Voigtlander announces new standard prime for Sony E and Nikon Z cameras

Cosina, the company behind the Voigtlander brand, has announced the Septon 40mm F2 Aspherical full-frame lens for Sony E and Nikon Z cameras.

The Septon name was originally given to the standard lens created for Voigtlander's Bessamatic and Ultramatic SLRs of the late 1950s and 1960s and is considered one of the brand's signature lenses.

The new Septon 40mm F2 Aspherical reimagines its classic namesake in a compact body tailored for modern mirrorless cameras. Its optical stack features a six‑element Ortho‑Metar design that includes an additional aspherical element. This enables a fast f/2 aperture, along with reduced distortion, without increasing the physical size of the lens barrel. The result is an overall length of just 30mm for the E-mount version, and 32mm for the Z-mount lens. Despite an all-metal barrel construction, the E-mount lens weighs just 165g (Z-mount is 205g).

The 40mm focal length is slightly wider than a typical 50mm standard prime, making it a better option for tight street photography. A 0.3m minimum focus distance also makes the lens suitable for close-ups, even if it doesn't have the required 1:1 reproduction ratio to qualify it as a full-on macro lens. Though manual focus only, the Septon 40mm F2 Aspherical is equipped with electronic contacts, enabling EXIF data recording, focus peaking, and 3‑axis in‑body image stabilization support.

Included with the lens is a dome‑shaped metal screw‑on hood designed to maintain the lens’s compact profile. It features a 52mm front thread, allowing the front lens cap to be used whether or not the hood is attached.

The E-mount Septon 40mm F2 Aspherical is expected to go on sale in March, and the Z-mount version should follow in April. Both will be priced at 93,500 Yen (approx. $612 / £449).