View source for Cosina Voigtländer

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|image_text= Cosina Voigtländer Bessa R2 [[rangefinder camera]],<br/>accepting [[Leica M lenses|M-bayonet mount]] lenses
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''See also the earlier [[Voigtländer]] company.''

This page describes [[Voigtländer]]-branded products of the Japanese company [[Cosina]]. These products are sometimes referred to as '''Cosina Voigtländer''' (abbreviated '''CV'''), even if no company of that name exists and the name combination is not officially used by the Cosina company. The ''Voigtländer'' brand is conspicuously applied on the cameras — sometimes even ''Voigtländer Germany'' — and the ''Cosina'' name is inconspicuously applied elsewhere on the product. Cosina reuses other product branding from the old German Voigtländer, such as "Bessa" for cameras and "Skopar" or "Ultron" for lenses, although with little connection to their historical meanings.

Cosina leased the rights to the [[Voigtländer]] name from [[Ringfoto | RingFoto]] as CEO Hirofumi Kobayashi saw shrinking potential in OEM production of entry-level film cameras for other brands. The new Voigtländer name has been  used since 1999 for cameras, lenses and other photographic equipment designed by Cosina itself (and thus really has no closer a connection to the historical Voigtländer than to [[Leitz]], [[Zeiss]], etc.). This Voigtländer-branded line has centered on 35mm interchangable-lens [[Focal plane shutter|focal-plane-shutter]] rangefinder designs. The product line has been innovative and imaginative, and priced lower than the obvious alternatives (although higher than Cosina-branded products), and has been well received.  

The Cosina Voigtländer range consists of camera bodies and lenses with the most widely-used 35mm rangefinder mounts; and also SLR cameras with the [[42mm screw lenses|M42 mount]]. CV has become a respected independent manufacturer of lenses for Leica-M, M42, Nikon&nbsp;F and other mounts (including  micro 4/3 and Sony digital bodies); as well as miscellaneous accessories.

The German company [[Ringfoto]] also markets some budget-priced photographic goods under the Voigtländer name; these are not distributed by Cosina. 

==Cameras==
=== 35mm rangefinder ===

''See [[Bessa (35mm)]] for details''

Cosina Voigtländer cameras have all been branded "Bessa", a name previously used by Voigtländer for 6&times;9 view- and rangefinder cameras (see [[Bessa (folders)|Bessa]]).

The first from Cosina was the [[39mm screw lenses|Leica-thread-mount]] '''[[Bessa L]]''', which lacks any finder but (like all its successors) has a TTL meter. This camera shows a close relationship with a number of cheap SLRs that Cosina had made for various other companies, and of which the Nikon FM10 may be the best known.

The Bessa L was followed by the '''[[Bessa R]]''', a camera with an excellent integrated rangefinder and viewfinder (and thus similar to the [[Leica]] M6 and so forth), with framelines for 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 90mm lenses. This camera was reproached for using too much plastic by some users. Despite this, the camera is reliable and lightweight.

Next was the '''[[Bessa T]]''', a most unusual camera in that it has a rangefinder but no viewfinder. Its rangefinder baselength is slightly greater than that of any other Bessa model.

The '''[[Bessa R2]]''' is a Bessa R with a [[Leica M lenses|Leica M mount]] and various minor changes. There are two variants with different lens mounts, the '''[[Bessa R2S]]''' and '''[[Bessa R2C]]''' for [[Nikon rangefinder|Nikon S]] mount and [[Contax rangefinder lenses|Contax mount]] respectively. These have shorter rangefinder baselengths than their Nikon, Contax or [[Kiev rangefinder|Kiev]] equivalents, but are unrivaled among bodies with these mounts in having TTL metering. 

