Cosina announced a new prime lens for cameras with Fuji’s X-mount. The Voigtlander Macro APO-Ultron 35mm f/2 is a large aperture standard macro lens with some great features. But is it worth adding to your kit bag?
Design
The Voigtlander Macro APO-Ultron 35mm f/2 is a lightweight lens weighing less than 9.4 ounces. It also only measures 2.2 inches in length and is 2.4 inches in diameter. The field of view is 42.8 degrees. In addition, the filter thread is 49 mm, and the lens comes with a screw-in lens hood.
Optical construction
The Voigtlander Macro APO-Ultron 35mm lens is constructed with nine lens elements in six groups. It also has three anomalous partial-dispersion glass elements. As a result, Cosina states that axial chromatic aberration and lateral chromatic aberration have both been suppressed with this lens. In addition, the company has optimized the lens optics for the image sensor of the FUJIFILM X system cameras. This prevents distortion, light reduction and color casts at the edges of the image without relying on the camera’s optical correction function.
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Manual focus
The Voigtlander Macro APO-Ultron 35mm f/2 prime lens focusing mechanism is a high-precision, all-metal helicoid unit. Cosina states it has moderate torque to enable smooth and subtle focusing operations. The lens is a macro lens with a maximum magnification of 1:2 and a close focus of 6.42 inches.
Mechanical aperture
The lens features a directly-operated mechanical aperture ring that opens and closes the aperture. The mechanism works in 1/3 stop clicks from a maximum of f/2 down to f/22. In addition, the aperture has an iris with ten diaphragm blades. This means that it can form an opening, which is almost circular to give a soft, rounded bokeh effect.
The Voigtlander Macro APO-Ultron 35mm f/2 prime lens is a manual lens. However, it has electronic contacts, which means that it can transfer lens data to a compatible X-mount camera. In addition, there is support for in-body image stabilization and parallax correction with certain camera models. Full compatibility details are available on Cosina’s website.
Verdict
From its specifications, the Voigtlander Macro APO-Ultron 35mm f/2 prime lens promises to be a high-quality prime lens, and the sample images released by Cosina don’t disappoint. The fast f/2 aperture should give a good low light performance and shallow depth of field. For video, it would be better if the aperture was clickless, but the option of 1:2 macro magnification is a nice bonus. If you have a FUJIFILM X-mount camera, especially one that’s fully compatible with the data transfer, then the Voigtlander Macro APO-Ultron 35mm f/2 prime lens might be worth considering.
Pricing and availability
The Cosina Voigtlander Macro APO-Ultron 35mm f/2 will release in August this year. It will retail at 93,000 yen, equating to around $670 at today’s exchange rates.