{"id":2086,"date":"2016-02-14T07:21:38","date_gmt":"2016-02-14T06:21:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=2086"},"modified":"2026-03-24T13:44:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T12:44:53","slug":"review-voigtlander-12mm-5-6-ultra-wide-heliar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-voigtlander-12mm-5-6-ultra-wide-heliar\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Introduction<\/h1>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2153\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2153\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC_66661.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2153 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC_66661.jpg\" alt=\"ultra wide heliar a7 series 12mm 5.6\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC_66661.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC_66661-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2153\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony A7s with Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 12mm 5.6 and VM-E close focus adapter (Helicoid)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar is actually one of the lenses I bought a camera from the A7 series for in the first place. It is worth to mention though, I am reviewing the old M39 version here. The newer Leica M version is optically the same, although there are other differences &#8211; apart from the lens mount &#8211; which I will talk about at the end of this review.<\/p>\n<h1>Sample Images<\/h1>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2099\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2099\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/schloss_mannheim_12mm_uwh.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2099 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/schloss_mannheim_12mm_uwh.jpg\" alt=\"castle mannheim a7s 12mm 5.6 voigtl\u00e4nder ultra wide heliar\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/schloss_mannheim_12mm_uwh.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/schloss_mannheim_12mm_uwh-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2099\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony A7s | Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 5.6\/12 | f\/11 | <a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/543\/20027538161_0873f3bf72_o_d.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2097\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2097\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/kloster_maulbronn_12mm_uwh.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2097 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/kloster_maulbronn_12mm_uwh.jpg\" alt=\"maulbronn monastery unesco world heritage 12mm 5.6 voigtl\u00e4nder a7s\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/kloster_maulbronn_12mm_uwh.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/kloster_maulbronn_12mm_uwh-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2097\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony A7 | Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 5.6\/12 | f\/11 | <a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/391\/18624142789_53b645865e_o_d.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2088\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2088\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/abstract_2_12mm_uwh.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2088\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/abstract_2_12mm_uwh.jpg\" alt=\"abstract disneyland 12mm 5.6 ultra wide heliar voigtl\u00e4nder sony a7s\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/abstract_2_12mm_uwh.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/abstract_2_12mm_uwh-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2088\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony A7s | Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 5.6\/12 | f\/8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h1>Specifications<\/h1>\n<p>M39 Version:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Diameter: 50.5 mm<\/li>\n<li>Field of view: 121\u00b0 (diagonally)<\/li>\n<li>Length:&nbsp; 38.2 mm<\/li>\n<li>Weight: 175g<\/li>\n<li>Filter Diameter: see chapter &#8220;Use with filters&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>Number of Aperture Blades: 9 (straight)<\/li>\n<li>Elements\/Groups: 10\/8<\/li>\n<li>Close Focusing Distance: 30 cm<\/li>\n<li>Mount: M39<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For the newer Leica M version take a look at the <a href=\"http:\/\/voigtlaender.com\/12-mm-f-5%2c6-ultra-wide-heliar.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">official data sheet<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar M39 usually sells for <strong>aro<\/strong><\/em><em><strong>und $550<\/strong> at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebay.com\/sch\/i.html?LH_CAds=&amp;_ex_kw=&amp;_fpos=&amp;_fspt=1&amp;_mPrRngCbx=1&amp;_nkw=voigtlander+12mm+5.6&amp;_sacat=625&amp;_sadis=&amp;_sop=12&amp;_udhi=&amp;_udlo=&amp;_fosrp=1&amp;mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&amp;siteid=0&amp;mkcid=1&amp;campid=5337820130&amp;toolid=10001&amp;customid=&amp;mkevt=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ebay.com<\/a> <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"text-decoration: none; border: 0; padding: 0; margin: 0;\" src=\"http:\/\/rover.ebay.com\/roverimp\/1\/711-53200-19255-0\/1?ff3=9&amp;pub=5575156171&amp;toolid=10001&amp;campid=5337820130&amp;customid=&amp;uq=voigtlander+12mm+5.6&amp;mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]\" alt=\"\">(advertisement\/affiliate link).