Voigtlander 50 f/3.5 Heliar images

[roelandinho]

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Is anyone else using this lens? I actually like the weird design and quirky ergonomics (non-collapsible version). Picture taken at f/3.5 on film (Leica MP). 

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Edited July 7, 2022 by roelandinho

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[Siriusone59]

I don't have that lens now, but may see one in my future.  Really like this image you've posted.

[roelandinho]

1 hour ago, Siriusone59 said:

I don't have that lens now, but may see one in my future.  Really like this image you've posted.

Thank you. I've only shot one roll of (cheap and expired) film with this lens so far, but from a few test shots on digital the optical quality seems outstanding. 

[qqphot]

I have the 2009 LTM version. It's very sharp, even the corners aren't bad wide open. It displays a bit of distortion I could do without but in general produces negatives that are easier to work with than a "real" Elmar 3.5, especially for color, thanks to better contrast and less flare.  I don't buy the "Sharpest 50mm lens ever tested!" talk that people seem to attach to it; my v1 Summicron is better in the far corners at F4 for instance. But it certainly is sharp *enough* for any reasonable purpose.

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sorry this isn't an interesting picture, everything else i could find quickly was a bit too "artsy" to illustrate anything about the lens's behavior.

[Huss]

Here are some shots on Tri-X with the CV 50 3.5.  While it is very nice optically, lots of other 50mm lenses are too.  The downfall for me were the miserable haptics - the aperture ring that rotates with focus and frankly the bizarre/ugly design.  I tried to love this lens, but could not and sold it.

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[roelandinho]

Out of curiosity I compared the 50 f/3.5 Heliar to the only other 50mm I have at the moment: the Zeiss ZM f/1.5 C-Sonnar. I compared them both at f/3.5 and at f/4, at various distances and focused through the rangefinder (no live view). I know the behaviour of the Zeiss lens very well and I did compensate for the focus shift at these apertures. 

Results: 

The Sonnar... 
- is consistently sharper in the center (surprising!?),  
- has less vignetting, 
- has less (almost no) color fringing at in-focus highlights but more green fringing in the out-of-focus areas,  
- has smoother background blur and seems to have less depth of field which makes subjects stand out more, 
- has less distortion, 
- has warmer colors. 

The Heliar...
- is sharper at the edges (expected), 
- has no color fringes in the out-of-focus areas, but a bit of purple fringing at the in-focus highlights (disappears completely by f/5.6), 
- has smoother foreground blur, 
- has cooler colors. 

Both lenses are very resistant to flare. 

The Heliar has more even performance over the entire frame while the Sonnar uses every lens trick available to make the subject stand out. I still think the Heliar is a great lens (optically at least), but the performance of the Sonnar at around f/4 surprised me. 

[surfmanjoe]

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On 7/12/2022 at 6:41 AM, roelandinho said:

Out of curiosity I compared the 50 f/3.5 Heliar to the only other 50mm I have at the moment: the Zeiss ZM f/1.5 C-Sonnar. I compared them both at f/3.5 and at f/4, at various distances and focused through the rangefinder (no live view). I know the behaviour of the Zeiss lens very well and I did compensate for the focus shift at these apertures. 

Results: 

The Sonnar... 
- is consistently sharper in the center (surprising!?),  
- has less vignetting, 
- has less (almost no) color fringing at in-focus highlights but more green fringing in the out-of-focus areas,  
- has smoother background blur and seems to have less depth of field which makes subjects stand out more, 
- has less distortion, 
- has warmer colors. 

The Heliar...
- is sharper at the edges (expected), 
- has no color fringes in the out-of-focus areas, but a bit of purple fringing at the in-focus highlights (disappears completely by f/5.6), 
- has smoother foreground blur, 
- has cooler colors. 

Both lenses are very resistant to flare. 

The Heliar has more even performance over the entire frame while the Sonnar uses every lens trick available to make the subject stand out. I still think the Heliar is a great lens (optically at least), but the performance of the Sonnar at around f/4 surprised me. 

Hell, Roelandinho,

Thank you for sharing the thoughts, Do you mind adding some pictures as well? That would be more helpful! 😄

[Siriusone59]

I did manage to get a copy and you're right, it is a bit quirky but I like it.  If you look closely there are four deer in that field, not sure if they will show up at this resolution.

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[joshinthecity]

I've got my finger on the trigger for this lens. For my SL2-S Reporter

I'm a sucker for "Character" lenses, and this seems to be one. In every aspect.

