Voigtlander’s new 35mm and 50mm f/2 lenses are its highest performing ever
Oct 7, 2024
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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Cosina has announced two new lenses in the Voigtlander lineup. They’re the APO-LANTHAR 35mm F2 Aspherical II and APO-LANTHAR 50mm F2 Aspherical II. The lenses see a few new design improvements that should make Voigtlander users very happy.
The company says that the lenses were designed specifically with the Z mount system in mind. So right now, they’re only available for Nikon Z mount cameras. I expect we’ll probably see the lens become available for other mirrorless mounts at some point, though.
Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 35/50mm f/2 Aspherical II
Describing them both as their “highest performance” lenses in the company’s history, Voigtlander says the two new lenses have had many design elements rethought to improve their usability. These include everything from the lens shape overall to the fine details of the knurling on the focus ring. And, of course, how well it balances on the front of a camera.
The old screw-in lens hoods have now been replaced by bayonet mount hoods. This means you’ll be able to use filters without worrying if your hood will get stuck in them. It also means setting up and packing down will go much more quickly and smoothly.
The sample clips shown in the video above have obviously had a little colour work done to them, but they don’t look too bad. They still have a nice vintage feel about them that’s nothing to do with the grade. So, if that’s the kind of look you’re after, these may be worth checking out.
Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 35/50mm f/2 Aspherical II Specs
| Focal length | 35mm | 50mm |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Full Frame | Full Frame |
| Mount | Nikon Z | Nikon Z |
| Focus | Manual Focus | Manual Focus |
| Optics | 11 elements in 9 groups | 10 elements in 8 groups |
| Angle of view | 62.1° | 45.6° |
| Max aperture | f/2 | f/2 |
| Min aperture | f/16 | f/16 |
| Aperture blades | 12 (rounded) | 12 (rounded) |
| Minimum shooting distance | 27cm | 45cm |
| Filter size | 58mm | 58mm |
| Dimensions | 68.8×70.4mm | 68.8×64.3mm |
| Weight | 420g | 370g |
Price and Availability
The Voigtlander APO-LANTHAR 50mm F2 Aspherical II is scheduled to be released in November, while the 35mm F2 Aspherical II is set for December. Both lenses are being announced in Japan for ¥130,000. This equates to around $880.
No official US pricing appears to have been announced yet, although the current 35mm and 50mm models have been reduced from their regular $999 price. So, I think we can expect these to be either $899 or $999 when they become available to the US.
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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