% contrast in the center at 40 lp/mm. This new 90 f/4 APO Lanthar from Voigtlander is one of the few lenses that actually matches the Leica 90 APO-SL in the center. ...Show more →
I guess we can differ on what constitutes many. Maybe I should have said many Leica lenses? But my point is that we don't judge or buy APO lenses based primarily of their center performance. It is their performance away from center that provides the most benefit. The Leica M 90mm APO Summicron is a very high performer and is very flat across the field. In my view this is a better performance. Better enough for the price difference? Probably not for most people.
This new VM lens offers a lot for the money if speed is not needed for the use case.
Jul 15, 2026 at 11:41 AM
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p.2 #10 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
Ripolini wrote:
In Italy the VM 90/4 Apo Lanthar is available for pre-order at 849 Euro.
The 90/2.8 Apo Skopar price is € 729 (M-mount) or € 579 (Nikon F-mount).
The Apo Skopar has pretty good reviews (see https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-voigtlander-90mm-2-8-sl-iis-apo-skopar/) so I wonder why should I spend more to get a slower lens. To get 0.5 m minimum focusing distance?
I haven't been able to find an MTF chart for the 90/2.8 Apo-Skopar either.
The old lens is pretty good, but the new lens is a little smaller has the shorter MFD and probably a bit better performance. Leica has for a long time has made both a 90 Elmarit-M (i.e., f/2.8) and the 90 f/4 Elmar (i.e., f/4) and for decades the Elmar has been more expensive. Like the Voigtlanders the f/4 lens is smaller and focusses closer. The difference in size is bigger for the Leica lenses, however. I see the Voigtlanders as strong competitors for the Leica M lenses, but if you value close focus and you can live with the slower aperture the 90 f/4 APO will be a compelling option.
For me I think the new 75 f/2.8 APO Skopar might be a bigger internal competitor to the 90 f/2.8 APO Skopar. It is quite a bit smaller (even smaller than the 90 f/4), focusses a little closer and from Fred's review is a fantastically performing lens. I think I would have a hard time picking the 90 f/2.8 APO Skopar over the 75 if I wanted an f/2.8 aperture. That 15mm is not that big a difference in focal length and on a rangefinder camera the shorter focal length can be a benefit as it is a bit easier to focus.
p.2 #11 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
1bwana1 wrote:
Maybe some peoples expectations for a 90mm APO lens is being set by the Leica APO-SL. Very very flat and high. Also perfect alignment of color channels at multiple points. Probably the reference for such a lens.
If you go look at the full MTF chart for the APO-SL you will see that It is also far better wide open at f/2.0 than this Voigtlander is at f/4 or f/5.6.
Of course this level will never be achieved within the limits of an appropriate M lens form factor. Still, probably worth referring to in discussions such as this one.
I've shot with the SL 90mm f/2 APO, and it's a great lens for sure. Like the other SL APO lenses, it's optimized for wide open performance, meaning it's already essentially optimal from center to corners at f/2 or f/2.8. For landscapes, though, this gave me very little advantage, since I usually stop lenses down to at least f/4, f/5.6, and often f/8. The irony is that my 90mm f/2 APO in M-mount matched the SL APO at f/5.6 and f/8, and actually gave slightly better corners at f/8. It's just the nature of the optical design trade-off: the SL lenses are built to be optimized for wide open shooting, so stopping down doesn't gain you much more, since the aberrations are already well controlled at maximum aperture.
p.2 #12 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
Fred Miranda wrote:
I've shot with the SL 90mm f/2 APO, and it's a great lens for sure. Like the other SL APO lenses, it's optimized for wide open performance, meaning it's already essentially optimal from center to corners at f/2 or f/2.8. For landscapes, though, this gave me very little advantage, since I usually stop lenses down to at least f/4, f/5.6, and often f/8. The irony is that my 90mm f/2 APO in M-mount matched the SL APO at f/5.6 and f/8, and actually gave slightly better corners at f/8. It's just the nature of the optical design trade-off: the SL lenses are built to be optimized for wide open shooting, so stopping down doesn't gain you much more, since the aberrations are already well controlled at maximum aperture....Show more →
That goes directly to the total package of falloff and rendering that is a primary component of the APO-SL lenses design. They are unique in the industry in that regard.
Jul 15, 2026 at 11:51 AM
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p.2 #13 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
I have been defending the MTFs for the Voigtlander 90 f/4 APO and I do think they indicate good performance and they are, in the center at least, higher than even some very fine lenses, but let me add that I am not sure how much difference that matters. Slightly higher MTFs at f/4 or f/5.6 are really hard to see in actual photos without a lot of magnification. I am not at all sure this lens will be noticeably better than any of the lenses I have been comparing it to or even a typical 70-200 zoom at f/4 or f/5.6. At those apertures differences in sharpness are hard to see even if you pixel peep. The same can be said about the APO correction of this lens. Very few lenses have issues with axial CA at f/4 and f/5.6 and almost all really are pretty clean by clean from color errors at those apertures.
