I have asked the following question last week in the 24h photo.net forum. Despite some generally usefull information, unfortunately nobody could report on own experience.Therefore, I want to ask this question again this this forum.

I am interested in any information on the Voigtlander (or Voigtlaender) Apo-Lanthar 125mm f/2.5 SL lens (the "SL" means that it is available for various manual focus SLR cameras). I am thinking to buy one for my Olympus OM camera (lens seems available in this mount). What attracts me to this lens is that it focuses down to 1:1 (no extension tube needed), and that with 125mm it should have a better (for me; flowers, butterflys) working distance than the usual 90mm lenses. Does this lens have floating elements, which would in part diminish the advantage of the longer focal distance?

I would buy the lens new, as it seems hard to get it used in an OM-mount version. With ca. US$650 is it cheaper than the ZUIKO 90/2 (new; also goes "only" to 2:1). I would like to use the lens as an all-around short tele lens for portraits, landscape, architecture with the additional advantage to allow for macro work. From the specs, the major disadvantage is the 58mm filter diameter (OM Zuiko lenses have 49, 55, 72mm) but with this I can easily live.

Thank you very much for any helpful input.

-- Konrad Beck (beckkonrad@netscape.net), February 13, 2002