Cosina has been one of the few companies to offer exceptional lenses under both the Voigtlander and Zeiss names. Their lenses are cost-effective and pretty retro-looking, offering a balance of form and performance. Joining this list is a new lens, one that can offer a perfect blend of wide-angle focal range and bright aperture: Voigtlander Septon 40mm f2. Have a look.
Editor’s Note: Additional reporting has been added by Editor in Chief Chris Gampat with consultation from fellow editors Feroz Khan and Alberto Lima.
The Cosina Voigtlander 40mm f2 Septon is designed for both Sony and Nikon mounts and targets photographers who want optical performance and a portable form factor. The lens measures only 30mm and weighs 165g. The form factor makes it an ideal option for mirrorless bodies while delivering a close approximation of the human field of view, and is considered natural for everyday perspective.
The lens is constructed from seven elements in six groups, arranged in an Orthometer-type design, and delivers a bright aperture. The combination makes it ideal for street photography, travel, documentary work, and environmental portraits. There is also a 10-blade aperture, which allows smooth bokeh, a minimum focusing distance of 0.3m, and a close magnification of 1:5.3.
The lens has electronic contacts, which means you get EXIF data, 5-axis image stabilization (or so they claim), and in-camera lens correction profile on Sony bodies. This will also allow the lens to make it more integrated than many traditional manual-focus primes. There is also a precision-machined all-metal helicoid that allows for accurate manual focus control.
This is where things get a bit complicated. To recap, Viltrox lenses are having issues with Sony a7V cameras due to not paying for the Sony license. So will the same thing happen to the new Voigtlander 40mm f2 Septon?
In 2011, Cosina joined the Sony E-mount by agreeing to the license — which was verified by Sony. We couldn’t find present confirmation of this, but we have no reasons to believe that Cosina isn’t paying for the license anymore. Granted, this is also a manual focus lens so much less can go wrong here at least in that aspect. It’s still lacking weather resistance, from what we gather.
If anything, that’s bound to be the bigger problem based on what we’ve seen from the Zeiss Loxia lineup — which was also made by Cosina.
The lens includes a dome-shaped hood and a 52mm filter. The lens costs 85,000 yen (about $553), making it an affordable option. TTartisan and Nikon offer an option, with Nikon’s being perfect for its price. As we said in our review of the Nikon version, “The Nikon 40mm f2 Z is a pretty fantastic lens. In fact, it’s the closest thing to being both a nifty 50 and a first 35mm lens. Nikon’s move here was genuinely brilliant. On top of that, there’s the weather sealing and the fast autofocus. As the autofocus on their cameras improves and becomes more intelligent, this lens will just get better.”
So far, we have tested similar Voigtlander lenses (a brand under Cosina) and were impressed. For instance, the 21mm f1.2, which is lightweight, offers great lens character and nice colors. The bokeh was also pretty great. All of this at just under $700.
If you are considering purchasing a lens, the Cosina offering can be one of the shortlisted models. If you need a lens that is made by Nikon, then the 40mm is ideal for you.