Cosina Voigtlander 28mm f/2.8 for Nikon

What do you know about Cosina Voigtlander lenses? Is this going to be a good lens for Nikon if and when they release it in the USA? The thing that interests me the most is the 6" minimum focus distance. That could make for some interesting close focus wide angle photography.

Cosina unveils a $600 Voigtlander 28mm F2.8 Aspherical lens for Nikon F mount camera systems: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

I have one of their 58mm f/1.4 lenses. It's beautifully built, and has a great focus feel in hand. I have no complaints about sharpness, but I'm not a fan of the background rendition. I'm also not a real fan of optional $50 lens hoods.

When I owned a Sigma 28mm f/1.8, I found that lens's close focus capability surprisingly useful, so I can see the attraction for this lens.

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Thanks Michael, Your experience is good to know.

Only $600 for the lens but $50 for the hood. That's not good.

I'll be looking for user reviews of this lens.

dave gaines said:

Thanks Michael, Your experience is good to know.

Only $600 for the lens but $50 for the hood. That's not good.

I'll be looking for user reviews of this lens.

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I have the SL-II N version of this lens, I believe the recently announced lens uses the same optical formula.

Here is a review of the SL-II N version: Voigtlander 28mm f/2.8 Color Skopar SL II SLR Lens Review

This lens makes an excellent, very compact, slightly wide normal lens for DX and a great wide angle for FX! I'm very happy with this lens and the several other Voigtlander lenses I own! I'll never sell them!

Thanks fpapp,

Your review and the link may be the only one we get for quite a while, since the new lens is only being released in Japan for now.

dave gaines said:

Thanks fpapp,

Your review and the link may be the only one we get for quite a while, since the new lens is only being released in Japan for now.

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Hi Dave,

At Lenstip dot com they also have a review of the Voigtlander Color Skopar 28 mm f/2.8 SL II version. Like fpapp says, it seems to have the same optical construction as the new one.

Regards,

André

I don’t have any SLiis but was tempted by the 58/1.4.

MF lenses at 28/2.8 are pretty common. I wonder how this Voigt stacks up against the excellent Nikkor 28/2.8 ai-s ( not the ai which is a different optical formula ) which I have and use sometimes. That has Nikon’s CRC ( close range correction ) system and has/had the reputation of one of the best MF wides that Nikon produced. It is also cheaper ( used ).

rich_cx139 said:

I don’t have any SLiis but was tempted by the 58/1.4.

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I have the Voigtlander 58/1.4 SL-II and it is a delight, also when used with an achromat.

Member said:

MF lenses at 28/2.8 are pretty common. I wonder how this Voigt stacks up against the excellent Nikkor 28/2.8 ai-s ( not the ai which is a different optical formula ) which I have and use sometimes. That has Nikon’s CRC ( close range correction ) system and has/had the reputation of one of the best MF wides that Nikon produced. It is also cheaper ( used ).

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I find the Sigma 30/1.4 Art an affordable delight, if not as outstanding as the Sigma 35/1.4 Art. DX, sadly (totally useable with FX, if you can live with a little bit of vignetting, just cropping to 4:3 or 16:9 solves that without further ado, or you use a bit of PP).

About twice the weight of the Voigtlander 28, though. But comes with a lens hood for free!

dave gaines said:

Thanks fpapp,

Your review and the link may be the only one we get for quite a while, since the new lens is only being released in Japan for now.

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You do still get a few of the older versions of the lenses cropping up. I'v got the older pancake version of the 40mm and the 20mm bought used a couple of years ago.

Not used the 28mm but definitely the build/handling of the other two are very nice, Optics wise they are both very nice stopped down, maybe more of a classic look without the extreme contrast of modern lenses but not lacking for sharpness. The 40mm is also pretty sharp in the central frame at F/2 although I'd agree as with the 58mm bokeh can be a bit busy, not the worst I'v seen though.