p.4 #1 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
Juha Kannisto wrote:
Up until 2-3 years ago it was common to see 3-5 E-mount lenses topping the Cosina lens sales positions in Japan constantly but recently it's spread out more between E-mount and others. 35/2, 50/2 and 65/2 are still constantly among the best-selling Cosina E-mount lenses, along with 35/1.4 classic.
Current Cosina lens sales rankings in Japan according to https://kakaku.com/camera/camera-lens/itemlist.aspx?pdf_ma=365.
kakaku.com is a very popular price-comparison and sales ranking site in Japan and they collect data from lots of different shops, and I think their sales ranking comparison data should be a fairly good data point regarding Cosina lens sales in Japan.
Top 10 as of today (the rankings list is updated every day based on latest data although I think it's some kind of accumulated data over several days of sales and not just current day's sales):
1) Nokton 35/1.2 for X-mount (pre-orders) at #114 among all lenses
2) 50/2 APO-Lanthar for E-mount at #148
3) Nokton classic 40/1.4 VM (MC) at #202
4) Nokton classic 40/1.4 VM (SC) at #214
5) Nokton classic 35/1.4 II VM (SC) at #247
6) 35/2 APO-Lanthar for E-mount at #265
7) Ultron 40/2 SL II S for Nikon (black rim) at #282
7) Nokton classic 35/1.4 for E-mount at #282
9) 65/2 APO-Lanthar for E-mount at #310
10) Color-Skopar 35/2.5 PII VM at #340
10) Color-Skopar 21/4 VM at #340
Some of the recent VM releases have many different versions (6 for 50/1.5 II, 3 for 28/2 II etc.) and those are listed as separate sales items in the rankings so it's hard to measure how well they are selling combined among all Cosina lenses, but none of those have ranked very high at any time. 50/2 APO-Lanthar for E-mount was ranked at #5 among all lenses for a short time when the lens came out and that's by far the highest I've ever seen any Cosina lens go. It has continued to be a very strong seller for them ever since. 35/2 APO-Lanthar never peaked as high but it's also been sticking to quite high positions among Cosina lenses since it came out and 65/2 has stayed near the top all the time as well.
Based on the continous good sales of the E-mount APO-Lanthars (especially 50/2, 65/2, 35/2) I would expect Cosina to continue releasing more APO-Lanthars in similar style as 50/2 and 35/2 for E-mount but probably at a pace of 1 per year or so. There would be room for 28/2 and 75/2 APO-Lanthars going forward.
From VM lenses, some of their old ones that are small and reasonably priced, and especially both versions of classic 40/1.4 keep selling well all the time....Show more →
Interesting that the 110/2.5 hasn't cracked the top ten. it's easily one the of best all-around short-teles made.
If you look at the patent that was filed in 2019 and published earlier this year, it looks like they've got designs for APO-Lanthars at 25 (closer to a 26), 40, 75, and 135, so more focal lengths were on their minds. Hopefully, we'll see one or more in production here over the next few years.
p.4 #2 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
freaklikeme wrote:
Interesting that the 110/2.5 hasn't cracked the top ten. it's easily one the of best all-around short-teles made.
If you look at the patent that was filed in 2019 and published earlier this year, it looks like they've got designs for APO-Lanthars at 25 (closer to a 26), 40, 75, and 135, so more focal lengths were on their minds. Hopefully, we'll see one or more in production here over the next few years.
p.4 #4 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
freaklikeme wrote:
Interesting that the 110/2.5 hasn't cracked the top ten. it's easily one the of best all-around short-teles made.
If you look at the patent that was filed in 2019 and published earlier this year, it looks like they've got designs for APO-Lanthars at 25 (closer to a 26), 40, 75, and 135, so more focal lengths were on their minds. Hopefully, we'll see one or more in production here over the next few years.
110/2.5 has never been showing up very high in the sales rankings in Japan, I guess because it's a bit more specialized lens and bigger and more expensive than most of their lineup. 21/1.4 is also typically low at the sales rankings (might be the higher pricing and bigger size again).
I hope they would rather make a new 28mm APO-Lanthar than say 24mm...
On the same site were those previous potential APO-Lanthar related patents were discussed, there's also a new article (from 8/10) with info about a new patent application for 2 new lenses by Cosina:
It doesn't have any floating element design and all of the f1.2 Noktons get a bit soft and glowy when shot close to minimum focus distance unless stopped down a bit (I like the look but it would probably not give great results in a formal resolution test under those conditions). With a bit more distance (like 1.5m and longer) they are already noticeably sharper from wide open at point of focus. Not sure what distance was used in this test but I guess it could have been done at a close range.
That's part of the charm of these lenses I think, i.e. they can be a bit dreamy with very nice bokeh when shot wide open and very sharp across the frame when stopped down.
I think the 50/1.2 is the best of them all in terms of overall IQ. I've had the original 40/1.2 & 50/1.2 E-mount version before and last year I added the 35/1.2 SE and then swapped my 40/1.2 & 50/1.2 to the SE versions.
My very first MF lens was the 1st version of Nokton 35/1.2 VM which I got back in late 2012 or early 2013 and first started using with my NEX-6 and later with my A7R.
p.4 #7 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
Juha Kannisto wrote:
It doesn't have any floating element design and all of the f1.2 Noktons get a bit soft and glowy when shot close to minimum focus distance unless stopped down a bit (I like the look but it would probably not give great results in a formal resolution test under those conditions). With a bit more distance (like 1.5m and longer) they are already noticeably sharper from wide open at point of focus. Not sure what distance was used in this test but I guess it could have been done at a close range.