What I want this lens for is its small size and close focus capabilities. That makes it a great part of my travel kit as I can use it for landscapes, architecture, and close up and it takes up very little space in my bag. For me I will pair it with a fast normal lens that can handle portraits and I have what I need at the longer focal lengths with a nice small and light kit.
p.2 #14 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
Steve Spencer wrote:
I have been defending the MTFs for the Voigtlander 90 f/4 APO and I do think they indicate good performance and they are, in the center at least, higher than even some very fine lenses, but let me add that I am not sure how much difference that matters. Slightly higher MTFs at f/4 or f/5.6 are really hard to see in actual photos without a lot of magnification. I am not at all sure this lens will be noticeably better than any of the lenses I have been comparing it to or even a typical 70-200 zoom at f/4 or f/5.6. At those apertures differences in sharpness are hard to see even if you pixel peep. The same can be said about the APO correction of this lens. Very few lenses have issues with axial CA at f/4 and f/5.6 and almost all really are pretty clean by clean from color errors at those apertures.
What I want this lens for is its small size and close focus capabilities. That makes it a great part of my travel kit as I can use it for landscapes, architecture, and close up and it takes up very little space in my bag. For me I will pair it with a fast normal lens that can handle portraits and I have what I need at the longer focal lengths with a nice small and light kit....Show more →
I was expecting stronger off-axis performance from this 90mm f/4 APO-Lanthar. There's a noticeable drop in resolution moving away from center, which surprised me given how the previous APO-Lanthar lenses have performed. I know focal length and aperture play a role here, and a telephoto design brings its own set of optical challenges, but I was still expecting more even performance across the field.
p.2 #15 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
There is much more in the way of 'real world issues' at play here than a few percentage points on a K8 for a wafer thin slice of performance. The drop-off is very steady, gradual like the 50/3.5. Where we want to see cross-frame equivalence is in the wides where the viewing eye moves around much more, and the (300g) 28/2 A/L is exactly that. Short teles have to contend with UV, dust etc.
It's a 235 gram M lens;
it fits small bodies that can be carried long distances at high elevations - easily;
it uses an entirely different optical design, a more intimate look that lacks aspherics and fits in with modern approaches;
it pairs effortlessly with similar lightweight M lenses and that alone gives you huge choices;
all ancillaries are smaller - bags, filters, pack space, etc; it's manual focus, simple, traditional and engaging.
If your photo depends for its acceptability on a perfect render of that bush in the corner on the focal plane, the image has already failed.
And the big one - it's far more likely to come out of the bag than any SL kit would. Just add up the weight differences for a three lens kit of 28-50-90 APOs and two bodies. The SL 90/2 alone is three times the weight (700g). A 90/4 and an EV1 is 730 grams.
That's the case for for back country, then we have travel and regular work which shares many of the above issues. No one enjoys pro-tier 73mm diameter lenses pointed at them, not in the mirrorless / FLC / phone world that is emerging. Look around.
Bottom line: this is the kind of lens the world is moving toward - small, light, discreet and versatile. The SL system is not that, by intention. The 90/4 also looks (and no doubt feels) way better than any plastic barrel optic, Leica name plate or not.
It might even surprise as a fine street lens for the focal length. It'll also be a pleasure to use, much better than the button press items. There is a lot more to it than technical excellence, and that is the bet Cosina is taking here.
Jul 15, 2026 at 04:26 PM
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p.2 #16 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
Fred Miranda wrote:
I was expecting stronger off-axis performance from this 90mm f/4 APO-Lanthar. There's a noticeable drop in resolution moving away from center, which surprised me given how the previous APO-Lanthar lenses have performed. I know focal length and aperture play a role here, and a telephoto design brings its own set of optical challenges, but I was still expecting more even performance across the field.
I don't know Fred, the MTFs here are nearly identical to the 50 f/3.5 APO Lanthar and that performs very nicely in your tests off axis. I think this lens will too. Optically this 90 f/4 APO Lanthar and the 50 f/3.5 APO Lanthar sure look really similar to me on a number of dimensions, but the MTF curves are definitely really close in performance.
p.2 #17 · Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 90/4 VM officially announced for August release
Steve Spencer wrote:
I don't know Fred, the MTFs here are nearly identical to the 50 f/3.5 APO Lanthar and that performs very nicely in your tests off axis. I think this lens will too. Optically this 90 f/4 APO Lanthar and the 50 f/3.5 APO Lanthar sure look really similar to me on a number of dimensions, but the MTF curves are definitely really close in performance.
You're right that the two lenses look similar, and it's true the 50/3.5 APO-Lanthar is absolutely outstanding off-axis, even with that same drop-off visible in its MTF graph. That's actually what makes this puzzling to me: both lenses show a similar off-axis drop-off on paper, yet the 50/3.5 performs beautifully in practice.
Perhaps, like the 50/3.5, this new 90/4 will also turn out to perform outstandingly off-axis despite what the MTF chart suggests. It's even possible, though unlikely, that some field curvature is at play here too. All the more reason to actually test it and post real-world results, which is what matters most in the end. And as always, comparing MTF graphs across brands is never a reliable way to judge performance anyway.
