Voigtlander APO Lanthar - 50mm vs 35mm versions?

[Jon Warwick]

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I have the 50mm APO Lanthar, and couldn’t be much more impressed with its image quality on my M10M.

I’m now considering getting the 35mm APO Lanthar.

I’ve read Reid Reviews’ very detailed comparison between the 35mm APO Lanthar and Leica 35mm APO Summicron, which gave some very useful insight into performance.

My question is more to those of you that have both the 50mm and 35mm APO Lanthars - how do they compare in terms of rendering and overall performance? Is the 35mm just a wider version, or are there other differences?

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[hdmesa]

12 hours ago, Jon Warwick said:

I have the 50mm APO Lanthar, and couldn’t be much more impressed with its image quality on my M10M.

I’m now considering getting the 35mm APO Lanthar.

I’ve read Reid Reviews’ very detailed comparison between the 35mm APO Lanthar and Leica 35mm APO Summicron, which gave some very useful insight into performance.

My question is more to those of you that have both the 50mm and 35mm APO Lanthars - how do they compare in terms of rendering and overall performance? Is the 35mm just a wider version, or are there other differences?

The only difference I noticed having the 50 then getting the 35 was less attractive f/2 bokeh at mid-distance and/or with nearby busy backgrounds. Bokeh at or near MFD and with distant backgrounds is similar.

Everything else is the same: color, contrast, sharpness, strong vignetting wide open, etc.

[astrostl]

I'd suggest checking out @BastianK's review (free) of the 35 over at Phillip Reeve as well as DigLloyd's review (subscriber-only). While I do not purport to speak for either of them, the conclusion seems to be that both are excellent lenses but the 50 stands out as world-class. Knocks on the 35 are respectively CA and rearward focus shift in the central zone. Methinks the APO-Lanthar hierarchy thus far is 50 > 65 > 35.

Edited September 4, 2022 by astrostl
summary

[hdmesa]

4 hours ago, astrostl said:

I'd suggest checking out @BastianK's review (free) of the 35 over at Phillip Reeve as well as DigLloyd's review (subscriber-only). While I do not purport to speak for either of them, the conclusion seems to be that both are excellent lenses but the 50 stands out as world-class. Knocks on the 35 are respectively CA and rearward focus shift in the central zone. Methinks the APO-Lanthar hierarchy thus far is 50 > 65 > 35.

As far as I know, Lloyd is the only person who has had any kind of focus shift issue with the 35. Fred Miranda and others can’t seem to replicate his findings.

The 65 is not available in M-mount.

The CV 50/35 APOs are the highest resolving M lenses I’ve ever used and by far. They are the perfect M-mount APO pairing if one needs both those focal lengths and doesn’t want to pay for (and wait for in the case of the 35) the Leica APO M 35/50.

[Jon Warwick]

On 9/2/2022 at 10:50 PM, hdmesa said:

The only difference I noticed having the 50 then getting the 35 was less attractive f/2 bokeh at mid-distance and/or with nearby busy backgrounds. Bokeh at or near MFD and with distant backgrounds is similar.

Everything else is the same: color, contrast, sharpness, strong vignetting wide open, etc.

As the OP, many thanks for your replies, it is much appreciated. 

I think I will give the 35mm APO Lanthar a go. If I conclude it's really similar to the 50mm APO Lanthar on my M10 Monochrom, I will be delighted. 

Beyond impeccable image quality of the 50mm version, I've found the build quality feels tier one. For example, the furled focus ring and its weighting is wonderful. It will be convenient too that filter size and lens hood are identical between the Voigtlander 35mm and 50mm versions.

As mentioned in my initial post, I've also found the really detailed (subscription-based) report by Reid Reviews comparing the 35mm APO Lanthar versus Leica 35mm APO Summicron on an M10M to be very insightful and a large help too in making a more informed decision.

I will report back as and when I get the 35mm and had time to explore it. Thanks again.

[LCM94]

thanks for this post

Edited May 23, 2023 by LCM94

[LCM94]

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On 9/5/2022 at 10:39 AM, Jon Warwick said:

I will report back as and when I get the 35mm and had time to explore it. Thanks again.

Did you finally get it?

