Voigtlander 15mm Super-Wide Heliar f/4.5 Aspherical Reviews

Rating
Reviewed by:

Greg McCary
( Intermediate)

Review Date
April 11, 2008

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Review 1 of 20

Price Paid: $0.00

Summary:

I currently use this lens on my Bessa R and Leica M6. It produces stunning wide pictures with only slight distortions. The finder that comes with it is large and easy to compose shots in. It does not connect to the RF system so focusing is done by guessing or hyperfocal focusing. But even with guessing I almost never miss focus. The DOF is so great it is very easy to do. I feel it is a inexpensive alternative to aa wide lens on a DSLR that would cost a whole lot more. I haven't had any problems with flaring either. With the design of the front the use of filters is not easy. Even though I have not tried to put any filters on it. But with the shape of the front of the lens it is almost as if it has a built in hood for protection.

Strengths:

Stunning results at a low cost.
Easy to focus even though you have to guess.

Weaknesses:

At 4.5 it is a slower lens than I am use to.
Can not easily put filters on it.

Similar Products Used:

Voightlander Nokton 40mm 1.4
Voigtlander 35mm Color Skopar

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Rating
Reviewed by: Al Kaplan
(Professional)

Review Date
February 10, 2007

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Review 2 of 20

Price Paid: $400.00 from Ebay

Summary:

I was extremely pleased with this lens. I don't find the light fall-off to be a problem even shooting wide open. It's become my favorite lens. I usually use it on a Bessa L but I often mount it on a Leica M2 with a bayonet adapter. If you enjoy ultra wide angle lenses this is a great bargain and a fantastic lens.

Strengths:

It's sharp, contrasty and best of all wide! It's also quite small and the distance setting stays put. I mostly just leave it focussed at 1 meter.

Weaknesses:

The finder does have a lot of distortion and since I rarely change the focus setting it's become quite stiff after three years or so. The black finish on the mount scuffs easily revealing the aluminum underneath

Similar Products Used:

For years I had a 19mm f/3.5 Canon until it was stolen. I currently have a 21mm f/3.4 Super Angulon. I also had a Pentax mount Carl Zeiss Jena 20mm Flektagon 30 years ago.

Customer Service:

I never needed to have the lens serviced.

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Rating
Reviewed by:

arleask
( Intermediate)

Review Date
December 5, 2006

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Review 3 of 20

Price Paid: $250.00 from Sydney

Summary:

I love this lens for the effects that can be created. I am very pleased with image quality. Ease of use is excellent. LIghtweight that complements my Voigtlander R2a. Having used a Rollei 35 for 20 years (with some stupendous results), I am completely at home with a non-RF coupled lens system. I am happy to make this my standard lens, although I have just bought a 25mm lens to give me a little more flexibility as a 'standard use' lens. IThis may not be as extreme as the 15mm, but it may be of more general use - I'll see.

Strengths:

Weight, optical quality, ease of use, beautifully wide depth of field.

Weaknesses:

None that I have noticed.

Similar Products Used:

15mm lens

Customer Service:

Excellent

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Rating
Reviewed by:

Grandalltex
( Intermediate)

Review Date
October 28, 2004

Overall Rating
5 of 5

Value Rating
4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
2 votes

Review 4 of 20

Price Paid: $325.00 from Oceanside Pro Photo,

Summary:

I love this lens. It is sharp, cheap for a 15mm lens, and takes stunning pictures at all apertures. I use it primarily with the V- Bessa-L due to it not having any focusing cams for Leica or Voigtlander cameras. This makes it difficult for close ups @ 4.5 app. Instead, I use mine for landscapes and vacation shots. It has not let me down. The Aspherical elements can not be beat for comparable prices.

Strengths:

Compact and wonderful color rendition

Weaknesses:

Due to light fall off, add 2 stops. Iso 100 is now 25 Iso 400 is now 100 Iso 800 is now 200 No cam for focusing

Similar Products Used:

none this wide angle

Customer Service:

none needed

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Rating
Reviewed by:

agp
( Expert)

Review Date
July 6, 2004

Overall Rating
4 of 5

Value Rating
5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
2 votes

Review 5 of 20

Price Paid: $300.00 from Robert White (GB)

Summary:

I wouldn't be without this lens. Oh, it's not as good as my 24mm Leica (but costs a fraction of that), but it has its uses, and is astonishingly cheap for such a focal length. Not a general purpose lens.

Strengths:

Wide view. Good quality for this length.

Weaknesses:

Need to be careful that it is held at the right angle, to avoid ridiculous distortion (a characteristic of the focal length, not just this lens). Viewfinder is rubbish. Only f4.5 maximum aperture - but at this focal length anything wider owuld be expensive.

Similar Products Used:

24mm Leica Asph

Customer Service:

No experience

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