I used to use a SLR with a 35-80 zoom and usually found myself using only the extremes. I am now considering the Voigtlander 75mm for occasional use alongside my beloved Summicron 35. Very little has been written here on the Voigt. 75 - I am not asking for opinions regarding the focal length (90mm is slightly too long for me) merely the performance, handling etc.

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), December 01, 2001

Answers

Giles, try this:

PUTS TEST REPORT

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), December 01, 2001.

I have one in AiS mount for my F3 and it is very sharp and colors nice and bright with medium contrast even wide open. I am most impressed, though it is still a little weak next to the 90mm-R's but what isn't? The best $350 I have ever spent on a lens.

-- ray tai (razerx@netvigator.com), December 01, 2001.

I have one too. Very nice lens. Sharp. Nice "bokeh". The focal length is nice too; good for street photography when you can't get too close. Also good for torso and head type portraiture. But, in the final analysis, it is not a Leica, just an inexpensive alternative to a Summilux. I've gotten some use out of mine, but I'll probably sell it when I'm ready for a 90mm Elmarit-M.

-- Dennis Couvillion (couvilaw@aol.com), December 01, 2001.

Giles: Some additional thoughts... Have you ever used Voigtlander lenses? If not, let me share some observations from having used several. I know little or nothing about quantifying things as resolution and contrast, so these are just subjective observations. 1) Voigtlander lenses are, generally, great performers. Well made. Very sharp and contrasty. I would rate them higher than most Nikon lenses I've used over the years. 2) Images made with Voigtlander lenses have a distinct "Leica" look in terms of crisp contrast and the out of focus "bokeh". 3) In a 5X7 enlargement, images are usually indistinguishable from those made with a Leica lens. Sometimes even at 8x10. However at 11x14 you can usually tell the Leica shot as the crisp sharpness doesn't fade.

For the money, Voigtlander makes great lenses and you probably would not be dissatisfied with the images produced by the 75mm Color- Heliar. But, it's not a Leica. Good shooting, Dennis.

-- Dennis Couvillion (couvilaw@aol.com), December 01, 2001.

It is a modern 35mm lens, upto today's usual high optical standards. contrasty and sharp.

Its no 90 Elmarit-M equivalent, on the other hand, it definitely does not have that Leica look. Not too big a deal, though, because the strength of this lens is in its very small size.

Without the lens hood, focused at infinity, it is only a few millimeters longer and the same diameter as the 50 Summicron, and possibly a bit lighter. But a 75 is definitely a most capable portrait telephoto lens length. The small size and that portrait capability make the Cosina a winner, to my eyes.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), December 01, 2001.

Useful comments - many thanks. I do have a 15mm Voigtlander (best bargain available in "Leica" lenses IMO) which I am very impressed with. I once owned a Summicron 50 but (in disagreement with others?) found it too close to 35mm to be used much. However I find 90mm slightly too long. For me although I use the 35mm 90% of the time, the 15mm is handy and the 75 should fit in very well at the other end.

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), December 02, 2001.

Giles: some of us dream of a 75 Summicron f/2 to match the 35 - but Leica says "not", at least for the moment.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), December 02, 2001.

Giles, I have already said this a couple of times before (but I don't remember where): I borrowed one for two days and found the focal length really nice, but... I won't buy it (the 'lux) because I found it too big, too heavy, too unbalanced, and too stiff to focus. If a 'cron or Elmarit came out here, I'd test it out immediately.

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), December 03, 2001.

Oops, you were asking about a Voigtlander 75. Sorry Giles. Guess I should try that too.

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), December 03, 2001.