These are the best Voigtländer telephoto (and short-tele) lenses when you want flattering compression, creamy but controlled bokeh, exquisite micro-contrast, and long, silky manual-focus throws for portraits, beauty, product, stage, and compressed landscapes—and here’s what to look for as you buy: prioritize APO-corrected designs for clean speculars and minimal LoCA, de-clickable apertures on modern mirrorless versions (E/Z) for video, generous working distance for lights/flags, modest focus breathing if you film, and all-metal barrels with clear scales and hard stops; pair these unstabilized lenses with bodies that have strong IBIS or use a monopod/rail, standardize small filter threads via step-ups so one slim VND (and a mild 1/8 diffusion if you like halation) covers the set, and add 0.8-mod focus gears if you pull. Full-frame mirrorless heroes: APO-Lanthar 110mm ƒ2.5 Macro 1:1 (studio-grade detail with elegant bokeh and a long, velvet throw—beauty/product king that doubles as a sublime tele-portrait), APO-Lanthar 65mm ƒ2 Macro 1:2 (short-tele bridge with reference-grade sharpness and speed for handhelds), 90mm ƒ2.8 APO-Skopar (compact, neutral color, disciplined edges—stealthy event/portrait companion), and Ultron 75mm ƒ1.9 (light, fast, and characterful falloff—lovely for available-light portraits); VM versions adapt well to E/Z with solid adapters, while native E/Z copies add declick switches and electronic coupling (EXIF and auto-magnify). Legacy/adaptable tele legends for longer reach: APO-Lanthar 125mm ƒ2.5 Macro 1:1 (coveted rendering and mechanics—grail for collectors and product shooters), APO-Lanthar 90mm ƒ3.5 Macro 1:2 (compact classic; add a diopter to push magnification), and APO-Lanthar 180mm ƒ4 SL (rare, featherweight long-tele with elegant color and contrast—great for compressed landscapes and daylight stage); these SL/VM lenses reward careful technique on modern bodies. Practical buyer tips: build a two-lens spine (110/2.5 1:1 for maximum detail + 75/1.9 for speed and subject glow, or 90/2.8 APO-Skopar for compact jobs + 65/2 for macro-adjacent versatility) and add the 125/2.5 if you find one for studio/product perfection; standardize to a single front diameter with step-ups so one VND/diffusion travels everywhere, keep an Arca plate and a compact monopod for long days, and if you film, test breathing and add 0.8 gears—Voigtländer damping takes marks beautifully. Tele-shooting tips: place clean catchlights and expose for skin, work near wide open and stop 1/3–2/3 stop for eyelash-sharp faces with smooth falloff, keep shutters ~1/200–1/250s for posed sets (1/500–1/1000s for motion) and let ISO float rather than risk smear, manage background distance (1–3 m) for creamy bokeh, and use a small flag/hood to kill veiling flare; for beauty/product, cross-polarize (linear gels on lights + CPL on lens) and use the 110/2.5’s long throw for precise focus pulls, for stage compress from 90–110–125 mm and time peaks to minimize motion, and for video hold a 180° shutter with a quality VND, enable IBIS but disable stabilization on sticks to avoid micro-jitter, and keep moves deliberate; whether you’re crafting glowing headshots, editorial tele looks at dusk, impeccable product detail, or compressed skyline layers, the best Voigtländer telephoto choices combine APO discipline, graceful rendering, and cine-friendly mechanics—so your subjects pop, your backgrounds melt, and your images feel intentionally refined.