Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 Helliar LTM Images

roentarre · 04-23-2009, 03:33 AM

This lens is a fun lens. Light, small and boutiquely built.

Not sharp and not bright. However, the perspective is just incredible on rangefinder camera.

Having owned this lens for some time. This lens is a fun tool to create landscape images or street candid in a way that I cannot describe.

Here is my lens gallery of this wonderful fun lens.

Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 gallery

I have shot some landscape images in this current series with a recent trip to Grampians National Park in my home state.

Images taken on films Provia 400, Superior 400 and Reala.

roentarre · 04-23-2009, 04:06 AM

k100d · 04-23-2009, 06:30 AM

nice pix

... i've been hanging around on RFF a lot lately and the 12 and 15 heliar all have stellar reputations
i think the lens would be too wide for my taste personally, it is rather hard to fill the frame with action sometimes and even harder to hold things level. even a few degrees off makes a huge difference.

roentarre · 04-23-2009, 06:35 AM

15mm would have a better quality than 12mm. I have bought myself 4 screw mount Voigtlander rangefinder lenses: 12mm, 15mm, 29mm/1.9, Nokton 50mm/1.5

I bought 2 M mount range finder lenses as well: Nokton 40mm f1.4 and 35mm f1.7

The conclusion is that 12mm is fun to use with that ultra wide perspective. It does create images that are rather unusual.

What range finder stuff have you got for yourself?

Gooshin · 04-23-2009, 06:48 AM

how much $$$ was all that?

k100d · 04-23-2009, 06:52 AM

Originally posted by roentarre

What range finder stuff have you got for yourself?

an XA which i'm going to sell and the Fuji GA645W which most likely i'll sell. i really do want an M mount camera, but can't convince myself to buy one. but RFF is a great forum w/ very nice pictures so it's always a good read. satisfies my gear lust reading.

Originally posted by Gooshin

how much $$$ was all that?

cheapest way in is to get a Bessa T ~$200 (from the states cuz it's discontinued) and then the 15mm f4.5 heliar which is around $400. if you need links, i can provide.

Gooshin · 04-23-2009, 07:09 AM

i'm thinking a full system

12~20

30~35

50~55

and an 85~135

4 lenses + body

if i go with voigtlander what am i really gaining over my MZ-S + takumar setup? (other than a lack of a nice wide angle.. hahah)

roentarre · 04-23-2009, 07:19 AM

Originally posted by Gooshin

how much $$$ was all that?

I have sold most of my olympus gear to put into range finder lenses.

I am going to get rid off 50mm f1.5 Nokton and 15mm f4.5 first. They are both fantastic lenses producing excellent images but I found their uses rather ordinary with my application.

roentarre · 04-23-2009, 07:20 AM

Originally posted by k100d

cheapest way in is to get a Bessa T ~$200 (from the states cuz it's discontinued) and then the 15mm f4.5 heliar which is around $400. if you need links, i can provide.

I have seen prices cheaper than that on ebay. Funny that they all suddenly dissapear!

roentarre · 04-23-2009, 07:21 AM

Originally posted by Gooshin

if i go with voigtlander what am i really gaining over my MZ-S + takumar setup? (other than a lack of a nice wide angle.. hahah)

Not many wide angle choices then...

I think 15mm f4.5 range finder lens is very very good. I prefer the chrome version which is rather rare these days. Use hyperfocal technique, you can do so much street!

k100d · 04-23-2009, 07:38 AM

the 15 4.5 LTM version is going because the new more expensive M-mount w/o viewfinder is coming out. the bessa L (not the T that i mentioned) Voigtlander can be got for $149. it has no viewfinder or range finder. BigCameraWorkshops this guy has the cheapest RF stuff probably in the world, note they are in canadian dollars.

gooshin for your setup, it would be rather pricey. but access to M glass might be worth it

Gooshin · 04-23-2009, 09:02 AM

i think i would need to field test a full system to see if i should bother,

there are definetly some intresting glass peices out there, and it LOOKS compact.

but the whole view finder attachament and image ghosting seems weird..

Gooshin · 04-23-2009, 10:11 AM

roentarre,

i assume the vignetting is post processed in?

roentarre · 04-23-2009, 02:22 PM

Originally posted by Gooshin

roentarre,

i assume the vignetting is post processed in?

Serg, this 12mm lens is known for severe vignetting. Ironicly, the vignetting problem is only reduced with polariser requiring a adaptor that costs me about 175 US dollars. Mmmm, yeah. That is freaky expensive.

Vignetting tends to go away after f11 and above.

I hate to criticise my own baby lenses but this one is very true.

roentarre · 04-23-2009, 02:24 PM

Originally posted by Gooshin

i think i would need to field test a full system to see if i should bother,

there are definetly some intresting glass peices out there, and it LOOKS compact.

but the whole view finder attachament and image ghosting seems weird..

To be honest, for normal lens work. A pentax film SLR could do a great job and I doubt that you have to go to rangefinder for this. I simply got fascinated by rangefinder cameras and went full on into it. Now I am backing off the gear and decided to keep only a few lenses.

When I used rangefinder camera and lenses, no one ever worried about it. Because the set up looks so small, ancient and unprofessional, I tend to get very unique images.

