Cosina Voigtländer
Encyclopedia
Cosina Voigtländer refers to photographic products manufactured by Cosina
under the Voigtländer
name since 1999. Cosina leases rights to the Voigtländer name from Ringfoto. Cosina Voigtländer products have included 35mm film
SLR and rangefinder camera
bodies, and lenses for the M39 lens mount
(Leica screw mount), M42 lens mount
, Leica M mount
, and other lens mounts.
Ringphoto Voigtländer in Germany also produces some budget-priced items under the Voigtländer name, unrelated to Cosina.
body and lenses. It has since produced a prodigious variety of these lenses in M39x26, Leica M mount, Nikon S rangefinder mount (some fully usable with Contax RF bodies), and SLR mounts including M42
and Nikon F
. Cosina produces hoods and accessory viewfinders for many of the lenses. Note that while the lenses feature familiar Voigtländer names, the optical formulas are all new, with the exception of the limited-edition collapsible Heliar.
mounts. The longer S-series lenses were available only in a Nikon version (however in practice they are usable with a Contax when stopped down or used at longer distances).
All are rangefinder-coupled.
, Canon FD
, Pentax K, Pentax/M42
, Minolta MD, Contax
/Yashica
MM, and Olympus OM. They were produced for a short time, and discontinued when Cosina introduced its Carl Zeiss "Z" series lenses. Some SL lenses are now sought after as collector's items.
(AI-S with Program), Pentax K-A and Canon EF mounts.
The Nikon AI-P versions enable full compatibility (except for autofocus) with all Nikon AF SLRs, similar to the AI-P manual-focus lenses Nikon has produced in the past. All metering patterns in 2-D mode, all program modes, and viewfinder focus indicators are available.
25mm is a normal lens
in the Four Thirds format
.
Cosina
is a designer and manufacturer of cameras and lenses, and a glassmaker, based in Nakano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.-History:Cosina is the successor to Nikō , a company set up as a manufacturer oflenses in 1959...
under the Voigtländer
Voigtländer
Voigtländer is an optical company founded by Johann Christoph Voigtländer in Vienna in 1756 and is thus the oldest name in cameras. It produced the Petzval photographic lens in 1840, and the world's first all-metal daguerrotype camera in 1841, also bringing out plate cameras shortly afterwards...
name since 1999. Cosina leases rights to the Voigtländer name from Ringfoto. Cosina Voigtländer products have included 35mm film
135 film
The term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format...
SLR and rangefinder camera
Rangefinder camera
A rangefinder camera is a camera fitted with a rangefinder: a range-finding focusing mechanism allowing the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus...
bodies, and lenses for the M39 lens mount
M39 lens mount
The M39 lens mount is a screw thread mounting system for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras, primarily rangefinder Leicas. It is also the most common mount for Photographic enlarger lenses....
(Leica screw mount), M42 lens mount
M42 lens mount
The M42 lens mount is a screw thread mounting standard for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras, primarily single-lens reflex models. It is more accurately known as the M42 × 1 mm standard, which means that it is a metric screw thread of 42 mm diameter and 1 mm thread pitch...
, Leica M mount
Leica M mount
The Leica M mount is a camera lens mount introduced in 1954 with the Leica M3, and a range of lenses. It has been on all the Leica M series up to the current film Leica M7 and digital Leica M9....
, and other lens mounts.
Ringphoto Voigtländer in Germany also produces some budget-priced items under the Voigtländer name, unrelated to Cosina.
35mm Rangefinder
- Bessa L
- Bessa R
- Bessa T
- Bessa R2
- Bessa R2S
- Bessa R2C
- Bessa R2A
- Bessa R3A
- Bessa R2M
- Bessa R3M
- Bessa R4A
- Bessa R4M
Lenses
Cosina started producing cameras and lenses under the Voigtländer brand in 1999, when it introduced a new M39 mountM39 lens mount
The M39 lens mount is a screw thread mounting system for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras, primarily rangefinder Leicas. It is also the most common mount for Photographic enlarger lenses....
body and lenses. It has since produced a prodigious variety of these lenses in M39x26, Leica M mount, Nikon S rangefinder mount (some fully usable with Contax RF bodies), and SLR mounts including M42
M42 lens mount
The M42 lens mount is a screw thread mounting standard for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras, primarily single-lens reflex models. It is more accurately known as the M42 × 1 mm standard, which means that it is a metric screw thread of 42 mm diameter and 1 mm thread pitch...
and Nikon F
Nikon F-mount
The Nikon F-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35 mm SLR cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959, and features a three lug bayonet mount with a 44 mm throat and a flange to focal plane distance of 46.5 mm...
