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Voigtlander SL SLR Lenses
Left to Right: 90/3.5 APO, 125/2.5 APO on Nikon FE2, 75/2.5, 12/5.6 ASPH on Nikon F2, 15/4.5 ASPH on Nikon F, 180/4 APO on Nikon EM, 40/2 on Nikon FM3A, 125 and 180 in close focus positions
Back Row Left to Right: 180/4 APO, 125/2.5 APO, 90/3.5 APO, 75/2.5, 40/2 ASPH, Front Row Left to Right 12mm Finder, 12/5.6 ASPH, Nikon F/F2 Accessory Shoe Finder, 15/5.6 ASPH, 15mm Finder
Produced by Cosina in Japan, Voigtlander SL lenses are a new limited edition series of LUXURY SLR lenses: 12/5.6 Aspherical, 15/4.5 Aspherical, 40/2 Aspherical, 75/2.5, 90/3.5 APO, 125/2.5 APO 1:1 Macro and 180/4 APO. All feature very high quality traditional construction, and are styled to look like classic Zeiss Contarex lenses, even down to the chrome bayonet on lens hoods. Most SL lenses are available in Nikon AIS, Canon FD, Pentax K-A, Pentax 42mm Screw Mount, Minolta MD, Contax / Yashica MM, and Olympus OM. The 12 and 15 are available ONLY in Nikon F mount for mirror lockup. Leica R mount is NOT available. All lenses use the Nikon style of helical focusing direction. The new Voigtlander SL lens lineup offers important new lens choices to fans of these all but discontinued manual focus SLR bodies. Mr. Kobayashi, the President of Cosina, very much enjoys unusual lens designs. Of the 7 Voigtlander SL lenses introduced to date, it is noteworthy 3 are Aspherical and 3 are Apochromatic. In terms of their respective speeds, focal lengths, and Aspherical and Apochromatic optical designs, each of the Voigtlander SL lenses (so far as I know) are the ONLY SLR lenses of their specifications currently being manufactured.
SL 12/5.6 and 15/4.5 Aspherical in Nikon Mirror Lock up Mount, to fit Nikon F/F2 as well as Nikon, Contax (not G series), Leica Screw Mount, and Leica M mount Rangefinders with adapters. See Separate Page
12/5.6 $699 15/4.5 $459 ORDER HERE
The Voigtlander SL 12/5.6 mounted on a Nikon SP, and the Voigtlander SL 15/4.5 mounted on a Nikon F2. This non-retrofocus Voigtlander 12mm lens is the widest non fish eye ever made for either Nikon Rangefinder or Nikon SLRs. These are the same non-retrofocus optics as Voigtlander's Leica screw mount lenses, but produced in Nikon F mount designed for mirror lock up, with higher standards of finish and machining than the Leica screw lenses. The SL 12 and 15 look like they came off a production line in the late 1950's during the rangefinder's golden era. SPECS: SL 12/5.6, f/stop range 5.6 to 22, half click stops, close focus .3 meters, SL 15/5.6 f/stop range 4.5 to 22, close focus to .3 meters. Finders and front/rear caps included with lenses. Optional are the Nikon F Accessory shoe, F-S adapter, and F-L adapter. See Separate Page
Voigtlander 40/2 Ultron Aspherical
$309, hood $39 ORDER HERE
The 40/2 Ultron Aspherical is a very new lens, just released in June in Japan. It has 6 elements in 5 groups, 9 aperture blades, a smallest aperture f/16, a close focus distance .4 m, a filter size of 52mm, a weight of 255 grams, a diameter 63.5mm, and a length 29.5 mm focused to infinity. The Japanese Cosina website states this lens is exceptionally well corrected, even at f/2. Users have their choice of two optional hoods. One is the "tube" shaped hood above, another looks much like an open dome, and is not illustrated here. Personally, I know of no other 40/2 Aspherical SLR lenses.