<\/em><br \/>\n<em>In Germany&nbsp;you can buy it for 400-600\u20ac&nbsp;at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebay.de\/sch\/i.html?_ex_kw=&amp;_mPrRngCbx=1&amp;_nkw=voigtlander+12mm+5.6&amp;_sacat=625&amp;_sop=12&amp;_udhi=&amp;_udlo=&amp;_fosrp=1&amp;mkrid=707-53477-19255-0&amp;siteid=77&amp;mkcid=1&amp;campid=5337820130&amp;toolid=10001&amp;customid=&amp;mkevt=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ebay.de<\/a> <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"text-decoration: none; border: 0; padding: 0; margin: 0;\" src=\"http:\/\/rover.ebay.com\/roverimp\/1\/707-53477-19255-0\/1?ff3=9&amp;pub=5575156171&amp;toolid=10001&amp;campid=5337820130&amp;customid=&amp;uq=voigtlander+12mm+5.6&amp;mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]\" alt=\"\"><\/em><em>(advertisement\/affiliate link).&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<h1>Handling<\/h1>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2151\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2151\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC_6664.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2151 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC_6664.jpg\" alt=\"12mm 5.6 ultra wide heliar size comparison\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC_6664.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC_6664-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2151\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar and SD-card<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This is a<strong> tiny lens<\/strong>, just take a look at the picture. I even included an SD-card, so you may grasp how small it really is. Apart from that, <strong>handling is superb<\/strong>! You are probably used to half a stop click stops on the aperture ring but this lens has <strong>click stops on the focusing ring<\/strong> as well (@ 0.3m, 0.5m, 1.0m, infinity)! I haven&#8217;t seen this on any other lens yet. But to be honest: my lens is always set at infinity and everything is in focus. I don&#8217;t like this lens for close up photography because you have to put your subject right in the center of the frame, otherwise it will be distorted in quite an ugly way.<\/p>\n<h1>Vignetting and colorcast<\/h1>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/CV12mm5.6Vignetting.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2149\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/CV12mm5.6Vignetting.jpg\" alt=\"12mm voigtl\u00e4nder 5.6 ultra wide heliar vignetting vignette\" width=\"800\" height=\"651\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/CV12mm5.6Vignetting.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/CV12mm5.6Vignetting-300x244.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nI recommend reading the \u201cLeica M wideangle lenses and the A7 series\u201d section in my <a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=1888\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultron 28mm 2.0 review<\/a> on this very same blog first before going further. I have used this lens with the original A7 and the A7s. With the original <strong>A7 you get magenta cast in the corners while with the A7s you get a slight green cast<\/strong>. The <strong>vignetting is<\/strong> quite <strong>severe<\/strong> throughout the whole aperture range (actually, stopping down won&#8217;t reduce the vignetting by a meaningful amount at all), which is no surprise&nbsp;because of the symmetrical design of the lens in conjunction with the extreme wide 12mm focal length. Still, it is possible that the sensor design has a negative influence here as well.<br \/>\nBoth things can be corrected (e.g. with Adobe Lightroom) as I will show in the before\/after example below. Remember though: correcting the light fall off completely may lead to visible noise in the corners.<br \/>\n<div class=\"twentytwenty\" class=\"twentytwenty-container\" style=\"display: none; max-width: 100%; width: 800px; height: 534px\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/vignetting_colorcast_before_12mm_uwh.jpg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/vignetting_colorcast_after_12mm_uwh.jpg\"\/><\/div><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #666666;\">Sony A7s | Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 5.6\/12 | f\/8&nbsp; | vignetting and color cast before\/after correction<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<h1>Sharpness<\/h1>\n<p><em>infinity<\/em><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Voigtlander_Heliar_12mmf5p6_infinity1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2123\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Voigtlander_Heliar_12mmf5p6_infinity1.jpg\" alt=\"voigtlander 12mm 5.6 sharpness infinty