Ms-optics APOQUALIA 3.5/50

Review and Photo example of the APOQUALIA-H 50mm F3.5 (MS-Optics / Miyazaki kogaku).

Gallery

Sample photos taken with the Leica M8.2 and EPSON R-D1xG.

Review

Apoqualia 50mm F3.5 is the second original lens from Ms-optics (Miyazaki Optical), and is a standard lens with a focal length of 50mm that uses the Heliar format in its lens construction.
Although this lens is Apoqualia brand, it does not have the bright characteristics of lenses released after this. Additionally, MS-MODE-AH (possibly an abbreviation for APO-HELIAR) is engraved on the nameplate of the lens.

The first lens released by Ms-optics was a Sonnar type lens with a focal length of 50mm and an aperture of F1.3, making it an ambitious lens that would appeal to large aperture enthusiasts. I remember my father at the camera shop who was selling this lens lamenting, “This is a spec that won’t sell very well.”

This lens has been released in small numbers and is rarely seen on the market, but since it is not a bright lens at F3.5, it provides sharp images even at maximum aperture, and the front and back blurs are beautiful. A lightweight and compact lens suitable for snapshots. In addition to the Leica M8 and Epson R-D1, which I still have on hand and used as examples, I also use film cameras and digital Leica M cameras for photography.

As of 2024, the XENOMAX 50mm F3.5 with the same specs has better performance. The size is almost the same as this lens, so if you are not particular about the lens format, it may be easier to obtain.

In 2001, Cosina released a Heliar-style lens with the same specs under the Voigtlander brand to commemorate Heliar’s 101st anniversary, so it is unclear why Mr. Miyazaki was conscious of this. This is the only Heliar type lens from Ms-optics, and many Sonnar and Gauss type lenses will be released after that.

Cosina continued to increase the diameter of its Heliar type lenses and released the Heliar 50mm F2 in 2007. In 2021, they will release the Heliar 50mm F1.5 large-diameter lens with a lens configuration of 6 elements in 3 groups.

Specification

Item	Value	note
focal length(mm)	51.6
Maximum aperture	3.5
Minimum aperture	22
Lens configuration	3groups 5elements	Heliar-type
Leaf blade	10
Minimum distance(m)	0.8
Lens length(mm)	38	Distance form mount frange
Lens max diameter(mm)	49
Filter diameter(mm)	30.5
Weight(g)	105	with L/M mount adapter
Release date	Year 2010
List price(Yen)	65,000

Comparison with Competitive Lenses

Manufacture	Ms-optics	voigtlander	voigtlander	voigtlander
Name	APOQUALIA	HELIAR 50mm F3.5	HELIARclassic 50mm F2 VM	HELAIR classic 50mm F1.5 VM
Apature	3.5	3.5	2	1.5
Leaf blade	12	10	10	10
Construction	3群5枚	3群5枚	3群5枚	3群6枚
Min distance(m)	0.7	1.0	1.0	0.5
Lens length(mm)	38	43.2	–	41.9
Filter(mm)	19	27	40.5	49
Weight(g)	105	147	260	255