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| p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar X-mount Review | |
About the Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar for X-mount lens:
The Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar lens is dedicated for Fujifilm X-mount cameras. Like its sibling, the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron (review), it's incredibly compact and lightweight, weighing just 115 grams and measuring only 23.5mm long. This makes it perfect for travel photography, especially when paired with a compact camera body like the Fujifilm X-E4.
Cosina equipped this lens with advanced optics, including a double-sided aspherical glass and a low dispersion element, arranged in 5 groups and 7 elements. Despite its small size, it delivers exceptional performance. With a filter size of 43mm, it's compatible with easy to find filters, and its ultra-compact hood is included.
The lens has a minimal close focusing distance of just 0.17mm, allowing for detailed close-up shots and high blur. Its aperture mechanism features 10 straight blades, producing defined sunstars from f/3.2 onwards.
While it adopts a pancake design, typically associated with compromises in size that may impact image quality, this lens performs at a high level with thoroughly modern characteristics. With an aperture of f/2.8, it shows minimal axial aberration correction, ensuring excellent results even when shooting wide open. Many Fuji shooters may appreciate that this lens features a true mechanical helicoid, making hyperfocal distance (zone focusing) shooting very easy to set for applications like street photography. The aperture clicks are distinct and mechanical. When using the lens, one can feel the high build quality, metal construction, and low tolerance.
It's important to mention that the Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar and the 27mm f/2 Ultron have very similar barrel designs, sizes, and weights. Both lenses are about 23.5mm long, making them extremely compact. For comparison, the Fujifilm 18mm f/2 R lens, also considered a pancake lens by many, is about 40.6mm long, nearly double the length!
Additionally, the hoods of the Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 and 28/2 lenses can be swapped, which is convenient for photographers who own both lenses.
This review was done using the Fujifilm X-E4 and X-Pro3 cameras.
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Order the Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar:
CameraQuest | B&H Photo
Review Quick Links:- Initial Thoughts
- Infinity performance on Fujifilm X-E4
- Infinity performance compared to Voigtlander 28mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar
- Distortion
- Sunstar Rendering
- Vignetting
- MFD performance
- Field Curvature
- Rendering
- Sagittal Coma Flare performance
- Color Aberration
- Flare Resistance
- Final Thoughts
- Samples
- Samples 2 (Low light)
- Samples 3 (Close-distance)
- Samples 4 (Golden Light)
Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 Color Skopar sample images by FM members:
- @Juha Kannisto: 1
- @Erich6_: 1
- @olegkin: 1
- @Paul Z: 1
X-E4 with Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar "Silver"
The optical design consists of 7 lens elements in 5 optical groups:
The lens weighs a mere 115 grams (excluding the hood), making it exceptionally lightweight. It's super compact and can focus as close as 0.17 meters. Below is an image displaying the lens with the included ultra-compact metal hood.
Main specifications:
- Focal length: 18mm APS-C (full frame equiv. to 28mm).
- Lens configurations: 7 lens elements in 5 optical groups.
- Angle of view: 75.4°.
- Number of aperture blades: 10 (10-point sunstars).
- Minimal focus distance (MFD): 0.17m.
- Maximum reproduction ratio: 1: 6.6
- Maximum diameter x total length: φ59.3×23.5mm.
- Filter size: φ43mm.
- Weight: 114 grams (measured).
- Lens hood: Dedicated ultra compact screw-in hood included.
Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar vs Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron
Back to Quick Links
Initial Thoughts:
The Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar features a maximum aperture of f/2.8, which may disappoint some who were anticipating an f/2 lens. It's likely that Cosina prioritized size, aiming to match the dimensions of the 27mm f/2 Ultron to create a perfect pairing in the field. It's commendable that they managed to incorporate optics into the same barrel design for the more challenging 18mm focal length.
In practical terms, the lens performs well in most lighting conditions, though it may struggle in very low light situations. The f/2.8 aperture, however, allows it to maintain a compact form factor similar to the 27mm f/2. With an overall length of just 23.5mm and weighing around 100 grams, it's highly portable.
Equivalent to a 28mm field of view on a full-frame camera, the lens provides a wider view without excessive perspective distortion, making environmental portraits more appealing by allowing greater distance to the subject compared to a 24mm lens.
The CV 18mm f/2.8 captures excellent detail at the center and mid-field, even when shooting wide open. While it may not produce significant blur at mid-distances, when focusing on a subject up close, its unique rendering imparts a distinct character with only slight outlining in specular highlights. It is well corrected, so you won't encounter many color error issues, even at wider apertures, though there may be some lateral chromatic aberration. The lens controls vignetting well, but noticeable vignetting may still be present at the corners of the image when shooting wide open. Fortunately, Adobe has already released a custom profile for this lens.
The lens features electronic contacts that allow communication between the lens and the camera body. When used with compatible camera bodies, it supports features like Exif information, focus check, shooting distance-linked display.
Physically, the lens is well-built and boasts a classic pancake design that exudes charm. It comes with a small metal hood and a dedicated lens cap. Also, a 43mm regular front cap is included for those who prefer not to use the hood. The lens's focus ring features a lever for easy and precise control, operating smoothly and accurately. Enabled by default, the focus magnification activates automatically when you rotate the focusing ring, providing great convenience. With a focus range from 0.17m to infinity, the focus throw is very short from 0.7m to infinity. This may not be ideal for those accustomed to focusing by feel using the tab.
The distance markings on the lens are painted white and engraved on a black metal barrel, making them easy to see when shooting outdoors or in low light. The aperture ring clicks at distinct third-stop intervals, and the focusing ring has smooth rotation with just the right amount of resistance.
Overall, this lens is as well-designed as the 27mm f/2 Ultron, providing excellent handling and delivering great performance. It offers a useful wide angle at 28mm and a versatile 40mm focal length in full-frame equivalency when used together with the 27mm f/2 Ultron.
Fuji X-E4 with Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar and Voigtlander 27mm f/2 Ultron
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...that pretty much confirms for me that this little gem will find a place in my kit. I am actually surprised at how good the MFD performance is wide open too.
