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<\/a>The Voigtl\u00e4nder 50mm f\/2 APO-Lanthar is a compact normal prime with a modest maximum aperture. The design goal of this lens is simple: Pure image quality. Designed to meet the demands of ultra-high resolution sensors and with an apochromatic design, the 50mm f\/2 APO-Lanthar is Voigtl\u00e4nder’s answer to Leica’s world renowned 50mm f\/2 APO-Summicron-M, but at 1\/8 the price. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Construction and Handling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Voigtl\u00e4nder 50mm f\/2 APO-Lanthar is a compact, all metal lens made for the Sony E-Mount, though they have since released a Leica M mount model that can be used on M mount rangefinders or adapted to a number of other mirrorless mounts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The lens is small – a bit smaller than the Zeiss 55mm f\/1.8 – and fits right in with the rest of Voigtl\u00e4nder’s E-mount offerings. It’s constructed entirely of metal, with a black aluminum exterior construction. Everything is extremely tightly assembled, and despite the small size and modest maximum aperture, the lens is dense, though not heavy, at 364g. On the down side, the 50mm APO-Lanthar lacks weathersealing, like all Voigtl\u00e4nder lenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The broad scalloped focus ring moves smoothly and is well damped for a lovely manual focus feel. The aperture ring sits at the front of the lens and moves nicely with good damping and positive clicks at each 1\/3 stop increment. The click positions are perfectly weighted; they are stiff enough to resist accidental changes, but not so stiff as to make operation clunky. If you are shooting video, the aperture ring can be de-clicked by rotating the front ring 180 degrees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While the focus and aperture require fully manual operation, the lens does have contacts to interface with the camera, which allow for transmission of EXIF data (which is useful for the IBIS as well as keeping track of image settings later), and also can activate auto-magnification to make nailing focus easier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The lens comes with a metal screw-in lens hood, though my review sample did not include that. I prefer to have my hoods be reversible, so chances are I’d end up leaving the hood for this in the box, like I did on the 40mm f\/1.2, but it’s there and should provide some shading and protection for the front element. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While the lens lacks any autofocus, I found manual focus with the lens rather easy due to the auto-magnification and the high image sharpness and contrast, even at f\/2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I mentioned at the beginning of this review that the target for the 50mm APO Lanthar was pure image quality, and the lens delivers in that regard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I’ll cut to the chase: the Voigtl\u00e4nder 50mm f\/2 APO-Lanthar is one of the sharpest lenses of any focal length I’ve ever used. It is exceptionally sharp, across the entire frame right from f\/2. The extreme corners are very sharp wide open, with the center essentially perfect. Stopping down to f\/4 brings the corners from excellent to phenomenal, with no distinction between the center and corner that I can see. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I say that it gets sharper in the corner when stopping down, but if you shoot at 60 megapixels or less, you will see almost no improvement. Here is a 100% crop<\/a> from the extreme upper left corner of a test shot at f\/2. I only know it gets a little sharper because I took shots using the A7R IV’s pixel shift function to examine the lens at 240 megapixels, where you can see the improvement when stopping down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Needless to say, this lens is simply an exceptional optic for resolution, and will really shine for landscape use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The 50mm APO-Lanthar has a moderate maximum aperture of f\/2, which allows for some nice subject separation, though without the ability to obliterate the background like faster 50mm lenses. Given the extreme degree of optical correction with this lens, I didn’t expect the bokeh to be particularly good, but I was pleasantly surprised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While the lens doesn’t have extreme creaminess that comes from designs that favor residual spherical aberration, the 50mm f\/2 APO does a very nice job, producing pleasing bokeh. Specular highlights are neutral, and there are no nervous double edges or any other distractions. It’s a surprisingly satisfying and smooth look, even with busy backgrounds as in the shot above. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Voigtl\u00e4nder 50mm f\/2 has a unique characteristic with its aperture blades. Like most lenses, the aperture is perfectly circular wide open, but unlike most lenses, the 50mm f\/2’s 12 aperture blades are also perfectly circular when stopped down to f\/2.8. Stopped down further, the 12-sided aperture can be faintly seen in specular highlights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With regards to color and contrast, there’s really nothing at all to pick at. Contrast is outstanding at all apertures across the frame, and color is rich. The color and contrast profile fits in well with other Voigtl\u00e4nder lenses, which is wonderful for landscape work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Voigtl\u00e4nder 50mm f\/2 is marketed as an apochromatic lens, and it’s worthy of that moniker. The lens has extremely low chromatic aberration, with essentially no lateral chromatic aberration and very well controlled longitudinal CA. You’d be hard pressed to find any color fringing before or after the focus point, with only trace amounts visible in the most extreme circumstances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Voigtl\u00e4nder 50mm f\/2 APO Lanthar resists flare very well, with only minor ghosting. A single small red ghost can be seen in some circumstances, but overall the lens performs extremely well against bright light. Veiling flare is minimal as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Distortion is also quite low, with some mild pincushion distortion that would only be visible when shooting architectural shots with straight lines near the edges. It’s very easily corrected with a lens profile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The only real optical ‘flaw’ with the 50mm f\/2 is vignetting, which is pronounced at f\/2, and still visible at f\/4. Lens profiles also can easily correct for this, but at the expense of some increased noise in the corners. I’ve never been one to particularly mind vignetting, so this is a complete non-issue for me, but your own opinion may differ. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In all, the Voigtl\u00e4nder 50mm f\/2 APO-Lanthar is a truly exceptional optic. It ranks right up there with some of the very best lenses I’ve ever used. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I’ve had the pleasure to review the two best 50mm lenses I’ve ever used in the past month. First was the Canon 50mm f\/1.2L, and now this Voigtl\u00e4nder 50mm f\/2 APO-Lanthar. And while both are exceptional lenses, the design goals differ drastically. Instead of a large, fast autofocus 50mm lens, Voigtlander has crafted a small, moderate aperture lens that competes with the very best 50mm lenses ever made. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The lens is exceptionally sharp at f\/2, such that it comes close to outresolving even the A7R IV’s 60 megapixel sensor across the entire image frame. Stopping down a bit yields corner to corner sharpness even using the 240 megapixel sensor-shift multi-shot mode of the A7R IV. But this lens is more than blisteringly sharp: it also has an apochromatic design with exceptionally low CA, very pleasing bokeh, excellent flare resistance and minimal distortion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Voigtl\u00e4nder has crafted a modern classic with the 50mm f\/2 APO-Lanthar. It’s a reference optic at 50mm and a triumph of optical design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Click on an image to enlarge:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>Continue: Image Quality<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Image Quality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Sharpness<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Bokeh<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Color, Contrast and Chromatic Aberration<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Distortion, Flare and Vignetting<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Continue: Conclusion and Image Samples<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pros<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Cons<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Image Samples<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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