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Voigtlander 65mm f/2 Macro Apo-Lanthar Review

I was fortunate to purchase a Voigtlander 65mm f/2 Macro Apo-Lanthar lens for Sony E back in 2019, marking a return to manual focus lenses after years of shooting purely with AF lenses. At the time, Voigtlander was less well-known, with a more modest range for mirrorless camera systems, as they focused more on the Leica M system.

Having used the 65mm on numerous occasions over the years, I felt it was time for a long-term Voigtlander 65mm f/2 Macro Apo-Lanthar Review. In it we share how this unique lens merges the brand’s precision engineering with an immersive experience for Sony E-mount, and look at how it compares to similar lenses, even those which cost 10x as much.

This particular macro lens might appeal to photographers who are drawn not only to its sharpness, but also to the slower and more deliberate process of photographing manually, which could be compared to shooting film in a digital age.

With 1:2 magnification for close-ups, a longer standard focal length of 65mm, and compatibility with Sony's focus assist and stabilisation tools, it is quite versatile, despite being a manual-only lens.

Whether you aspire to capturing detailed close-ups, portraits, or just want to discover whether this lens delivers the level of performance, which suits your needs, read on for our long-term review.

Images ©Nick Dautlich

Overview of Voigtlander Lenses

Despite being a lesser known brand, having been founded in 1756 Voigtlander is one of the world’s oldest lens manufacturers. Known for their attention to build and high optical quality, Voigtlander lenses are admired by photography enthusiasts and professionals who are happy to manual focus.

Today, the brand operates under Cosina, a Japanese company which produces high-quality camera equipment, combining German heritage with Japanese precision engineering.

Voigtlander now has a variety of manual focus lenses in their lineup, offering models for Sony E-mount, Leica M-mount, Nikon Z, Fujifilm X and other camera systems. Notable examples include the Voigtlander 40mm f/1.2 Nokton and the 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar, which share the same level of optical excellence as the 65mm f/2 Macro APO-Lanthar.

With features like apochromatic designs (APO) and electronic contacts, Voigtlander has found a niche, which balances tradition with innovation, making them a popular choice for photographers who are prepared for shooting with a manual lens.

Build Quality and Design

The 65mm f/2 Macro Apo-Lanthar lens has a premium feel, which is synonymous with Voigtlander’s heritage. This shows in how it’s built extremely well with an all-metal barrel that feels solid, and its weight of approximately 625g, which balances well but doesn’t feel too substantial.

The focus ring offers smooth and accurate adjustments with quite a long focus throw, which I find ideal for manual focusing during detailed work. It’s worth noting that the focus ring requires a lot of rotating from close to infinity, although this isn’t a typical movement for this type of lens.

Electronic contacts capture full EXIF data, which is a blessing when going through your images, while also providing compatibility with Sony’s focus peaking, punch-in and other focus assist tools. Personally I find these focus assist tools quite distracting, instead relying primarily on punch-in to establish pinpoint accuracy. Electronic contacts do also work with in-body stabilisation, which benefits photographers who shoot handheld.

The engraved distance and depth-of-field scales add a classic practical touch, which will appeal to those who use manual focus techniques such as pre-focusing to a specific distance.

A very nice feature worth mentioning is the included metal lens hood, which has a filter thread on the end, allowing you to add screw-in lens filters to the hood, while simultaneously shading the lens.

In summary the Voigtlander 65mm f/2 Macro is a premium-feeling lens with fabulous build quality and plenty of classic details. 

What is a 65mm manual prime for?

This lens offers a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2, allowing for detailed close-up photography without actually being a ‘true’ 1:1 macro lens. It’s also suited to portraits, landscapes, and general subject driven photography, making a good choice for anyone who wants to slow down a little and concentrate on the genera image-making process.

A lot of the images captured with this lens are featured in our tips for Photographing ice and Winter Close-ups, which hopefully provides some inspiration for the colder weeks of the year.

Image quality

Let’s start by saying that this lens is razor-sharp – bitingly sharp! Incorporating 10 elements in 8 groups, the optical design delivers superb image quality and Voigtlander themselves state how this lens was specially designed for high-resolution sensors, and is considered one of the best lenses in Voigtlander’s history!

Its apochromatic (APO) design minimises chromatic aberrations and coma very effectively, resulting in crystal-clear and colour-accurate images if that's the look you're after.

With a shallow depth of field at this focal length you can also create ‘dreamy’ defocused shots, which I love, extending the versatility between clinical sharpness and an esoteric quality, which is packed with character. You can choose how you want it to come out with every shot, which is one of the many joys of this lens.

At f/2, it delivers a pleasing balance between sharpness and subject separation when shooting at standard range, while stopping down to f/5.6 or f/8 renders critical corner-to-corner sharpness, which is ideal for close-ups and subjects like architecture or landscape photography.

In practical use, I found that the Voigtlander 65mm f/2 Macro Apo-Lanthar excels for general photography, with a slightly longer perspective than standard lenses, making it well suited to all sorts of applications.

The depth of field is very narrow near the minimum focus distance of 31cm, so you may want a macro rail such as the Leofoto MP-180S Macro Focusing Rail for detailed work.

