Introduction
The Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II is a full-frame, guide focus lens designed with an emphasis on construct high quality and picture high quality. The modern, all-metal barrel provides the lens a high-end really feel and helps justify the $900 price ticket. In the meantime, the “APO” within the title refers to “apochromatic” – in different phrases, a lens that’s extremely corrected for aberrations, together with colour fringing. On paper, all of that is very attention-grabbing, and I used to be excited to place the lens to the check earlier this 12 months!
Word that, right now of this evaluation’s publication, the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II is barely obtainable for the Nikon Z system. Nonetheless, the earlier technology – which is out there for Nikon Z, Sony E, and Leica L – has similar optics and is functionally the identical lens. The principle distinction is that the “II” merely has a distinct exterior design for the barrel. Although each are absolutely constructed of steel, the brand new model is a hair lighter (370 grams vs 387 grams in Nikon Z mount) and permits the lens hood to be reversed. In any other case, the whole lot else that I’ll focus on on this evaluation applies to each variations of the lens. Be happy to purchase both; they’re basically interchangeable.
As a guide focus lens, the APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II is healthier suited to some topics than others. For instance, some road photographers will really feel at house with a 50mm guide focus lens. I additionally see it as a sensible choice for managed portrait images – versus extra candid wedding ceremony or occasion images, which can be shot with guide focus, however often isn’t.
Given the sunshine weight and portability of this lens, mixed with wonderful picture high quality (extra on that later), I additionally discovered it to be a fantastic match for panorama images. Whereas autofocus is usually helpful for landscapes, guide focus works simply high quality if you’re taking pictures from a tripod at a gradual tempo, which is my most well-liked method anyway. I carried this lens with me on a nine-day panorama images hike earlier this 12 months, and it greater than justified its place in my bag regardless that I used to be counting ounces.
What actually solidified my pleasure for testing this lens is that it’s the first Voigtlander that I’ve ever reviewed. I’ve definitely heard good issues concerning the model, however would the APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II stay as much as the hype? How would it not carry out in apply – each within the subject and in a strict lab surroundings? This hands-on evaluation of the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II will reply these questions and extra!
Construct High quality
Voigtlander’s lenses are stunning all-metal devices, and the APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 is not any exception. There’s an all-metal development with engraved markings for focus distances and apertures. The lens definitely appears snazzy! Possibly that’s not one thing that ought to matter, but when it brings you some further pleasure to make use of a lovely lens, I don’t suppose it’s irrelevant.
One in every of my favourite issues concerning the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II is its portability. Though Voigtlander clearly prioritized picture high quality with this lens, they’ve managed to maintain it on the small aspect: 6.4 cm lengthy and 270 grams (2.5 inches and 0.82 kilos). By comparability, Nikon’s model of an ultra-sharp, moderate-aperture 50mm lens – the Z 50mm f/1.8 S – is meaningfully bigger at 8.7 cm lengthy and 415 grams (3.4 inches and 0.91 kilos). This makes the Voigtlander 50mm f/2 a fantastic alternative when you have to journey gentle however don’t wish to sacrifice high quality.
A small potential draw back is that the black paint on the steel of the APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 does put on over time. After a few weeks, there have been some skinny spots within the paint on my copy of the lens, probably attributable to bumping in opposition to another gear in my bag (regardless that I used to be making an attempt to watch out and keep away from that). After all, this has no impact on the perform of the 50mm f/2. You might even see it as a pleasant signal of a well-loved lens. However I level it out as a result of it could hurt the lens’s resale worth or your means to return it in like-new situation in the event you ever resolve that it’s not the proper lens for you.
As for different construct high quality issues, the APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 is constructed like a Swiss watch. I felt no issues utilizing it within the rain and different harsh situations, regardless that it’s not technically weather-sealed, as a result of the construct tolerances are so strict. Amazingly, it took me per week of utilizing the lens earlier than I spotted that the barrel does lengthen a bit as you focus extra carefully – it’s simply constructed so effectively that it’s onerous to note. That mentioned, there isn’t any rubber gasket on the lens mount to assist forestall moisture from reaching the digicam’s inside, so that you most likely shouldn’t use it in a monsoon.
Dealing with
The Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II handles effectively. The focusing ring is massive and well-damped, with a clean focusing movement. As anticipated for a guide focus lens, there usually are not quite a lot of controls on the Voigtlander 50mm f/2, however there may be not less than an aperture ring (clicked) on the entrance of the lens. This can be a actual aperture ring, not an digital aperture management, that means which you can additionally change the aperture when the lens is disconnected from the digicam.
Fortunately, at the moment’s Voigtlander lenses are chipped, that means that you’ll get full EXIF information with each photograph you are taking. You’ll additionally see your chosen aperture within the digicam’s viewfinder or LCD, which I discover helpful when taking pictures rapidly – you don’t must consistently be glancing at your aperture ring whereas taking photos.
That mentioned, there may be one disadvantage the place this lens’s dealing with is anxious, not less than for a way I wish to work: When utilizing the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II, it’s not potential to vary the aperture setting by way of the command dials in your digicam. You possibly can solely change the aperture by rotating the ring on the entrance of the lens. (Likewise, it isn’t actually potential to use this lens in shutter-priority or automated mode, because the digicam has no method of adjusting the aperture.)
I want that Voigtlander had adopted the lead of different lens firms by including an “A” setting on the lens’s aperture ring. By turning the aperture ring to this setting, it could give management over the aperture again to the digicam. However for no matter cause, the lens lacks such a setting.
After all, it isn’t the tip of the world. You simply must rotate the aperture ring to vary the aperture. However if in case you have the muscle reminiscence of fixing aperture by way of a command dial in your digicam, the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II may take a while to get used to earlier than the lens utterly “will get out of your method” like good gear often ought to.
Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II Specs
- Full Identify: Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II
- Mount Sort: Nikon Z Mount (and an optically similar model with a distinct barrel design, and no “II” within the title, can be obtainable for Nikon Z, Sony E, and Leica L)
- Focal Size: 50mm prime
- Angle of View (FX): 45°36′
- Most Aperture: f/2
- Minimal Aperture: f/16
- Aperture Blades: 12
- Filter Dimension: 58mm
- Lens Parts: 10
- Lens Teams: 8
- Particular Parts: 2 aspherical, 5 partial dispersion
- Digital Diaphragm: No
- Vibration Discount: No
- Inner Focusing: No
- Management Rings: Aperture and focus
- Operate Button: No
- Focus Motor: No
- Minimal Focus Distance: 45 cm (17.7 inches)
- Most Magnification: 0.15× (1:6.4)
- Mount Materials: Steel
- Climate/Mud Sealing: No
- Dimensions (Size × Diameter): 2.5 × 2.7 inches (64 × 69 mm)
- Weight: 370 g (0.82 lbs)
- MSRP: $899
- Lowest Sale Seen: $899 (examine present worth)
The following web page of this evaluation covers the optical traits of the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II, together with focusing efficiency and sharpness checks within the lab. So, click on the menu beneath to go to “Optical Efficiency”: