Voigtlander is bringing out one of its legendary Nokton fast prime lenses in both Canon RF and Nikon Z fits. The new full-frame mirrorless lenses promise a retro-looking wide-angle lens with a fast maximum aperture that providing a classic lens that uses modern optical technology.

The Voigtlander NOKTON Classic 35mm F1.4 will, however, remain traditional in that it will not offer autofocus or image stabilization as part of the design.

Unlike modern performance-oriented lenses, these wide-angle primes "intentionally retains aberrations to pursue the lens's unique character and the beauty of its rendering".

The 35mm f/1.4 uses eight elements in six group, with a Gauss type construction forming a symmetrical shape around the aperture, aiming to reproduce the unique rendering of classic lenses.

Nokton lenses were originally introduced in the 1950s primarily for use in lowlight, but in the digital era they are sort after for their smooth, gente bokeh, and soft rendering when used at maximum aperture.

The lens offers a minimum focusing distance of 0.26m, and uses ten aperture blades.

The Nikon and Canon options use different designs for the focusing ring of the lens, to give the distinct looks in keeping with each brand's own heritage. The Canon RF version weighs 260g, while the Nikon Z opton weighs 250g.

Both versions are set to go on sale in July, with at a price of 90,000 yen (equivalent to around $562 / £420).

Cosina Japan has confirmed the discontinuation of six Voigtländer lenses across Nikon Z and Leica M (VM) mounts. The affected optics will remain available only until current stock is exhausted, marking the end of production for Japan.

Voigtländer, manufactured by Cosina, is known for its premium lenses that blend classic optical design with modern digital compatibility – especially striking in apochromatic sharpness and rendering.

The discontinuations appear to be a product line refinement and a shift towards updated versions. However, one optic was just launched in 2024: the 28mm f/1.5. 28mm f/1.5 Asph Type I from the vintage line.

Discontinued products

Nikon Z mount

• Voigtländer Nokton D23mm f/1.2
• Voigtländer Nokton D35mm f/1.2
• Voigtländer Nokton Macro Apo-Ultron D35mm f/2

Leica VM mount

• Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 Asph Type I
• Voigtländer Nokton Color-Skopar 28mm f/2.8 Asph Type I
• Voigtländer Nokton Apo-Skopar 90mm f/2.8

The Type II versions of the Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 and Color-Skopar 28mm f/2.8 remain in production and continue the lineup.

US + UK availability

While these Voigtländer lenses are still available at some US and UK retailers, their discontinuation in Japan typically signals that availability will gradually decline worldwide.

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This ultra-fast 35mm lens is a compact lens, built for serious photographers – and now you can grab it at a big discount.

The Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/0.9 lens with Fujifilm X-mount is now just $1,199 at B&H. With this offer, you save $300 off its regular price of $1,499.

The Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/0.9 is a groundbreaking manual focus lens, designed exclusively for Fujifilm X-mount mirrorless cameras. If you are looking for a fast lens that covers portrait, street, and low-light photography, this 35mm prime combines standout performance with true portability.

Thanks to its ultra-fast f/0.9 aperture, the Nikton excels in low-light conditions and delivers a beautifully shallow depth of field. You'll be able to create stunning, soft bokeh with ease – something few other lenses in this class can match. Its manual focus design also encourages you to follow a slower, more deliberate shooting process, helping you get more creative and intentional with your images.

It's compact, lightweight, and packed with advanced optics, including aspherical elements for sharp images. This 35mm lens is built to be your go-to lens for creativity on the go. Plus, with full compatibility with Fujifilm's in-body stabilization and EXIF data, you get modern convenience without sacrificing manual focus control.

The Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/0.9 measures just 64mm in length and 492g in weight, making it lighter and shorter than many comparable lenses. Built with a durable all-metal barrel, it's made to last.

With its f/0.9 maximum aperture, this lens is a serious investment in your photography – and with this current deal, you can save big on a lens with even bigger creative potential.

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Voigtländer is expanding its VM-mount lineup with the new Apo-Skopar 75mm F2.8 VM, a compact medium telephoto lens built for full-frame rangefinder cameras and scheduled for release in May 2026.

Announced by Cosina Corporation, the new optic is aimed at photographers who want strong optical performance without the size and weight that usually come with a longer focal length, and it will launch with a suggested retail price of ¥99,000 (approx $622.79 / £459.66 / AUS $990)

At the heart of the Apo-Skopar 75mm F2.8 VM is a newly developed optical design made up of seven elements in six groups, with anomalous partial dispersion glass used in four elements. Voigtländer says the lens has been engineered with an apochromatic design, helping reduce axial chromatic aberration to near zero across the RGB spectrum. That should translate into cleaner detail, improved color correction, and the kind of image quality rangefinder shooters will expect from a premium manual-focus lens.

What makes this lens especially interesting, though, is just how compact it is. Despite its medium telephoto focal length, the Apo-Skopar 75mm F2.8 VM measures just 44mm from the mount, takes 43mm filters, and weighs only 191g. Voigtländer says that compact build helps eliminate vignetting in the shooting frame when using an optical rangefinder, while also making the lens highly portable and much easier to carry as part of a lightweight everyday setup.

The lens is designed for use with both digital and film rangefinder-coupled cameras, and it features a high-precision rangefinder coupling mechanism for accurate focusing. As you would expect from Voigtländer, manual focus is a major part of the experience here, with an all-metal helicoid and carefully tuned grease intended to deliver a smooth, silky feel. The minimum focusing distance for rangefinder coupling is 0.7m, although that may vary depending on the camera body being used.

Cosina will offer the Apo-Skopar 75mm F2.8 VM in both black and silver finishes, and each lens will ship with a dedicated dome-shaped metal hood. That hood has been specially designed to protrude by just 3mm when attached, helping avoid interference with the rangefinder shooting frame.

While the lens is built around the VM mount, it can also be used on Sony E, Fujifilm X, and Nikon Z mirrorless cameras with the appropriate mount adapter, making it a flexible new option for photographers who value compact design, precise manual focus, and corrected optical performance.

Cosina is heading into CP+ 2026 with a tidy little spread of Voigtländer prototypes that feel aimed at two very different kinds of photographers: the rangefinder crowd that wants maximum correction in minimum space, and mirrorless shooters who miss the imperfect charm of classic fast glass. The company says it will show these prototype lenses on the floor in Yokohama from February 26 to March 1, putting hands-on impressions firmly on the menu.

First up is the Voigtlander APO-SKOPAR 75mm f/2.8 in VM-mount for Leica rangefinder cameras, a medium telephoto built around an apochromatic design that aims to drive axial chromatic aberration down to near-zero.

The headline here is size: Cosina (who makes Voigtlander lenses) claims a total length of just 44mm from the mount, which is properly compact for a 75mm, and it’s also designed to suppress frame vignetting when used on optical rangefinders. Silver and black versions are planned.

Then there’s the Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 90mm f/4 Close Focus, also in VM-mount, wearing the “Apolanthar” name that Cosina reserves for its top-shelf performance ambitions.

It’s still small at around 55mm from the mount, again with an emphasis on minimizing vignetting on optical rangefinders, but the twist is close focus down to 0.5m, with a click stop at 0.7m where rangefinder coupling typically ends. Like the 75mm, it’s slated for silver and black finishes.

On the mirrorless side, Voigtlander is reviving the NOKTON Classic 35mm f/1.4 for Nikon Z, and it’s very intentionally not chasing modern “perfect” optics. The pitch is all about character: the lens is designed to keep some aberrations in play so you get that classic rendering and “beauty of expression” wide open, rather than a clinically corrected look.

Early details also point to a very close minimum focus distance (0.27m) and electronic contacts for in-camera assistance and EXIF on Z bodies, which is exactly the sort of modern convenience that makes a character lens easier to live with.

A Canon RF-mount version of the same NOKTON Classic 35mm f/1.4 concept is also on the prototype list, bringing that same small, fast, deliberately vintage-leaning rendering to RF shooters who want something with a bit more personality than the usual performance-first options.

For Canon users in particular, it’s another sign that manual-focus specialists like Cosina see real demand in RF, especially for compact primes that are more about feel than MTF bragging rights.

Taken together, these prototypes show Cosina doubling down on what it does best: compact, purposeful lenses with a clear point of view—either apochromatic correction in tiny VM-mount telephotos, or classic optical “flaws” as a creative feature in a fast 35 for modern mounts.

For now, they’re still prototypes, and Cosina hasn’t confirmed pricing or on-shelf dates, but with CP+ showgoers about to get hands-on time, it likely won’t be long before we hear what’s headed to production.

The Voigtländer name is one of the oldest in optics and photography. It all began back in 1756 when Johann Christoph Voigtländer established a business in the Austrian capital Vienna, to make precision instruments such as compasses and sundials.

The son of a carpenter, Johann Christoph was born in the eastern German city of Leipzig in 1732. His engineering skills earned him recognition from Austria’s Empress Maria Therese, enabling him to operate under royal decree and hence largely without any competition.

After Johann Christoph’s death in 1797, his youngest son Johann Friedrich (1778-1857) took the opportunity to tour the leading optical workshops in Germany and England, gathering ideas for new products and acquiring new skills.

In 1808, he established Friedrich Voigtländer, Optik & Mekanik, which made optical products – initially opera glasses and the lenses for spectacles and monocles – proving to be a very successful enterprise.

In 1837, Johann Friedrich handed the business on to his son, Peter Wilhelm Friedrich Ritter von Voigtländer (1812-1878), who moved the company’s optical expertise into making binoculars, field glasses and telescopes.

The third-generation Voigtländer was also keen to become involved in the new medium of photography which, in the early 1840s, was rapidly growing in popularity.

Subsequently, he collaborated with the Hungarian mathematician Josef Petzval to produce the world’s first “computer-designed” lens (meaning an optical design based on mathematical principles).

Petzval’s 4-element 147mm portrait lens had a maximum aperture of f/3.6, which was incredibly fast for 1840, enabling typical exposure times to be reduced by a factor of 10 to around a couple of minutes (although still a long time for a portrait sitter to keep still).

Voigtländer then devised an equally innovative camera to complement it: the 1841 Ganzmetall Kamera. It was the world’s first all-metal design, made from brass with a tube-like body, and employed a rack-and-pinion focusing mechanism.

It was also one of the very first Daguerreotype cameras outside of the famous Louis’ own constructions. The Daguerreotype process was first demonstrated in 1839, so Voigtländer was very quick off the mark.

Focusing On Optics

In 1849, Voigtländer opened a branch in the northern German town of Braunschweig (near the city of Hannover) – then one of the leading centers of technology in Europe – and subsequently relocated entirely there from Vienna, Austria in 1862.

From around 1850, the emphasis at Friedrich Voigtländer & Sohn switched to exclusively making optical products, including cameras and lenses. The company again earned royal recognition in 1866, with Peter Wilhelm Friedrich receiving the Austrian equivalent of a knighthood, bestowed by the Emperor, Franz Joseph I.

Over the following decades, Voigtländer expanded into one of the world’s major manufacturers of cameras and lenses. The range of products was extensive and included ‘folders’ (or bellows-type designs), rigid-bodied models in many configurations, along with stereo cameras.

The famous Bessa name was first used in 1929 on a 6x9cm format self-erecting ‘folder’ model, which could also take 6x4.5cm frames when a supplied mask was inserted – doubling the number of exposures obtainable from a 120 roll.

Extremely portable, but also very capable with a high-quality lens, the Voigtländer Bessa became immensely popular for applications from portraiture to landscapes. Indeed, its zone focusing had three settings – Landscape, Group and Portrait.

Notably, Voigtländer also maintained metal bodies. In 1935 the Bessa RF was introduced with a couple rangefinder for focusing, a choice of 105mm f/3.5 lenses, and a Compur-Rapid shutter with a top speed of 1/400 sec. The Bessa line continued until 1956 and made Voigtländer one of the world’s leading camera makers.

The first Brilliant series 6x6cm model appeared in 1931. It looked a lot like a twin lens reflex (TLR), but was actually essentially just a box camera, albeit again with a metal body.

From 1937, the Brilliant V6 had a Bakelite body – a material briefly popular with a number of camera makers, including Kodak – and in 1938 the Focusing Brilliant was introduced, which was now a proper TLR with a focusing lens coupled to the main lens via a gear wheel. The previous models all used zone focusing ‘guesstimation’.

Vito, Vitessa, Vitrona

The first Voigtländer compact 35mm camera was launched in 1939 and the Vito – now known as the Vito I – featured a collapsible, side-hinged lens mounted on bellows and with a Compur leaf shutter. The Second World War limited production and the Vito I was subsequently reissued in 1947, now with a Prontor shutter.

The Vito III from 1951 was the first model with an integrated rangefinder-viewfinder and had a drop-bed mechanism for the collapsible lens.

Concurrently, there was a line of rigid-lens Vito 35mm models which ran from 1954 to 1968 and were designated either B or C series (from 1959), with the higher-end versions having a rangefinder and built-in metering (initially selenium cell and then, later, CdS).

Other post-war camera lines were the Vitessa (from 1953), Dynamatic (from 1960) and the Vitrona (1964), which was the world’s first 35mm camera with a built-in electronic flash. It was powered by batteries housed in a pistol grip.

Another notable first came in 1959 with the Voigtländer Zoomar 36-82mm f/2.8 – the first commercially available zoom lens for 35mm still cameras.

It employed a 14-element, 11-group optical design and was initially available in the Voigtländer Bessamatic and Exacta mounts, and later with the M42 screwthread fitting. Voigtländer built around 15,000 Zoomars over a period from 1959 to 1968.

The first Bessamatic 35mm SLR was introduced in 1958 and, like the rival Zeiss-Ikon Contaflex, employed a leaf-type shutter located behind the lens in the camera’s mount.

This was a version of the Deckel DKL bayonet fitting also used by Kodak in its Retina Reflex models (which were also made in Germany) and by Braun in the Paxette Reflexes, but small mounting variations made them largely incompatible with each other.

The first Bessamatics had a coupled selenium cell for metering, which was replaced by a TTL CdS meter in the 1965 CS and Ultramatic CS models. The first Ultramatic model, which was introduced in 1961, had shutter priority autoexposure control and also an instant-return reflex mirror, which was dropped on the CS model due to reliability issues.

However, the Voigtländer Ultramatic CS is an important camera in the history of the 35mm SLR, being one of the earliest models with TTL-metered automatic exposure control and also a full-information viewfinder display.

Changing Fortunes

After being listed as a public company in 1925, the majority of Voigtländer’s shares were acquired by the German company Schering – which sold its shareholding to Carl Zeiss in 1956 along with the Zeiss-Ikon business, with the new operation eventually named Zeiss-Ikon / Voigtländer-Vertriebsgesellschaft.

Production of Zeiss Ikon-Voigtländer cameras continued until the start of the 1970s but, with the highly competitive Japanese brands on the rise, sales were steadily declining and the factory at Braunschweig was forced to close in August 1971.

A year or so later, it was sold to a joint venture of Carl Zeiss, Rollei and the state government of Lower Saxony, and then primarily made lenses for Zeiss Ikon and Rollei cameras.

Rollei – which was also based in Braunschweig – took full control of the Voigtländer operation in 1974 and the marque was then used on a range of derivative 35mm SLRs and compact cameras, which were made in Singapore.

When Voigtländer passed fully into the hands of Rollei-Werke Franke & Heidecke GmbH in 1974, it was more than just the completion of a business transaction. In 1920, a German engineer and inventor named Reinhold Heidecke set up a business in the city of Braunschweig with his business partner, Paul Franke.

This operation had the snappy title of Werkstatt für Feinmechanik und Optik, Franke & Heidecke, and its first product was a stereo camera designed by Heidecke. He’d also been working towards a twin lens reflex (TLR) rollfilm camera which finally came to fruition in 1929 as the first Rolleiflex.

In many versions and variants, the Rolleiflex survived for 70 years – the camera of choice for countless amateurs and professionals. Yet it could so nearly have been a Voigtländer product.

Back in 1905, Heidecke joined Voigtländer to start a new camera design department and was keen to pursue some of his design ideas. In 1909, Paul Franke arrived at Voigtländer to work in the sales office and became interested in Heidecke’s concept for a twin-lens camera – initially devised to work upside-down for photographing over the top of a wartime trench.

However, after a couple of years, Franke left Voigtländer to run a camera store – very successfully, as it happens – and, as hard as he tried, Heidecke couldn’t convince management to pursue his design.

At the end of first World War, Heidecke redesigned his TLR for general photography and re-presented the idea to Voigtländer, who again rejected it – this time because of the cost of the new tooling (a major concern in Germany’s shattered post-war economy).

Heidecke decided to manufacture the camera himself and, after his application for a loan was rejected by the bank, he wrote to Paul Franke requesting his help with funding. Franke invested 75,000 marks of his own money and attracted another 200,000 marks from investors, enabling the Rolleiflex to become a reality.

Neither man was alive to see Rollei acquire Voigtländer – Franke died in 1950, aged only 60, and Heidecke died in 1960 aged 79 – but no doubt they would have seen the irony of it.

Rollei went on to fail financially as well, although the venerable Rolleiflex TLR carried on through various company rescues and restructurings and was still available new up until 2014. If Voigtländer had decided to put some faith in Heidecke’s camera, things might have turned out very differently indeed.

In 1982 – after Rollei suffered the first of many financial failures that dogged its last 25 years – the Voigtländer brand disappeared and wasn’t revived until 1997, when it was acquired by Ringfoto GmbH and licensed to the highly prolific Japanese camera-maker Cosina.

Cosina also revived the Bessa name with a series of 35mm rangefinder cameras, firstly with the Leica L39 screw-thread mount and then with the M bayonet. Affordable, but well-made, the Cosina-made Voigtländer Bessa bodies remained in production until 2015.

The company’s Voigtländer-badged L39 and M-mount lenses – considered by some to rival Leica’s – remain in production today along with models for a range of mirrorless mounts, including Nikon Z, Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Sony FE and Micro Four Thirds.

Thus, one of the great names in photography lives on – albeit a long way from its German roots, but still with a nod to the brand’s heritage of precision mechanical engineering and exceptional optical quality.

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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).

Cosina, the company behind the Voigtländer brand, has announced a new portrait prime for Canon RF and Nikon Z cameras. The PORTRAIT HELIAR 75mm F1.8 is a large-aperture, manual-focus, medium-telephoto lens that we've already seen in Sony E-mount guise, but which will now be made available to Canon and Nikon mirrorless shooters. The standout feature of the PORTRAIT HELIAR 75mm F1.8 is its spherical aberration control ring, which enables you to control bokeh quality in out-of-focus areas.

To quote the (translated) press release:

"Changes in spherical aberration occur when the aperture is opened or closed, but by operating the control ring with a new mechanism, you can enjoy bokeh depictions with an unprecedented range. In an image with insufficient correction, the center of focus becomes unclear (soft focus) and flare occurs in the highlights. Background bokeh is depicted with a gentle curve. In contrast, in an image with overcorrection, the center of focus remains and background bokeh is hard (bubble bokeh)."

Varying spherical aberration like this can cause unwanted focus movement, but Voigtlander has addressed this by incorporating a mechanism that offsets any focus deviation by changing the spacing between lens groups in conjunction with the control ring.

Though manual focus, the PORTRAIT HELIAR 75mm F1.8 does have electronic contacts to enable EXIF data recording, and it supports in-body image stabilization and focus assist functions.

The 70.0 x 86.0mm lens barrel is of an all-metal design that weighs 570-580g, depending on the mount. The focus ring is said to have a "silky, greased feel": on the RF mount version of the lens this and mechanical aperture ring both feature a knurled texture, whereas the Z mount lens has control rings finished with straight grooves.

The Voigtlander PORTRAIT HELIAR 75mm F1.8 will go on sale in February, priced at ¥150,000. An official US RRP has yet to be announced, but the existing E-mount version of the lens has a list price of $999, so we'd expect the new Canon and Nikon variants to be priced similarly.

Cosina, the company behind Voigtländer lenses, has announced a new wide-angle prime for Sony E and Nikon Z cameras. The Voigtländer APO-LANTHAR 28mm F2 Aspherical is said to be a high-performance lens, with the APO designation signifying that it's derived from the Apochromat design. This manufacturing process was developed to reduce chromatic aberration in film photography, but the technology is claimed to still be effective for supressing fringing in digital photography today.

The optical path is comprised of 12 elements arranged in 8 groups, including six low-dispersion lenses and two double-sided aspherical lenses. At 58.8mm long and 62.6mm in diameter, the lens is surprisingly compact, and it's also light weight at just 325g.

Although the lens is manual focus only, it does have electronic contacts to enable lens-body communication, EXIF data recording, while the built-in distance encoder preserves compatibility with camera bodies that have IBIS. The lens' aperture ring has a de-click function to enable stepless iris adjustment when shooting video, and a metal hood is included.

The Voigtländer APO-LANTHAR 28mm F2 Aspherical will be available in December 2025, priced at 154,000 Yen (currency conversion: US $1000, £755)

If you're shooting with a Nikon Z-mount camera and want to inject some real character into your kit, now’s the moment. Five premium Voigtländer lenses are currently discounted, and they’re not your average optics.

These are all-manual, all-metal, and all about feel, offering that unique mix of mechanical satisfaction and distinctive image rendering that modern autofocus lenses often gloss over.

This is the kind of gear that makes you want to slow down, shoot deliberately, and fall in love with photography all over again.

These are genuinely strong deals on some of Voigtländer’s finest lenses for the Nikon Z system.

Whether you’re after the dreamy bokeh of the 50mm f/1.0, the clinical precision of the 65mm APO, or the bold perspective of the 15mm Super Wide-Heliar, each of these lenses brings something special to the table.

Built to last, designed to inspire, and now priced to tempt - this is a rare moment to add some soul to your kit without punishing your wallet.

Voigtlander has unveiled what it calls the highest-performance wide-angle lens in its history - an apochromatic marvel built specifically for full-frame M-mount rangefinder cameras. Engineered to deliver exceptional resolution and contrast while suppressing chromatic aberration to near zero, this lens marks a milestone for the venerable optics manufacturer.

Every element of the design, from its advanced glass to the all-metal construction, points toward a lens created not only for technical precision but also for the discerning photographer who demands clarity, character, and full creative control.

At the heart of the lens lies a complex construction of 12 elements in 8 groups, which includes six elements of anomalous partial dispersion glass and two double-sided aspherical elements. This configuration is supported by a floating mechanism to ensure sharpness is maintained across the focusing range.

The lens is unmistakably apochromatic in performance, with a level of correction for axial chromatic aberration across RGB wavelengths that is rarely seen in lenses of this focal length and speed. Voigtlander isn’t just chasing sharpness here - it’s going after perfect image fidelity.

For those who care about the character of out-of-focus areas, the inclusion of 12 nearly circular aperture blades brings a welcome bonus: natural and smooth bokeh, especially from point light sources.

This esthetic refinement is paired with a practical update - the lens focuses down to 0.5 metres when used with the live view function of a digital rangefinder. That’s a significant step forward from the 0.7m limit of most traditional M-mount lenses and opens up new compositional opportunities, particularly for environmental portraiture or close-up detail.

True to Voigtlander’s heritage, this is a manual focus lens designed with tactile precision. The all-metal helicoid delivers a smooth, deliberate feel thanks to carefully selected grease and high manufacturing tolerances. Mounted via the classic VM bayonet, it supports full mechanical rangefinder coupling for accurate focusing even wide open.

The included petal-shaped metal hood screws in with confidence and reverses for storage - an elegant touch that speaks to the lens's overall level of finish.

While the lens can technically be adapted to mirrorless systems like Sony E, Fujifilm X, or Nikon Z, Voigtlander is clear: its true performance shines only on M-mount digital rangefinders, where the design has been specifically tuned.

This new lens will go on sale in July for￥148,500 (which converts to around $1,030 or ££760).

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A new bokeh effect lens has been announced by Voigtländer, set to debut in June 2025.

The Voigtländer Portrait Helier 75mm f/1.8 is the company's first full-frame interchangeable lens for full-frame mirrorless Sony cameras. It is designed to simplify the creation and control of bokeh effects, making it easier than ever to achieve our visual goals.

Dreamy bokeh – the quality of the out-of-focus areas in an image – is something that portrait photographers strive for. The effect can be created in part with a shallow depth of field, using wide apertures (small f-stop numbers) to minimize the focus area, enabling the subject to stand out against a beautifully blurred background.

While there are various methods to refine the bokeh, such as adjusting the distance between the lens and the subject, the Portrait Helier 75mm f/1.8 features a spherical aberration (SA) control mechanism.

While a very uncommon feature, there are a couple of recent lenses that have an SA ring: the Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM and the Lomography Nour Triplet V 2.0/64 Bokeh Control Art Lens.

You can see the lens, and this effect, in action in the video below:

While spherical aberration is not the same as a bokeh, it can significantly influence its appearance.

It is an optical distortion that is often seen as an 'optical problem'. It happens when light rays travel through various lens elements and get refracted (bent) differently. This can cause the light rays to focus at different points, resulting in blurriness or distortion and uneven lighting in image areas that are out of focus.

Instead of correcting this 'optical problem', Voigtländer is using it for good in its new E-mount lens. It focused on the relationship between SA and bokeh, offering us a creative twist that makes it possible to create unique photographic bokeh.

The variety of bokeh expressions can be controlled using the control ring mechanism. This feature enables photographers to manage the SA settings for either under-correction or over-correction, depending on the look you're going for.

If you opt for under-correction, you'll get a beautiful soap bubble bokeh effect. On the other hand, over-correction will give you a lovely soft-focus glow throughout the frame.

Honestly, I can't wait for this lens to be released in June 2025. I bet portrait photographers are just as eager, especially since the genre is so competitive, which makes it tough to stand out – but with this lens, it looks like we'll be able to approach our creative goals in new ways and can incorporate a unique bokeh into every shot.

Voigtländer Portrait Helier 75mm f/1.8: Specifications

The lens is exclusively designed for Sony's E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras, covering the entire image circle to deliver high-quality results.

It features electronic contacts that enable communication between the lens and the camera body. It does not have autofocus, but you can enlarge the viewfinder by adjusting the focus ring.

Focal length: 75 mm
Angle of view: 33.2°
Aperture ratio: 1:1.8
Minimum aperture: f/11
Lens construction: 3 groups, 6 elements
Aperture blades: 9
Minimum shooting distance: 0.7m
Maximum magnification: 1:7.4
Maximum diameter x total length: 70 x 88mm
Filter size: 62mm
Weight: 560g

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Three new Voigtländer VM-mount lenses with a large aperture of f/1.2 will be released over the next two months by Cosina. These lenses are updated versions of models that were discontinued in July 2024.

The new lenses include the Nokton 35mm F1.2 Aspherical IV VM, Nokton 40mm F1.2 Aspherical II VM, and Nokton 50mm F1.2 Aspherical II VM. The 35mm and 50mm lenses are set to be released in May, followed by the 40mm lens in June 2025.

Voigtlander's renewed models come with a few changes in terms of weight and design, with the lens construction improved to make all models lighter. The 35mm lens has reduced its weight from 332g to 300g; the 40mm lens from 315g to 267g; and the 50mm lens from 347g to 322g.

Also, the filter attachment section at the tip of the lens has a black finish, replacing the previously seen silver finish.

To enhance practicality, the shape of the bayonet for attaching the hood has been modified, making it easier for users to identify the slit position for the newly designed optional lens hood. This design also allows the hood to be attached in reverse for convenient storage.

The new LH-14 lens hood features a shortened hood length and is compatible with all three lenses, while the LH-15 has a longer vintage style and can be mounted on the 40mm and 50mm lenses. The lens hoods will be sold separately and will be released in May 2025.

Main features

• Large f/1.2 maximum aperture 
• Compact style
• High-level image quality with aspherical lenses
• All-metal lens barrel
• Manual focus
• Beautiful bokeh with 12-blade iris diaphragm (10 for 40mm)
• Bayonet-type VM mount (Leica M-mount compatible)
• Built-in rangefinder linkage system

Lens specifications

Above: Japanese YouTube video introducing the three new Voigtlander f/1.2 lenses

Bokeh is often one of the key considerations for photographers picking out a new camera lens, but one upcoming lens from Voigtlander wants to give photographers control over the way that bokeh looks. An upcoming Voigtlander Portrait Heliar 75mm f/1.8 lens includes a spherical convergence control ring that will adjust the look of the out-of-focus areas of the image from a soft focus type look to hard-edged bubble bokeh. The company explains that the new bokeh control gives photographers more control over the look of the images, but comes at the cost of increased chromatic aberrations.

Teased during a YouTube video on February 25, the Voigtlander 75mm f/1.8 for E-mount uses the unusual spherical convergence control ring to give photographers the ability to customize how the bokeh should look. The video explains that, on one side of the ring, the bokeh appears soft. On the opposite side of the control ring, the bokeh is overcorrected, giving the out-of-focus light dots a hard edge that’s often referred to as bubble bokeh or onion ring bokeh.

That gives the photographer the ability to control whether or not the bokeh is well-defined in-camera, rather than using tools like Lightroom Classic’s AI-based Lens Blur that also allows photo editors to add bubble bokeh along with other effects.

While bokeh control rings aren’t common, Voigtlander isn’t the first to launch a lens aimed at customizing the look of the bokeh. Petzval lenses, for example, use a control ring to enhance or reduce the swirling bokeh effect.

There’s a reason that most lenses don’t have such a control ring, however. Convergence is the term that refers to how a lens bends light to meet at a single point, which is the focus point. Adjusting the lens’ convergence will mean increasing chromatic aberration, or colored fringing, the teaser video warns.

“This lens is designed to vary the convergence, so it does have optical disadvantages,” the Cosina staff member in the video says. “I think this lens is recommended for those who enjoy these disadvantages as an essential part of their work.”

The new lens’ spec sheet includes a configuration made from six elements in three groups, with a nine-blade aperture. The lens weighs 560g and measures 88mm long. The full-frame lens does use electronic contacts to communicate EXIF data to the camera body, however, the spec sheet does not mention autofocus.

The new lens will be part of Cosina’s “touch and try” booth at the CP+ 2025 show in Japan, which begins on February 27. Cosina, a lens distributor for Voigtalnder and Zeiss, will also be displaying the new Zeiss Otus ML lenses.

The company has not yet shared the price or availability on the new Voigtlander Portrait Heliar 75mm f/1.8.

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Using a tiny pancake lens can make a mirrorless camera feel more like a compact camera – and Leica M mount shooters will soon have another option to choose from. On February 14, Cosina announced the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm f/3.5 Aspherical VM lens, a compact lens that only adds 14mm (.55 inches) from the lens mount and weighs just 99g (about 3.5 oz).

The lens is part of Cosina’s VM series, a line of manual focus optics designed for the full-frame Leica M mount. Like others in the series, the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm f/3.5 is made from brass and includes a retro-styled focus scale.

But, at 14mm from the mount excluding the mount and hood, the lens is actually smaller than the average width of the index finger, which would make the typical focus ring problematic. Instead, a focusing lever aims to help photographers quickly adjust the focus while keeping the retro look and compact size.

The compact lens is constructed with six elements in four groups. Cosina says that the double-sided aspherical lens and three analogous partial dispersion glass elements help the optic capture sharp images. The 35mm lens uses ten aperture blades, with a range of f/3.5 to f/22.

The lens will be available in silver or black paint and includes a metal hood.

While Cosina did not share an exact release date, the company expects the lens to arrive in March, 2025. The company hasn’t shared international pricing data, but the ¥102,000 suggested retail price is roughly equivalent to $670 / £530 / AU$1,054.

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For more compact optics, browse the best pancake lenses or the best Leica M lenses. Or read why using a pancake lens and mirrorless camera may make more sense than buying a compact camera.

Voigtländer has announced a Nikon Z-mount edition of its fast, wide-angle Nokton 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical prime, which has a 74.6° field of view. It comes hot on the heels of the Sony version announced at the tail end of 2024.

The full-frame lens covers a full-size image circle, and the optical design has been reengineered and optimized for the image sensors of Nikon Z-system cameras. While it's a manual-focus lens, it is equipped with electronic contacts, enabling electrical communication between the lens and the body, supporting the transfer of Exif information and enabling in-body image stabilization.

The lens is constructed from 10 elements in 8 groups, and the use of aspherical elements is said to provide excellent image resolving power, even when shooting wide open. The maximum aperture is a generous f/1.5 and the minimum setting is f/16. The minimum shooting distance is just 0.28m, enabling photographers to get up close to subjects, and this combination of wide aperture and short minimum shooting distance allows for beautiful 'blurred background' photography. In addition to this, the 12-blade aperture diaphragm is almost perfectly circular, allowing for a smooth bokeh effect in out-of-focus areas of highlights. It should qualify as one of the best lenses for bokeh.

It's an exclusively manual focus lens, and the all-metal focus ring has a classic knurled pattern that is easy to grip, while the silky operation of the greased high-precision metal helicoid mechanism enables precise focusing even at wide apertures.

A mechanical ring on the lens controls the aperture, rather than being set by the host camera's command dial, and this would particularly suit the retro styling of the Nikon Zf.

This lens weighs in at 360g and its overall size remains a relatively compact 67.6 x 57mm, with a 52mm filter thread. It comes with a dedicated metal screw-on lens hood.

The Nikon Z-mount edition of the Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical is scheduled for release in February 2025, and will cost ¥143,000 in Japan, which works out at around $910 / £745 / AU$1,470 with a direct currency conversion, but expect some variance with localized pricing.

Voigtländer is one of the oldest lens makers in the world making lenses in Germany since 1756. Since 1999 the Voigtlander name has been licensed for lenses and hand-crafted in Japan by optics specialist Cosina, and this new release signifies the 25th anniversary of the relationship.

The Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 VM Limited is named after the vintage  Leica M-mount lenses the brand is known for and will be released in December 2024 for VM-mount for Leica rangefinders. The classic and compact design provides the perfect harmony of old and new with the aesthetic of a vintage manual focus lens with modern optical quality.

For those shooting with a Leica rangefinder, you'll be no stranger to the balance between mechanical craftsmanship and aesthetic beauty. The all-metal body is based on the classic rangefinder lenses popular in the 1950s, a heyday for the format and popularised in this period by street photographers worldwide. The textured metal provides a tactile analog feel when manually focusing, enabling precise and accurate adjustments.

The Apo-Lanthar 50mm is constructed of 8 lens elements in 6 groups, including lenses that eliminate various aberrations including axial chromatic aberration. Despite measuring just 52 x 45mm, the lens covers the full image circle of a full-frame 35mm sensor/film.

With the combination of 10 aperture blades and the 'rangefinder standard' aperture of f/3.5, this lens is capable of creating shallow depth of field, with subject separation and pleasing bokeh. The lens has a 0.45m minimum focusing distance.

The Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 VM Limited lens is, as the latter part of the name might suggest, extremely limited in editions. The lens is available in three colors, olive, gray, and navy, with just 250 lenses available for each. The limited edition number is engraved on each lens which is also presented in a unique carry pouch in the corresponding colorway.

Cosina has stated that the lens is scheduled to release in December 2024, at the price of ￥125,000 which equates to around $800 / £650 / AU $1,250.

Check out our guides to the best Leica cameras and Leica M lenses, and with Black Friday just around the corner, our Black Friday camera Deals Hub!

Two new Voigtlander lenses for Nikon Z-mount have been announced. The APO-Lanthar 35mm f/2 Aspherical II and APO-Lanthar 50mm f/2 Aspherical II are updated 'Mark II' versions of the company's lenses of the same name – only omitting the 'II' bit at the end.

This explains the sudden discontinuation of the original lenses just a couple of years after their launch. The 35mm f/2 II lens is due to arrive in November 2024, while the 50mm f/2 II should be in the shops in December 2024.

The full-frame lenses are equally at home on Nikon FX and DX-sensor Z-series mirrorless cameras. Both are premium optics, with the apochromatic design reducing axial chromatic aberration to as close to zero as possible. While they are manual-focus lenses, they maintain full electronic communication with the camera body, thus embedding EXIF data into images, and enabling in-body image stabilization.

Shared traits include an all-metal helicoid barrel that has been machined and adjusted with high precision, resulting in just the right degree of torque to provide smooth focusing, thereby enabling delicate focus adjustments.

Their 12-bladed apertures are designed to create beautiful bokeh, retaining their circular shapes through the aperture range, not only at f/2 but also through f/2.8 and f/16, imbuing image highlights with an attractive "ball bokeh" no matter how much the aperture is stopped down.

Both lenses combine top-quality optical glass and mechanical components to deliver superb performance. The 35mm lens has 11 elements in nine groups, including five elements of anomalous partial dispersion glass and two double-sided aspherical lenses. The 50mm lens consists of 10 elements in eight groups, including five elements of anomalous partial dispersion glass and two double-sided aspherical lenses.

However, most of the design changes appear to be cosmetic and are on the exterior of the lenses, most notable of which is the inclusion of a reversible lens hood. We won't know how well they compare to the Mark I editions until we get them into our lab for testing.

The good news is, that the original editions were stellar performers, and you may well be able to pick them up at a handsome discount as retailers sell off stock in anticipation of the imminent arrival of their replacements.

You may also be interested in our guides to the best lenses for street photography and best 50mm lenses

Cosina, Voigtlander's parent company, has unveiled the new APO-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 Type I/II. Two different variants of this interchangeable lens have been designed exclusively for the full-frame Leica M-mount under the Voigtlander brand. 

This manual focus lens is optimized for full-size M-mount sensors, boasting a sophisticated apochromatic design that eliminates various aberrations, including axial chromatic aberration.

This new lens aims for exceptional resolution and contrast reproduction. Its maximum aperture is f/3.5, reminiscent of traditional rangefinder camera lenses. Four of its eight elements, arranged in six groups, incorporate anomalous partial dispersion glass, ensuring uncompromised optical performance.

The Type I version of the APO-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 features a high-precision rangefinder interlocking mechanism, providing a smooth operation with its all-metal helicoid. Users can experience the traditional pleasure of focusing with a rangefinder, with a minimum shooting distance of 0.45m, extendable from 0.7m depending on the attached camera. 

The lens has a retro-style filter diameter of 34mm and is available in two exterior designs: a brass model with two-tone black paint and chrome (245g) and an aluminum model with matte black paint (150g). Both models come with a matching metal hood and cap.

The Type II version also includes a high-precision rangefinder interlocking mechanism. However, it has a minimum shooting distance of 0.35m, extendable from 0.7m, and a helicoid rotation angle of 300 degrees, providing flexibility in focusing. 

The lens also features a 39mm filter diameter and is available in two exterior designs: a silver brass model (250g) and a black-painted model partially made of aluminum (175g). The silver model includes a matching metal hood and matte-finished black metal cap, while the black model comes with a metal hood and cap painted in the same color as the body.

Both versions of the APO-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 aim to deliver ultimate optical performance in a compact, stylish design inspired by mid-20th century rangefinder camera lenses.

These new Voigtlander lenses reflect the company’s dedication to combining classic design with modern optical technology, providing photographers with tools that are both aesthetically pleasing and functionally superior. The new APO-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 Type I/II from Voigtlander will be available in August 2024, offering users a blend of vintage charm and cutting-edge performance.

Check out our guide to the best Leica M-mount lenses

We're used to a new third-party lens being launched simultaneously in several mount options, but for the Nokton 75mm f/1.5 Aspherical, Voigtländer has adopted a staged release schedule. The lens was first released for Leica users, before being rolled out to Canon RF shooters in March this year. Then in April it was the turn of Nikon Z users to get in on the action, and now Voigtländer has announced the lens is officially getting a Sony E-mount launch.

Unlike a completely manual lens which can be adapted for multiple mounts with relative ease, the Nokton 75mm f/1.5 Aspherical does have electronic contacts for communication with the host camera body, so these must be re-engineered during the mount conversion. The inclusion of electronic lens-body communication enables features like Exif data recording, automatic live-view magnification when the focus ring is turned, and compatibility with Sony's 5-axis in-body image stabilisation (in camera bodies which offer this feature).

The Nokton 75mm f/1.5 Aspherical is a full-frame lens, and though it lacks autofocus, it's claimed that the all-metal helicoid focus mechanism offers high precision, and is also tuned with the aid of high quality grease to provide optimal resistance for silky-smooth focus adjustments.

The aperture ring can cycle through the lens's f/1.5-f/32 iris range either seamlessly or in clicked f-stops, thanks to the built-in switching mechanism. The aperture itself is a 12-blade unit, making the iris very well rounded. This should in turn provide smoother out of focus areas and creamier bokeh.

7 lens elements are arranged in 6 groups, with a single aspherical element at the back of the stack. The Sony version of the lens is 73.9mm long, 74mm in diameter, and weighs 515g; making it marginally shorter and lighter than the Nikon Z-mount version previously released. The E-mount variant also has a slightly longer minimum shooting distance of 0.55m (0.5m for the Z-mount edition). Full specs below:

The Voigtländer Nokton 75mm f/1.5 Aspherical lens for Sony E will cost ¥135,000 in Japan - at the time of writing that equates to approximately $858 / £676 / AU$1,296. The lens is expected to go on sale in Japan in July, though a global launch date has not yet been announced.

For more great lens options for your Sony camera check out our guide to the best Sony lenses in 2024.

It's about bloody time. 

As an RF user since the original Canon EOS R launched, back in 2018, this is the day I've been waiting for: Canon has taken the shackles off third-party manufacturers producing autofocus RF lenses. And, in doing so, it has taken the shackles off the RF mount as a whole.

In case you missed it, the two biggest third-party brands have just announced their first RF optics: a wide-angle lens from Tamron and no fewer than six lenses from Sigma – all autofocus, all officially sanctioned by Canon. 

Some big questions still remain, but before I get to those – why is this such a big deal, and why has Canon hamstrung third-party glass makers until now? 

Canon VS third-party brands

To be clear, these are not the first third-party lenses for the RF mount – and nor are they the first autofocus lenses for it, either. They are, however, the first autofocus RF lenses that Canon has allowed to remain on the market.

Companies producing manual focus RF lenses has never been an issue. Indeed, some of the best Canon RF lenses are from the likes of Laowa, Lensbaby, Voigtländer and Zhongyi. 

The problems started when third parties started bringing out lenses with autofocus. I first noticed this in June 2021, when Samyang pulled its RF lenses from sale, followed in August 2022 by Viltrox saying, "we have been told by Canon to stop selling all RF mount products". 

The reasoning was never made clear, as nobody ever commented on the record. My assumption is that the legal reason Canon stopped them is because they were reverse-engineering the RF mount's electronics to produce their AF systems, which is a violation of Canon's technology patents. 

As for the actual reason Canon didn't want third parties making AF RF lenses? It's possible that it wanted the entire market of new EOS R investors to itself, or at least wanted to make money from licensing the RF mount to third parties. 

Personally, I suspect it was as much about protecting the integrity of the fledgling EOS R system. Canon's entire future was resting on the performance of its expensive new cameras, particularly when Dual Pixel AF II was introduced. If the performance was compromised by reverse-engineered lenses not using the proper focusing protocols, that would tarnish the reputation of EOS R bodies.

What changed? 

Whatever the reason, Canon threw down the ban hammer and no third parties were allowed to make RF lenses with autofocus. Even the big boys like Sigma and Tamron, when asked as recently as CP+ this year, had no answers for us. 

However, Tsuyoshi Tokura, head honcho of Canon's imaging unit, told Japan's MyNavi that "Canon is communicating with third-party manufacturers regarding RF mount lenses," noting that "There are no restrictions." 

