I also usually just go out with one lens and one camera at a time and there are already a few different styles applied with earlier CV lenses for E-mount, e.g. the traditional style and the Nokton SE style, before the new diamond knurling style. I have a mix of all styles across my CV E-mount lenses (7 in the traditional style, 3 in SE style, 4 in the new diamond knurl style before the 28/2 AL arrives).
thewiseoldbird wrote:
I'm not bothered if APO design changes as long as the handling improves: you can only use one at a time & I'm regularly switching between Sony, Sigma, CV etc. I'm not bothered about having them all in a nice tidy row on a shelf.
Juha Kannisto wrote: Yogifi wrote:
What do you think are the chances of a redesign to match the aesthetic of the other apo-lanthars on sony?
It's still bugging me. It's like they used the same parts they're making for the nokton.
As is I can barely tell the difference between it and the nokton with the lens cap on.
At least the focus ring if they don't have space for the logo at the top - I know they have it when looking at the front glass.
I think Cosina would only do a redesign if the lens failed to sell as well as expected and they got a lot of market feedback indicating that the design is the reason and customers would have preferred the old style. All their new E-mount releases since 2024 (after they had a 3 year break with E-mount releases) have used this new styling (as have their Canon RF mount lenses). I think it's because they believe the new styling is good/better. I personally like the new styling a lot even though I have no problem with the previous one either. The diamond knurling also provides a very firm grip.
With Nikon 50/2 and 35/2 they did redesign the AL lenses for version II quite early and I think it was because the original tapered versions didn't sell as well as expected and their later Z-mount releases like 40/1.2 for Z that had a new and better / more balanced design sold much better. Even now the Z-mount version of this 28/2 lens is wider with a bigger filter diameter than E-mount and VM, probably to avoid a tapered look where the base would be wider than the main barrel.
For me the 28/1.5 E-mount version looks and feels great and it's pretty much the same width as the E-mount which makes it feel well balanced, unlike e.g. 50/1 which narrows down a lot towards the mount.
I also usually just go out with one lens and one camera at a time and there are already a few different styles applied with earlier CV lenses for E-mount, e.g. the traditional style and the Nokton SE style, before the new diamond knurling style.
thewiseoldbird wrote:
I'm not bothered if APO design changes as long as the handling improves: you can only use one at a time & I'm regularly switching between Sony, Sigma, CV etc. I'm not bothered about having them all in a nice tidy row on a shelf.
Juha Kannisto wrote: Yogifi wrote:
What do you think are the chances of a redesign to match the aesthetic of the other apo-lanthars on sony?
It's still bugging me. It's like they used the same parts they're making for the nokton.
As is I can barely tell the difference between it and the nokton with the lens cap on.
At least the focus ring if they don't have space for the logo at the top - I know they have it when looking at the front glass.
I think Cosina would only do a redesign if the lens failed to sell as well as expected and they got a lot of market feedback indicating that the design is the reason and customers would have preferred the old style. All their new E-mount releases since 2024 (after they had a 3 year break with E-mount releases) have used this new styling (as have their Canon RF mount lenses). I think it's because they believe the new styling is good/better. I personally like the new styling a lot even though I have no problem with the previous one either. The diamond knurling also provides a very firm grip.
With Nikon 50/2 and 35/2 they did redesign the AL lenses for version II quite early and I think it was because the original tapered versions didn't sell as well as expected and their later Z-mount releases like 40/1.2 for Z that had a new and better / more balanced design sold much better. Even now the Z-mount version of this 28/2 lens is wider with a bigger filter diameter than E-mount and VM, probably to avoid a tapered look where the base would be wider than the main barrel.
For me the 28/1.5 E-mount version looks and feels great and it's pretty much the same width as the E-mount which makes it feel well balanced, unlike e.g. 50/1 which narrows down a lot towards the mount.
Nov 22, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Previous versions of Juha Kannisto's message #16933906 « Cosina Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 28/2 lens for E-mount & Z-mount got announced! »
