Voigtländer APO-LANTHAR 50mm f/2

Voigtländer APO-LANTHAR 50mm f/2 Aspherical VM

The APO-LANTHAR 50mm f/2 brought the apochromatic correction that made Cosina's larger macro lenses famous into a compact standard prime for the Leica M system. The Voigtlander 50mm F2 APO-Lanthar was highly anticipated because of the reputation built by its APO-cousins, the 2/65 macro and 2.5/110 macro. Cosina markets it under a banner of "sharpness redefined," positioning it as the resolution flagship of its 50mm range. The lens is aimed at users who demand the very best image quality and the highest resolution for their work, and a dedicated LH-13 lens hood is available as an option.

The optical layout is unusually complex for a fast fifty. The design consists of 8 groups with 10 lens elements, including two double-sided aspherical elements, two elements with abnormal partial dispersion, and floating elements. The 12-blade diaphragm is engineered to hold a round opening through much of its range, which Cosina notes forms a circular opening not only at f/2.0 and f/2.8 but also at f/5.6, enabling circular bokeh from a point light source. It is an all-metal manual-focus lens that couples to the rangefinder from infinity to its 0.7 m close-focus limit, with the exact near coupling depending on the camera body. The 49 mm filter thread and modest 288 g weight keep it close in handling to a classic Summicron-sized fifty.

The same optical formula is sold across several mounts, and the VM version is the one made for Leica M. Cosina describes the M-mount build as noticeably shorter and over 20 percent lighter than the E-mount version, and notes that the VM lens is optimized for M-mount cameras but can also be used on Fuji X-mount and Nikon Z-mount models with the corresponding close-focus adapters. Mirrorless-native E-mount, Z-mount, X-mount and other variants exist with electronic contacts, but the VM lens is a purely mechanical rangefinder optic without six-bit coding. The VM version carries Cosina item number 110784.

Optical qualities

Rendering The defining trait is apochromatic correction aimed at suppressing color fringing and delivering very high resolution across the frame. Apochromatic correction is one of the defining features of the lens, following the excellent performance of the 2/65 and 2.5/110 macros. Reviewers report that the rendering is clean and high-contrast with strong micro-detail rather than a soft, vintage look.

Aberrations Control of chromatic aberration is the lens's headline strength. In demanding test conditions, at 100 percent only traces of CA appear outside the focal plane, a markedly better performance than other 50mm lenses tested.

Collector and user notes Because it is manual focus only, the lens rewards careful technique. One reviewer summarized that it is an excellent large-aperture standard lens but not for everyone, since shooting moving subjects without autofocus is next to impossible, while static subjects can yield outstanding resolution and clarity that is hard to match.

History

Development and Launch The APO-LANTHAR 50mm f/2 was developed by Cosina, which manufactures lenses under the Voigtländer name in Japan. The line is a standard prime corrected for full-frame sensors, offered in mirrorless mounts as well as the rangefinder VM mount. The E-mount mirrorless version appeared first, reviewed at the end of 2019, while Cosina dated the VM-mount documentation to December 2020 and planned its market launch for the first quarter of 2021. All specification information was stated as of December 2020 and subject to change.

Special editions No major factory special editions of the VM version are widely documented. The notable variation is by mount rather than by trim: the optical formula is shared across the E-mount, Z-mount, X-mount and VM versions, with the VM model differing physically by being shorter and lighter than the mirrorless variants.

Collector Notes Buyers should confirm they are looking at the VM (Leica M) version, identifiable by Cosina item number 110784, rather than the visually similar but mechanically different mirrorless versions that carry electronic contacts. The VM lens is rangefinder-coupled but is not six-bit coded, so some digital M bodies will not auto-detect it. The dedicated LH-13 hood and the 49 mm filter thread are worth verifying as accessories, since the hood is an optional item rather than included. As a current-production lens, condition and originality concerns are minimal compared with vintage optics, though copies used on adapters for mirrorless bodies may show more handling wear on the focus and aperture rings.

Sources

• [1] Voigtländer (Cosina). 50 mm / 1:2.0 Apo-Lanthar aspherical VM. https://www.voigtlaender.de/lenses/vm/50-mm-120-apo-lanthar-aspherical/?lang=en
• [2] Cameralabs (Thomas). Voigtlander 50mm f2 APO-Lanthar review. https://www.cameralabs.com/voigtlander-50mm-f2-apo-lanthar-review/
• [3] Phillip Reeve. Review: Voigtlander 50mm F2 APO-Lanthar. https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-voigtlander-50mm-f2-apo-lanthar/