All subsequent models of Bessa so far (2007) have had the Leica M mount. They have included the '''[[Bessa R2A]]''', '''[[Bessa R2M]]''', '''[[Bessa R3A]]''', '''[[Bessa R3M]]''', '''[[Bessa R4A]]''', and '''[[Bessa R4M]]''': within these names, "2" means magnification and framelines as for the Bessa R and R2; "3" non-reduced finder (as on the [[Canon&nbsp;P]]) and framelines for 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, and 90mm; "4" a wide-angle finder and framelines for 21mm, 25mm, 28mm, 35mm and 50mm; "A" aperture-priority automatic exposure; and "M" manually set exposure (and detailed improvements over the Bessa&nbsp;2). The «A» models can only fire with a working battery, whereas the «M» models can fire properly with a dead one - the lightmeter only stops working.

Cosina has also sold various special editions: different colors, combined with unusual lenses, and so forth.


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|image_text= Black Bessaflex TM
|image_by= Marc Vanstraelen
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=== 35mm SLR ===

The '''[[Bessaflex TM]]''' is an [[42mm screw lenses|M42-mount]] SLR that was introduced in 2003 as a revival of the M42 mount for the joy of old-camera users.  It was fitted with a [[Copal]] mechanical shuter going from 1 to 1/2000 and flash sync of 1/125.  The Bessaflex allows the use of most M42 lenses with features that were not available at the time, such as:
* Silicon lightmeter center weighted with range between 1 and 19EV (ISO 100), 
* High point viewfinder with 95% coverage and a microprism (split-image) for focusing, 
* LEDs for exposure (green correct, red for over/under exposure)
* Mirror lock up with the timer
* Film window in the back door

It was made in two styles: first black (and looking rather like a more compact [[Canon F-1]]) and then also silver (and a clear if smaller imitation of a [[Topcon RE Super]]).  Neither of the styles had an accessory shoe (cold), and both could take a range of winder and grips available form Cosina.
Bessaflex was discontinued in 2007.

====Ringfoto====

Inexpensive SLRs manufactured by [[Cosina]] have also been marketed by [[Ringfoto]] under the Voigtländer brand. The '''[[Voigtländer VSL 40]]''' appears to be a rebadged [[Cosina C1]]; and the '''[[Voigtländer VSL 43]]''' a rebadged [[Cosina C3]]. These models use the [[K mount lenses|Pentax K-mount bayonet]] and have no connection to earlier [[Voigtländer VSL]] models based on the Rollei SL35 lens mount.
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=== 120 rangefinder ===
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'''Bessa III 667''' was announced in 2008 as the export name for the [[Fujifilm GF670]] and sold in 2009. The couple of years later the wide angle version was available as the Bessa III 667W.

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==Lenses==

Cosina first started producing lenses under the Voigtländer brand in 1999, when it introduced [[39mm screw lenses|screwmount]] 15mm and 25mm lenses with the Bessa&nbsp;L. When released, the 15mm lens was much smaller than any SLR lens of the same length, and very much cheaper than any compact alternative for a viewfinder or rangefinder camera. The company has since produced a surprising variety of these lenses in [[39mm screw lenses|Leica screw mount]], [[Leica M lenses|M mount]], [[Nikon rangefinder|Nikon S mount]] (some fully usable with [[Contax rangefinder|Contax]] bodies), and several SLR mounts (particularly [[42mm screw lenses|M42]] and Nikon F). It also produces larger hoods for many of the lenses and accessory viewfinders. While the lenses have familiar Voigtländer names, the optical formulae are all new.

=== [[39mm screw lenses|LTM]] rangefinder lenses===
====Not rangefinder coupled====
* 12mm f/5.6 aspherical Ultra-Wide Heliar with included metal viewfinder and Armalite hood, black or chrome. When released, the widest rectilinear lens ever sold.
* 15mm f/4.5 aspherical Super-Wide Heliar with integrated partial hood (no filter thread) and included plastic viewfinder, black or chrome
* 25mm f/4 Snapshot Skopar with included plastic viewfinder and hood, black or chrome