. Cosina produces hoods and accessory viewfinders for many of the lenses. Note that while the lenses feature familiar Voigtländer names, the optical formulas are all new, with the exception of the limited-edition collapsible Heliar.
Not rangefinder coupled
- 12mm 5.6 aspherical Ultra-Wide Heliar — included metal viewfinder and Armalite hood, black or chrome
- 15mm 4.5 aspherical Super-Wide Heliar — integrated partial hood (no filter thread) and included plastic viewfinder, black or chrome
- 25mm 4 Snapshot Skopar — included plastic viewfinder and hood, black or chrome
Rangefinder coupled
- 21mm 4 Color Skopar † — included plastic viewfinder
- 28mm 1.9 aspherical Ultron — Armalite hood, black or chrome
- 28mm 3.5 Color Skopar †
- 35mm 1.7 aspherical Ultron †
- 35mm 2.5 Color Skopar — two barrel styles: "C" (†) and "P" (black only)
- 50mm 1.5 aspherical Nokton †
- 50mm 2.5 Color Skopar †
- 50mm 3.5 collapsible Heliar †
- 75mm 2.5 Color Heliar †
- 90mm 3.5 APO Lanthar †
- † With hood, black or chrome
M-mount rangefinder lenses
All of these are rangefinder coupled.- 12mm 5.6 aspherical Ultra-Wide Heliar — included metal viewfinder and Armalite hood, black or chrome
- 15mm 4.5 aspherical Super-Wide Heliar
- 21mm 4 Color Skopar P
- 25mm 4 Color Skopar P
- 35mm 2.5 Color Skopar PII
- 35mm 1.2 Nokton
- 35mm 1.4 Nokton (in two versions: single-coated and multicoated)
- 40mm 1.4 Nokton (in two versions: single-coated and multicoated)
- 50mm 2 collapsible Heliar Classic (only available with a Bessa R2M or R3M)
- 50mm 1.1 Nokton
Nikon S–mount rangefinder lenses
SC-series wide-angle lenses were available in the old Contax rangefinder and Nikon SNikon SP
The Nikon SP is a professional level, interchangeable lens, 35 mm film, rangefinder camera introduced in 1957. It is the culmination of Nikon's rangefinder development which started in 1948 with the Nikon I, and was "arguably the most advanced rangefinder of its time." It was manufactured by the...
mounts. The longer S-series lenses were available only in a Nikon version (however in practice they are usable with a Contax when stopped down or used at longer distances).
All are rangefinder-coupled.
SC lenses
- 21mm 4 SC-Skopar
- 25mm 4 SC-Skopar (rangefinder coupled, unlike the screwmount equivalent)
- 28mm 3.5 SC-Skopar
- 35mm 2.5 SC-Skopar
S lenses
- 50mm 3.5 S-Heliar (only available as a set with a Bessa R2S with special paint)
- 50mm 2.5 S-Skopar
- 50mm 1.5 S-Nokton
- 85mm 3.5 S-APO Lanthar
SL series
Voigtländer SL lenses are manual-focus designs. They were sold in a variety of mounts: Nikon AI-SNikon F-mount
The Nikon F-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35 mm SLR cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959, and features a three lug bayonet mount with a 44 mm throat and a flange to focal plane distance of 46.5 mm...
, Canon FD
Canon FD
The Canon FD lens mount is a physical standard for connecting a photographic lens to a single-lens reflex camera body. The standard was developed by Canon of Japan and was introduced in March 1971 with the Canon F-1 camera. It was the primary Canon SLR lens mounting system until 1987 when the...
, Pentax K, Pentax/M42
M42 lens mount
The M42 lens mount is a screw thread mounting standard for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras, primarily single-lens reflex models. It is more accurately known as the M42 × 1 mm standard, which means that it is a metric screw thread of 42 mm diameter and 1 mm thread pitch...