a7\" width=\"800\" height=\"1712\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Voigtlander_Heliar_12mmf5p6_infinity1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Voigtlander_Heliar_12mmf5p6_infinity1-140x300.jpg 140w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Voigtlander_Heliar_12mmf5p6_infinity1-598x1280.jpg 598w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nAs most rangefinder wide angle lenses this lens exhibits <strong>quite a bit of field curvature due to the thick filter stack in front of the A7<\/strong> cameras&#8217; sensors. For the shots above spot metering has been used on the corners. I <strong>recommend using this lens at f11 (exclusively)<\/strong> to get the best results across the frame, especially in the corners. But take a look at the provided samples, to decide for yourself.<\/p>\n<h1>Flare resistance<\/h1>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2103\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2103\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/tour_eiffel_flare_12mm_uwh.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2103 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/tour_eiffel_flare_12mm_uwh.jpg\" alt=\"eiffel tower flare 12mm 5.6 voigtlander sony a7\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/tour_eiffel_flare_12mm_uwh.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/tour_eiffel_flare_12mm_uwh-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2103\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A7s | Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 5.6\/12 | f\/11 | Copyright Tour Eiffel \u2013 illuminations Pierre Bideau<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The <strong>flare resistance is quite good, especially for a 12mm lens<\/strong>. The example above shows the worst I could produce. Even with the sun in the frame the performance is very good:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2154\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2154\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC07237.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2154\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC07237.jpg\" alt=\"sony a7s voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 sunflare\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC07237.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC07237-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2154\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony A7s | Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 5.6\/12 | f\/11<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Distortion<\/h1>\n<p>The<strong> distortion is quite low<\/strong>, which is one of the positive side effects of the symmetrical lens design. There is also a profile embedded in Lightroom, which can be used.<\/p>\n<h1>Sunstars<\/h1>\n<p>This Voigtl\u00e4nder will produce <strong>18-pointed sunstars, which may \u2013 dependent on the light source \u2013 not be perfectly defined, as shown in the example.<\/strong> Especially the different lengths of the rays do bother me sometimes, but it is up to your taste, what rendering you prefer. <strong>In my opinion the <a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-voigtlander-ultron-28mm-2-0\/\">28mm 2.0 Ultron<\/a> and the <a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-voigtlander-nokton-50mm-1-5\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">50mm 1.5 Nokton<\/a> fare way better in this regard.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2126\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2126\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/100crop_sunstar_12mm_5.61.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2126\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/100crop_sunstar_12mm_5.61.jpg\" alt=\"voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 sunstar sony a7s\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/100crop_sunstar_12mm_5.61.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/100crop_sunstar_12mm_5.61-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2126\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">100% crop from photo above<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Chromatic aberrations<\/h1>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2093\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2093\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/ca_overview_12mm_uwh.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2093\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/ca_overview_12mm_uwh.jpg\" alt=\"venice 12mm 5.6 voigtl\u00e4nder uwh sony a7 ca\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/ca_overview_12mm_uwh.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/ca_overview_12mm_uwh-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2093\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony A7s | Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 5.6\/12 | f\/11<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For such an extreme wide angle <strong>lateral&nbsp;CAs are very well under control<\/strong> and easily corrected in post, as can be seen in the example below (100% crop from the image above). You<strong> won\u2019t notice any loCA<\/strong> with a lens with this parameters either. By the way, of all the photos I have taken with this lens, in this one the CAs were by far the worst. That is why I am showing this rather dull picture here.