Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II vs Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S
I think that this is the most obvious comparison that many photographers are going to make, even though it’s a manual focus lens versus an autofocus lens. After all, both of these lenses are made for maximum image quality, and the prices – $900 and $630 respectively – are similar enough that a lot of photographers may be considering either. But what about their performance? Here’s how they both measure up in sharpness:
Over the years, I’ve lauded the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S as one of the sharpest and best-corrected 50mm lenses available today. And while I still definitely see it that way, it looks to me like the Voigtlander is even a step sharper.
Most of all, the performance at f/2 clearly favors the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II, with the corners being especially sharper. The Nikon lens sharpens up quickly at f/2.8 and f/4, but even so, the Voigtlander remains a bit ahead in the midframes and corners (maybe not by enough at f/4 that the differences are readily visible, though). At f/5.6, any differences will be extremely hard to see outside of a lab environment, but the Voigtlander still has the slightest of advantages in the corners. Finally, as with many lenses, the performance from f/8 to f/16 is functionally equivalent.
Does this mean that you should immediately sell your Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S and buy the Voigtlander? Definitely not. For one thing, if you’re shooting landscapes or architecture, you are most likely stopping down to f/5.6 through f/16 anyway, in which case the two lenses are on the same level. On top of that, a small focus error will be enough to erase any gains for the Voigtlander, so you need to have your manual focus technique optimized if you want a chance of seeing these improvements. The Nikon is already an extremely sharp lens, and coupled with Nikon’s accurate autofocus, it’s the more practical choice for most photographers.
But if you’re chasing maximum sharpness at the margins – especially at f/2 in the corners, perhaps for astrophotography or similar – then the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 is about the best you can get.
Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II vs Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM
After seeing the Voigtlander go toe to toe with the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S, I wanted to put it up against arguably the sharpest 50mm lens that we’ve ever tested at Photography Life, the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM. I don’t know if any lens can dethrone this one, but Voigtlander has better odds than most, so let’s see.
In this case, the Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM manages to defend its title – barely! The two lenses are comparable in center and midframe sharpness at f/2, but the Sony is just a little bit ahead in the corners. That story stays true at f/2.8 and f/4, with slightly higher corner sharpness for the excellent 50mm f/1.2 GM. At f/5.6, the differences start to become very difficult to notice, but still favor the Sony by a hair in the corners. By f/8, the two lenses are back down to earth, and neither really has the advantage as you continue through f/16.
What an impressive result from both lenses!
Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II vs Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1
How does the APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 compare to another high-end Voigtlander lens, the Nokton 50mm f/1? We sometimes see a tradeoff where ultra-bright lenses are a less sharp, especially if they’re also on the portable side, but Voigtlander has surprised me so far. Let’s see how these two lenses compare:
In this case, the result is pretty clear. The Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1 is definitely a sharp lens, but the reason to buy it is more about the juicy f/1.0 aperture than anything else. If you’re chasing performance, the APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 is definitely the way to go. That said, I will note that by f/4, the corner sharpness of the Nokton almost matches that of the APO-Lanthar – and by f/5.6, it technically beats it (though not nearly by enough to notice the difference in real-world images). Voigtlander clearly knows their stuff, regardless of which of these lenses you pick.
The next page of this review sums up everything and explains the pros and cons of the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 II. So, click the menu below to go to “Verdict”:
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