Which brings us to today, where Tamron and Sigma have both announced their first RF lenses complete with autofocus – and complete with the very clear asterisk, "This product is developed, manufactured, and sold under a license agreement with Canon Inc."

So all is good, now, right? 

Well, maybe. Probably. But there is still something very conspicuous about Tamron and Sigma's announcements: they only pertain to RF-S lenses, designed for Canon's APS-C cameras.

For clarity, these RF-S lenses will work on full-frame RF cameras (such as the Canon EOS R5 and R6 Mark II) but since they don't cover the entire sensor they can only be used in crop mode. 

So, is this just a coincidence? Is Tamron simply transplanting its Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD because it's a proven and popular APS-C lens? Is Sigma bringing out six existing APS-C lenses because it's the easiest way to get in on the act? Or is it possible that Canon is only licensing RF-S lenses, and keeping the full-frame RF lens market to itself?

Because if I'm Sigma, and I've just released a 5-star 50mm f/1.2 lens, I probably want my award-winning new lens available for the RF mount. Except that Canon already makes its own, much more expensive 50mm f/1.2 lens – and it probably doesn't want any competition for it.

Time will tell. Maybe I'm making mountains out of molehills. Either way, I'm just happy that we're finally getting RF glass from Tamron and Sigma – and the RF mount just took a major step toward usurping Sony's E mount dominance. 

Take a look at the best Canon cameras, which includes some of the best DSLRs along with the best mirrorless cameras on the market. 

For Leica shooters, the Voigtländer Nokton 75mm f/1.5 Aspherical has been a worthy option for portrait photographers looking for a fast and affordable prime. Cosina teased a while back that this lens would also be headed to Sony, Canon and Nikon mounts. Exactly one month ago today, the Canon RF mount got its big reveal – and now the Nikon Z mount is joining the party.

While slightly different in design to the Leica version, the Voigtländer Nokton 75mm f/1.5 Aspherical has seen a few physical tweaks for Canon and Nikon Z mounts to make the lens more of a cylindrical shape with fewer protruding parts, and in my opinion, is a big improvement.

The lens is capable of covering the full-size image circle for both full-frame (Nikon FX)  cameras and APS-C format (DX) cameras – although remember that Nikon DX cameras have a 1.5x crop factor that makes this lens equivalent to 112.5mm in full-frame terms, a focal length that might even make it more favorable to APS-C portrait shooters.

The Nokton 75mm f/1.5 is a manual focus and manual aperture lens, but comes equipped with electronic contacts and can communicate electronically with the camera body. 

As such, it provides EXIF information and can work in conjunction with in-body image stabilization (if your camera has it) as well as focusing support, such as focus peaking, so long as your camera's firmware is up to date. The focusing mechanism uses an all-metal helicoid unit that Cosina says has been machined and greased for a smooth and very high precision focusing experience.

The lens has a maximum aperture of f/1.5 and a minimum of f/32. Smaller apertures often see diminishing returns in quality, so it will be interesting to see how this lens performs. The lens is generously constructed with 12 aperture blades, which should make for a smoother bokeh, and is made up of 7 elements in 6 groups. You can see the full specs below.

The Voigtländer Nokton 75mm f/1.5 Aspherical lens for Nikon Z will cost ¥135,000 in Japan, which at the time of writing roughly converts to approximately $877 / £703 / AU$1,353.  The lens is scheduled to be released in May 2024.

For more great lens options for your Nikon camera check out our guide to the best Nikon Z lenses.

The once-famous Voigtländer brand has enjoyed a real resurgence under its Japanese parent company Cosina, and now sports a large line-up of premium quality manual focus lenses. The Nokton 75mm F1.5 is the latest addition, offering a fast maximum aperture and a short telephoto focal length in a compact design.

Canon has proved rather prickly about third party lenses for its RF mount mirrorless cameras but seems prepared to license lens designs that don’t conflict with its own lens range, and there’s certainly not much like the Nokton in the Canon line-up. While the best Canon RF lenses are very good indeed, they are also expensive.

You can’t always assume that older lens designs will work well on modern sensors, as we found when we tried the Voigtländer Color Skopar 35mm F2.5 on an EOS R8 body. However, the Nokton 75mm F1.5 has been designed specifically for full frame Canon RF cameras, so it’s not a generic optic that attaches via an adapter. Indeed, it boasts electronic contacts with the camera body to transmit EXIF and IBIS information (for RF bodies that have IBIS) and supports focus magnification, peaking and focus guide functions.

The Nokton uses a classic mechanical helicoid focus mechanism, and has an impressive 12-bladed diaphragm for smooth bokeh rendering. It has a manual aperture ring, but this can be de-clicked for filming, making this an old-school manual focus lens with some very modern touches.

Other specifications include a minimum focus distance of 0.5m, a minimum aperture of f/32 and a filter size of 62mm. The lens construction is 7 elements in 6 groups, including an aspheric element, and a dedicated lens hood is included.

Cosina says the Voigtländer Nokton 75mm F1.5 Aspherical RF should go on sale in April 2024 at a price of ¥135,000, which is about $906 / £711 / AU$1380.

CP+ is the biggest camera event in the world and CP+ 2024 kicks off tomorrow in Tokyo with many new camera and lens announcements expected. Ahead of the event, Cosina has given us a peek at several new Voigtlander lenses scheduled to be unveiled. 

The Voigtlander Nokton 75mm f/1.5 Aspherical is the first of the lenses with scheduled releases for Nikon Z, Canon RF, and Sony FE mount. Much like other Voightlander Nokton lenses, it will be entirely manual focus, but it does include electronic contacts enabling a discussion between camera and lens to aid with technical recordings such as EXIF data. Although compact and lightweight, the lens' large diameter covers the full-frame sensor and offers a wide f/1.5 aperture, which will certainly be appealing to portrait photographers.  

The 75mm focal length sits right in the zone of the best portrait lenses, and when coupled with the wide f/1.5 aperture at full-frame you can expect some seriously stunning images. We all know that a shallow depth of field and bokeh isn't a necessity for a great portrait but at f/1.5 the lens will enable great fall-off and subject separation, drawing attention to only the pin-sharp focused area.

The lens is configured with 7 elements in 6 groups and a 12-blade aperture which will make the bokeh deliciously spherical. Cosina states that this lens will be perfect for 'bokeh photography', and having read the specs I can see why, but I think that this lens may also be a valid option for videographers.

The other two lenses announced by Cosina are the Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 VM and the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.2 VM. Both of these lenses are for full-frame VM mount. Voigtlander VM mount is designed especially for Lecia M series cameras and often features among the best Leica M lenses due to its retro and manual focus nature and delivers great optical performance at a more affordable entry point for Leica M users.

The Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 50mm f/3.5 VM 'adopts an apochromatic design that brings the axial chromatic aberration of RGB, which makes up the three primary colors of light, as close to zero as possible'.

4 types of this lens will be available, each with different focus extension structures, materials, and exterior colors. This is the first time I have seen a single lens with 4 different build options, so I will be interested to see the official reveal at CP+ and how they all differ.

The Voigtlander Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.2 VM is a lightweight and compact lens that offers excellent optical performance, and Cosina states that even at wide-open performance remains consistent.

50mm is a classic focal length and has been used on M-mount cameras by some of the greatest photographers of all time, most notably Henri Cartier-Breeson. Cosina has recently announced a super-fast 50mm f/1.0 for Sony mirrorless, which is also expected to be on display at this year's CP+.

Further information about the lenses, their release dates, and the prices will all be unveiled at CP+ 2024. We have yet to test these lenses so can only speculate after reviewing the specification sheets, but I imagine like with most Voigtlander lenses you can expect bang for your buck!

Voigtlander offers great affordable options for lenses, for more information on budget-friendly equipment see our guides to the best cheap lenses, the best budget telephoto lenses, and the best Leica alternatives. 

The Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II is a Leica M-mount rangefinder lens that can also be used on a host of mirrorless cameras via inexpensive ‘dumb’ mount adaptors. It was tested on a Sony A7 II and a Canon EOS R8, and the results were very different – more on that later!

The Voigtländer name is well known in photography, and Voigtländer lenses are now made by Cosina in Japan. They are not budget lenses. They are high-quality optics made for modern cameras. This one comes in a Leica M mount and would make a great lower-cost alternative to Leica lenses for fans of the red dot.

But the narrower lens mount and slightly longer flange distance of the M mount means you can get adaptors for today’s mirrorless bodies. We used adaptors from Urth. This 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II is a fully manual lens with no electronic connections, so it doesn’t need complex lens adaptors and works in just the same way on a mirrorless body as it would on a rangefinder.

The f/2.5 maximum aperture might seem a handicap, but how often do you need anything faster? Where the Color Skopar excels is its small size, the quality of its controls, and its manual focus and depth of field control – though there is one niggle to be aware of here.

It's not likely to make it onto our list of the best Sony lenses because it's both specialized and an acquired taste, but if you're looking for the best 35mm lenses with a real retro vibe, then it's right up there.

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: specifications

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: price and availability

At the time of writing, the Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II is on sale for around $429 / £398, which makes it rather cheaper than own-brand 35mm f/1.8 lenses but also, of course, rather slower in maximum aperture. It’s certainly not a cheap lens, but it does cost less than regular 35mm primes and is substantially smaller. It seems pretty widely available in the US, but while it's carried by many UK retailers, it may not always be in stock.

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: design and handling

This is such a compact lens that it’s almost a little fiddly to handle. The manual aperture ring is at the front of the lens, whereas on most digital lenses, or those that have aperture rings, it’s closer to the camera body. The Voigtländer’s focus ring is where your fingers might be expecting to find the aperture ring, so it does need a little acclimatization. 

The aperture ring is perhaps a little light but has very positive click stops in half-stop increments – not the one-third stops of modern systems – while the focus ring is beautifully smooth and has a focus lever on the base. It is rangefinder coupled for use on genuine rangefinder-focused cameras, but this coupling is redundant when used on mirrorless cameras.

It is wonderful to have a long focus travel and a detailed focus scale, together with depth of field index marks for apertures from f/4 to f/22, as these make hyperfocal focusing and zone focusing a breeze. These are forgotten arts well worth rediscovering in the modern era.

But there is a problem. We did not test this lens on a Leica rangefinder body which is, perhaps, what it is mainly designed for, but using three different adaptors on two different bodies we did find a discrepancy between the infinity mark and infinity focus. You can’t just turn the focus ring to its hard stop at infinity and expect the lens to be focused at infinity. In practice, ‘real’ infinity is somewhere between the infinity and 5m marks.

Whether you blame lens adapters or the lens, if you intend using the Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II on a mirrorless camera, you should check the focus using the EVF or rear screen, ideally with magnification, or make allowances for any discrepancy in the distance scale.

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: performance

This is a relatively simple lens in optical terms, but its performance proved surprisingly good. There is some softening of detail at the edges, even after stopping down, and our sample was a little softer on the right side than the left, which could be annoying.

But while there is some visible vignetting, you might want to leave it in because it’s part of this lens’s very interesting character and can often improve the picture. We were expecting some chromatic aberration and perhaps distortion, but there’s precious little of either.

That was using a Sony A7 II body. We also tried this lens on a Canon EOS R8, this time via a Leica M to Canon RF adapter, and got a very different outcome. 

One of the issues with vintage lens designs is that they were originally made for film, which is very tolerant of high angles of incidence where the image strikes the edges of the frame. It turns out our EOS R8’s sensor is not. Towards the edges of the frame it produced a strong magenta shift that effectively makes the images from this lens unusable for color work – though you might get away with it if you use the Voigtländer on an APS-C Canon RF mount camera.

We didn’t expect to see a difference like that between two full frame mirrorless cameras. On this showing, we would certainly try out other older lens designs on a Sony body (and have done), but we won’t rush to repeat this experiment with the Canon.

So there are some drawbacks and pitfalls with this lens, and it can take a little while to get the hang of it and get the most from it.

But it’s worth it. The edge definition might not be great and there is some moderate corner shading, but the center sharpness is pretty spectacular, and the relatively simple optics give a level of contrast and punchiness you don’t normally see with a modern lens. If you want to recreate the look of old transparency film, maybe you should forget about so-called film simulations but look at what lenses like this do instead.

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: verdict

The Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II is about as different as you can get to a modern digital lens, though for photographers who started out in film it will also be a reminder about how simple and effective lenses used to be.

You can zone focus perfectly well with this lens, though do check and make allowances for any discrepancies in the distance scale if you’re using it with an adapter. It’s also capable of extremely sharp results if you focus precisely – though this takes a little more time and effort than autofocus, so this is not exactly a point and shoot lens.

What this lens lacks in edge to edge sharpness it makes up for with superb centre sharpness, high contrast and a character that you don’t really see with modern lenses. With the Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar P-Type II, the handling and the look of the images are everything.

Voigtländer 35 mm/1:2.5 Color Skopar: alternatives

The Voigtländer Color-Skopar 18mm f/2.8 Aspherical X-mount is scheduled for release in February 2024, and will only be available for the Fujifilm X-mount cameras. The lens is manual focus and 'implements an optical system optimized for the image sensor of Fujifilm X system cameras' such as the Fujifilm X-T5 and the Fujifilm X-S20. 

This all-metal manual focus pancake lens measures just 23.5mm from the lens mount and weighs only 115g, making it extremely lightweight and compact. This is to be expected from a lens type named pancake but in this instance, the tiny form boasts many key features that would make this an exceptionally capable lens for street and travel photography - not to mention a lot of fun!  

Comprised of 7 elements in 5 groups and 10 aperture blades the 18mm offers a max aperture of f/2.8. The 10 aperture blades allow the aperture hole to become more spherical, enabling natural out-of-focus areas that render smooth rounded bokeh. The mechanical aperture ring is also connected to the opening and closing of the blades, and with 1/3 step clicks, 'you can enjoy the feeling of directly operating the mechanism'.

The 18mm focal length is the equivalent of 28mm on full-frame, a favorite amongst landscape, street, and travel photographers as it enables capture of a wide scene.

Other noteworthy features include a minimum focusing distance of just 0.17m, a focus ring lever for precise adjustments, and electronic contacts for information communication between lens and body. This last point is not a feature on all manual focus lenses but is a useful inclusion. As long as the camera in use has updated firmware, it will be able to detect 'Exif data, focus check, shooting distance linked display, and certain models also support in-body image stabilization'.

Even though limited to MF, this lens has all the hallmarks of a classic. With MF, mechanical aperture ring, and focus lever, harken back to an analog shooting experience. If placed upon the retro-style body of some of the X Series cameras, it could be a great alternative to a Leica M11 or if used in conjunction with the outstanding Fujifilm film simulations even a Leica M6!