Topcor 58/1.4
Pentax 42 or Nikon AIS, $329 ORDER HERE
December 2003: Ok folks, some things are stranger than fiction. Mr. Kobayashi likes his Topcon Super D of 1963 enough to style Voigtlander's new silver Bessaflex after it, even producing a Topcon style 58/1.4 complete with the Topcon engraving. Mr. Kobayashi received the blessings of Tokyo Optical, which is still in business manufacturing medical equipment.
The new 58/1.4 Topcor is a new optical design and is styled after the classic 58/1.4 Topcor, even down to the Topcor's bayonet on lens hood. These are limited edition lenses, with 800 each announced to be produced in Pentax 42mm screw mount and Nikon AI mount. The lens barrel is out of place in today's plastic lens world, with real classic style chrome, looking just like it came off Topcon's production line in the 1960's. The lens barrel is beautifully made, and rather amazing in the "find any way to make it cheaper" manufacturing times. Side by side the new Topcor is a bit smaller than the original, so the hoods will not interchange. Specs: 7 elements in 6 groups, multi-coated, f/1.4 to f/16, 9 aperture leaves, 58mm filter size, close focus to .45 meter or 1:5.8, weight 305 grams (Nikon).
Voigtlander 75/2.5 Color-Heliar
$309 Lens, Hood $39 ORDER HERE
The 75/2.5 Color Heliar has 6 elements in 5 groups, 9 aperture blades, a smallest aperture of f/22, a close focus distance of .7m which works out to be 1:7, a filter size of 49mm, a weight of 250 grams, a diameter of 63.5 mm, and a length 40.2 mm focused to infinity. The optional square shade is purchased separately. Personally, I know of no other 75/2.5 SLR lens.
Voigtlander 90/3.5 APO-Lanthar Close Focus Lens
$329, hood $39 ORDER HERE
The 90/3.5 APO-Lanthar is a brand new lens which just went on sale in Japan in June 2002. It has 6 elements in 5 groups, 9 aperture blades, a smallest aperture of f/22, a close distance of .5m (which works out to be 1:3.5 magnification), a filter size of 49mm, a weight of 390grams, a diameter 63.5mm, and a length 57.6 mm focused to infinity. The optional square shade is purchased separately. Personally, I know of no other 90/3.5 Apochromatic SLR lens.
Voigtlander 125/2.5 APO-Lanthar
Apochromatic 1:1 Macro Lens, $619 w/hood ORDER HERE
The 125/2.5 APO-Lanthar has 11 elements in 9 groups, 9 aperture blades, a smallest aperture of f/22, a close focus distance of 1:1 or .38m, a filter size 58mm, a weight of 690 grams, a diameter of 76 mm, and a length of 88.2 mm focused to infinity. The square hood is included with the lens. Buyers report they are very happy with it. One shooter compared the 125/2.5 to his 100 Zeiss Macro lens, and reported he could see no different in the results -- high praise indeed.
Cosina only introduced the Voigtlander SL lens line in 2000. It will be interesting to see how many unusual or unique lenses are added over time.
Voigtlander 180/4 APO-Lanthar Close Focus
$425, hood $39 ORDER HERE
The 180/4 APO-Lanthar has 9 elements in 7 groups, 9 aperture blades, a smallest aperture of f/22, a close focus distance of 1.2 meters or 1:4, 49mm filter size, diameter of 65.6mm, and weight of 485grams. Introduced in September 2003. The 180/4 takes the LH-75 or LH-75S bayonet hoods, which are sold separately.
Left to Right: 125/2.5 APO, 15/4.5 ASPH, Nikon FM3A, 12/5.6 ASPH, 180/4 APO, 90/3.5 APO, 40/2 ASPH, 75/2.5. The 12 and 15 are stored with their finders mounted on their lens caps, like the classic 21/4 Nikkor of 1959.
Revised: February 19, 2004 . Copyright © 2002-3 Stephen Gandy. All rights reserved. This means you may NOT copy and re-use the text or the pictures in ANY other internet or printed publication of ANY kind. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.
