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Voigtlander 125mm f/2.5 Macro APO-Lanthar sample pics topic
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:32 am    Post subject: Voigtlander 125mm f/2.5 Macro APO-Lanthar sample pics topic Reply with quote

Quote:
I don't want to sound like a prick or anything like that.
There seems to be far more posts about the price of this lens than post of pictures taken with it Wink


Please post here photos and links to photosets taken with the Voigtländer SL 125/2.5 Macro APO-Lanthar, regardless of mount version and camera used. Share your experience on the lens. Discuss photos.

This topic is not for discussing price trends or collectors ruining availability on the aftermarket. This topic is not for posting eBay links and certainly not for complaining about how expensive it has become.

Mflenses photo posts
http://forum.mflenses.com/makro-apo-lanthar-2-5-125mm-product-shots-t22054,highlight,apo+lanthar.html

http://forum.mflenses.com/two-out-of-three-now-voigtlaender-apo-lanthars-t16939,highlight,apo+lanthar.html

http://forum.mflenses.com/apo-makro-lanthar-125mm-peonies-and-more-t16701,highlight,apo+lanthar.html

100% APO-Lanthar (90/3.5, 125/2.5 and 180/4) photoset, most uploaded original size: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mureena/sets/72157623301462060/

I use my 125/2.5 about twice per week. I bought it because I can improve profit margins of product shoots: I get out of camera results that require none, zero, nada post-processing. Most jobs I do with this lens require quality good for poster-size prints. Many times photos are of unreleased products, thus I can't post samples. Product managers usually want informative, not artistic product shoots. There is not much artistic merit in catalogue photography I think, but maybe I should post them nevertheless.







Some test shots (I got the lens only 4 weeks ago)












This is what I intend to use this lens for, when I shoot what I want (not what pays the bills)



100% crop of lower right corner from above photo (sharpening 4 on a scale of 0...9)
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/mfl_club_members/esoxlucius/125apolanthar/_ND31736crop.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1





Last edited by Esox lucius on Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:12 pm; edited 4 times in total


PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well... Very Happy

what I like:
- superior sharpness and resolution
- very good contrast and colors
- interesting bokeh - not busy, but also not as smooth to be boring
- f/2.5
- very good chromatical correction
- design of the lens (entirely as is)... the silver front part doesn't only look nice, but it's also quite robust and protects the filter thread

what I don't like:
- nothing between f/2.5 and f/4... at least f/3.2 would be appreciated

what could be better:
- the black painting is slightly prone to scratches
- when used for distant subjects, focusing is extremely sensitive

subjective feeling:
Despite the 125/2.5 is my most expensive lens, I never regreted the purchase (I can't say this about many other lenses). It's simply great.


a few of my 125/2.5 shots:






photos I found on the net:

http://simedarby.multiply.com/photos/album/16/Voigtlander_Macro-APO_Lanthar_125_F2.5_Photo_Sample#
http://my.reset.jp/~cat.y/mapo125mm/125mm.html
http://www.pbase.com/piotreks/vls125
http://www.flickr.com/groups/825863@N22/
http://www.pbase.com/felinda/voigtlander_
http://www.pbase.com/szaitsev/voigtlander


reviews:

http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/267-voigtlander-sl-125mm-f25-apo-lanthar-test-report--review
http://www.slrlensreview.com/web/voigtlander-slr-lenses-132/macro-slr-lenses-137/367-voigtlander-apo-lanthar-macro-125mm-f25-sl-lens-review.html


PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW....


did i already say "WOW"?
colors and sharpness are simply stunning!


PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Waiting for the Cosina to bring out the new version.
Hoping for a better price.
Still patient, still patient, st....


PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some more photos posted here on Mflenses
http://forum.mflenses.com/the-apo-lanthar-trio-t19795.html
http://forum.mflenses.com/sun-snow-and-ice-voigtlaender-apo-lanthar-trio-original-s-t25260.html

Thanks to Klaus and Björn Rörslett's scientific reviews, I knew what I was buying and why I paid premium for getting it.

