Lens ReviewMorten Byskov - 5050 TravelogDecember 28, 2023Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical Review, Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical Sample Images, Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical Z-Mount Review, Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical M-Mount Review, Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical Z-Mount sample images, Voigtlander Apo 50mm review, Voigtlander APO 50mm f2 Review, Voigtlander 50mm f2 Z review, Voigtlander 50Z review, Voigtlander 50Z sample images, Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 50mm f2 review2 Comments

Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 for Z-Mount Review on the Nikon Zf

The Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar-50mm f/2, Z-Mount, shown on the Nikon Zf — The Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2, Z-Mount with the included metal lens hood, mounted on a Nikon Zf
Photo by: Kyle @secondteamkyle

Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical for Nikon Z-Mount Review

With a Quick Look and Comparison to the Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical M-Mount Version

What if one of your favorite lens makers stated the following:

Voigtlander's highest performance standard lens in history. The apochromatic design brings the axial chromatic aberration of RGB, which makes up the three primary colors of light, as close to zero as possible, achieving performance that completely changes the value of standard lenses. It has a lean style and has high maneuverability and good handling.

Would you be interested?

Especially after recently reviewing the Voigtländer Nokton 40mm f/1.2 for Nikon Z-mount, I knew I was enticed. These Voigtländer Z-mount lenses offer seamless integration with Nikon Z cameras and provide niceties such as EXIF information and focus confirmation.

For ages, the 50mm focal length has been my favorite, so I was excited to see if the Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical would deliver on that promise.

Photographer and camera/lens reviewer Morten Byskov, 5050 Travelog, testing the Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical on a Nikon Zf. — Street Photography in Vancouver with the Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical, Z-Mount, and Nikon Zf
Photo by: Kyle @secondteamkyle

Specs, Handling, and Build Quality

In the following, I will mainly focus on the Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar f/2 Aspherical for Nikon Z-mount, but will also point out a few differences between the Z-mount and M-mount versions.

The build quality of the Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar f/2 Aspherical is nothing short of superior. That applies to both the Z-mount and M-mount versions.

An excellent metal lens hood is included with the Z-mount version. For the M-mount version, the LH-13 lens hood is optional at $129.00. It is a vented lens hood design optimized for Leica M rangefinder cameras.

Other Specs, Z-Mount Version:

12-blade diaphragm, circular aperture at f/2, f/2.8, and f/16
10 elements in 8 groups, 5 anomalous partial dispersion glasses, 2 double-sided aspherical lenses
Floating elements system
Manual focus
52mm filter
Minimum focusing distance: 17.7" / 45 cm
Aperture range: f/2 - f/16
Dimensions: 2.7 x 2.5", 67.6 x 64.3 mm
Weight: 12.2 oz, 347 g
Price: $999.00 (at the time this review was posted, it was on sale for $899.00)

The M-mount version is slightly smaller with dimensions of 2.2 x 2.1", 55.6 x 53 mm, and a filter size of 49mm. It also weighs less, at 10.2 oz (288 g). The M-mount version has 2 anomalous partial dispersion glasses, whereas the Z-mount version has 5. A circular aperture is also possible at f/2, f/2.8, f/5.6, and f/16. The minimum focus distance is 27.6", 70 cm.

The Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical M-Mount mounted on a Nikon Zf with a K&F Concept Adapter — The Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical, M-Mount, on the Nikon Zf with a K&F Concept adapter

From the metal mount to the metal lens hood and everything in between, the Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Z breathes quality. The all-metal helicoid focus rings on either version are well-dampened with a very luxurious feel.

The aperture rings are equally as lovely. On the Z-mount version, it is clickable in thirds of a stop, while on the M-mount version, it is clickable in half-stops.

I prefer the ergonomics of the Z-mount version on the Nikon Zf. For one, you don’t have to use an adapter, and the slightly beefier design provides better camera and lens balance and grip.

A woman walks her bicycle along the Stanley Park Seawall on a late December day. Sample image from a Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical, Z-Mount, and Nikon Zf. — Stanley Park Seawall, Vancouver, Nikon Zf, Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2, Z-Mount @ f/2.8

In Action

The electronic contacts on the Z-mount version ensure electronic communication between the lens and camera. If you have adapted lenses without contacts, you would know that it can be frustrating to miss out on EXIF data.

The electronic compatibility also means you can take advantage of the IBIS in the camera (3-axis), use focus peaking, and get focus confirmation. Your focusing point will light up green when you obtain accurate focus.

Hint - In the “Photo Shooting Menu” on your Nikon Zf, go to “MF subject detection area”, then pick one of the three area options. Via the iMenu, in the AF-Mode/subj. detection, pick one of the AF/MF subject detection options, ie. “face”.

