Voigtlander 50mm f2 APO-LANTHAR VM#
Voigtlander’s flagship 50mm for the M-mount system. “APO” denotes apochromatic correction — chromatic aberration corrected across three wavelengths (R/G/B) rather than the usual two, virtually eliminating colour fringing even wide open. “VM” confirms Leica M-compatible mount. Pairs with the Summicron 35mm to form a compact two-lens M-mount kit on the M11.
Apochromatic 50mm lenses are rare; the APO correction makes this particularly well-suited to high-resolution digital sensors like the M11’s 60 MP BSI-CMOS.
Compatibility#
| Body | Notes |
|---|---|
| M11 | Full mechanical rangefinder coupling — no 6-bit chip, set lens profile manually |
Can also be used on X-Pro3 and X-E1 via an M-to-X adapter — manual focus only.
Key Specifications#
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|---|
| Focal length | 50mm (full-frame) |
| Maximum aperture | f/2 |
| Minimum aperture | f/16 |
| Optical construction | 10 elements in 8 groups (2 aspherical) |
| Aperture blades | 10 (rounded) |
| Minimum focus distance | 50 cm |
| Filter thread | 49mm |
| Autofocus | No — manual focus via rangefinder |
| Stabilization | No |
| 6-bit coding | No — set lens profile manually in camera menu |
| Weight | ~370g |
| Serial | [REDACTED] |
APO Correction#
| Aberration | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Longitudinal CA (LoCA) | Corrected across R/G/B — minimal colour fringing at any aperture |
| Transverse CA | Corrected at all apertures |
| Spherical aberration | Well-controlled — consistent rendering from wide open to stopped down |
| Coma | Low — corner point sources stay compact |
Use with Leica M11#
The VM mount fits M11 directly — no adapter needed. The rangefinder couples mechanically. Set the lens profile manually in the M11 menu (Lens Detection → Manual) to enable in-camera vignetting correction and accurate EXIF data.