Some of the qualities which this lens can achieve include:

Falloff and defocus

Falloff transitions smoothly from sharp to out-of-focus areas. This quality is evident when shooting at wider apertures, where the subject is rendered with a delicate touch, and the lens is able to capture a dreamlike quality.

Clinical Precision

For those who want unwavering sharpness, stopping down to around f/4 engages the full potential of the lens’ optical design. Razor-sharp details are rendered across the frame, and I am often surprised when I do manage to nail focus at just how impressive these optics are.

Colour Rendition

The Voigtlander 65mm excels in colour reproduction, which is consistently natural with smooth tonal gradations, adding realism with a nice pop to your photographs.

Ideal camera pairings

The lens is available for full-frame Sony alpha and Nikon Z camera bodies. Electronic contacts capture full EXIF data, which is a very useful feature for a manual focus lens. It resolved the 60+ megapixels of the Sony A7R V with ease, so you can pair it with any camera currently available on the market in those two mounts, including crop sensor cameras, which will utilise the central image circle.

Cameras with advanced stabilisation systems, such as the A7 series with the A7S III or A7 IV, enhance its usability for handheld shooting, while the compact design complements smaller body cameras.

Comparison with the Nikon Z Noct lens

Despite the vast price difference there are some notable similarities between the Voigtlander 65mm f/2 Macro Apo-Lanthar and the Nikon Z Noct lens. Both are exceptional wide-aperture, manual focus primes, sharing a similar focal length (65mm vs 58mm) that makes them ideal for slower, creative photography.

While the Noct lens boasts an ultra-wide f/0.95 aperture, with unrivalled light-gathering capabilities and an even dreamier shallow depth of field, the Voigtlander impresses with its apochromatic design, delivering sharpness and colour fidelity that rivals the much costlier counterpart.

Of course the Noct isn’t designed as a close-up lens, but you can still achieve beautiful images of smaller subjects, with ultra-smooth bokeh. Both are also perfect for portraiture and capturing artistic compositions, and the Voigtlander’s f/2 aperture does creates nice subject separation.

Aside from price the Voigtlander is significantly smaller and lighter, and is an excellent choice for photographers who aspire to the Noct, but want a more affordable and portable option.

Compared to the Sony FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro

The Sony FE 50mm F/2.8 Macro Lens offers a slightly wider field of view with 1:1 magnification and AF, making it suitable macro and for general-purpose shooting. The shorter focal length and 0.16m minimum focus distance means you can get closer to your subject, however this could disturb subjects like insects or make lighting more challenging, which is a consideration.

Unlike the manual focus-only Voigtlander, the Sony 50mm features autofocus, which is convenient when speed is critical. However, its focus motor is relatively slower compared to more advanced models and for Macro autofocus is often too imprecise, so many photographers rely on manual focus (MF) anyway. In terms of build, while compact and lightweight, the Sony 50mm lacks the premium construction and metal feel of the Voigtlander, making the latter more appealing for those who value quality.

Compared to the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 and Tamron 90mm f/2.8

These two 90mm macro lenses offer similar characteristics, with a longer working distance, making them both ideal for photographing insects, flowers and other small subjects. The greater reach also provides better subject isolation compared to the 65mm.

The Sony 90mm includes built-in OSS, whereas the Tamron 90mm Macro relies on IBIS like the Voigtlander, making the Sony more forgiving for handheld shooting, especially at slower shutter speeds.

The Sony 90mm boasts fast and reliable autofocus, which is advantageous for workflow efficiency, although the Tamron is perhaps even a hair quicker at focusing, thanks to its advanced VXD system.

All three of these lenses deliver superb sharpness, but the Voigtlander’s apochromatic correction ensures minimal chromatic aberration, a feature absent in the Sony 90mm. Tamron’s optics are the latest of all three do show brilliant control over colour fringing too, which is effectively a tie with the Voigtlander.

Unedited 100 percent crop of a butterly photo

Key Takeaways

The Voigtlander excels in precise manual focusing, catering to photographers who enjoy hands-on control at slower pace, with more akin to the days of film photography. Voigtlander’s unique 65mm focal length strikes a balance between a 50mm and 90mm range, offering the versatility for macro and non-macro everyday photography. It’s also lighter and more compact, making it easier to carry, with better balance on a smaller body.

Who Is This Lens For?

The Voigtlander 65mm is designed for photographers who enjoy using a manual focus lens. Macro specialists will appreciate its 1:2 magnification ratio and sharpness, while portrait and creative photographers can leverage its unique rendering and manual control for characterful results.

If you're looking for a lens that challenges your technical skills while delivering absolutely premium results, this will be a rewarding experience. However, if you prefer to shoot quickly or work with fast-moving subjects, you’ll want to consider a lens with autofocus to achieve good results from day one. A manual focus lens takes practice to become quicker, but let’s not forget that autofocus didn’t exist before the 1970s – everyone shot manually back then!

Reserve the Voigtlander 65mm f/2 Macro Apo-Lanthar lens for Sony E or the 65mm F/2 Macro Apo-Lanthar Aspherical Lens For Nikon Z and discover a range of other unique Voigtlander lenses at Park Cameras, where old world meets new technology.

Images ©Nick Dautlich

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By Nick Dautlich on 22/12/2024