Now, the camera will find the eyes of your subject and place two boxes around them. Via the multi-selector, you can switch eyes, the box will light, green, when you obtain focus. This happens regardless of your composition, which is fantastic.

Perhaps needless to say, none of these electronic functions will work with the M-mount version, as it does not have electronic contacts.

Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical, Z-Mount, review, and Nikon Zf — The Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2, Z-Mount, mounted on a Nikon Zf

Image Quality

If you are looking for a native Nikon Z-mount 50mm Voigtländer lens, you currently have two options: the Nokton 50mm f/1 and the Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2. The Nokton f/1 version promises beautiful bokeh, but it is larger, considerably heavier, and about twice the cost, depending on promotions.

You may worry that you'll miss out on superior image quality with the Apo-Lanthar f/2 version compared to the Nokton f/1 version, but if Voigtländer states that the f/2 version is their highest-performance standard lens in history, I believe there must be something to it. This does, however, not necessarily translate into a lens where you love the rendering.

My time with the Nokton f/1 has been relatively limited, and after brief tests, I would view the two lenses in a different light. As a creative tool creating a super shallow depth of field, the Nokton f/1 may be a good bet, but if you are looking for clinical sharpness and color accuracy, the Apo-Lanthar f/2 could be your ticket.

It wasn’t until I loaded RAW files into Lightroom that I genuinely appreciated the detail the Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 renders throughout the aperture range. The quality of the bokeh may not rival that of my Voigtländer Nokton 40mm f/1.2 Z, but I find that the two lenses complement each other well.

The Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 is more of a clinically correct lens, showing razor-sharp detail. The Nokton 40mm f/1.2 is more dreamy, with a classic look, yet remains sharp when stopped down.

The two photos below were taken a couple of months apart, with the Z-mount version in December and the M-mount version in October. From my limited test shots with the M-mount version, it's clear that the two lenses share a similar DNA, and I had a hard time seeing any meaningful difference in performance.

The sample images in this review can be viewed up to 2500 pixels wide, depending on the size of your monitor. Please click to view larger images or use pinch-to-zoom if you're on a mobile phone.

St. Andrew's Westly United Church sign. Sample image from a Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical, Z-Mount, and Nikon Zf. — Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical, Z-Mount

St. Andrew's sign. Sample image from a Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical, M-Mount, and Nikon Zf — Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical, M-Mount

Conclusion

There are a few reasons you may consider the M-mount version over the Z-mount version, and it mostly comes down to the fact that M-mount lenses can be adapted to most, if not all, camera brands.

You may already own cameras from different brands, or you might consider a Leica M camera in the future. You can also use it with sensors of various sizes. I have used M-mount lenses on my Fujifilm X-Series and GFX cameras.

However, if you are looking for a seamless experience with your Nikon Z Series camera, it’s hard to look beyond the Z-mount version of the Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical.

Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical, Z-Mount, and Nikon Zf reviewed by photographer Morten Byskov, 5050 Travelog — The Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2, Z-Mount, mounted on a Nikon Zf

The Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical is a formidable fit on the Nikon Zf, and the build quality matches the solid feel of the Zf. The retro styling of the lens is a bonus and again, a great match for the Zf.

With all these benefits, it's almost easy to forget the one feature that will worry some photographers before entering the realm of Voigtländer Z-Mount lenses.

The Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 does not have autofocus! For those photographers, I would say it's wise to have a mix of autofocus and manual focus lenses in your kit, if possible.

Autofocus is invaluable in several scenarios, but don’t let that stop you from trying manual focusing. Focusing your lens manually is a wonderful tactile experience, and it often makes you approach a scene differently. Remember, you will be the one in charge.

A railway Bridge at Ambleside in North Vancouver. Sample image from a Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical, Z-Mount, and Nikon Zf. — West Vancouver, Nikon Zf, Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2, Z-Mount @ f/6.3

As a reviewer, I probably go through more gear than the average user. When I purchased this Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical, I intended to sell it again after testing and reviewing it. Admittedly, I am positively surprised by its performance, and parting with it again may not be as straightforward a decision as I initially had thought.

Thanks to Kyle, @secondteamkyle, for lending me his Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2 M-mount lens and for taking the photos of me in this review.

Update: April 2025

I've now had a chance to review the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Z-mount version. You can read the review here:

Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Z - Review

Pros

Fantastic build quality
Optical formula
Retro-style looks and ergonomics
Chipped for EXIF info and focus confirmation
Smooth focus ring

Cons

Lack of weather-sealing

Please see more sample images below.

Price / Availability

Thank you for reading my review. If you are planning a purchase and would like to support us, you can do so, at no additional cost, by using the affiliate links below. A small commission goes to us and helps us keep the wheels turning at 5050 Travelog.

Check the current price at B&H Photo

Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2, Z - B&H Photo
Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/2, M - B&H Photo

Nikon Zf - B&H Photo

Thank you for being supportive.