<br \/>\n<div class=\"twentytwenty\" class=\"twentytwenty-container\" style=\"display: none; max-width: 100%; width: 800px; height: 534px\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/ca_before_12mm_uwh.jpg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/ca_after_12mm_uwh.jpg\"\/><\/div><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #666666;\">Sony A7s | Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 5.6\/12 | f\/11 | CA 100% crop before\/after<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<h1>Use with filters<\/h1>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2107\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2107\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/waterfall_12mm_uwh.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2107 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/waterfall_12mm_uwh.jpg\" alt=\"sony a7s filter voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 polarizer polfilter waterfall\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/waterfall_12mm_uwh.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/waterfall_12mm_uwh-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2107\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A7 | Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 5.6\/12 | f\/11 |<a href=\"https:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/433\/18187707114_ee719d5af3_o_d.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A rather<strong> unique feature of this lens is that you can use \u201cstandard\u201d filters with it<\/strong>. For the likes of Samyang 14mm 2.8, Sigma 12-24mm, Nikon 14-24mm 2.8 and of course the Canon 11-24mm 4.0 (and quite a few more) you need huge specialized filters. This is also where we need to talk about the differences between the M39 and the newer Leica M version of this lens. The newer version takes 67mm filters and incorporates a non removable hood. This is the reason I prefer the older M39 version where the hood is removable and allows the use of a special \u201c<strong>filter adapter\u201d with a 77mm thread<\/strong>. The big advantage here is that <strong>you can use filter systems like the Lee 100mm system<\/strong>. The downside is, that this adapter is quite rare, so I recommend getting one of&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/rover.ebay.com\/rover\/1\/711-53200-19255-0\/1?icep_ff3=9&amp;pub=5575156171&amp;toolid=10001&amp;campid=5337820130&amp;customid=&amp;icep_uq=voigtlander77mm+filter+adapter&amp;icep_sellerId=&amp;icep_ex_kw=&amp;icep_sortBy=12&amp;icep_catId=625&amp;icep_minPrice=&amp;icep_maxPrice=&amp;ipn=psmain&amp;icep_vectorid=229466&amp;kwid=902099&amp;mtid=824&amp;kw=lg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ebay.com<\/a><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"text-decoration: none; border: 0; padding: 0; margin: 0;\" src=\"http:\/\/rover.ebay.com\/roverimp\/1\/711-53200-19255-0\/1?ff3=9&amp;pub=5575156171&amp;toolid=10001&amp;campid=5337820130&amp;customid=&amp;uq=voigtlander77mm+filter+adapter&amp;mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]\" alt=\"\"> (affiliate link). Because this lens was meant to be used with rangefinder cameras, the adapter has a hole to not block the viewfinder. If you intend to use strong ND filters you should cover this up as I did.<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2155\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2155\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/filter_adapter_voigtl\u00e4nder_12mm_5.6.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2155 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/filter_adapter_voigtl\u00e4nder_12mm_5.6.jpg\" alt=\"12mm 5.6 voigtl\u00e4nder ultra wide heliar filter adapter\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/filter_adapter_voigtl\u00e4nder_12mm_5.6.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/filter_adapter_voigtl\u00e4nder_12mm_5.6-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2155\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">12mm 5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar with filter adapter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There is one more caveat here: there have been some situations with strong contra light where the markings on the lens were reflected by a filter and then recorded onto the sensor, as can be seen in the example below. This problem may not occur in every situation and\/or with every filter, but keep in mind I used a Hoya Zeta polarizer here, which is known to be one of the best around.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2098\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2098\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/reflection_12mm_uwh.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2098\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/reflection_12mm_uwh.jpg\" alt=\"sony a7s voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 bad reflection due to filter polarizing\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/reflection_12mm_uwh.