Together Nokton 28mm f/1.5 Aspherical Lens For E-mount cameras, Cosina announced a new fast, compact apochromatic portrait prime for rangefinder cameras. Voigtlander APO-Ultron 90mm f/2 lens, available in vm mountPromises excellent optical performance in a portable design that does not obscure the rangefinder’s viewfinder frame.
Along with the APO-Skopar 90mm f/2.8 VM, the new APO-Ultron 90mm f/2 is Cosina’s longest VM mount lens and the brand’s fourth “Ultron” series VM prime, joining the existing APO-Skopar 90mm f/2.8 VM. Ultron Vintage Line 28mm F/2 AsphericalThe Ultron Vintage Line 35mm f/2 Aspherical, and the Ultron 75mm f/1.9. The new 90mm f/2 is the first Ultron lens to incorporate an apochromatic design, meaning it has been precision engineered to virtually eliminate axial chromatic aberration. As Kosina says, the apochromatic design “makes the on-axis chromatic aberration of RGB as close to zero as possible.”
The lens’s new optical design uses unusual partial dispersion glass for six of its eight elements. These elements have been arranged into seven groups. The optics are also tightly packed, making the lens compact, measuring only 63.3 millimeters (2.5 in) in length. The lens has a maximum diameter of 61.9 millimeters (2.4 in) and accepts 52 mm filters. The APO-Ultron 90mm f/2 weighs just 340 grams (a hair less than 12 ounces).
The lens has a 12-bladed circular aperture diaphragm, and the aperture is controlled manually. Focus is also controlled manually in rangefinder lens fashion. The lens features an all-metal helicoid focusing unit that promises smooth, accurate autofocus with “reasonable torque.” The lens is coupled to a rangefinder at the base of the camera, and its focusing range is from 0.9 m (35.4 in) to infinity.
sample images
Pricing and Availability
The Cosina Voigtlander APO-Ultron 90mm f/2 will ship in black and silver colors when it reaches retailers in January 2025. The lenses have a suggested retail price of 120,000 yen in Japan, which converts to about $780 at current exchange rates. Official US pricing has not been confirmed yet, but photographers should expect the final price to be in that ballpark. The company’s 90mm f/2.8 APO-Skopar Currently on sale for $749for reference.
Image Credit: Cocina Voigtlander. Real-world sample images by _K/.
