Voigtlander's compact modern Heliar — the Cosina-made 50mm f/3.5 normal in Leica Thread Mount.
The Heliar 50mm f/3.5 is a modern Cosina-made Voigtlander standard lens, released in 1999, often supplied as a collapsible normal with the Bessa-era screw-mount range. It is a contemporary manual-focus optic in Leica Thread Mount rather than a vintage lens, reviving the classic Heliar name in a small package.
It is a manual-focus rangefinder-coupled lens with a 50mm focal length and a maximum aperture of f/3.5. The design is very compact, and the collapsible barrel of the common version lets it retract into the body for carrying. The moderate aperture keeps the optics simple and the lens light.
The Heliar name is associated with a smooth, even rendering, and at 50mm f/3.5 the lens suits general shooting, travel and daylight street work where a slim, discreet normal is welcome. Sharpness is good across the frame at working apertures, with a gentle overall look.
As a newer Cosina-Voigtlander lens, used examples are usually clean and mechanically sound and are found without much difficulty; on collapsible versions check that the barrel extends and locks smoothly, along with clear glass and a positive aperture. It adapts to Leica M via an LTM ring and to mirrorless bodies with a simple adapter, though the collapsible tube should be used with care on some mirrorless mounts.