The Voigtländer Color-Skopar 18mm f/2.8 Aspherical X-mount from Cosina will be released in February 2024 for the price of ¥88,000 which roughly converts to $600 | £475 | AU$900. 

See our guides for more information on the best Leica camera alternatives, the best Fujifilm lenses, and the best lenses for travel photography. 

Cosina has announced the release of the Voigtländer Nokton 40mm f/1.2 Aspherical for Canon RF-mount cameras – offering a big aperture standard prime, for much less than Canon's own version.

Of course, Canon has still not opened up the RF lens mount for any third-party manufacturer to use Canon's autofocus, so the Nokton 40mm lens is a fully manual focus affair. As is the aperture, which is controlled by a de-clicked step-less manual aperture ring.

However, there is a silver lining, the Nokton lens does have the appropriate contacts to connect to the camera electronically, so it will be possible to use the usual focus peaking, enlarged display, and focus guide assists to help nail that tricky manual focus, especially at the super wide apertures this lens is capable of. The lens can also manually focus down to 0.3m.

The Nokon 40mm can also work in conjunction with the camera to record EXIF data, and if your Canon EOS R body has in-body image stabilization, it will also work with this Nokton lens (or any manual focus lens for that matter, but worth mentioning).

The lens configuration uses double-sided aspherical lenses for two of the eight elements in six groups, which enables the lens to produce what Cosina claims is the perfect optical performance that doesn't rely on any in-camera corrections, which is handy, as Canon restricts those to only first-party lenses anyway.

It is the second lens that Voigtländer has made for the Canon RF, with the new Nokton 40mm joining the existing Nokton 50mm f/1.0, which is already on sale.

The 40mm lens is the perfect general-purpose angle, suitable for landscapes, street scenes, and environmental portraits, and still life. The f/1.2 aperture is made up of a rounded 10-blade diaphragm and should allow the lens to achieve a very shallow depth of field, so it should make for some impressive creative shots or low-light image quality.

The lens has an all-metal construction although while durability is mentioned, there is no official mention of weather sealing. Previous Voigtländer lenses have been exceptionally nice to hold, featuring a timeless look.

The 40mm f/1.2 lens has a planned release date of January 2024, and although there is no official US or UK pricing yet, in Japan, the Voigtländer Nokton 40mm F1.2 Aspherical will cost ¥132,000, which is around $930 Stateside, which seems like a very reasonable cost considering the aperture and optical quality promised.

Read more: you can find more of the best Canon RF lenses in our guide or check out our top picks for the best Canon camera.

Two new wallet-friendly (friendlier) Leica lenses have been announced by the new brand Thypoch. 

Thypoch is a new company that made its debut this year at Photopia Hamburg and Salon de la Photo in Paris. Nearly one month after the first appearance at the events, Thypoch is officially launching its first series of full-frame lenses, and for the Leica M mount no less! They are designed to fit with the timeless feel of the M mount rangefinder cameras, and provide this by its manual focus and considered design. 

• See our list of best Leica M lenses

The two lenses set for release by Thypoch are named Simera, after the Greek word for today. They will be 28mm and 35mm and both have a maximum aperture of an extremely attractive f/1.4! To add further to the impressive sounding lenses they will be available at just $699. This will place the Thypoch lenses in a similar place in the market as the Voigtlander lenses. But how do they match up?

Unfortunately, we do not have the lenses in for testing as yet, however, the specs, sample images, and trailer all look promising. The image quality looks fantastic, boasting a large aperture of f/1.4 and a 14-blade diaphragm for soft and dreamy bokeh. 

The release mentions the offering of stunning visuals that are perfect for storytelling, and after watching the trailer, I am inclined to agree. Also, a combination of aspherical elements and distinctive optics design remove chromatic aberration and keep corner quality high. 

Other features of note include, a minimum focusing distance for the 35mm and 28mm is 0.45m and 0.4m respectively, a click and de-click option for the focus ring enabling smooth operation for both stills and video, and resistance at 0.7 meters on the focus ring to mark a need for a switch to EVF to assure focus accuracy. 

Thypoch is a company passionate about timeless manual focus lenses, which is why they have created for the Leica M mount. In the press release for the lens, it states its aim is to "support its users to explore boundless ways of personal expression via authentic images in assorted themes, i.e. street photography, portraits, landscape, fine art shooting, etc".

The Simera 35mm and 28mm are available in black or silver and are both priced at $699 (around £575) with a box and a square hood included. The 35mm is available now and the 28mm will start shipping mid December. 

UPDATE: The exact release date has been confirmed for the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical RF-mount – the first third-party lens sanctioned by Canon with electronic compatibility with EOS R cameras.

The ultra-fast glass will be released on October 26, and will be one of the most sought-after nifty fifty lenses for EOS R users – and, if it lives up to some of Voigtländer's other optics, perhaps it'll be one of the best Canon RF lenses as well.

…

ORIGINAL STORY (20 Sep 2023): Cosina has released details regarding its first Canon RF lens, the Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical RF-mount. Announced earlier in the year, Cosina has now provided us with a release date along with further lens specifications. 

Although this lens is already available for the Nikon Z and Leica M mounts, its arrival on the EOS R system marks a significant milestone for Canon – one that many weren't expecting so soon. The Nokton will become the first third-party RF-mount lens officially licensed by Canon to incorporate electronic contacts, with the ability to communicate directly with the EOS R system, supporting all EXIF data.

• Check our guide to the Best lenses for Canon RF 

The 50mm lens boasts an ultra-large aperture of f/1, with an image circle enabling it to be used with both full frame and APS-C bodies. Cosina has simplified the lens configuration while keeping the high-performance attributes, by including a ground aspherical lens and mechanism. The mechanical part is also equipped with a floating mechanism, which enables shooting from the shortest shooting distance of 0.45m.  

No fewer than 12 aperture blades are featured in this lens, producing a more circular opening. This somewhat significant detail enables the out-of-focus bokeh to be more soft and circular and, therefore, less polygonal. 

The Nokton lens is fully manual and includes an aperture click-switching mechanism, facilitating smooth and delicate focus adjustments. This feature can be a real benefit when capturing video, especially with the lens being compatible with the in-body image stabilization of EOS R cameras. The lens also includes three focus assist options – enlarged display, focus peaking, and focus guide (excluding the Canon EOS RP). 

A worthwhile cautionary note to consider with this lens is that Cosina has made clear in its release that, due to the optical characteristics of the lens, some magenta fringing may become visible on the periphery of the scene (dependent on shooting conditions). This caution is specifically stated for the Canon EOS R, Canon EOS RP, and the original Canon EOS R6.

The Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical RF-mount is scheduled for release in October 2023 at a price point of around $1,600 / £1,300 / AU$2,500.

If you can't wait, check our review of the Canon RF 50mm 1.8 STM or the Canon 50mm RF 1.2L UTM.

Fujifilm makes its own ultra-fast 50mm lens, the XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR, but this is a pretty big lens and has a price tag to match. If you only want an ultra-fast 75mm equivalent lens occasionally, the Voigtlander Nokton 50mm F1.2 could be a more appealing buy.

It doesn't have the autofocus of the Fujifilm lens, but it is considerably smaller and lighter, with a length of just 49mm and a weight of 290g. Made by Cosina, the Nokton 50mm F1.2 has the construction of a classic mechanical lens, including metal helicoid focus and a direct mechanical aperture ring, but it also incorporates modern electronics for data communication between the lens and the camera body.

Many of the best Fujifilm lenses are primes, but while these often mirror the retro styling and operation of classic lenses, they are modern digital optics. The Nokton 50mm F1.2 approaches this from the opposite direction, offering classic mechanical construction wth the advantages of digital lens-body communication.

This means the lens can transmit EXIF data, offers focus check and distance display and provides information for the camera's in-body stabilization and parallax info (for X-Pro models). Some older X-mount cameras won't support this data transfer but all current models do with the latest firmware updates, and you can check a full compatibility list on the Cosina Nokton 50mm F1.2 web page (use your browser's translation feature).

The Nokton 50mm F1.2 uses a sophisticated optical construction consisting of 9 elements in 8 groups and does not rely on any in-camera corrections. It has a 12-bladed aperture ring for circular bokeh, and a minimum focus distance of 0.39m. The filter size is a modest 58mm, despite the wide maximum aperture.

Nokton 50mm F1.2 specifications

Focal length: 50mm (Full size conversion: 75mm)
Minimum aperture: F16
Lens configuration: 9 elements in 8 groups
Angle of view: 32.5°
Aperture blades: 12
Minimum shooting distance: 0.39m
Filter size: 58mm
Width x length: 63.9 × 49.0mm

The Nokton 50mm F1.2 will go on sale in September 2023 at an anticipated retail price of ¥100,000, which is about US$690 / £540 / AU$1060.

See our guide to the best Fujifilm lenses, and our recommendations for the best lenses for the Fujifilm X-T4

The Voigtländer D23mm f/1.2 Nokton Z Aspherical is steeped in history. Voigtländer started making lenses all the way back in 1840, more than 180 years ago. The D23mm builds on a pioneering spirit and great attention to detail, being a thoroughly modern lens with real retro charm. Although the company has its roots firmly in Austria and Germany, the D23mm is made in Japan, due to Voigtländer being acquired by Cosina in 1999.

Factoring the 1.5x crop factor of Nikon Z DX (APS-C format) camera bodies into the equation, the lens has the same field of view as using a 35mm lens on a full-frame camera. This ‘effective’ focal length is widely favored by street photographers, who pride themselves on reacting to unfolding events and capturing definitive moments. Indeed, manual focusing is the convention for this type of photography, so you can set the focus distance in advance and shoot from the hip, so to speak. We’ll come back to that later.

In the own-brand camp, Nikon recently launched its first Z DX format prime lens, in the diminutive and very affordable shape of the Z DX 24mm f/1.7. Another cut-price contender with street smarts is the excellent Viltrox AF 23mm f/1.4 Z. Both of these lenses are autofocus lenses, although the Viltrox adds an aperture control ring and has an all-metal rather than all-plastic build. The Voigtländer beats them both for aperture speed and has definite handling benefits if manual focusing is your thing.

Specifications

Mount: Nikon Z (DX)
Full-frame: No
Autofocus: No
Stabilization: No
Lens construction: 10 elements in 6 groups
Angle of view: 63.3 degrees
Diaphragm blades: 12
Minimum aperture: f/16
Minimum focusing distance: 0.18m
Maximum magnification ratio: 0.2x
Filter size: 46mm
Dimensions: 66x45mm
Weight: 240g

Key features

Although it’s a manual focus lens, it’s not a fully manual ‘dumb lens’. As such it features electronics for data communication with the camera body. Even so, unlike most electronically equipped lenses with a manual aperture ring, you can’t control the aperture from the camera body when the ring is set to its narrowest setting (f/16 in this case). You can therefore only effectively shoot in aperture-priority and manual modes, but not in Program AE or shutter-priority shooting modes. On the plus side, full lens-based EXIF data is recorded in images.

At the time of writing this review, there were no foreseeable Z DX cameras on the horizon with in-body image stabilization. However, thanks to the electronic coupling, you can shoot on a Z FX (full-frame) body in DX crop mode and take advantage of 3-axis IBIS without the need to dial ‘non-CPU lens data’ into the camera’s Setup menu.

Typically for Voigtländer lenses, the D23mm looks something of a vintage item (in a good way) but the optical design is bang up to date. There are ten optical elements in total, featuring a complex double-sided aspherical element and two ‘abnormal partial-dispersion’ glass elements, aiming to minimize chromatic aberration.

The f/1.2 aperture rating is a key feature, enabling relatively fast shutter speeds even when shooting under very low lighting conditions, without the need to bump up your camera’s ISO setting to freeze motion or avoid camera shake. Keeping to a low ISO setting also minimizes the risk of increased image noise.

Despite the fairly short 23mm focal length, the super-fast aperture also enables a tight depth of field at fairly close shooting distances, ideal for isolating the main subject within a scene by blurring the background. And to maintain high-quality bokeh when stopping down, the lens features a very well-rounded 12-blade aperture diaphragm.

Build and handling

The build quality of the D23mm feels deeply satisfying, based on a precision-engineered metal casing, metal control rings, metal mounting plate and even a screw-in metal hood. Ideal for candid street photography, as well as making the lens very easy to live with, it’s very compact for such a ‘fast’ lens with a super-bright f/1.2 aperture, measuring just 66x45mm and weighing a mere 240g. However, the construction doesn’t include any weather-seals.

Handling is simply sublime. As you’d hope for in a manual focus lens, the focus control ring has a long rotational travel and a wonderfully smooth, fluid feel. Both of these facets help to enable precise and accurate focusing, much more so than when trying to focus manually with the vast majority of autofocus lenses.

The focus and aperture control rings both have a precision-cut knurled and ridged design, which further enhances handling. The aperture ring works in 1/3rd f-stop click steps but lacks a de-click option, favored by videographers. Unlike in the Fujifilm X-mount version of the lens, the Z-mount edition has its aperture ring at the rear rather than at the front of the barrel, more in keeping with old-school Nikon lenses.

And speaking of ‘old-school’, we love that the Voigtländer really does transport you back to an earlier era of photography. From a handling perspective, as we’ve mentioned, you have to adjust the aperture as well as the focus distance by using physical control rings on the lens barrel, instead of being able to change the aperture from the host camera’s command dial. You’re therefore locked into a style of shooting that’s more akin to using an old film camera, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. An upside is that the current aperture setting is displayed in the camera’s viewfinder or rear screen, as well as in the Z fc’s top-panel aperture display screen, so it’s easy to keep tabs on.

Zone focusing is often popular in conventional street photography, so you can set the near and far limits of sharpness, catering to the depth of field delivered by various apertures. The Voigtländer obliges with focus distance scales in both feet and meters, and color-coded depth of field markers for apertures of f/4, f/8, f/11 and f/16. As with the aperture scale, these are engraved and over-printed to a top-quality standard.

When accurate focusing is more critical, for example when shooting close-ups at wide aperture settings where depth of field is tight, the lens can take advantage of various focus aids in Nikon Z system cameras. These include color-change confirmation for the selected focus point throughout the image frame, focus peaking with various optional levels of sensitivity, and a magnified preview. All of these work when using both the viewfinder and rear screen for composing shots.

Performance

If you’re after the sharpest tool in the box, this Voigtländer lens isn’t for you. In our real-world testing and lab tests, we found sharpness to be a bit lackluster at apertures wider than f/2.8. That’s certainly not unusual for lenses with such a super-fast aperture. Either way, image quality is very satisfying overall. There’s good contrast and clarity even when shooting wide-open at f/1.2, with lovely color rendition.

