Update on the Voigtlander 75mm 2.5 Color-Heliar?

[kl_prager1]

Has anyone used this lens? If so, how are the results?

There was a previous post asking about this lens, but it seems there weren't any responses from anyone who's actually used this lens. I'm hoping that by now someone has some experience with this lens, now that its been available for a while.

 

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I'm interested in this lens to use with my M6TTL. I have the 50mm Summicron and want to add a 75mm. I always liked the size and weight of the 90mm tele-elmarit, but have routinely heard that the quality was not great. I've used a late Canadian made 90mm Summicron and current version of the 90mm Elmarit. I'm not very happy the way either of these lenses balance on the M6, although I found the Elmarit a great improvement over the Summicron. I also think the 75mm frameline maybe easier to compose with than the 90 and prefer the perspective of the slightly shorter focal length for general use.

 

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Any comments will be appreciated.

[jon_ladd1]

I have this lens and have had good results with it. But I'm not a pro

and use it mostly for personal portraits. I also shoot in the middle

f stops so its always sharp. Its my opinion but this lens fits me

better to compose with than a 90. Plus I like the feel of the lens.

The price of the lens is cheap relative to German glass and resale is

good. If you don't like it, it wouldn't cost a lot to try it out.

http://www.cosina.co.jp/75sl/saku.html

This link is the 75 sl cosina lens. I don't know how close the optics

are to the LTM version but I'm sure they are related.

[albert_smith]

KLP,

 

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Do go to the website that Jon posted, there are some great shots

there...(click on them for enlargement). I e-mailed Cosina several

months ago to ask whether the SLR version of the 75mm Color-Heliar

was the same as the rangefinder model... the reply was that the

lenses are optically the same, with the mounts being modified for the

respective cameras. The pictures at that site show some nice

portraits, with just enough softness in the background and very sharp

eyes. My Elmarit M might be a bit too sharp for all but the best

complexions, so this lens might be a flattering lens for "real"

people.

 

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There are rumors that Cosina may introduce a real M mount camera, so

I put off buying the 75 in LTM until I see if I can get the lens

without the hassle of the adapter. After seeing the shots on Jon's

posted site from Cosina... I might just get the SLR version for my

Nikon. Those shots really caught my eye.

[kl_prager1]

Thanks to both Jon and Al for recommending the Cosina site. I really

like those images! This seems to be the lens I'm looking for, but

will also hold out a while. By the way, regarding the rumors about a

possible M mount lens, is there any word about when this might occur?

It would be awfully nice if they introduce this at the PMA Ahow in

Feburary...

[joshroot]

I have a mint Voigt 75 that I would sell. I tried to e-mail you, but

www.pragerproperties@att.net isn't a valid e-mail address. Let me know

if you are interested.

[andrew_schank]

I just went to the web site and saw the nicely done natural light

portaits with the 75 Cosina lens. Not to take anything away from the

Cosina optics, but I think it is the composition, lighting and

exposure, and the model that made those shots nice and that the

photographer could have probably used any decent short tele and

gotten the same results. The main advantage of the 75mm is its

compactness and bigger 75mm frame lines in the M6 (which I do not

have on my M3). It may be slightly easier to hand hold this lens

than a 90. By the way, what is the minimum focusing distance on the

75?

[kl_prager2]

Hi Andrew:

 

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The minimum focusing distance of the Voigtlander 75mm is 1 meter.

 

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You raise a good point about the images shown on the Cosina website.

While they're beautiful, the results were most likely achieved by a

combination of many factors, not just lens quality.

 

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Something I've been wondering about is how close the Voigtlander (and

Konica RF) lenses get to matching the intrinsic qualities of the

Leica lenses. I'm not just thinking about sharpness , but also in

terms of the unique 'look'of the Leica lenses (the combination of out

of focus highlights, near 3D effect, clarity and contrast). There are

many very fine lenses, but they all have different characteristics.

Any comments about this will be welcome!

 

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In any case, as much as I'd prefer a Leica made 75mm (smaller and

lighter than the Summilux)I'll probably get a Voigtlander 75

eventually. I just found I wasn't inclined to use either the 90

Summicron or Elmarit on the occasions when I had them available, due

to the uncomfortable balance on the camera and the small frame size

in the finder.

 

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Happy New Year to all and many more photographs in the year to come!!!

[stuart_kendall]

Yes, the Voigtlander 75mm handles better than a tele-Elmarit or the

big 90mm Summicron, and the aperture stops 'click' so precisely, the

scalloped focusing barrel is both more comfortable and positive to

operate than a teutonically 'milled' barrel, and the image quality is

sharp as Sheffield steel, even though Erwin Puts says it becomes a

lot softer when used wfo (a film cameraman's term for 'wide open').

But, guess what? I use my black Voigtlander 75mm a lot, both on an

old brassy screw-thread Leica as well as an old M3, and the lens is

now dinged a little here, and scuffed a little there, both on the

focusing barrel and the excellent lens shade, and the magical glow of

real brass is beginning to glow through, making it look

truly 'authentic' on my old Leicas.

So, for all you folk out there who fervently seek those rare

brass 'black paint' Leica lenses, or even those who've bought the

limited edition 'black paint' M6TTL and who are still waiting for the

brass Summicron and Summilux to match, may I make a simple, but

highly cost efficient suggestion: the excellent all-brass 'black

paint' Voigtlander 75.

[msitaraman]

I just got this lens in the black version. I have yet to use it

extensively in the field, but the first thing that stands out,

(contrary to various comments in the net stating that its dimensions

are similar to the Elmarit M), is that it is a very small lens. If

you remove the screw on lens hood with its nicely fitting cap, the

front element diameter and length/diameter of body are extremely

close to the 50 Summicron.

 

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More comments upon use...

[larry_welker]

Stuart, are you sure that you are looking at brass, or I should reword that, are you sure the "brass" is

solid brass.... I've heard that you may (sorry to mention this as it's a bit of a bummer) be looking at

some sort of plating over a white alloy metal.

 

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As you no doubt by now have more nicks on this lens, could you do me (us) a favor and grab a small

jewelers file or small sharp knife and make a little deeper cut.....

 

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I do hope it continues to show the color of true brass.

[msitaraman]

I have used this lens quite a bit now.

 

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1. It is sharp and the colors are pleasing, but its look is pretty

much generic. Pictures resemble those I get from my Nikon 75-150 zoom

stopped down a bit.

 

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2. No Leica look, alas. This is pretty noticeable, side by side, with

chromes from an Elmarit M. But for casual snapshot portraiture, its a

pretty nice lens and focal length. And no, it does not match the look

of the Summilux 75, which I have used quite a bit, but do not own.

 

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3. If Leica made a small 75, I'd sell this one and go for that one.

 

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4. One small observation about my M6TTL .85 viewfinder. The75mm

framelines are pretty poorly marked in practice. Its quite easy to

confuse them with the 50mm marks, or ignore them altogether in the

heat of shooting, unless you pay close attention. At least initially.