[Jon Warwick]

yes, and absolutely delighted with the imaging performance of the 35mm version on the Monochrom. Immaculate yet again. I also like that Voigtlander's lens hood for the 50mm is also the same dedicated one for their 35mm APO Lanthar. The only downside is size - the 35mm APO is pretty long, longer than its 50mm sister, and notably longer than the Leica 35mm M APO Summicron.  That doesn't concern me, because I often use the Visoflex, but if using the rangefinder, the 35mm Lanthar does chop into the framelines fairly substantially (more than the 50mm Lanthar lens, because (i) the 35mm has a longer barrel as discussed, and (ii) the framelines are naturally wider than they need to be for the 50mm).

 

 

[fededuran]

Hi @Jon Warwick. Like you a few months before, I also have the 50mm Apo Lanthar and, again, use it firstly on my M11M. I'm considering adding the 35mm Apo Lanthar too, so will be very glad if you can give me some feedback about how both lenses perform now that you have more experience with the later. 

[Storm Chaser]

At a slight tangent, I am in 2 minds between the VC 50mm APO or the Leica 50mm APO. All reviews indicate the VC is stellar at a fraction of the price. However, because of the size of it the intrusion into the viewfinder concerns me. IS it intrusive? Also, if only the lens hood was internal as per the Leica

[fededuran]

9 minutes ago, Storm Chaser said:

At a slight tangent, I am in 2 minds between the VC 50mm APO or the Leica 50mm APO. All reviews indicate the VC is stellar at a fraction of the price. However, because of the size of it the intrusion into the viewfinder concerns me. IS it intrusive? Also, if only the lens hood was internal as per the Leica

The 50 Apo Lanthar does not feel big to me at all and doesn't affect my use of the rangefinder. I aso have both 35 & 50 summiluxes and the size difference is minimal. Great lens on par with the Leicas, both in terms of IQ and build quality.

Edited September 4, 2023 by fededuran

[hdmesa]

1 hour ago, VailJohnson said:

...I had the APO-Lanthar 50mm. Great IQ but too sterile and boring in the end. Getting the same exact image at every aperture isn’t something that I grew fond of. ...

To each their own, but the only time you get the same image at f/2 and stopped down with the CV 50 APO is at a middle distances. At infinity, the vignetting at f/2 is off the charts – very different from stopped down. At close distance, f/2 looks completely different as well – subject sharpness plus moderate bokeh have a unique look with this lens, IMO.

[Jon Warwick]

6 hours ago, fededuran said:

Hi @Jon Warwick. Like you a few months before, I also have the 50mm Apo Lanthar and, again, use it firstly on my M11M. I'm considering adding the 35mm Apo Lanthar too, so will be very glad if you can give me some feedback about how both lenses perform now that you have more experience with the later. 

Hi, not much more to add than my post #8! The image quality of the 35mm APO Lanthar is impeccable to my eyes, and I print to approx 50” with it off the M11. It feels to me very similar in output to the 50mm version, but I haven’t studied them closely side by side - maybe there are differences in bokeh etc that I haven’t explored. The 35mm APO Lanthar is even longer than the 50mm model, and naturally the bigger 35mm framelines even more demanding in seeing around a longer lens! I don’t find the 50mm APO Lanthar feels too big at all, whereas the 35mm one is getting towards a limit that’s acceptable for me when using an M rangefinder. But i have a Visoflex 2 now, and also use Fotos on iPhone/iPad for composing and focusing when on a tripod that helps in certain circumstances. Also, I personally found Reid Reviews (subscription website) to be very helpful - he does a very long and detailed review on the 35mm APO Lanthar vs M 35m APO, which I found instructive. A real “head-to-head” of 2 very fine 35mm lenses, IMHO. 

[Panda2]

1 hour ago, Jon Warwick said:

The 35mm APO Lanthar is even longer than the 50mm model, and naturally the bigger 35mm framelines even more demanding in seeing around a longer lens! I don’t find the 50mm APO Lanthar feels too big at all, whereas the 35mm one is getting towards a limit that’s acceptable for me when using an M rangefinder. 

This is my only hesitation about the 35 APO Lanthar, nearly got it a couple times!

I do feel the 35 APO Lanthar is not as easy a sell as the 50. In that matchup, barring some swirly bokeh at the mid-range, the choice is almost entirely price vs size, where the size for the Voigtlander is borderline manageable. Now, I do mainly street with the 35 and I feel it's just on the cusp of too-large-leaving-it-at-home for me.. and if I'm lugging that big of a lens for street photos*, it better have either character or 1.4.. Perhaps the upcoming LLL 35/1.4 AA clone would be a nice option, if it's a possibility at all.  

*all relative ofc, I used to have a Nikon 14-24, but since the M, even the 50 Lux feels slightly on the larger side.. sigh.