With fast lenses, the quality of bokeh is often equally important as sharpness, if not more so, and the Voigtländer does very well here. It delivers a creamy smoothness for defocused areas and bokeh remains very appealing when stopping down a little, helped by the very well-rounded 12-blade aperture diaphragm.

Lenses with very fast aperture ratings often suffer from axial/longitudinal chromatic aberration, also known as ‘bokeh fringing’. The Voigtländer impresses here as well, with minimal color fringing around high-contrast edges in scenes that fall just in front of or behind the plane of focus.

Distortion and vignetting are fairly low, the latter being quite acceptable even when shooting wide-open at f/1.2. In-camera corrections for distortion and vignetting can be switched on or off but, as detailed in the user manual, switching them on in the camera menus actually make no difference, as the corrections are not compatible with this lens.

Summing up performance on the whole, the Voigtländer D23mm is capable of delivering gorgeous image quality and, for our money, its creamy bokeh more than makes up for any lack in razor-sharpness at really wide aperture settings.

Sample images

Lab results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

As often with super-fast f/1.2 lenses, wide-open sharpness is lackluster but there are advantages even here. For example you might not want to draw attention to every tiny blemish in portraiture. Sharpness picks up well at f/2.8, especially in the central region of the frame and at the extreme edges and corners. The area between the two is less impressive.

Fringing:

Lateral chromatic aberration can be a little noticeable but this is automatically taken care of with in-camera correction in Nikon Z system cameras, both in JPEG and RAW quality settings. The lens also does very well to minimize axial/longitudinal chromatic aberration or ‘bokeh fringing’ at wide apertures, in its own right.

Distortion: -0.99

There’s a slight touch of barrel distortion, for which automatic in-camera correction can be switched on but has no effect. Even so, it’ll generally go unnoticed in the vast majority of images.

Verdict

Designed exclusively for the latest Nikon Z DX (APS-C) format mirrorless cameras, this lens builds on a rich Voigtländer history that stretches back to the dawn of photography itself. It looks that way too, with a beautiful retro design that fits right in with the Nikon Z fc camera, and it works equally well on other Z DX bodies. Amazingly compact and lightweight for an f/1.2 prime, it’s a manual focus lens with an ‘effective’ focal length of 35mm in full-frame terms, ideal for traditional street photography and more besides. This Voigtländer looks and feels a top-quality lens and delivers excellent image quality, making it a great buy at the price.

Read more:

• Best camera lenses to get
• Best Canon lenses
• Best Nikon lenses
• Best Sony lenses

The Voigtländer 15mm f/4.5 Super Wide-Heliar Z Aspherical is a new lens from a manufacturer that’s been around for as long as photography itself, kicking off with the legendary Petzval lens, versions of which resurfaced a few years ago backed by a crowdfunding project. The Voigtländer brand has been owned by Cosina since the turn of the century and this 15mm Super-Wide-Heliar for Nikon Z system cameras has a pretty long heritage itself, following in the footsteps of three generations of 15mm primes for Leica and Sony cameras.

Compared with the Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, the Voigtländer is relatively tiny, less than half the weight and only a third of the price. Naturally, it doesn’t have such a bright aperture and lacks autofocus but the latter isn’t generally an issue. In our testing, we found that we could simply set the focus ring at infinity when shooting at f/8, and everything looked sharp from the far horizon right down to about a single meter away. The Voigtländer prime is also only about half the price the Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S zoom, which has a similar aperture rating and is again rather larger and heavier.

Specifications

Mount: Nikon Z (FX)
Full-frame: Yes
Autofocus: No
Stabilizer: No
Lens construction: 11 elements in 9 groups
Angle of view: 110 degrees
Diaphragm blades: 10
Minimum aperture: f/22
Minimum focusing distance: 0.126m
Maximum magnification ratio: 0.25x
Filter size: 58mm
Dimensions: 67x68mm
Weight: 290g

Key features

Heading the feature list is the ‘super wide’ field of view, delivered by the Voigtländer’s 15mm focal length. Indeed, you get a huge angle of view equating to 110 degrees on full-frame Nikon Z system cameras. You can also use the lens on Z DX (APS-C format) bodies and get a still fairly wide viewing angle but, in reality, it’s only a little wider than you’ll get from the dinky little Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR. For our money, the Voigtländer is only really worth considering for Z FX (full-frame) cameras.

The expansive field of view is typically most useful for landscape photography and architectural interiors. With that in mind, as we’ve already mentioned, the lack of autofocus isn’t really a problem, due to the huge depth of field generated by the short focal length. Indeed, shooting at f/8, the hyperfocal distance is approximately 1m, at which everything will be rendered sharply from just 0.5m from the camera’s image sensor all the way to infinity. The lens is less than ideal for astrophotography, due to its modest f/4.5 aperture rating, in keeping with its compact build.

The lens can actually focus right down to 0.126m, or about 5 inches, again measured from the image sensor rather than the front of the lens. This enables extreme close-ups and also makes the lens useful for selfies and vlogging, if you want to set yourself in the scene by including a large area of background.

When accurate focusing is more critical in close-up shooting, the lens obliges with a focus distance scale and depth of field markings for apertures of f/4.5, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 and 22. In-camera focusing aids are also available, including color-change of the active focus point and focus peaking, both in the viewfinder and on the rear screen. Naturally, you can also use the magnified preview option when shooting with any Z system camera.

The updated Heliar optical design is based on 11 elements in 9 groups and features one aspherical element to boost sharpness and clarity while reducing aberrations. The aperture is controlled by a 10-blade diaphragm which remains well-rounded when stopping down.

Build and handling

The construction looks very vintage and feels like adding a bit of history to a Z system camera body. The lens feels solid and robust, with a metal casing, mounting plate and hood. As with many ultra-wide-angle lenses, the hood is fixed in place and helps to protect the front element. Unusually though, it can be removed as it’s held in place by two flat-head grub screws, and the lens does feature a 58mm filter attachment thread. However, removing and refitting the hood is more fiddly than when using a typical bayonet-fit or screw-in hood.

If you’ve used Nikon lenses that feature an aperture ring, you’ll generally be used to being able to set and lock the ring at its narrowest setting and control the aperture from the camera body. Not only can this feel a little more intuitive, but it also enables shooting in Program AE and shutter-priority modes, instead of just in aperture-priority and metered manual modes. That’s not possible with the Voigtländer because, despite featuring electronic communication with the camera, the aperture can only be adjusted via the on-board control ring. And unlike a number of old-school Nikon lenses that have an aperture ring, it’s positioned at the front of the barrel instead of at the rear.

An upside of having the aperture control ring at the front is that we found it minimized the risk of altering the aperture accidentally during focusing. Manual focusing itself is a joy, thanks to the focus ring’s knurled and ridged profile, and its super-smooth action.

Ultimately, build quality and handling are excellent although, typical of Voigtländer lenses, the 15mm lacks any weather-seals.

Performance

The Voigtländer 15mm is a lens that truly punches well above its diminutive size and weight in terms of performance. Throughout our real-world testing, sharpness proved excellent from the center of the frame right out to the extreme edges and corners.

More surprisingly for such a tiny ultra-wide-angle lens, vignetting is none too severe even when shooting wide-open at f/4.5, and distortion is entirely negligible. The lack of noticeable distortion is actually pretty amazing considering that it’s based purely on optical prowess. That’s certainly not the case with many recent lenses designed for mirrorless cameras, which rely almost entirely on in-camera corrections. You can switch on automatic in-camera corrections for vignetting and distortion but they actually have no effect, as the lens doesn’t support these functions.

Color quality and contrast are impressive and there’s good resistance to ghosting and flare. The lens also delivers attractive sun stars although, as we’ve mentioned, the modest aperture rating is less than ideal for astrophotography.

Sample images

Lab results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

As always when lab-testing ultra-wide-angle lenses, regular sized test charts need to be shot from a very close distance. As a result in this case, center-sharpness looks very impressive but edge/corner-sharpness is relatively poor. In ‘real-world’ shooting at more typical focus distances, however, we found the lens delivered excellent sharpness right out to the extreme corners of the frame.

Fringing:

Color fringing scores are pretty mediocre towards the edges and corners of the image frame but, in practice, Nikon’s automatic in-camera correction for both JPEG and RAW files effectively takes any shortcomings out of the equation. You can see this for yourself in our example shots.

Distortion: -0.36

The distortion score is amazingly good for an ultra-wide-angle lens, again based on shooting a test chart at very close range. In real-world shooting, the lens behaves like an almost zero-distortion optic.

Verdict

Surely there’s some kind of optical wizardry going on here. If you’re accustomed to 14-24mm ultra-wide-angle zooms from the likes of Nikon and Sigma, you’ll know they’re big, chunky lenses. By contrast, this Voigtländer shoehorns an immense field of view into an unfeasibly small, lightweight package. Although it has electronic communication with Nikon Z system camera bodies, it’s a manual focus lens. That’s not really a problem, as the huge depth of field generally takes focusing out of the equation. It’s beautifully built and delivers excellent image quality, all at a highly competitive price.

Read more:

• Best camera lenses to get
• Best Canon lenses
• Best Nikon lenses
• Best Sony lenses

Cosina has announced that it is about to launch its fourth manual-focus prime lens for the Fujifilm X-mount range of mirrorless cameras. The Voigtländer ULTRON 27mm F2 gives an effective focal length of a 40mm standard lens, once the 1.5x crop factor of the Fujifilm APS-C sensors.

The traditional design of the Voiglander lenses are perfectly in keeping with the retro design used by many of the Fujifilm X-mount models. And the new 27mm f/2 is a particularly small prime that will appeal to those wanting to travel light. There is a choice of either a black or silver finish - to help you match the lens to the finish of your camera body.

Although the lens does not offer autofocus, it does provide electronic contacts to communicate with the camera body. We are told that "In addition to Exif information, focus check, and shooting distance linked display, certain models also support in-body image stabilization and parallax correction through the combination of a body that supports telecommunications and the latest firmware." Compatible models are the Fujifilm X-H2, X-H2s, X-T5, X-T4, X-T3, X-T2, X-Pro3, X-H1, X-T30 II, X-T30, and X-E4 (see Cosina website for firmware requirements)

The lens boasts a traditional depth of field scale - suitable for calculating the hyperfocal distance - and benefits from having ten diaphragm blades, which promises great looking bokeh. The lens offers one-third stop aperture clicks from f/2 down to f/22.

Other Voigtlander Fujifilm-fit lenses available, following their launch last year, are the NOKTON 23mm F1.2 Aspherical, NOKTON 35mm F1.2, and MACRO APO-ULTRON 35mm F2.

Specifications

Mount: Fujilm X
Full frame: No
Autofocus: No
Image stabilization: No
Lens construction: 6 elements in 4 groups
Angle of view: 53.7°
Diaphragm blades: 10
Minimum aperture: f/22
Minimum focusing distance: 0.25m
Maximum magnification ratio: 1:6.7
Filter size: 43mm
Dimensions: 59.3×23.5mm
Weight: 120g

Pricing and availability

Voigtländer ULTRON 27mm F2 X-mount will go on sale in June and is expected to sell for ¥73,000 (around $540 / £430). The lens is supplied with a dedicated dome-shaped screw-in lens hood (although this is black, even if you choose the silver-finish version of the lens).

See also our guide to the best Fujifilm lenses, and our pick of the best Fujifilm cameras.

Voigtländer is a name steeped in camera history but still operating and still producing great ‘alternative’ primes for today’s cameras. The Voigtlander 40mm f1.2 Nokton is an ultra-fast standard prime lens for full frame Nikon Z cameras, while the Voigtlander D 35mm f2 Macro Apo-Ultron is an APS-C macro lens for the Nikon Z fc, Nikon Z50 and Nikon Z30.

Voigtlander 40mm f1.2 Nokton

The Voigtlander Nokton 40mm f/1.2 is already available in Leica M mount and Sony E mount, but now Nikon Z owners can also enjoy this classic lens’s ultra-fast f/1.2 maximum aperture, compact design, precise manual focus adjustment and depth of field markings for easy zone and hyperfocal focusing.

The 40mm focal length makes this an ideal ‘semi-wide’ standard lens for full frame cameras like the Nikon Z5, Z6 II and Z7 II, but it will of course also fit Nikon’s APS-C models, offering an equivalent focal length of 60mm – perfect as a ‘long’ standard lens and for beautiful shallow depth of field effects.

Voigtlander D 35mm f2 Macro Apo-Ultron

We’ve also seen the Voigtlander Macro APO-Ultron 35mm f/2 before in a Fujifilm X mount version, but now it’s coming to the Nikon Z mount too, bringing the same useful 53mm equivalent focal length, fast f/2 maximum aperture and macro capability.

With its 1:2 maximum magnification, this lens doesn’t quite hit the 1:1 ratio of a true macro lens, but it still focuses way closer than a regular lens and would make a great all-round standard lens for Nikon’s APS-C mirrorless cameras.

These lenses are yet to go on sale at the time of writing, but they are available for pre-order at Wex (UK)

• Pre-order the Voigtlander 40mm f1.2 Nokton at Wex for £729
• Pre-order the Voigtlander D 35mm f2 Macro Apo-Ultron at Wex for £649

We don’t have US pricing yet, but going by the prices in other mounts, we would expect the Voigtlander 40mm f1.2 Nokton to cost $849 (about AU$1,313) and the Voigtlander 35mm f2 Macro Apo-Ultron to cost $699 (about AU$1,081).

Read more:

• Best Nikon Z lenses
• Best macro lenses
• Best lenses for bokeh

The next lens to be released by Cosina is a Voigtländer Nokton 23mm f/1.2 for the Fujifilm X Mount. 

This is the second X-Mount lens that Cosina has released, following the launch of the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 in September 2021. The initial announcement came as welcome news for people who use cameras such as the Fujifilm X-T4 or Fujifilm X-S10, who have long wanted more lenses with the ability to shoot at such wide apertures. 

• These are the best Fujifilm cameras

Designed exclusively for the X-mount systems, the Voigtländer Nokton 23mm f/1.2 adopts an all-metal helicoid unit. It's been adjusted with high precision and lubricated with high-quality grease so it has just the right amount of torque. 

This makes focusing extremely smooth and it means fine focal adjustments can be made, which is necessary when shooting at f/1.2. When compared to a full-frame sensor it would be equivalent to a 35mm lens, which makes it the perfect focal length for street photography.

Using only high-quality optical glass, it consists of ten elements in six groups, including one double-sided aspherical lens and two anomalous partially dispersed glass elements. Even when shooting wide open, it's said to have excellent resolution and sharp in-focus areas. 