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/reflection_12mm_uwh-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2098\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony A7s | Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 5.6\/12 | f\/11<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Sample Images<\/h1>\n<p>I have set up a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/bastian_k\/albums\/72157663838752060\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">flickr album<\/a> which contains many shots taken with the 12mm 5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar and I will add more pictures to that in the future.<\/p>\n<h1>Alternatives<\/h1>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2156\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2156\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/size_comparison_12mm_14-24mm2.8g.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2156 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/size_comparison_12mm_14-24mm2.8g.jpg\" alt=\"size comparison ultra wide heliar 12mm 5.6 nikon 14-24mm 2.8\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/size_comparison_12mm_14-24mm2.8g.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/size_comparison_12mm_14-24mm2.8g-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2156\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">12mm 5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar alongside Nikon 14-24mm 2.8G<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you want something with the same field of view there are <strong>not many alternatives<\/strong>, actually just three: the two versions of the <strong>Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6<\/strong> and the new <strong>Canon 11-24mm 4.0<\/strong>. What you will immediately notice is that<strong> these lenses are huge and heavy<\/strong> in comparison and in case of the <strong>Canon also really expensive<\/strong>, but therefore you <strong>won\u2019t notice any color shading, the vignetting will be less severe and the corner resolution ought to be better as well<\/strong>. If you don\u2019t need to go that wide you might also consider the <strong>15mm 4.5 <\/strong>Voigtl\u00e4nder or the <strong>Samyang 14mm 2.8<\/strong> (which is still huge in comparison).<br \/>\nIn case you are not in a hurry it may be worthwhile to wait for the <strong>newly announced <a href=\"http:\/\/voigtlaender.com\/e-mount.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">E-Mount Voigtl\u00e4nder lenses<\/a><\/strong>.<br \/>\nThe 10mm and 12mm are <strong>new designs and should therefore work better on digital sensors<\/strong>. But although it is true that the Leica M mount version III of the 15mm 4.5 does work better on digital sensors then the older versions (as was promised by the manufacturer), it is still not without flaws regarding corner sharpness and color cast. And because the new 10mm and 12mm designs were also announced with Leica M mount, it remains&nbsp;to be seen, whether there will be optical differences between the E-Mount and M-mount versions. I am very curious to check that out, as soon as they are available.<\/p>\n<h1>Conclusion<\/h1>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2094\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2094\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/dancing_houses_12mm_uwh.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2094 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/dancing_houses_12mm_uwh.jpg\" alt=\"dancing houses prag prague praha gehry sony a7s voigtlander 12mm 5.6\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/dancing_houses_12mm_uwh.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/dancing_houses_12mm_uwh-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2094\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A7s | Voigtl\u00e4nder Ultra Wide Heliar 5.6\/12 | f\/11 | <a href=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1578\/23732307163_2c21064a39_o_d.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The <strong>one thing that really sets this lens apart from all the other ultra wide angle lenses is the small size and the small weight<\/strong>. I think twice before putting the huge, 35.3 oz\/1,000g heavy Nikon 14-24mm 2.8G in the bag, but<strong> I always carry this 6.2 oz\/175g Voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 with me<\/strong>, when shooting with the A7s.<br \/>\nAs a close second comes the a<strong>bility to use decently sized filters<\/strong>. I don\u2019t see myself carrying these huge 165mm filters and the even bulkier filter holders for my 14-24mm. Actually I don\u2019t see anyone carrying these things.<\/p>\n<p>Talking about the optics, <strong>you won\u2019t see any resolution records with this lens, although the center of the frame leaves nothing to be desired<\/strong>.<strong> I would rate the corners \u201cok to good<\/strong>\u201d, but because of the perspective distortion they can be quite hard to evaluate sometimes. I recommend taking a look at the full resolution samples I provided and check for yourself, if this is for you, or if you are more into one of the retrofocus lenses with higher bragging rights due to DXOmark\u2019s best list.