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Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 90mm/F3.5 MC
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2018 5:55 pm    Post subject: Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 90mm/F3.5 MC Reply with quote
Today my APO-Lanthar arrived and I made some quick test shots to check it's performance and also some comparisons against some other RF lenses in my collection. I'm sure I'll make some more pictures in the next days and will show them here.

The APO-Lanthar was introduced in 2001 as a 6/5 construction (including 1 ED element) in LTM/M39 only. It's very compact but due to it's full metal construction still quite heavy (275 gr. on my kitchen scale incl. original hood and M-adapter). It's available in black and silver. 10 aperture blades.

The first comparisons show results as expected: It's extremely sharp and without visible CA's. At F4 it's indistinguishable from my Leitz Elmarit 90mm/F2.8 M-mount lens at F4. Already fully open at F3.5 it's at least as sharp as the Jupiter-9 85mm/F2 lens at F8 or the Topcor 90mm/F3.5 at F8 to F11 (both LTM/M39 lenses as well).

As usual I've used my beloved Ricoh GXR-M APS-C camera.

Example wide open at F3.5 infinity:



100% crop:



Picture of the lens:




Cheers,


PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2018 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, that looks seriously good.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2018 6:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Aaaarghhh can we set a forum-rule that it's forbidden to post good RF-lenses until I've financially recovered from my M8 purchase Laughing

How is the background rendering when you shoot a subject at portrait-distance wide open?


PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2018 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like 1 small Like 1 small Like 1 small


PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2018 7:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have a number of short tele RF lenses, Tele-Elmarit 90(Fat), 90AA, Canon S 100/3.5, Topcor 90/3.5, Super Rokkor 85/2.8, but this CV 90 APO still calls to me.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2018 8:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sjak wrote:
Aaaarghhh can we set a forum-rule that it's forbidden to post good RF-lenses until I've financially recovered from my M8 purchase Laughing

How is the background rendering when you shoot a subject at portrait-distance wide open?


Here you go. This was taken with the Lanthar at f/3.5 on a Sony A6500. The deer was about 15 feet (5 meters) from me, too close for me to get the entire animal in frame. This is a protected reserve and the deer are very used to people and frequently curious.



PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 1:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Many thanks for your comments, particularly thanks to Steve for his impressive example picture.

I'll post some more pictures as soon as I had a chance to take my "new" lens with me on my next excursion.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 1:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Congrats on a beautiful lens--go make some magic with it! jt


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 12:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Unfortunately the weather is rather unfriendly today. Therefore I made some more examples at home.
All shot wide open at F3.5:







100% crop from corner:


IMHO it's not a typical portrait lens but it's incredible sharp and fully usable wide open.
I think I will like it. Wink


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 12:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 2:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very very nice

Congrats


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have the Nikon S mount 85mm version and it is just as good. The adapter was a bit pricy though but it is stainless steel precision-machined and I get an infinity focus hard stop.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice Thomas. The APO Lanthar is a superb lens, an excellent companion for Voigtlander's Lanthar 2.5/75. The two are almost twins in imagery.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
newst wrote:
The APO Lanthar is a superb lens, an excellent companion for Voigtlander's Lanthar 2.5/75. The two are almost twins in imagery.


Indeed, I've got now the complete series of Voigtlaender LTM/M39 lenses (except the 50mm Heliars in F2 and F3.5 as I have the Nokton F1.5 instead).

The 75mm/F2.5 lens is definitely at least as good. However, it's called Color-Heliar. Wink
I've introduced it here: http://forum.mflenses.com/voigtlander-color-heliar-75mm-f2-5-m39-ltm-t72616.html


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
tb_a wrote:
newst wrote:
The APO Lanthar is a superb lens, an excellent companion for Voigtlander's Lanthar 2.5/75. The two are almost twins in imagery.


Indeed, I've got now the complete series of Voigtlaender LTM/M39 lenses (except the 50mm Heliars in F2 and F3.5 as I have the Nokton F1.5 instead).

The 75mm/F2.5 lens is definitely at least as good. However, it's called Color-Heliar. Wink
I've introduced it here: http://forum.mflenses.com/voigtlander-color-heliar-75mm-f2-5-m39-ltm-t72616.html


You are correct, Color Heliar it is, I was just answering from memory-sometimes a dangerous thing to do.

I recently started putting together an LTM Voigtlander kit, running from the APO Lanthar 3.5/90, the Color-Heliar 2.5/75, a Nokton 1.5/50, Ultron 1.7/35 and a Skopar 2.5/28. I also picked up the little Heliar 2.8/40 (I got a good price and already have the TAP and a Yeenon close focus M to E adapter). There isn't a bad lens in the bunch.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 10:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
newst wrote:
tb_a wrote:
newst wrote:
The APO Lanthar is a superb lens, an excellent companion for Voigtlander's Lanthar 2.5/75. The two are almost twins in imagery.


Indeed, I've got now the complete series of Voigtlaender LTM/M39 lenses (except the 50mm Heliars in F2 and F3.5 as I have the Nokton F1.5 instead).

The 75mm/F2.5 lens is definitely at least as good. However, it's called Color-Heliar. Wink
I've introduced it here: http://forum.mflenses.com/voigtlander-color-heliar-75mm-f2-5-m39-ltm-t72616.html


You are correct, Color Heliar it is, I was just answering from memory-sometimes a dangerous thing to do.

I recently started putting together an LTM Voigtlander kit, running from the APO Lanthar 3.5/90, the Color-Heliar 2.5/75, a Nokton 1.5/50, Ultron 1.7/35 and a Skopar 2.5/28. I also picked up the little Heliar 2.8/40 (I got a good price and already have the TAP and a Yeenon close focus M to E adapter). There isn't a bad lens in the bunch.


I've just bought the Nokton 40mm/F1.4 in M-mount additionally. It's already in the mail....

Well, that should (at least for the time being) finalize my collection of Voigtländer RF lenses from 12 to 90 mm.

Still thinking about the Hyper-Wide Heliar 10mm/F5.6. But as I don't use the 12mm lens that much I am still somehow reluctant....


PostPosted: Wed Jun 06, 2018 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quick and dirty test on my Sony A7R2 (42MP/FF).

Both shot wide open at F3.5. For best quality click on pictures....

#1


#2


It's simply a perfect lens. At least I'm not able to find any shortcomings, not even wide open. Extremely sharp and contrasty without disturbing CA's from edge to edge on high resolution FF as well....


PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Apo Lanthar on Sony A7R II at F5.6 (clickable for better quality):



PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for sharing the pictures. Lovely lens, I'm a great fan of mine (when I get the focus right).


PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
JMC wrote:
Thanks for sharing the pictures. Lovely lens, I'm a great fan of mine (when I get the focus right).


Thank you. I'm using it in combination with a M39/LTM to Leica-M adapter on the Techart Pro AF adapter, therefore focusing is no issue for me. Only with some lenses I have to do some average prefocusing but the rest is done by the adapter.
I really like this combination A7R II and Techart PRO. It turns almost every MF lens into an AF one as long as it is adaptable to Leica-M and fits on the adapter.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Apo Lanthar + 10 mm distance ring on Sony A7R II (clickable for better quality):




PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2020 10:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like 1 looking good to me.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 9:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Happy Dog Like 1


PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 10:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you, Gentlemen.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2020 10:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
tb_a wrote:
Apo Lanthar on Sony A7R II at F5.6 (clickable for better quality):


Like 1 Like 1 small
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