In order to ensure reliable communications between the lens and body, the optic is equipped with electronic contacts so that users can access EXIF information and use features such as focus checking, shooting distance interlocking display and in-body image stabilization. It has a 12-bladed diaphragm that allows for rounded, uniform bokeh and a natural focus falloff.

With a small minimum focusing distance of 0.18 meters you can get pretty close to what you’re shooting, which exaggerates the bokeh effect even more. It also means that you can take really detailed, creative shots with really blurred out-of-focus areas. It weighs just 214g, measures 59.3 x 43.8mm and has a 63.2° angle of view.

It’s expected the lens will be available to buy in April for ¥ 90,000, which is roughly equivalent to $760 / £581 / AU$1049 from retailers such as B&H Photo, Wex and Amazon.

Read more:

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It looks like Cosina will be releasing another lens for Nikon Z mount and Fujifilm X mount APS-C cameras – a Voigtländer Nokton 23mm f/1.2. This will be the First Z mount lens and the second X mount lens developed by Cosina following the launch of the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 last year. 

It’s expected that as with the previous Fujifilm lens, it will have electronics contacts that enable it to transfer EXIF data and use features such as image stabilization, focus magnifier and distance display. Certain functions such as parallax compensation will only be possible with the Fujifilm X-Pro 3 body and it’s worth noting that the Fujifilm X-E3 isn’t yet supported at all. 

• Read more: Best Fujifilm lenses

According to Fujifilm Rumors, Cosina is sticking with Fujifilm’s vintage aesthetic with the lens said to include a clickable aperture dial as well as a focus ring. No information has been released yet on its optical configuration but we could expect it to be quite similar to that of the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 which has 12 aperture blades, 8 elements in 6 groups, a maximum aperture of f/1.2 and a minimum aperture of f/16. As a general rule of thumb, the more aperture blades a camera has, the more high-quality it will be and the bokeh it produces will be more pleasing to the eye. 

When looking at a side-by-side comparison of the 23mm and the 35mm Nokton lenses, they look almost identical in size so we can expect they will be pretty similar in weight too. The Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1/2 weighs just 196g so it wouldn’t be too out there to assume the 23mm will weigh around the same. 

There’s been no mention of a launch date and as yet, no official specifications have been released – we can only speculate. For anyone who shoots mostly with manual focus, it would be a great addition to your kit, especially if you primarily shoot with prime lenses. Voigtländer is known for its high-quality build standard and ability to produce beautifully sharp images from corner to corner so we can expect the same level of craftsmanship from the latest lens.

For anyone who shoots with the Nikon Z fc or Nikon Z50 this will surely come as welcome news as the number of lenses available for these systems is still quite limited although, thankfully, improving. 

Read more:

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It looks like Cosina may have one or more new Voigtländer lenses to announce at the CP+ imaging show in February. CP+ takes place in Japan and is the world's largest camera and video equipment show, with other exhibitors this year including Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, OM System (Olympus) and Sony. 

Cosina hasn’t announced what lenses it will be exhibiting but in its CP+ bio, it has stated that there will be new products on show. "Voigtländer and Zeiss ZM & DSLR lenses will be exhibited at the Cosina booth. We will touch and try products and exhibit new products that will be released in the future."

• Read more: Best lenses of 2021

The latest Voigtländer lenses announced were the 90mm f/2.8 SLII-S Apo-Skopar lens for Nikon F mount and the 90mm f/2.8 VM Apo-Skopar Lens for Sony E mount. While the 90mm Nikon lens is designed with a vintage aesthetic in mind, it delivers modern functionality, high-quality images and is available in either silver or black. 

If you’re after a high-performance lens for your full-frame Sony camera, the Voigtländer 90mm promises sharp, color-rich imagery thanks to its newly designed optical system. It’s compact and extremely portable, weighing just 250g. The fully metal body is rigid and durable and like the Nikon lens, is available in black or silver. Both the Nikon and Sony 90mm lenses are now available to preorder from B&H in the US or Wex Photo Video in the UK. 

Voigtländer was founded in 1756 in Vienna, Austria by Johann Christoph Voigtländer. Although today it only exists as a trademark, it’s no wonder the optical image quality of its lenses is so good; with over 250 years of experience in lens and camera manufacturing, it’s one of the oldest brands in the game. 

Renowned for creating metal-bodied, SLR-style lenses for modern cameras, Voigtländer is one of the better third-party brands, delivering quality products but at an affordable price. Whatever lens is released at CP+ you can be sure it'll have the same exceptional build quality and deliver high-quality images just like all its other lenses. 

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Japanese lens manufacturer Cosina has just announced it will release a Voigtlander Color-Skopar 28mm f/2.8 SL IIS Aspherical lens for Nikon AI-S mount in October 2021. 

The all-metal, wide-angle prime will be made up of 7 elements in 6 groups using double-sided aspherical lenses. It promises to offer sharp image quality from corner to corner and precision operation. It has an angle of view of 74.8 degrees, features 9 aperture blades and has a minimum shooting distance of 0.15m.

Read more: Best vintage lenses

The Voigtlander Color-Skopar 28mm f/2.8 SL IIS is a manual focus lens that enables reliable focus operation by adopting an all-metal helicoid (spiral) unit. It has been processed and adjusted with high precision to ensure the focus ring has the perfect amount of torque so that it's easy to make fine focus adjustments.

Inspired by vintage lenses, its design is a homage to interchangeable SLR lenses of the 1960s, featuring a silver rim, color–coded aperture numbers and a black, metal casing. Weighing only 205g with a dimension of 66.3 x 32.8mm, it’s a small, discrete lens that looks as though it could be perfect for travel or street photography. You can purchase the lens in 2 color variations, either with a black front ring or a silver front ring.

It’s marketed as being a Nikon AI-S mount lens, but this new piece of glass can fit onto any Nikon F mount body, including old analogue models such as the Nikon FM2 and DSLRs such as the Nikon D850. Ai simply means that it features an automatic maximum aperture indexing system, which is a mechanical system used to link the lens to the camera’s exposure system.

It’s worth noting that while the lens can be mounted on all Nikon F mount bodies, entry-level models such as the Nikon D3300 or Nikon D7200 don’t have the aperture feelers to catch the lens so you’ll lose the light metering feature. 

Cosina expects the lens to be available in October 2021 for an RRP of ¥65,000 or roughly £430 / $594 / AU$810. The LH-28 IIS lens hood will be available to buy separately in January 2021 for an additional ¥5,000 or approximately £33 / $46 / AU$62. 

Read more

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Japanese lens manufacturer Cosina has just released a Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1.2 X-mount lens exclusively for Fujifilm. Originally planned to be released in August, its launch was postponed due to the demand for preorders.

This fast prime could be a popular choice amongst Fujifilm photographers looking for a more affordable wide-aperture lens than the Fujifilm 56mm f/1.2. Cosina promises the lens will provide corner–to–corner sharpness and suppress color casts. 

Read more: Best Fujifilm lenses

This new piece of glass is made up of eight elements in six groups in an almost symmetrical, Double-Gauss layout, which helps reduce optical aberrations over a large focal plane. It has 12 aperture blades for smooth, rounded bokeh, a minimum focus distance of 0.3 meters and a front filter size of 46mm. This 35mm lens is equivalent to a 53mm lens on a full-frame camera. It's small and lightweight, weighing only 196g and has a diameter of 59.6mm x 39.8mm. 

To allow for full communication between the camera body and lens, the lens is equipped with electronic contacts that enable it to process EXIF information, focus check and so it can be used with Fujifilm in-body stabilization. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work with older models such as the Fujifilm X-Pro2 or Fujifilm X-T20, so it's worth checking the compatibility first.

The Nokton 35mm f/1.2 is a fully manual lens that uses an all-metal helicoid unit that gives the lens just the right amount of torque to enable smooth operation. Like most Fujifilm X lenses, the aperture is controlled via an aperture ring on the lens and has one-third step clicks for precise control. 

With such a wide aperture, this lens is designed to excel in low light conditions. The shallow depth of field enables the user to play around with subject-background separation and create eye-catching images. 

The Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1.2 is now available to buy from camera retailers for an RRP of £599 in the UK and $649 in the US. 

Read more

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Japanese lens company Cosina recently announced the release of the Voigtlander 50mm f/1.5 Heliar Classic for VM Mount. Built with a classic design in mind, this modern lens is made to feature the optic quality of a retro lens with purposeful aberrations and beautiful bokeh. 

Made up of six elements in three groups, this Heliar derived lens features a maximum aperture of f/1.5 and a minimum aperture of f/16, making it the perfect choice for Leica M users who want something a little different. The Heliar lens was developed in 1900 for Voigtlander by Dr. Hans Harting. Originally it consisted of five elements in a symmetrical pattern but in 1902 the design was updated to reduce astigmatism, the curvature of field, and coma flare.

Read More: Leica M-10 review 

The modern Voigtlander 50mm f/1.5 produces various aberrations and abstract bokeh you would not expect to see from a contemporary lens. Cosina says “The remaining coma flare and the single coating finish on the lens give an extremely unique aperture-opening depiction.”

The vintage appearance of this lens includes an all-metal focus ring, knurled with a diamond pattern made using a special cutting tool to improve operability. This is designed to help prevent slipping in the rotation and optical axis while adding to its high-end appearance.

The Voigtlander 50mm f/1.5 is a manual focus lens that adopts an all-metal helicoid unit that has been processed and adjusted with high precision. This results in an appropriate amount of torque and a smooth focus ring that enables the user to make fine focus adjustments. 

Unlike most modern lenses, the Voigtlander Heliar 50mm f/1.5 doesn’t have a multi-coated front element. Instead, Cosina opted for a single-coated lens that is designed to reproduce the classic color tone that was popular before multi-coating became the norm. Single-coated lenses filter out less of the reflected light which is why we end up seeing a different tone than in lenses that have multi-coatings for different wavelengths of light.

This latest addition to the Leica M mount lineup also supports full-frame 35mm format with its generous image circle and bayonet mount. It will be available to buy from September for approximately: £595 / $818 / AU$1131 (converted from Yen). 

Read More

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We previously reported that Voigtländer was about to start making lenses for Fujifilm X-mount cameras, and this has now been confirmed by the brand’s owner, Cosina. This ultra-fast prime lens should arrive some time in August.

Voigtländer is a legendary German brand now owned by Japanese company Cosina, but which still boasts classic lens designs and manufacturing techniques. In fact Voigtländer lenses seem to be gaining in popularity rather than declining and are now widely available from major camera retailers.

This is the first time, however, that Voigtländer has made a lens for the Fujifilm X-mount system. In truth, Fujifilm already makes a wide selection of rather good fast prime lenses of its own, but this new Voigtländer does push back the boundaries for maximum aperture (Fujifilm’s fastest equivalent is a much bigger 35mm f/1.4) as well as offering a vintage look and feel that might go especially well with the Fujifilm X-Pro3, for example.

Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X mount key features

The standout feature of this lens is obviously its F1.2 maximum aperture – and the fact that it’s been achieved with such a physically small lens. Much of this can be attributed to having manual focus only and no autofocus. Autofocus lenses are larger in order to accommodate AF drives and motors, and optical designs with movable ‘focus groups’.

Manual focusing is simpler than it sounds, thanks to mirrorless camera design, which makes it easy to magnify the view for ultra-precise focusing and is 100% accurate as it uses the sensor itself for the viewing image.

The Nokton 35mm F1.2 X has an old-school helicoid mechanical focus ring, but it also has electronic contacts for communication with the camera body, which Voigtländer says conveys “Exif information, focus check, and shooting distance interlocking display, certain models also support in-body image stabilization and parallax correction”.

There’s also a physical aperture ring, which should tie in nicely with Fujifilm’s own XF lens designed, and it has a long and detailed focus distance scale with depth of field index markings – an extremely useful feature missing on almost all modern lenses.

The company is also keen to create high-quality bokeh, using a circular diaphragm composed of no fewer than 12 aperture blades – we’ve never heard of that many being used before.

The focal length of 35mm corresponds to approximately 53mm on a Fujifilm APS-C camera, so this is really more of a standard prime than a semi-wide ‘street’ lens.

Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X mount specifications

Focal length: 35mm (53mm equivalent)
Maximum aperture: F1.2
Minimum aperture: F16
Lens configuration: 8 elements in 6 groups
Angle of view: 44 °
Diaphragm blades: 12
Minimum focus distance: 0.3m
Maximum magnification: 1:6.7
Filter size: 46mm
Diameter x length: 59.6 × 39.8mm
Weight: 196g
Electronic contacts: Yes

Voigtländer Nokton 35mm F1.2 X price and availability

Voigtländer says the Nokton 35mm F1.2 X will be available in August 2021, and is so far quoting an expected retail price of ¥ 78,000, which corresponds to around $708/£512 at current exchange rates.

Read more:

• Best Fujifilm cameras
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The first lens to arrive, according to Photo Rumors, is an X-mount version of the Voigtländer NOKTON 35mm f/1.2, a super-fast prime lens which would be equivalent to a 50mm lens on APS-C format Fujifilm cameras.

Voigtländer is one of the oldest and most respected names in camera history and now part of the Japanese Cosina group. It was one of the last companies to make film based ‘Bessa’ rangefinder film cameras, and while these are now longer made, the Voigtländer lens range is still very much alive. 

The new NOKTON 35mm f/1.2 might sound like an adaptation of the existing Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1.2 Leica M mount lens, but the first pictures show a very different, more compact and modern-looking design, and commenters have suggested that this may in fact be an APS-C format lens and not simply an existing full frame lens repackaged for a new mount.

The size of the lens in the photo certainly suggests an APS-C format optic – the full frame Nokton 35mm f/1.2 is considerably larger.

We have no more details about this lens at the moment, but Voigtländer lens are manual focus, so we would expect this to be an MF lens too.

Manual focus lenses might sound like an anachronism in a world of autofocus, but they have enjoyed a resurgence thanks to mirrorless cameras. Manual focusing on a digital display is now far more accurate than every it was with optical viewfinders, and some MF lenses like the recently-reviewed Laowa 10mm f/2 now have on-board chips to communicate with the camera electronically and trigger its focus zoom feature the moment you turn the focus ring on the lens.

We don’t know if the rumored Voigtlander NOKTON 35mm f/1.2 X-mount lens will have such a feature, but Photo Rumors does report Nokishita's claim that it will cost 76,800 yen (around $700) and will start shipping in August 2021.

Read more:

• Best Fujifilm lenses
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• Fujifilm X-E3: Specs, release date and price

The Voigtlander Ultron Vintage Line 28mm f/2 Aspherical VM lens for Leica M-mount is now available for preorder, giving Leica M users a wide angle option one fifth of the price of the Leica alternative! It looks just as stylish as the Leica lens and is available in three different color versions. 

