LensTip.com

Lens review

Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical

11 June 2021
Maciej Latałło

7. Coma, astigmatism and bokeh

With such parameters of the lens it's not easy to correct coma. Some models, like the Sony FE 1.8/35 or the Samyang FE 1.8/35, found out that much to their cost. The Sigma C 2/35 managed to perform a bit better but still it was far from perfect. The Batis 2/40 fared quite well but, after looking at the photos, shown below, you can say that the Voigtlander defeats them all. A slight enlagement of the diode in the frame corners is the only manifestation of coma and other off-axis aberrations of higher degree that are able to influence point-like images of light. The effect is really insignificant so there are almost no reasons to complain. The Voigtlander fares exceedingly well in this category.

Center, f/2.0 Corner APS-C, f/2.0 Corner FF, f/2.0
Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh
Center, f/2.8 Corner APS-C, f/2.8 Corner FF, f/2.8
Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh


Astigmatism, understood as an average difference between vertical and horizontal MTF50 function values, amounted to 2.9%. It is a very small value so the lens once again deserves to be praised, especially that most of its rivals fared weaker, with an exception of the Sony FE 1.8/35 that showed an equally good result.


Please Support Us

If you enjoy our reviews and articles, and you want us to continue our work please, support our website by donating through PayPal. The funds are going to be used for paying our editorial team, renting servers, and equipping our testing studio; only that way we will be able to continue providing you interesting content for free.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - advertisement - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Defocused circles of light are a very interesting topic. First, because the lens features two aspherical elements and they make themselves felt as slight onion-ring bokeh. Also mechanical vignetting can be easily noticed – its level is high by f/2.0, medium by f/2.8 and it disappears completely by f/4.0. The performance of the aperture is also unusual. At the maximum relative aperture and by f/2.8 you get a very nice, round shape of circles of light, without any bright rim. From f/4.0 onwards the aperture starts looking like a multi-pointed star so the images are really interesting. Can you call it also pleasing to the eye? It's a matter of taste; personally I am glad the producers try to be original and offer you something different than the rivals.

Center, f/2.0 Corner APS-C, f/2.0 Corner FF, f/2.0
Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh
Center, f/2.8 Corner APS-C, f/2.8 Corner FF, f/2.8
Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh
Center, f/4.0 Corner APS-C, f/4.0 Corner FF, f/4.0
Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh Voigtlander Apo Lanthar 35 mm f/2 Aspherical  - Coma, astigmatism and bokeh