ferider
Mentor
When you google for reviews of the 75/1.8 Heliar, you find lots of references to "great portrait lens", "soft in the corners", etc., but the typical test shots shown are close focus portraits, with little exact detail of the lens' corner and infinity performance.
Longer term RFF members know that I love my short RF teles. So I had to try this one as well. I use teles for (1) portraits, and (2) documentary/journalism style and landscape photography. For (1), I'm interested in ease of focus (shift, among others) and bokeh , for (2) in infinity, or close to infinity performance.
The great 75/1.8 bokeh is well documented on-line. For the other measurements, please see the below tests on my M240. All images are straight from the camera (DNG -> TIF -> crop -> jpg).
Min. focus:
Wide open, my lens front focuses by less than half inch, pretty much perfect to compensate for the cosine effect.
Until f4.0, the beginning of the DOF window stays mostly the same, and extends towards the back as you close down. At f4, I have a nice 1/3rd / 2/3rd split of the DOF window. This is very typical for most of my 50 - 105mm tele lenses. Even the 7-element 50/2.5 Color Skopar, and the VM 50/1.5 Nokton behave like that.
At f5.6 the DOF window starts to come closer to the camera.
Very nice behavior, nothing that will hinder shooting.
Infinity:
Shot from our deck. Forgive the tilted horizon ....
The red circles show you the points at which I will look at center and field performance.
Center crops (f1.8, 2.8, 4 and 5.6 / click on the picture and it will display a little larger):
Field crops (f1.8, 2.8, 4 and 5.6):
Please look at the electrical towers in both crops, and how their cross-beams are resolved in the pictures.
Basically the lens is sharp in the center at all f-stops.
In the field, it's not bad wide open, but becomes really sharp at f5.6.
This is at least as good as a bunch of classic lenses that I have tried, including 50 Summilux pre-asph, 75 Summilux, 90 Summicron pre-asph (v1 and v3), etc. The 75/2.5 Heliar that I use as well, is similar but a little sharper in the field. Say, the 75/1.8 at f5.6 performs like the 75/2.5 at f4.
Note also that I have to give credit to Ken Rockwell: of all the online information on the 75/1.8, his review is the one most closely matching the initial experience with my lens copy.
Thanks for looking,
Roland.
Longer term RFF members know that I love my short RF teles. So I had to try this one as well. I use teles for (1) portraits, and (2) documentary/journalism style and landscape photography. For (1), I'm interested in ease of focus (shift, among others) and bokeh , for (2) in infinity, or close to infinity performance.
The great 75/1.8 bokeh is well documented on-line. For the other measurements, please see the below tests on my M240. All images are straight from the camera (DNG -> TIF -> crop -> jpg).
Min. focus:
Wide open, my lens front focuses by less than half inch, pretty much perfect to compensate for the cosine effect.
Until f4.0, the beginning of the DOF window stays mostly the same, and extends towards the back as you close down. At f4, I have a nice 1/3rd / 2/3rd split of the DOF window. This is very typical for most of my 50 - 105mm tele lenses. Even the 7-element 50/2.5 Color Skopar, and the VM 50/1.5 Nokton behave like that.
At f5.6 the DOF window starts to come closer to the camera.
Very nice behavior, nothing that will hinder shooting.
Infinity:
Shot from our deck. Forgive the tilted horizon ....
The red circles show you the points at which I will look at center and field performance.
Center crops (f1.8, 2.8, 4 and 5.6 / click on the picture and it will display a little larger):
Field crops (f1.8, 2.8, 4 and 5.6):
Please look at the electrical towers in both crops, and how their cross-beams are resolved in the pictures.
Basically the lens is sharp in the center at all f-stops.
In the field, it's not bad wide open, but becomes really sharp at f5.6.
This is at least as good as a bunch of classic lenses that I have tried, including 50 Summilux pre-asph, 75 Summilux, 90 Summicron pre-asph (v1 and v3), etc. The 75/2.5 Heliar that I use as well, is similar but a little sharper in the field. Say, the 75/1.8 at f5.6 performs like the 75/2.5 at f4.
Note also that I have to give credit to Ken Rockwell: of all the online information on the 75/1.8, his review is the one most closely matching the initial experience with my lens copy.
Thanks for looking,
Roland.
Ron (Netherlands)
Well-known
Thanks for sharing this with us - and for all the work invested. Always nice to see these practical reviews.
Pioneer
Mentor
Thanks Roland. I have been looking at these CV teles and it is nice to have some information to work with.
uhoh7
Mentor
I always wondered about the 75/1.8 stopped down.
Like the 75 Lux it's friggin sharp at 5.6
And looking again at the infinity shots, it's not bad at faster speeds either.
I'm impressed.
Like the 75 Lux it's friggin sharp at 5.6
And looking again at the infinity shots, it's not bad at faster speeds either.
I'm impressed.
Jockos
Well-known
Very well performed test, thank you!
Vobluda
Well-known
I would much prefer to see series of portraits taken with the lens.
