Re: New Voigtlander 110/2.5 Macro APO and 21/3.5 E-mount lenses!
philber wrote:
I am surprised that nobody asks the question: how is it that CV "suddenly" turns out one world-class design after the other? That used not to be the case, so what happened?
Phillipe, I think that is an interesting question. I do see at least a couple of excellent CV lenses from a few years back that suggest they can do very well. In addition the CV 125 f/2.5 APO, there is also the CV 35 f/1.7. Both those lenses are excellent and at least moderately fast. They also have some very good slower lenses in the CV 90 f/3.5 APO and the 180 f/4 APO, although I have to say that my copy of the CV 90 f/3.5 APO was one of my most disappointing lenses. It had pretty annoying purple fringing that was pretty easy to provoke, which was not what I expect from a lens labelled as APO.
I do find the question you pose quite intriguing, however. Could Zeiss be helping Cosina more than in the past and in effect be creating an excellent series of lenses for the E mount that doesn't compete with their Milvus and Otus line or even their Loxia line because of the focal lengths and speeds chosen? If they are doing so, then they would presumably be doing so for a cut of the profits, and I am surprised these lenses don't come at a higher price. If this is the arrangement then I think it doesn't apply to all the Voigtlander lenses. The 12mm, 15mm, the 35 f/1.4, and probably the new 21mm all seem pretty closely derived from old M mount lenses mostly tweaked for the thicker cover glass of the Sony cameras. The 40 f/1.2, 65 f/2, and the new 110 f/2.5 seem to be the one's with a lot higher quality. Of these only the 65 f/2 seems totally new. The 40 f/1.2 seems to have at least some roots in the M mount 35 f/1.2, and the 100 f/2.5 clearly is based on the 125 f/2.5. So, I remain unconvinced that Cosina is getting all that much help from anyone and that includes Zeiss, and if they are that help was probably primarily for the 65 f/2 and maybe a bit with the 40 f/1.2.
Mar 03, 2018 at 02:34 PM
Previous versions of Steve Spencer's message #14386535 « Pre-order: Voigtlander 110/2.5 Macro APO for $1,099 »