, Minolta MD, Contax
Contax
Contax was a camera brand noted for its unique technical innovation and a wide range of Zeiss lenses, noted for their high optical quality. Its final incarnation was a line of 35 mm, medium format and digital cameras engineered and manufactured by Kyocera, and featuring modern Zeiss optics...
/Yashica
Yashica
Yashica was a Japanese manufacturer of cameras.-History:The company began in December, 1949 in Nagano, Japan, when the Yashima Seiki Company was founded with an initial investment of $566. Its eight employees originally manufactured components for electric clocks...
MM, and Olympus OM. They were produced for a short time, and discontinued when Cosina introduced its Carl Zeiss "Z" series lenses. Some SL lenses are now sought after as collector's items.
- Ultra-Wide Heliar 12mm 5.6 †
- Super-Wide Heliar 15mm 4.5 †
- Ultron SL 40mm 2
- Nokton SL 58mm 1.4
- Color-Heliar SL 75mm 2.5
- APO-Lanthar SL 90mm 3.5 close focus
- Macro APO-Lanthar SL 125mm 2.5
- APO-Lanthar SL 180mm 4
- † Aspherical Nikon F-mountNikon F-mountThe Nikon F-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35 mm SLR cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959, and features a three lug bayonet mount with a 44 mm throat and a flange to focal plane distance of 46.5 mm...
version of the LTMM39 lens mountThe M39 lens mount is a screw thread mounting system for attaching lenses to 35 mm cameras, primarily rangefinder Leicas. It is also the most common mount for Photographic enlarger lenses....
version. Requires true MLUMirror lock-upMirror lock-up is a feature employed in many Single Lens Reflex cameras. It allows the operator to reduce vibration-induced motion blur during exposure...
body (Nikon F, F2, Nikkormat). A viewfinder mount which replaces the prism on F and F2 bodies was also made to complement these two lenses.
SL Ⅱ series
Voigtländer SL Ⅱ (also written SL II) lenses are CPU-enabled manual-focus designs available in Nikon AI-PNikon F-mount
The Nikon F-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35 mm SLR cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959, and features a three lug bayonet mount with a 44 mm throat and a flange to focal plane distance of 46.5 mm...
(AI-S with Program), Pentax K-A and Canon EF mounts.
- Color Skopar 20mm 3.5 SL Ⅱ Aspherical
- Ultron 40mm 2 SL Ⅱ Aspherical — includes step-down hood (52mm to 39.5mm) and close-up lens for 39.9mm thread which gives a 1:4 magnification ratio
- Nokton 58mm 1.4 SL Ⅱ — not available in Canon EF mount
- APO-Lanthar 90mm 3.5 SL Ⅱ Close Focus — includes a close up lens which gives a 1:1.8 magnification ratio
The Nikon AI-P versions enable full compatibility (except for autofocus) with all Nikon AF SLRs, similar to the AI-P manual-focus lenses Nikon has produced in the past. All metering patterns in 2-D mode, all program modes, and viewfinder focus indicators are available.
Micro 4/3 Lenses
On August 26, 2010, Cosina Voigtländer joined the Micro Four Thirds Standard Group and introduced the following lens:- Nokton 25mm 0.95
25mm is a normal lens
Normal lens
In photography and cinematography a normal lens, also called a standard lens, is a lens that reproduces perspective that generally looks "natural" to a human observer under normal viewing conditions, as compared with lenses with longer or shorter focal lengths which produce an expanded or...
in the Four Thirds format
Image sensor format
In digital photography, the image sensor format is the shape and size of the image sensor.The image sensor format of a digital camera determines the angle of view of a particular lens when used with a particular camera...
.
External links
- An unofficial Voigtländer FAQ by Peat Bakke
- Cosina Voigtländer (in Japanese)
- Ringphoto Voigtländer (in German)
- Review of the 28/1.9 lens by Lutz Konermann
- Voigtlander Rangefinders A brief write-up on Voigtländer Rangefinders by street and panoramic photographer Matthew Joseph aka Fotodudenz.
- Voigtländer Gallery Peter Chou's Voigtländer Gallery
- Cosina Voigtländer - Heliar Ultra-wide 15mm/4.5 Photo Gallery by Kingston Chang