My preliminary thoughts after 4 weeks of use:

Things to consider
- "Expensive" is subjective. If you use the lens to make income from photography, payback time is more important than price paid. You know if you have use for it. Thanks to optical quality post-processing can really be minimal, something I appreciate with catalogue product shots.
- 125mm macro shooting is different from 60mm macro shooting, not just by perspective but also shutter.
- Almost any lens can impress with web sized images, few impress with 70x100cm prints
- Is manual focusing difficult? If you need to ask this question you don't need this lens.

Things I dislike about the lens
- Price/availability. I sincerely wish Cosina re-introduced the lens. The increasing value is a nuisance to me, it means I pay higher insurance fees and in case of accident or loss replacing it is very difficult. Collectors probably want the value to keep increasing, I wish for the opposite.

Things I like a lot about the lens
- Engineering. The lens has a hand-built, exquisite feeling to using it. All details have been carefully thought out: barrel markings on focusing (1:2 and 1:1), focusing feel, hood lock, lens hood design, lens barrel design, focus throw optimized for macro precision
- Just a hint of vignetting wide open, gone at f/4. Beautiful bokeh, rounded diaphragm, absence of CA, beautiful colors, crisp detail... everything you wish for in a lens.
- Build quality. Solid metal and glass. Precision crafted tolerances. Beautiful design.
- Optical quality is uncompromised. Sweet spot is reported to be f/5.6. Like Björn Rörslett commented; In practice optical quality is so good, that you can set the lens to the aperture you wish and release the shutter.
- Results. There is no need for post-processing. None. Colors, detail, lack of aberrations. Out of camera RAW results are appreciated when you have a catalogue of 200 shots to PP
- Versatility. Unlike some Nikkor macro lenses, it is in fact very good also at medium to infinity focusing distances.

Nikon-specific user notes
- Aperture control. On Nikon N/Ai-S version I have the following f-stops "clicking" in position: 2.5 - 4 - 4.5 - 5.6 - 6.3 - 8 - 9 - 11 -16 - 22. In addition to this, I can fine-tune exposure by gently moving aperture ring for stepless aperture control. Try it, it works!
- No chip. No real impact for me; on a Nikon D3 I get spot metering, matrix metering, Aperture Priority - everything I need. The D3 menu has a slot for unchipped lenses; enter focal length and max aperture --> voilà! Downside is Nikon only has included focal lengths of Nikkors, thus 105mm and 135mm are available as options, but no 125mm. This is a small nuisance, as it will only affect the EXIF data that is recorded for focal length.


Last edited by Esox lucius on Fri Apr 09, 2010 7:26 am; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

no-X wrote:
Well... Very Happy

what I like:
- superior sharpness and resolution
- very good contrast and colors
- interesting bokeh - not busy, but also not as smooth to be boring
- f/2.5
- very good chromatical correction
- design of the lens (entirely as is)... the silver front part doesn't only look nice, but it's also quite robust and protects the filter thread

what I don't like:
- nothing between f/2.5 and f/4... at least f/3.2 would be appreciated

what could be better:
- the black painting is slightly prone to scratches
- when used for distant subjects, focusing is extremely sensitive

subjective feeling:
Despite the 125/2.5 is my most expensive lens, I never regreted the purchase (I can't say this about many other lenses). It's simply great.


I agree word for word with this assessment. To go further on the statement of focusing on distant subjects, I would add mine on PK had a significant overfocusing on infinity. It was necessary to be very patient thus when shooting at infinity. I found all my CV lenses except the Nokton had this trait to some degree, though none was as obvious as the 125.

A very useful lens with no drawbacks at all. I was amazed they were half the price of the Zeiss Makro Planar 100/2 while they were sold new considering they were both made by the same folks to the same quality. I used to say the price was part of its strength.

Himself wrote:
Waiting for the Cosina to bring out the new version.
Hoping for a better price.
Still patient, still patient, st....


+1. Hopefully they will consider more mounts than just K and F.

So very many nice pics from you all with this lens, congrats and thanks for sharing. Here also is a link to some of my pics with this lens (please click the 'photos' tab after you reach the link).

http://kellysereda.com/?q=125mm

Kelly.


PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great Thread Idea Vilhelm Very Happy
This lens deserves an open thread if any does.
I love this one.



PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Piotr Sobolewski, a member of this forum has this lens and many others. He has a wonderful gallery of images from this lens here:
http://www.pbase.com/piotreks/vls125


PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oops, sorry, didn't see his link was already posted. Take the opportunity to back up a level and see galleries from all his other wonderful lenses.


PostPosted: Sat May 01, 2010 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote



PostPosted: Sat May 01, 2010 3:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The composition and use of depth of field is like an optical illusion! Love it Shocked


PostPosted: Sat May 01, 2010 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shocked


PostPosted: Sat May 01, 2010 4:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yes! fantastic picture .. from another planet ..

tf


PostPosted: Sat May 01, 2010 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Smile

My plan was take picture of the blooming amarylis, but I wasn't successful with finding a good background, so I shoted only the anthers and used the bloom as background...


PostPosted: Sat May 01, 2010 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent work Jiri!!


PostPosted: Sun May 02, 2010 7:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess, even as a Leica (and Nikkor) lover I need to admit that this is an absolutely fantastic lens. Wink

Excellent shots, gentlemen!


PostPosted: Mon May 03, 2010 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A roof's edge in Tuscany (Nikon D700 + CV 125):



PostPosted: Mon May 03, 2010 6:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here are a few of mine






PostPosted: Mon May 03, 2010 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

great colors rawhead!


PostPosted: Mon May 03, 2010 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

excellent and nice pictures ..

but rawhead -- how did you take the picture of that leaf?? Shocked

that's unbelievable!!!

tf


PostPosted: Mon May 03, 2010 6:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

NikonD wrote:
great colors rawhead!


Thanks Smile


trifox wrote:
but rawhead -- how did you take the picture of that leaf??



Looks cool, doesn't it?

While it looks like a leaf that is falling, it was in fact a leaf that was suspended in mid-air by some kind of thin bug thread (some kind of caterpillar maybe? Probably not spider thread).



Not to say it was stationary and easy to shoot. Hardly. It was quite windy, and the thread must have been at least 3m long... the leaf was hanginf rom a branch that was way over my head.

Which meant that this leaf was dancing around all over the place. I sat there mesmerized by the scene, then furiously shot about a 100 frames (thank god to digital), and this is one of the 15-20 frames or so that came out above decent in terms of sharpness, etc. Smile

Thanks!


PostPosted: Mon May 03, 2010 7:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome shots - bokeh, colors, ideas... great! Smile


PostPosted: Wed May 05, 2010 1:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Absolutely... mar-ve-lous. Great gear, good hand!


PostPosted: Fri May 07, 2010 9:03 pm    Post subject: not so bad lens - good for macro, portraits and landscapes Reply with quote

Pentax *ist DS ,Voigtlander 125mm f/2.5 SL Macro APO-Lanthar
1/180s f/3.5 at 125.0mm iso400


Pentax *ist DS ,Voigtlander 125mm f/2.5 SL Macro APO-Lanthar
1/500s f/2.4 at 125.0mm iso400


Pentax K20D ,Voigtlander 125mm f/2.5 SL Macro APO-Lanthar
1/160s f/5.6 at 120.0mm iso200


Pentax K20D ,Voigtlander 125mm f/2.5 SL Macro APO-Lanthar
1/400s f/8.0 at 125.0mm iso100


PostPosted: Fri May 07, 2010 9:41 pm    Post subject: Re: not so bad lens - good for macro, portraits and landscap Reply with quote

Piotrek wrote:
Pentax *ist DS ,Voigtlander 125mm f/2.5 SL Macro APO-Lanthar
1/180s f/3.5 at 125.0mm iso400



Hard to believe, that this shot was made with f3,5!

Klaus