====Rangefinder coupled====
* 18mm f/4 Color-Skopar with hood, black (released as a prototype only)
* 21mm f/4 Color-Skopar with included plastic viewfinder and hood, black or chrome
* 28mm f/1.9 aspherical Ultron with Armalite hood, black or chrome. Unusually fast for a rangefinder lens of this length.
* 28mm f/3.5 Color-Skopar with hood, black or chrome
* 35mm f/1.7 aspherical Ultron with hood, black or chrome
* 35mm f/2.5 Color-Skopar with a single optical design but two barrel versions: "C" (with hood, black or chrome), and "P" (black only)
* 50mm f/1.5 aspherical Nokton with hood, black or chrome
* 50mm f/2.5 Color-Skopar with hood, black or chrome
* 50mm f/3.5 collapsible Heliar with hood, chrome only (only available with a Bessa T101)
* 75mm f/2.5 Color Heliar with hood, black or chrome
* 90mm f/3.5 [[APO-Lanthar|APO Lanthar]] with hood, black or chrome

=== [[Leica M lenses|M-mount]] rangefinder lenses ===

All of these are rangefinder coupled.

* 21mm f/4 Color Skopar (optically identical to the LTM 21/4)
* 25mm f/4 Color Skopar (optically identical to the LTM 25/4)
* 28mm f/2 Ultron
* 35mm f1.2 Nokton. The fastest lens of its length.
* 35mm f1.4 Nokton Classic (in two versions: single-coated and multicoated). Released 2008.
* 35mm f/2.5 Color Skopar PII (optically identical to the LTM 25/4)
* 40mm f/1.4 Nokton (in two versions: single-coated and multicoated). The fastest rangefinder lens of its length.
* 50mm f/1.1 Nokton. Released May 2009.
* 50mm f/2 collapsible Heliar Classic (only available with a Bessa R2M or R3M)

=== [[Nikon rangefinder|Nikon S&ndash;mount]] rangefinder lenses ===

All of these are rangefinder coupled, and all were available in a combination of black and silver.

The wider lenses were named "SC" and marketed as being suitable for the old [[Contax rangefinder|Contax]] mount as well as the [[Nikon rangefinder|Nikon S]] mount; the longer ones, named "S", were not. (In practice, the longer lenses are also usable with a Contax if stopped down or used at longer distances.)

Contax-mount lenses had not been produced since the end of Soviet manufacture of lenses for the [[Kiev rangefinder|Kiev]], while Nikon S&ndash;mount lenses from companies other than Nippon Kōgaku had always been rare. Further, the Cosina Voigtländer range brought lenses of focal lengths that are not otherwise available for these mounts.

==== SC lenses ====

* 21mm f/4 SC-Skopar
* 25mm f/4 SC-Skopar (rangefinder coupled, unlike the screwmount equivalent)
* 28mm f/3.5 SC-Skopar
* 35mm f/2.5 SC-Skopar

==== S lenses ====

* 50mm f/3.5 S-Heliar (only available as a set with a Bessa R2S with special paint)
* 50mm f/2.5 S-Skopar
* 50mm f/1.5 S-Nokton
* 85mm f/3.5 S-[[APO-Lanthar|APO Lanthar]]

=== Lenses for 35mm SLR ===

These are all manual-focus lenses. The original SL range were cosmetically designs of the 1960s or 1970s (e.g. chromed metal focusing ring without rubber grips). They were produced in several manual mounts: Nikon&nbsp;F, [[Canon FD mount|Canon&nbsp;FD]], [[Minolta SR mount|Minolta&nbsp;MD]], [[42mm screw lenses|M42]], [[K mount lenses|Pentax&nbsp;K]], [[Contax/Yashica lenses|Contax/Yashica]], [[Olympus OM lenses|Olympus OM]]. All are now (2007) discontinued.