04-23-2009, 03:33 AM	#1
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 Helliar LTM Images This lens is a fun lens. Light, small and boutiquely built. Not sharp and not bright. However, the perspective is just incredible on rangefinder camera. Having owned this lens for some time. This lens is a fun tool to create landscape images or street candid in a way that I cannot describe. Here is my lens gallery of this wonderful fun lens. Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 gallery I have shot some landscape images in this current series with a recent trip to Grampians National Park in my home state. Images taken on films Provia 400, Superior 400 and Reala.

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04-23-2009, 04:06 AM	#2
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783 Original Poster

04-23-2009, 06:30 AM	#3
k100d Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,911	nice pix ... i've been hanging around on RFF a lot lately and the 12 and 15 heliar all have stellar reputations i think the lens would be too wide for my taste personally, it is rather hard to fill the frame with action sometimes and even harder to hold things level. even a few degrees off makes a huge difference.

04-23-2009, 06:35 AM	#4
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783 Original Poster	15mm would have a better quality than 12mm. I have bought myself 4 screw mount Voigtlander rangefinder lenses: 12mm, 15mm, 29mm/1.9, Nokton 50mm/1.5 I bought 2 M mount range finder lenses as well: Nokton 40mm f1.4 and 35mm f1.7 The conclusion is that 12mm is fun to use with that ultra wide perspective. It does create images that are rather unusual. What range finder stuff have you got for yourself?

04-23-2009, 06:48 AM	#5
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	how much $$$ was all that?

04-23-2009, 06:52 AM	#6
k100d Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,911	Originally posted by roentarre What range finder stuff have you got for yourself? an XA which i'm going to sell and the Fuji GA645W which most likely i'll sell. i really do want an M mount camera, but can't convince myself to buy one. but RFF is a great forum w/ very nice pictures so it's always a good read. satisfies my gear lust reading. Originally posted by Gooshin how much $$$ was all that? cheapest way in is to get a Bessa T ~$200 (from the states cuz it's discontinued) and then the 15mm f4.5 heliar which is around $400. if you need links, i can provide.

04-23-2009, 07:09 AM	#7
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	i'm thinking a full system 12~20 30~35 50~55 and an 85~135 4 lenses + body if i go with voigtlander what am i really gaining over my MZ-S + takumar setup? (other than a lack of a nice wide angle.. hahah)

04-23-2009, 07:19 AM	#8
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783 Original Poster	Originally posted by Gooshin how much $$$ was all that? I have sold most of my olympus gear to put into range finder lenses. I am going to get rid off 50mm f1.5 Nokton and 15mm f4.5 first. They are both fantastic lenses producing excellent images but I found their uses rather ordinary with my application.

04-23-2009, 07:20 AM	#9
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783 Original Poster	Originally posted by k100d cheapest way in is to get a Bessa T ~$200 (from the states cuz it's discontinued) and then the 15mm f4.5 heliar which is around $400. if you need links, i can provide. I have seen prices cheaper than that on ebay. Funny that they all suddenly dissapear!

04-23-2009, 07:21 AM	#10
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783 Original Poster	Originally posted by Gooshin if i go with voigtlander what am i really gaining over my MZ-S + takumar setup? (other than a lack of a nice wide angle.. hahah) Not many wide angle choices then... I think 15mm f4.5 range finder lens is very very good. I prefer the chrome version which is rather rare these days. Use hyperfocal technique, you can do so much street!

04-23-2009, 07:38 AM	#11
k100d Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,911	the 15 4.5 LTM version is going because the new more expensive M-mount w/o viewfinder is coming out. the bessa L (not the T that i mentioned) Voigtlander can be got for $149. it has no viewfinder or range finder. BigCameraWorkshops this guy has the cheapest RF stuff probably in the world, note they are in canadian dollars. gooshin for your setup, it would be rather pricey. but access to M glass might be worth it

04-23-2009, 09:02 AM	#12
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	i think i would need to field test a full system to see if i should bother, there are definetly some intresting glass peices out there, and it LOOKS compact. but the whole view finder attachament and image ghosting seems weird..

04-23-2009, 10:11 AM	#13
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	roentarre, i assume the vignetting is post processed in?

04-23-2009, 02:22 PM	#14
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783 Original Poster	Originally posted by Gooshin roentarre, i assume the vignetting is post processed in? Serg, this 12mm lens is known for severe vignetting. Ironicly, the vignetting problem is only reduced with polariser requiring a adaptor that costs me about 175 US dollars. Mmmm, yeah. That is freaky expensive. Vignetting tends to go away after f11 and above. I hate to criticise my own baby lenses but this one is very true.

04-23-2009, 02:24 PM	#15
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783 Original Poster	Originally posted by Gooshin i think i would need to field test a full system to see if i should bother, there are definetly some intresting glass peices out there, and it LOOKS compact. but the whole view finder attachament and image ghosting seems weird.. To be honest, for normal lens work. A pentax film SLR could do a great job and I doubt that you have to go to rangefinder for this. I simply got fascinated by rangefinder cameras and went full on into it. Now I am backing off the gear and decided to keep only a few lenses. When I used rangefinder camera and lenses, no one ever worried about it. Because the set up looks so small, ancient and unprofessional, I tend to get very unique images.