Any updates from owners ?

 

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[hmzimelka]

5 hours ago, joshinthecity said:

I've got my finger on the trigger for this lens. For my SL2-S Reporter

I'm a sucker for "Character" lenses, and this seems to be one. In every aspect.

Any updates from owners ?

 

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Character lens in which sense? Quirky to handle? I wouldn't really regard its imaging characteristics as a character lens, and would rather describe it as fairly modern and well corrected. What are you looking for in a lens like this? I would buy this lens too if Voigtlander decided to put the optics into a more practical body, but thats just me.

A character lens that comes to mind with the 50mm focal length, but takes it almost too far is the Heliar Classic 50mm f/1.5

You can find many sample images here https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1719880

Edited December 2, 2022 by hmzimelka

[Huss]

Yeah, I don’t think this is a character lens at all.  Unless you are referring to the physical design.  A Summicron 50 v1 has way more optical character and much nicer haptics too. 

[Ouroboros]

5 hours ago, hmzimelka said:

Character lens in which sense? Quirky to handle? I wouldn't really regard its imaging characteristics as a character lens, and would rather describe it as fairly modern and well corrected. What are you looking for in a lens like this? I would buy this lens too if Voigtlander decided to put the optics into a more practical body, but thats just me.

A character lens that comes to mind with the 50mm focal length, but takes it almost too far is the Heliar Classic 50mm f/1.5

You can find many sample images here https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1719880

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Apologies for this OT reply.
When the Voigtlander 50mm f1.5 Heliar Classic was announced I preordered one.  The sc optical design interested me and when I received the lens I spent some time making test exposures at various apertures and subject distances.  It’s fair to say I was surprised by what I saw at wide apertures, particularly with different background textures and out of focus highlights.  I think it’s a lens that you need to get to know well to be able to plan ahead with and obtain the best of the effects it can produce.  

It isn’t a lens for everyone and I wouldn’t have it as my only 50mm, but I’ve really grown to like it, particularly for head and shoulders portraits.  The closest alternative lens with a sometimes remotely similar character I can think of based on images I’ve seen posted on the web might be the Leica 90mm Thambar. 

Niche and interesting to use, it’s also a beautifully made lens and a great match with black paint cameras such as my MP and M10-R.

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by Ouroboros

[UliWer]

vor 5 Stunden schrieb Huss:

Yeah, I don’t think this is a character lens at all.

Yes, as "character" of a lens is often an euphemism for it's optical faults. The 1:3.5/Heliar lacks as much "character" as the 1:2.8/Elmar-M, perhaps the results from the Heliar look a little bit "warmer" than those from the Elmar-M, which is not always a trait of "character" you would wish for when files from the digital M also have a tendency to look "warm". 

Though on close distance you may find "character" in the Heliar, as its generally high performance drops considerably. Not so with the Elmar, which may become even more "characterless" - i.e. good in every respect.  

[Huss]

The reason I sold my Heliar 50 3.5 is that I could not see any advantage that it brought to the table, but lots of disadvantages.

It did not have any optical signature - just modern.  People said wow look how sharp it is wide open!  But wide open is f3.5, and every single one of my other 50mm lenses is at least as sharp when STOPPED DOWN to f3.5!!!  And of course they also can be opened wider.

But functionally?  Well the rotating aperture ring was a real pain, focusing it was not great, and frankly, that cone head style?  Eeesh.

[Ecar]

Oddly shaped lens that I felt no urge to buy (I have the collapsible LTM nickel 10-year anniversary edition, with its rattling aperture ring…) until an unusual copy of the current “cone” VM version came along in open box condition and at an excellent price. This is from an obscure, Japan-only 50-copy limited series made in 2017 for NCP (Nagoya Camera Pro) shops: same optics but nickel instead of chrome and a dedicated hood design. Looks great on the Monochrom.

I don’t find its ergonomics particularly objectionable, but I’m accustomed to switching from a quirky lens to another and I’m most likely not a representative user. Definitely not a “character lens” (unlike the 50/1.5 and, to a lesser extent, the 50/2 Classic): this one is sharp across the frame and overall very well corrected. Indeed, a modern rendering – and, surprisingly, noticeably more so than its LTM predecessor. Below a couple of early morning test shots on the M11, both wide open.

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Edited August 6, 2024 by Ecar