* Ultron SL 40mm f/2
* [[Voigtländer Color-Heliar SL 75mm f/2.5|Color-Heliar SL 75mm f/2.5]]
* [[APO-Lanthar|APO Lanthar]] SL 90mm f/3.5
* Macro [[APO-Lanthar|APO Lanthar]] SL 125mm f/2.5
* [[APO-Lanthar|APO Lanthar]] SL 180mm f/4

For certain Nikon SLR bodies, requiring mirror lock-up and supplied with separate finders as well as the option of an accessory shoe to replace the finder of a Nikon F or F2:

* 12mm f/5.6 aspherical Ultra-Wide Heliar
* 15mm f/4.5 aspherical Super-Wide Heliar

Cosina sold an "FS" adapter to use either of these lenses with a Nikon S or Contax mount, and an "FL" adapter for use with a Leica screw mount. The latter adapter can of course be combined with one for the Leica M mount, and entirely different adapters can be used to combine the lenses with other bodies that can be used with the mirror permanently locked up. 

Starting in 2007, the new SLII range for Nikon F, [[K mount lenses|Pentax K mount]] and Canon EOS and designed to allow use with digital cameras:

* 20mm f/3.5 Color Skopar aspherical SLII
* 28mm f/2.8 Color Skopar aspherical SLII
* 40mm f/2.0 Ultron aspherical SLII
* 58mm f/1.4 Nokton SLII (the same optical design as Cosina's "Auto-Topcor" 58/1.4)

The all-black finish, single aperture stops, rubber focussing ring and (for Nikon F-mount) CPU coupling distinguish the SLII lenses from their SL counterparts. Newer SLII lenses feature an "N" denotation which means that the focus ring is made of machined metal, as opposed to metal with a rubber grip on non-N models. As of 2013, the Pentax K mount models are discontinued, while the Canon EOS and Nikon F mount models are still in production.

=== Lenses for mirrorless===

Several lenses for [https://www.voigtlaender.de/lenses/e-mount/?lang=en| Sony E], Fujifilm X, Nikon Z and Micro 4/3 are available

== Meters ==
* Voigtländer VC Meter
* [[Voigtländer VC Meter II]]

== Links ==

In English:

* [https://www.cosina.co.jp/voigtlander/en/ English-language site of Cosina Voigtländer] including current lenses for digital [https://www.cosina.co.jp/voigtlander/en/e-mount/ Sony E-mount] and [https://www.cosina.co.jp/voigtlander/en/micro-four-thirds/ Micro Four-Thirds mount]
* [http://peat.org/cvfaq.html An unofficial Cosina Voigtländer FAQ] at [http://peat.org/ peat.org]
* [http://www.cameraquest.com/ Cameraquest]: Stephen Gandy's company sells Cosina Voigtländer products and describes them in a site that is unusually informative for a retailer.
* [https://www.photo.net/forums/topic/24817-voigtl%C3%A4nder-ultron-1928-first-impressions/ Review of the 28/1.9 lens] by Lutz Konermann
* [http://www.shutterbug.com/content/voigtlnder%E2%80%99s-vsl-43-new-entry-level-film-slr#DhPmyXuz5wyoTQEX.97 Shutterbug review of the Voigtländer VSL 43]
* [https://www.popphoto.com/news/2008/12/speaking-frankly-contrary-mind-hirofumi-kobayashi/ Herbert Kepler's] Speaking Frankly: The Contrary Mind of Hirofumi Kobayashi at PopPhoto
* [https://butkus.org/chinon/voigtlander.htm Voigtlander PDF manuals] at [https://butkus.org/chinon/index.html www.OrphanCameras.com]

In German:

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140916235530/https://voigtlaender.de/historie.html Ringphoto Voigtländer History] (archived)

In Japanese:

* [https://www.cosina.co.jp/voigtlander/ Cosina Voigtländer]

[[Category:39mm screw mount]]
[[Category:Leica M mount]]
[[Category:Contax rangefinder mount]]
[[Category:Nikon S mount]]
[[Category:Japanese 35mm rangefinder]]
[[Category:Cosina Voigtländer|*]]
[[Category: Meter makers]]