Erik van Straten
Mentor
Thank you, Pan, yes, until now, I've only used the lens wide open, f1.5. Is that Zuiko a Heliar too? With this lens, I do not care for sharpness, I'm only interested in the composition. The pictures are a bit impressionistic, like a painting.
Erik.
Erik.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
Good question, i am not good at figuring this out. Here is how its cross-section looks like (old silvernose version)
And here is a portrait at 1.4 (on an old Canon EOS-10D)
Bingley
Mentor
I’m not seeing this lens advertised on the Cameraquest website. I wonder how the Heliar 50/1.5 compares to the new Voigtlander Nokten 50mm f1.5 II Vintage lens.
Erik van Straten
Mentor
Yes, I remember that wonderful picture! I think that your Zuiko is a Gauss derivative. A Heliar is like a Hektor. This Heliar is like a Hektor 73mm f/1.9, a Leica lens from the 1930's. Only 6 elements. The Hektor 50mm f/2.5 is a Heliar too.
Erik.
Erik van Straten
Mentor
It is completely different, a beautiful lens, buy it before it's gone; watch this:
NEW VOIGTLANDER
Voigtlander HELIAR Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
$849 SHIPPING
a future collector's item
the only M soft focus lens in current production
Erik van Straten
Mentor
gelatin silver print (heliar 50mm f1.5) leica mp
Erik.
Erik.
???
https://shop.cameraquest.com/voigtla...ar-classic-vm/
Voigtlander HELIAR Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
the only SOFT FOCUS 50mm M lens in current production?
Outstanding for Fashion, Glamour, Weddings, Nudes, Noir, Vintage
(it appears to be the only Soft Focus 50mm M lens ever SFAIK)
The HELIAR F1.5 is a special lens designed by Mr. Kobayashi's optical design team to produce images like no other lens.
To me the Classic Heliar is a classic Soft Focus lens, great for vintage image recreations, glamour, weddings, B/W Noir, unsual takes on reality. Add to that unusual out of focus bokeh.
Wide open the Voigtlander Heliar F1.5 uses coma and spherical abberation to provide a unique classic image signature that is impossible to achieve with modern highly corrected lenses. The lens is sharp around F/4. Personally my favorite aperture for most pics is F2. The F1.5 Heliar's single lens coating instead of multi lens coating also makes possible classic Hollywood movie flare with back lighting or strong side lighting.
Erik van Straten
Mentor
I've seen the message of Bingley too. The lens is very nice @ f1.5 - sharp and contrasty enough in the center - and has then the effect of shooting with an old, but coated, lens. Maybe a lens for Junku Nishimura.
Erik.
Erik.
Erik van Straten
Mentor
gelatin silver print (heliar 50mm f1.5) leica mp
Erik.
Ccoppola82
Well-known
This lens is interesting. On the fredmiranda test shots I really don’t like it. On here, printed in a darkroom I really like it. Could this lens be a single 50 solution for travel? I’m considering selling my modern sonnar and picking it up.
Erik van Straten
Mentor
Sure, why not. All my shots are at full aperture. Stopping down "improves" the image, but then you'll loose something of the typical soft focus character. My pictures are all printed on gelatin silver paper, that gives a different effect than only the scan of the negative. My prints are all split grade prints.
Erik.
Aaron Hellman
Member
I am curious what is meant by "soft focus" in practical use. Does it mean out of focus? Focus shift? Something else. Thanks.
Erik van Straten
Mentor
"Soft focus" is IMO not the right word. The sharpness at f1.5 is good, but the contrast is very low. There is not much dept of field, but that is normal with a f1.5 lens at full aperture. I prefer to say that the image is not as "corrected" as modern lenses, it is not optimized. In fact it is a lens from the 1930's made with single coated glass. No aspherics, only spherical cut glass. Therefore the lens has an old fashioned character.
Erik.
Erik van Straten
Mentor
gelatin silver print (heliar 50mm f1.5) leica mp (full aperture)
Erik.
Erik.
Bingley
Mentor
Stephen,
This lens description does not appear in the Camerquest website’s Leica M Mount Lens Info Page. This page lists other Voigtlander Heliar lenses, but not the the 50/1.5. Were it not for Erik Van S’s thread, I would never have known about this lens.
Bingley
Mentor
Erik,
Thanks to your pics, I’ve ordered the lens. I really don’t “need” another 50mm lens, but this lens seems very distinctive and attractive. I like the lower contrast look a lot. As Ccoppola82 says (above), this could be a great lens for travel…
Thanks to your pics, I’ve ordered the lens. I really don’t “need” another 50mm lens, but this lens seems very distinctive and attractive. I like the lower contrast look a lot. As Ccoppola82 says (above), this could be a great lens for travel…
Erik van Straten
Mentor
Yes, it is a great lens with an unusual rendering, very nice in use, black paint, alas no LTM, but big fun. I think it will please you, also in color. All my shots with it so far are at full aperture.
Erik.
Ccoppola82
Well-known
Damnit, it’s in my cart now. I’m trying to resist. Thanks Erik 
Erik van Straten
Mentor
What I like so much is that the lens is so usable at f/1.5. The contrast is just enough.
Erik.
Erik.
Erik van Straten
Mentor
gelatin silver print (heliar classic 50mm f1.5) leica mp
Erik.
Erik.