New Lens: Voigtlander APO-SKOPAR 90mm f/2.8 VM

[kivis]

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Mentioned at Fred Miranda: "Makes me want the Leica...until I realize how close the CV price is.....to the price of the hood for the Leica."

[105012]

29 minutes ago, kivis said:

Mentioned at Fred Miranda: "Makes me want the Leica...until I realize how close the CV price is.....to the price of the hood for the Leica."

I believe the Leica referred to here is the APO-Summicron? In which case, much bigger and heavier...

With the APO-Skopar, just check that you have that hood turned all the way (clicked into place) as otherwise it can fall off. Mine took a spill into the Derwent, but was retrieved quickly...

Edited March 4, 2022 by 105012

[adan]

30 minutes ago, kivis said:

Question? This is my first APO lens, is it a good idea to pop a UV filter on the lens? I have them on all my other lenes.

Assuming a high-grade filter, using one or not won't be a special consideration with the 90mm APO-Skopar.

A bad filter is a bad filter - on any lens. Avoid the "included in a kit" give-away filters. But a Leica/B+W/Heliopan/Hoya high-end filter shouldn't be a problem on any lens. I'd imagine they get used on Leica's own 35/50/75/90/135 APO lenses every day.

The "APO" (anomalous/abnormal partial dispersion) glass in the APO-Skopar does not include the front element, so it is not itself in need of "special" protection (unlike, say, the fluorite glass used in some Canon teles over the years) - see lens design cutaway here (pink = "APD"):

https://www.voigtlaender.de/lenses/vm/90-mm-12-8-apo-skopar-vm/?lang=en

(OTOH, Voigländer's major weak point has alway been its cheesy, poorly-sprung clip-on lens caps - probably worth getting a Leica E39 clip-cap - not perfect, but better grip than the C/Vs)

[LarsHP]

5 hours ago, 105012 said:

I believe the Leica referred to here is the APO-Summicron? In which case, much bigger and heavier...

(...)

Don't think so. Both the 75mm and 90mm Apo-Summicron-M have built-in hoods.

[lct]

Not sure serious reviewers would compare f/2.8 to f/2 lenses but Mr Miranda's comparison seems somewhat exaggerated. The hood he was referring to was possibly that of the "fat" Tele-Elmarit 90/2.8 which inspired the new CV 90/2.8 apparently. Great metal hood from the [fill-in blank]ties and still on sale for EUR 200 seemingly (# 12575). 

Edited March 4, 2022 by lct

[genji]

My copy of the APO-Skopar 90/2.8 front focused and was returned. Fred Miranda had the same experience with multiple copies that he tried. I decided to be content with my Elmarit-M and am having it 6-bit coded.