That's part of the charm of these lenses I think, i.e. they can be a bit dreamy with very nice bokeh when shot wide open and very sharp across the frame when stopped down.
I think the 50/1.2 is the best of them all in terms of overall IQ. I've had the original 40/1.2 & 50/1.2 E-mount version before and last year I added the 35/1.2 SE and then swapped my 40/1.2 & 50/1.2 to the SE versions.
My very first MF lens was the 1st version of Nokton 35/1.2 VM which I got back in late 2012 or early 2013 and first started using with my NEX-6 and later with my A7R....Show more →
Currently, Voigtlander uses modern glass technology like advanced aspherical molding, low dispersion glass, double aspherical elements, etc. However, as far as I know, Cosina have not developed a floating mechanism for Voigtlander lenses. (correct me if I'm wrong)
I wonder what's the reason for this. Perhaps it requires a level of production tolerance they don't have or it could be it's just too expensive to produce while keeping elements centered.
A floating group or element would allow high performance to remain even at closer distances and MFD. I agree there is a charm when spherical aberration overwhelms the subject at close distance but there are many who think this 'character' is not attractive and don't work for some applications. Yes, the solution is to stop the lens down to mask the effect.
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p.4 #8 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
Fred Miranda wrote:
Currently, Voigtlander uses modern glass technology like advanced aspherical molding, low dispersion glass, double aspherical elements, etc. However, as far as I know, Cosina have not developed a floating mechanism for Voigtlander lenses. (correct me if I'm wrong)
I wonder what's the reason for this. Perhaps it requires a level of production tolerance they don't have or it could be it's just too expensive to produce while keeping elements centered.
A floating group or element would allow high performance to remain even at closer distances and MFD. I agree there is a charm when spherical aberration overwhelms the subject at close distance but there are many who think this 'character' is not attractive and don't work for some applications. Yes, the solution is to stop the lens down to mask the effect....Show more →
The Voigtlander website does claim that the 65 f/2 APO Macro:
p.4 #9 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
Some Nikon manual focus wide angles employed CRC, close range correction, which is also a floating element technology. Two of them are Nikon Ai-S 20/2.8 and Ai-S 24/2.8. So this technology has been used in MF glass for at least 40-45 years, and should be well known to all lens makers now.
p.4 #10 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
Having brought the Otus and Milvus designs to life, plus more no one knows about, it's no surprise they have sound knowledge and deep experience at all the modern techniques involved in lens craft. For example:
'As Voigtländer’s best performing E 35mm wide angle lens ever, the new 35mm APO-Lanthar continues the high performance standard of Voigtländer’s leading 50mm f/2 APO-Lanthar E. Lens design criteria includes apochromatic color correction, *floating lens elements for better close focusing performance*, two double sided aspherical elements, five abnormal partial dispersion elements and multi-coating for outstanding flare control.'
p.4 #13 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
bjornthun wrote:
Some Nikon manual focus wide angles employed CRC, close range correction, which is also a floating element technology. Two of them are Nikon Ai-S 20/2.8 and Ai-S 24/2.8. So this technology has been used in MF glass for at least 40-45 years, and should be well known to all lens makers now.
Yep—my Canon FD SSC 35/2 with the thorium has a floating element that works beautifully. It was made in 1973. Before me!
p.4 #14 · Official: Voigtlander Heliar Classic 50mm F1.5 VM
Juha Kannisto wrote:
110/2.5 has never been showing up very high in the sales rankings in Japan, I guess because it's a bit more specialized lens and bigger and more expensive than most of their lineup. 21/1.4 is also typically low at the sales rankings (might be the higher pricing and bigger size again).
I hope they would rather make a new 28mm APO-Lanthar than say 24mm...
On the same site were those previous potential APO-Lanthar related patents were discussed, there's also a new article (from 8/10) with info about a new patent application for 2 new lenses by Cosina:
The new ones being a 31/1.2 and 40/1.4 (apparently some new version). These would most likely not be APO-Lanthars but a 31/1.2 could be interesting ...Show more →
I don't think you're alone in the desire for a 28. Personally, I'd rather have a 24, but I think that's why the 25 (25.8 according to the design) makes sense. That kind of compromise we'd all whine about but end up using anyway, particularly if it's as good as the 35 and 50. And it would gap nicely with the 40 and 75, if they decide to make those.
A fast 31 sounds like fun (all of their f/1.2 lenses have been great in their own way). For me, though, the Rokkor 58/1.2 has proven time and time again that it's the only super-fast lens I need.
I pre-ordered one as it seems like a very unique/interesting one and sufficiently different from the other 50mm rangefinder lenses that I already have and the price is also not too bad.
The lens barrel is made of aluminum but he ring part of the distance scale is nickel-plated brass. Weight is 255g.
Also, the concept of the lens seems to be "the opposite of CV 50/2 APO-Lanthar which was launched as the highest performance standard lens in the history of Voigtlander". With this lens they are pursuing classical depictions such as bokeh and flare seen when the aperture is opened.
I pre-ordered one as it seems like a very unique/interesting one and sufficiently different from the other 50mm rangefinder lenses that I already have and the price is also not too bad....Show more →
Love the B&W samples, hate the colour ones. Don’t mind the external design. Might have to eat some crow and get one.