This says anything about the lens to me.
This says anything about the lens to me.
Thanks, Roland, quite interesting. I have both the 75 Heliars, first the f/2.5 (essentially a Planar-like design), then the f/1.8 lens (derivative modification of the historic Heliar with the traditional single center element replaced by a cemented pair, akin to the Leica 73mm Hektor). Both are nearly symmetrical in arrangement of elements, so should do well in close-in resolution.
The f/2.5 lens is a good one, I thought, but lacking in something, call it sparkle. The sparkle came with the f/1.8 lens, which in result I'm very fond of. Hard to describe the difference, and perhaps my particular f/2.5 lens is not up to snuff, as this model has developed a better reputation than I would assign it.
The f/2.5 lens is a good one, I thought, but lacking in something, call it sparkle. The sparkle came with the f/1.8 lens, which in result I'm very fond of. Hard to describe the difference, and perhaps my particular f/2.5 lens is not up to snuff, as this model has developed a better reputation than I would assign it.
ferider
Mentor
Thanks, all.
On-line, there are already plenty of portraits and close up bokeh shots to look at, Vobluda, for example:
http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2014/05/19/the-voigtlander-75-1-8-vm-heliar-classic-lens-quick-review
https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127125
The point of my post is that the Heliar is not only good for portraits, it's a great general purpose lens. Besides missing half a stop, and a longer min. focus (0.9 vs 0.7m) as good as the 75 'lux (which I own too, BTW). I'll post more practical examples when I have them - only got the lens 2 days ago.
Roland.
On-line, there are already plenty of portraits and close up bokeh shots to look at, Vobluda, for example:
http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2014/05/19/the-voigtlander-75-1-8-vm-heliar-classic-lens-quick-review
https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127125
The point of my post is that the Heliar is not only good for portraits, it's a great general purpose lens. Besides missing half a stop, and a longer min. focus (0.9 vs 0.7m) as good as the 75 'lux (which I own too, BTW). I'll post more practical examples when I have them - only got the lens 2 days ago.
Roland.
ferider
Mentor
Clouds over Mt Lassen (at f5.6 or so)
and a crop
(click for some enlargement)
Roland.
and a crop
(click for some enlargement)
Roland.
Emile de Leon
Well-known
That lens looks pretty good to my eye..to bad it doesn't say Leica on the front...hahaha!
Yokosuka_Mike
Abstract Clarity
Voigtlander Heliar Classic 75mm f1.8 mounted on a Sony A7II with a Voigtlander close focus adapter.
Bronze statue at Gumyoji Temple (Yokohama)
A man and his bike
Quiet contemplation in a restaurant
Bronze statue at Gumyoji Temple (Yokohama)
A man and his bike
Quiet contemplation in a restaurant
peterm1
Mentor
Peter_S
Peter_S
I am surprised there is no dedicated thread for this lens.
Here is one from Norway. Heliar 75mm f/1.8 on the Leica T.
Here is one from Norway. Heliar 75mm f/1.8 on the Leica T.
helen.HH
A smile & a wink…
Hi Peter
what adapter are you using ?
leica's or another brand
Thanks in advance
Best Wishes~ H
what adapter are you using ?
leica's or another brand
Thanks in advance
Best Wishes~ H
Peter_S
Peter_S
Hi Helen!
I used the Leica T adapter by Leica.
I used the Leica T adapter by Leica.
Yokosuka_Mike
Abstract Clarity
Voigtlander 75mm f1.8 Heliar Classic VM lens, Sony A7II
Yokohama, Japan - March 2019
The Voigtlander 75mm f1.8 Heliar Classic VM lens is such a solid well made lens and the results I get using it always leave me pleased. Makes me ask myself why I don’t use it more often than I do?
Mike
Yokohama, Japan - March 2019
The Voigtlander 75mm f1.8 Heliar Classic VM lens is such a solid well made lens and the results I get using it always leave me pleased. Makes me ask myself why I don’t use it more often than I do?
Mike
Yokosuka_Mike
Abstract Clarity
Voigtlander 75mm f1.8 Heliar Classic VM lens, Sony A7II
Yokohama, Japan - March 2019
Mike
Yokohama, Japan - March 2019
Mike
Yokosuka_Mike
Abstract Clarity
Voigtlander 75mm f1.8 Heliar Classic VM lens, Sony A7II
Yokohama, Japan - March 2019
Mike
Yokohama, Japan - March 2019
Mike
Yokosuka_Mike
Abstract Clarity
The Voigtlander 75mm f1.8 Heliar Classic VM lens:
Per Cosina "This product has been discontinued"
http://www.cosina.co.jp/seihin/voigtlander/vm-mount/vm-75mm/index.html
Mike
Per Cosina "This product has been discontinued"
http://www.cosina.co.jp/seihin/voigtlander/vm-mount/vm-75mm/index.html
Mike
Erik van Straten
Mentor
That is a pity! It is the modern version of the old Leitz Hektor 73mm f/1.9!
Erik.