Voigtländer APO-LANTHAR 50mm f/3.5 Type II

The Voigtländer APO-LANTHAR 50mm f/3.5 Type II is a M-mount lens for Leica rangefinder cameras. Leica price index ↗

Reference maintained by Thomas Boots

Focal Length: 50mm

Aperture: 𝑓/3.5

Release Year (from): 2024

Diameter: 52 mm

Length: 45 mm

Minimum Focus Distance: 0.35m

Elements in Groups: 8/6

Aperture Blades: 10

Mount: M

Material Weight: Aluminum, 175g

Material Weight: Aluminum and Brass, 250g

Colors: Black, Silver

Voigtländer APO-LANTHAR 50mm f/3.5 Type II

Cosina reserves the APO-LANTHAR name for its highest-performing Voigtländer optics, and the 50mm f/3.5 Type II applies that standard to a deliberately compact, slow-aperture standard lens. Announced in July 2024 and released that summer, it was offered alongside a differently styled Type I version, both built around the same apochromatic optical core but distinguished by handling, focusing range, finish, and filter size [1][2]. The Type II adopts a slim, classically styled barrel meant to evoke the rangefinder lenses of the mid-twentieth century [2][3].

The optical formula uses eight elements in six groups, four of them made from anomalous partial-dispersion glass to suppress axial chromatic aberration and to maximize resolution and contrast [3][4]. The barrel is all metal, with a high-precision rangefinder coupling that keeps the lens in step with the camera's focusing mechanism [1][3]. Rangefinder-coupled focusing works down to 0.7 m, but the Type II continues focusing to a minimum of 0.35 m, with a tactile click marking the point at which the rangefinder can no longer be used and Live View becomes necessary for closer work [3][4]. The aperture is built from ten blades, which Cosina links to rounded out-of-focus rendering and ten-point sunstars when stopped down [4]. The lens uses 39 mm filters, a size shared with many M-mount optics [4].

The Type II is offered in two finishes that also differ in material and weight: a silver brass version and a lighter version finished in black paint that uses aluminum for some parts [2][4]. A color-matched metal hood and a metal hood-cap are supplied; the silver model pairs with a black pear-finish cap, while the black model uses a black paint cap matched to the body [4]. One handling trait noted in use is that the aperture and focus rings are coupled in their movement, so it is easier to set the aperture before focusing, a behavior familiar to users of other compact Voigtländer lenses [3].

Optical qualities

Rendering The Type II is an apochromatic standard lens engineered for very high resolution and contrast with minimal chromatic aberration, and reviewers describe results approaching optical perfection [3][4]. Cosina states there is practically no distortion or flare, and the design is described as flat-field from close range to infinity, keeping the focus plane parallel to the subject [4][3].

Sharpness A review of both versions reported strong central and edge resolution wide open at f/3.5, with performance that met or exceeded the published MTF expectations, making the lens usable at full aperture rather than requiring stopping down to correct aberrations [3].

Aberrations The four anomalous partial-dispersion elements are intended to remove axial chromatic aberration, and testing found the correction rivaled that of much larger and more expensive lenses [4][3].

Bokeh and transitions The ten-blade aperture is designed for rounded out-of-focus highlights, and one review noted slightly less optical vignetting than the faster 50mm f/2 APO-LANTHAR, producing less cat's-eye deformation of bokeh toward the corners [4][3].

Digital use The optical design is described as adapter-friendly and optimized for digital sensors, and the close-focus capability to 0.35 m is most useful on cameras with Live View, where the magnification approaches macro range [4][1][3].

History

Development and Launch Cosina announced the Voigtländer APO-LANTHAR 50mm f/3.5 in July 2024 in two distinct styles, Type I and Type II, for the Leica M (VM) mount, with a release scheduled for that summer and an initial price of roughly ¥100,000 [1]. The lens was positioned as a high-performance manual standard optimized for full-frame M-mount sensors, sharing the apochromatic design philosophy of the earlier 50mm f/2 APO-LANTHAR while returning to the f/3.5 maximum aperture associated with classic rangefinder standard lenses [1][3].

Production Evolution The principal differences within the line are between the two types rather than running production changes. The Type I focuses to 0.45 m and uses a 34 mm filter, while the Type II focuses to 0.35 m and uses a 39 mm filter, each with its own barrel styling [1][4]. Both share the eight-element, six-group apochromatic formula [3][4].

Collector Notes Within the Type II, buyers should confirm which of the two finishes they are handling, since the silver brass model and the black aluminum-and-paint model differ in material and weight, and the supplied caps differ accordingly [4]. The lens is also easy to confuse with the Type I, which has a different filter thread, focusing distance, and exterior design, so checking the marked type and filter size helps avoid mismatched hoods, caps, and filters [1][4]. Because rangefinder coupling functions only to 0.7 m, the tactile click that marks the end of the coupled range is a normal feature rather than a fault [3][4].