<\/p>\n<p>I am also heavily into astro-landscape photography, as you may notice when taking a look at my corresponding <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/bastian_k\/sets\/72157646585487931\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">flickr album<\/a>. I didn\u2019t talk about coma performance (which really isn\u2019t great) here because the lens is so slow in the first place and I would totally not recommend it for shooting the milky way.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So, who is this lens for?<\/strong> The ability to use filters makes this <strong>a great landscape lens<\/strong> but the <strong>huge field of view makes if very suitable for architectural work as well<\/strong>. Anyone who shoots architecture knows, sometimes you simply can\u2019t get wide enough in tight city spaces (the \u201cdancing houses\u201d by Frank Gehry in Prague at the top of this section are just one example). I also use this lens for some abstract photography, as you have probably already noticed by the provided examples \ud83d\ude42<br \/>\nThe M39 version reviewed here can mostly be found on the used market starting at around 450\u20ac\/500$ while the M-Mount version will set you back roughly 700\u20ac\/600$ (new).<\/p>\n<p><em>The Voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar M39 usually sells for <strong>aro<\/strong><\/em><em><strong>und $550<\/strong> at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebay.com\/sch\/i.html?LH_CAds=&amp;_ex_kw=&amp;_fpos=&amp;_fspt=1&amp;_mPrRngCbx=1&amp;_nkw=voigtlander+12mm+5.6&amp;_sacat=625&amp;_sadis=&amp;_sop=12&amp;_udhi=&amp;_udlo=&amp;_fosrp=1&amp;mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&amp;siteid=0&amp;mkcid=1&amp;campid=5337820130&amp;toolid=10001&amp;customid=&amp;mkevt=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ebay.com<\/a> <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"text-decoration: none; border: 0; padding: 0; margin: 0;\" src=\"http:\/\/rover.ebay.com\/roverimp\/1\/711-53200-19255-0\/1?ff3=9&amp;pub=5575156171&amp;toolid=10001&amp;campid=5337820130&amp;customid=&amp;uq=voigtlander+12mm+5.6&amp;mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]\" alt=\"\">(advertisement\/affiliate link).<\/em><br \/>\n<em>In Germany&nbsp;you can buy it for 400-600\u20ac&nbsp;at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebay.de\/sch\/i.html?_ex_kw=&amp;_mPrRngCbx=1&amp;_nkw=voigtlander+12mm+5.6&amp;_sacat=625&amp;_sop=12&amp;_udhi=&amp;_udlo=&amp;_fosrp=1&amp;mkrid=707-53477-19255-0&amp;siteid=77&amp;mkcid=1&amp;campid=5337820130&amp;toolid=10001&amp;customid=&amp;mkevt=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ebay.de<\/a> <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"text-decoration: none; border: 0; padding: 0; margin: 0;\" src=\"http:\/\/rover.ebay.com\/roverimp\/1\/707-53477-19255-0\/1?ff3=9&amp;pub=5575156171&amp;toolid=10001&amp;campid=5337820130&amp;customid=&amp;uq=voigtlander+12mm+5.6&amp;mpt=[CACHEBUSTER]\" alt=\"\"><\/em><em>(advertisement\/affiliate link).<\/em><\/p>\n<h1>Support Us<\/h1>\n<p>Did you find this article useful or just liked reading it? Treat us to a coffee!<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate\/?hosted_button_id=3K9EJRRQVXT4J\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-40345 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/donate2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"103\" height=\"29\"><\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/en_SE\/i\/scr\/pixel.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\"> <span style=\"color: #999999;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/en_SE\/i\/scr\/pixel.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\"><em>via Paypal<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>This site contains advertisement\/affiliate links. If you make a purchase using any of the links marked as advertisement\/affiliate links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support the creation of future content.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction The Voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar is actually one of the lenses I bought a camera from the A7 series for in the first place. It is worth to mention though, I am reviewing the old M39 version here. The newer Leica M version is optically the same, although there are other differences &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-voigtlander-12mm-5-6-ultra-wide-heliar\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Review: Voigtl\u00e4nder 12mm 5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4708,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,18,8,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lenses","category-review","category-sony-alpha-7","category-sony-e-mount"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Review: Voigtlander 12mm 5.6 - phillipreeve.net<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Review of the Voigtlander 12mm 5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar on the Sony A7 Series including sharpness, sunstars and everything else. 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