Leica Showcase Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm F2, M-Mount

There is no rule that you must pick out one wine or one beer and drink nothing else for the rest of your life...

So- some outings call for sharp, others for smooth.
True Brian, that’s why I have the DSLR in addition to the rangefinder for use with 85mm, zooms and primes with focal lengths not covered by RF.
 
There is no rule that you must pick out one wine or one beer and drink nothing else for the rest of your life...

So- some outings call for sharp, others for smooth.
Completely agree! Apart from that, there are lenses on the market that pretty much provide both - but they're, at the very least, a lot bigger. I love the fact that the APO-Lanthar is actually pretty compact for what it offers. Superb control, but not clinical, just clean - right up my alley!

For the record, I've completed my testing re. the Voigtländer Nokton f/1.2 and Summicron-M. To my eyes, the Nokton f/1.2 can pretty much be made to match the Summicron-M in most respects; rendering is even smoother, and of course, you have another one-and-a-half stops of light gathering capability if you need it. The Summicron-M is a little better behaved between f/2 and f/2.8, but bokeh is less attractive - furthermore, in most situations, the differences in technical IQ are so small that they may be called insignificant, whereas the rendering advantages are always there. The Summicron-M still is a very nice lens, especially considering its size and weight, but I'm finally more impressed with what the Nokton f/1.2 brings to the table. I may have been too obsessed with shooting that lens wide open ...

As for the APO-Lanthar, that's definitely on my list; I'm, however, still dithering whether to replace the Summicron-M or simply add the APO-Lanthar - or do nothing, considering the merits of the lenses I have. But looking again at the performance of the APO-Lanthar, I really doubt I can resist much longer ...

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I have the classic Summicrons, a type 1 Rigid 5cm f2 and 3 collapsible 5cm f2 Summicrons. Two of those are "hot glass". Of those- the early one is restored, front glass repolished and recoated. It would probably sell for as much as the APO-Lanthar.

Get the APO-Lanthar, then decide about the Summicron.
 
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