Although priced at $899 / £740 / AU$1,195, the Voigtlander Ultron Vintage Line 28mm f/2 Aspherical VM boasts a similar specification to Leica’s own Summicron M 28mm f2 ASPH lens (minus the metal lens hood), and won’t set you back the same princely sum of $4,995 / £3,700 / AU$6,888.

• Read more: Best Leica cameras

The lens is designed for use on digital M-series cameras such as the Leica M10 and Leica M-E rangefinder mirrorless bodies, but is also compatible with older Leica M film cameras.

The redesigned compact Ultron lens features improved aspherical optical performance using 10 lens elements in seven groups, which features one aspherical element and two abnormal partial dispersion elements for corner to corner sharpness and realistic color rendering. 

The Voigtlander 28mm f/2 lens features a minimum focusing distance of 0.5m or 0.7m when rangefinder coupled. It has a filter thread of 39mm and weighs 189g (6.7oz). It also features a focusing knob in addition to the distance ring, which is ideal for taking snapshots.

The lens uses a VM mount, which is compatible with Leica M mount cameras. Not only can it be used with rangefinder-linked cameras, it easily adapts to other popular mirrorless lens mounts via Voigtländer’s close focus VM-mount adapters to Sony E, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z-mount APS-C cameras, giving a 35mm equivalent of 42mm.

It will be available in two versions and three colors – a retro black and chrome (type I) and black and silver versions with a brass lens barrel (type II).

Though released on 10 June according to Leica Rumors, retailers such as PopFlash Photo suggest pre-orders will be delivered in late May.

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UPDATE 17/11: The Voigtlander Super Nokton 29mm f/0.8 Aspherical lens for Micro Four Thirds has been announced, officially making it the world's fastest photographic lens. While photographers will enjoy the beautiful depth of field that this lens will create (equivalent of f/1.6 on a full frame lens), the Voigtlander 29mm f/0.8 also features a stepless aperture ring that's perfect for videography. 

This lens has a minimum shooting distance of 0.37m and a focal length of 29mm, which is equivalent to 58mm in full frame terms. It weighs 703g and has a filter size of 62mm. Preorders for the Voigtlander Super Nokton 29mm f/0.8 Aspherical lens will open in December, with this super fast lens retailing for around $2,000. 

ORIGINAL STORY:

Buckle up your safety belt and hope that the airbags deploy – an f/0.8 lens is on the way from Voigtländer, and it will be the world's fastest lens currently in production.

There are plenty of lighting-fast lenses on the market, such as the Fujinon XF 50mm f/1.0 WR, Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95, and of course Voigtländer's own existing range of f/0.95 lenses. However, the upcoming Voigtländer Super Nokton 29mm f/0.8 Aspherical will leave them all eating its dust. 

Yes there have been faster lenses in the past, like the Carl Zeiss Super-Q-Gigantar 40mm f/0.33 publicity stunt. However, the fastest lens you can actually buy today is the Kipon Ibelux 40mm f/0.85 Mark II – though it's hardly renowned for its quality.

The Voigtländer Super Nokton 29mm f/0.8 Aspherical, then, will be a hair faster than the Ibelux – and being that it's a Voigtländer optic, it's sure to possess better image quality as well. 

The lens was leaked by renowned Japanese rumor monger Nokishita, noting that it "will be announced soon" for the Micro Four Thirds mount – and the speed alone will surely make it a must-have lens for Olympus, Panasonic and Blackmagic users.

Of course, the rub is that while this aperture will give you f/0.8 of light gathering capability, the depth of field is dictated by the crop factor (as is the case on all crop sensors, whether they're Micro Four Thirds or APS-C). So just as you multiply the focal length by the x2 crop, you also multiply the aperture to get the equivalent depth of field. 

This means that the new lens will have an effective behavior of a 58mm f/1.6 optic, in 35mm / full frame terms (but, as noted, will still capture as much light as a true f/0.8 lens – only the depth of field is affected). 

Read more: 

Best Micro Four Thirds lenses: lenses for Olympus and Panasonic
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Feeling the need for speed? Yet another f/0.95 lens has been announced – this time by a company that has some pedigree in this niche category. The Voigtländer Nokton 60mm f/0.95 has been revealed for Micro Four Thirds systems.

This marks the fifth f/0.95 prime lens that the manufacturer has released (all for Micro Four Thirds), with the Voigtländer Nokton 60mm f/0.95 joining the 10.5mm, 17.5mm, 25mm and 42.5mm optics – all of which rank among the fastest lenses available on the market today.

Given the 2x crop of the Micro Four Thirds format, the becomes an equivalent 120mm lens in full-frame terms (and the existing lenses an equivalent 21mm, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm respectively). This gives Olympus, Panasonic and Blackmagic users a classic long portrait lens with extraordinary low light and depth of field properties.

• Read more: Best Micro Four Thirds lenses

The lens construction features 11 elements in 8 groups, with a pair of dispersion elements to reduce vignetting, and boasts 10 aperture blades for smooth bokeh. Its close-focusing distance is 34cm, with a magnification of 1:4 (an equivalent of 1:2 in full-frame terms), for light macro-light capability.

However, one of the headline features next to the super-wide aperture is the fact that the lens has a de-clicking mechanism. This means that the aperture can open and close silently, and it can operate steplessly for granular and gradual irising – both of which make it ideally suited to videography, giving filmmakers a very useful low light and shallow depth of field lens.

While it remains positively tiny compared to f/0.95 monsters like the Nikkor Z 58mm f/0.95 Noct, it is the largest and heaviest of these Voigtländer primes, measuring 87.7mm in length (with a 82.5mm diameter) and weighing in at 860g. 

The Voigtländer Nokton 60mm f/0.95 is set to go on sale in Japan in April for ¥145,000 ($1,313 / £1,012 / AU$1,963). We'll update with global pricing and release info as we receive it.

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What did you get for your 20th birthday – a special piece of jewelry? A car? A hangover? Well, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its Voigtländer Classic line, the manufacturer is releasing the Voigtländer 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar lens exclusively for Sony E-mount cameras.

"The name APO-Lanthar is only awarded for particularly powerful lenses in the Voigtländer range," said the company in a translated release (tip of the hat to photoscala). 

• Read more: Best Sony lenses

"And with the new APO-Lanthar 50 mm F2.0 we are talking about a real masterpiece! The development goal was to provide the highest level of imaging performance without compromising on design. For this purpose almost all technically possible registers were drawn to ensure this top performance."

This sure-to-be stunning manual focus lens has eight groups and ten elements, including two aspheric and five with anomalous partial dispersion. Voigtländer also brags about an "integrated floating-focus system and an optical calculation that reduces chromatic aberrations to near zero ensure outstanding performance".

The Voigtländer 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar has 12 aperture blades that possess "a special shape" (though that special shape seems to be "circular"), to create pleasing bokeh balls from light sources. The manual aperture ring clicks in 1/3-stop steps to its f/16 minimum, but it can be switched to clickless for video wok. 

The otherwise all-manual lens features electrical contacts, which means that settings can be captured in your EXIF data, and it's equipped with a distance encoder that makes it compatible with Sony's 5-axis image stabilization.

Weighing in at 364g and measuring 62.6mm in length, the optic has a 49mm filter thread and a minimum focusing distance of 45cm.

No release date or price has been confirmed, but Voigtländer glass doesn't come cheap so you might want to funnel off some of your Christmas budget if you've got your heart set on one.  

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Voigtländer Nokton 21mm F1.4 Aspherical lens for Sony E-mount
The best Sony lenses in 2019: find the right one for your camera
The best Sony cameras in 2019

Following its concept teaser at CP+ earlier this year, Voigtländer has now officially taken the wraps off the Nokton 21mm F1.4 Aspherical lens for Sony E-mount. A wide-angle, wide-aperture lens that promises Sony photographers a great deal of creative expression, the Voigtländer Nokton 21mm F1.4 Aspherical lens uses a floating design that, according to its makers, should ensure top-notch image quality at all focusing distances. Its minimum focus is a pleasingly tight 25cm.

Built-in electronic contacts specifically for Sony E-mount allow the lens to communicate with the camera, enabling the transfer of EXIF data and also allowing it to support in-body 5-axis image stabilisation.

The optical design incorporates 13 elements in 11 groups, and has been optimised specifically for the full-frame sensors of Sony’s Alpha 7 cameras. 

It’s manual-focus only, and has a 12-bladed diaphragm for the creation of smooth bokeh. The aperture-changing mechanism is also clickless and silent, making the lens a good choice for movie recording as well as stills. The lens weighs 560g and carries a filter thread of 62 mm

The Voigtländer Nokton 21mm F1.4 Aspherical lens is slated to be available from June 2019, and it carries an RRP of ¥ 165,000 (about £1180 or $1500). See the official website for more information on the lens. 

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Voigtländer Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 II VM – a Sony-shaped refresh for Leicas

Cosina announces new Voigtländer optics for Sony and Leica users

8 bizarre lenses you can use with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras

Cosina has announced the Voigtländer Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 II VM, an updated version of the original lens for Leica M-mount cameras – though the update isn't quite as extensive as owners of the first lens may have hoped. 

An incredibly compact wide-angle lens with a large aperture, the Voigtländer Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 II VM marries the look, feel and rendering of classic lenses (hence its place in the Classic line) with the latest optical technology. 

In this case, that means a modest update that takes its cues from the previously released E-mount iteration of the lens. The new VM version, like the Sony before it, features a single modified element inside, which goes some way to correct spherical aberration.

While that should come as welcome news to users of the original lens, which certainly had issues with optical distortion, unfortunately that is the only internal upgrade – meaning that chromatic aberrations will likely be as frequent as they were in the first version.

That said, the new lens weighs in at just 189g – 11g lighter than its predecessor, and 73g less than the Sony version. It is also available with a choice of lens coatings, either multi-coating (MC) or single coating (SC) to reproduce classical color tones. 

Being that it's optically identical to the E-mount release, the Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 II VM should deliver the same performance; three-dimensional rendering with pleasant blur and bokeh, thanks to its ten aperture blades, and sharpness that's acceptably crisp without any risk of cutting glass. 

As a manual focus lens we expect the focus ring to be as pleasingly damped as its predecessor, and the inclusion of a focus lever for quick and precise operation is always a welcome feature. 

The Voigtländer Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4 II VM will be available in June, with both the MC and SC versions selling for ¥75,000 (£565 / $735).

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How to use a manual focus lens
Cosina announces new Voigtländer optics for Sony and Leica users
The 10 best Leica cameras in 2019

A French company has announced a radical new luxury camera that is designed to be used as an accessory with your smartphone. The PIXII A1112 camera uses the traditional rangefinder design that made Leica famous – but not only makes do without an LCD screen to review your images, it also has no memory card slot. Instead it makes do with a limited built-in memory of upto 32GB, and displays and stores your images on your mobile phone via a WiFi link or Bluetooth.

"The digital camera hasn't changed much since the 90s. But now the new generation is learning photography with a smartphone, who understands why a camera still needs to bother with a screen or an SD card?", says David Barth, creator of Pixii.

The rangefinder camera uses M-mount lenses, so is compatible with a wide range of manual-focus lenses available from Leica, Zeiss and Voigtlander.

Full details of the camera are slowly being released by the manufacturer in a teaser campaign. Key features of the camera that we still need to know are the size and resolution of the sensor.... and the price. These key facts, according to a reply to a comment on its Instagram page, will be released in a fortnight's time.

PIXII - specifications

The specifications of this camera that we know so far, according to information released by Pixii are:

• M-mount interchangeable lens system
• ISO range 100-6400
• Shoots RAW files
• Manual and aperture priority exposure modes
• Global electronic shutter
• Top plate information display
• Optical viewfinder with rangefinder focusing
• Viewfinder framelines for 50mm/40mm/35mm/28mm lenses
• CMOS sensor 
• Pixel size of 5.5 microns
• 7.4V 1000MAh rechargeable lithium ion battery (Sony NP-FW50 type)
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity, 
• Bluetooth LE 4.2 (upgradeable to 5.0)
• Two ARM processors with integrated FPGA accelerator
• Dimensions 38x79x33mm
• Weight 460g (including battery)

The camera will be made out of machined aluminum, and will be available in three different standard finishes: anodized silver, gray or matt black lacquer. A titanium carbon edition will be available to special order.

The camera also promises a degree of upgradability that other cameras can't offer, suggests the manufacturer. "The software and the screen of a camera quickly get outdated. Instead, we can offer exceptional extensibility and durability by virtualizing the camera software and using the performance of smartphones and their displays,"  says David Barth. 

The manufacturer is strongly hinting that the Pixii will cost less than Leica rangefinder camera... which is typically over £5000/$6000. But it will be interesting to see if this model uses a full-frame sensor or not.

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Leica M10-D: the digital rangefinder with no screen set for comeback

Among the new announcements at CP+ in Yokohama, Japan, Cosina has announced three new Voigtländer-branded optics, two for Sony's E-mount and one for the Leica M system.

Let’s take a look at each in turn.

Nokton 50mm F1.2 Aspherical for Leica M

With a generous f/1.2 maximum aperture, the Nokton 50mm for Leica M mount should prove popular for portraits. 

Thanks to the 12-bladed aperture, Cosina promises attractively soft bokeh in the out-of-focus areas, while the short minimum focusing distance of 70cm allows photographers to get close to their subjects. 

The lens is constructed of eight elements in six groups, with two aspherical elements among these. It measures only 49mm in length, which makes it fairly compact, and it can accept filters with a 52mm thread diameter.

Color-Skopar 21mm F3.5 Aspherical for Sony E-mount 

A wide-angle prime for Sony’s E-mount cameras, the Color-Skopar 21mm has been optimised to produce a clean, high-quality images from edge to edge. 

Constructed of nine elements in eight groups, it uses a ten-bladed aperture and measures just 39.9mm in length. Cosina says the closest focusing distance of the lens will be just 20cm, allowing for extensive close-up possibilities, and it's also been designed with a filter thread of 52mm.

Macro Apo-Lanthar 110mm F2.5 for Sony E-mount 

Finally, we have another lens for Sony E-mount. As indicated by the name, this is a 'true' macro lens, with a 1:1 reproduction ratio, able to focus at a minimum distance of just 35cm. 

Cosina claims to have “thoroughly” eliminated optical issues such as chromatic aberrations, and the lens uses a floating structure to ensure optimal quality. It's constructed of 14 elements in 12 groups, and uses a 10-bladed diaphragm.

Pricing and availability for all three lenses is yet to be determined. In the meantime, keep an eye on the official website for announcements. 

Read more: 8 bizarre lenses you can use with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras