Voigtländer SL 180mm f/4 APO Lanthar

[Airy]

Your observations are right on the spot (I edited my post while you were guessing). The 180/2.8 is the AIS version, bought 11 years ago in a legendary shop in Ginza fond memories.

[MEPER]

Stanley Kubrick got a Nikkor 180/2.8 modified to be used as cine lens so at that time it was considered a fine lens.
I have both ED and non-ED version and I have from time to time wondered how big a difference there are between them.
The Kubrick is version is probably not for sale. Guess he tried several and picked the best of them to be modified.

[Airy]

The 180/2.8 AIS ED is a great lens, comparable with the 105/2.5, and a bargain too. As said before, I was looking for a "pocketable" version of the 180, esp. when on a trip with Madame. We had to cancel the 2019 Bretagne trip (touring  the four traditional bishoprics:Vannes, Quimper, St Pol de Léon, Tréguier) due to illness, then the same in 2020 due to COVID. So I'm preparing 2021 and it looks like it will be 2022. The envisaged setup is something like 20/2.8 AIS, Voigtländer 58/1.4 and CV 180/4, tucked with the Df in a small Manfrotto messenger bag designed for m43. Still hesitating about the wide angle. Maybe the Zeiss 35/2, especially for night shots. Maybe the 28/3.5 PC, for the fun.

[Airy]

Charles Saint-Venant. Lille cemetary. Df, CV 180/4 wide open. A good test case for BG blur, where twigs easily yield ugly double edges, adorned with greenish fringes. In the case of that lens, the result is satisfactory.

[John Geerts]

Yes, on nearly all fields I liked the CV 180/4 more than the ED Nikkor,  Less LoCa, Closer focus, better bokeh, less weight.   For me enough reasons to sell the Nikkor.

[Airy]

Well, the extra stop is nice especially for focussing. Every now and then I miss the focus with the CV, one must be extra careful. But I love the image clarity.

[John Geerts]

Yes, I know, but focussing is a big advantage on the Z6 and Z7, and than the extra stop is not really important, as the CV is already very sharp at f/4.

[Airy]

For the time being, I stick with the Df.

[Airy]

Strong lights in the frame: no obvious contrast drop. However, some reviewers warn about lights slightly out of the frame. I'll have to check.

[John Geerts]

(Moved from other Voigtlander Topic)

Some examples  (posted earlier in the Daily)

On the Z6  *18000 ISO



On the Z7



Z7


Z6



D600


D850


D850


D850


D600

[Akira]

Charles Saint-Venant. Lille cemetary. Df, CV 180/4 wide open. A good test case for BG blur, where twigs easily yield ugly double edges, adorned with greenish fringes. In the case of that lens, the result is satisfactory.

Nearly perfect absense of LoCA is envious.  I was looking at AF-D 108/2.8 as an alternative of my trusty Ai 200/4.0, but it suffers from the excessive amount of LoCA.

[Airy]

(see below)

[Airy]

Well, the 180/2.8 AIS might be better than the (otherwise very good) AF-D in this respect. I found its LoCA to be acceptable, in most cases.

[Akira]

(see below)

Oops, I missed that.  Thank you for the direction.

[Airy]

Of course I mean the AIS-ED version.