Dan States
Established
After 10 years in the RF business, Cosina, manufacturer of Voigtlander and Zeiss 35mm camera lenses quietly rolled out a factory tour program this March. The tour is open to Japanese speakers who can flex their schedules to match available tour dates. Officially the tour can be in any of their manufacturing facilities, but in the interest of time we limited ours to the Nakano Lens and Camera manufacturing unit. The Nakano unit houses the assembly lines for all lenses and cameras.
I have taken the Leica tour several times over the years and found it very interesting, but pretty limited in what you can actually see happening, primarily because Leica does so much of their manufacturing of bodies and lens mounts in Portugal or through other companies. I frankly expected to see no more at Cosina, but as a sucker for anything free I was willing to make the drive to Nakano.
When we arrived as scheduled at 1pm our guide was in the lobby waiting for us. The first 15 minutes was spent showing us a video about the history of the company, their products and a recorded interview with Mr Kobayashi, the company owner. We were then ushered into the halls of the ground floor where a blind was raised and through a window we saw the final assembly of an OEM lens for a MAJOR manufacturer. (Assumptions that Cosina only does low end lenses for others were immediately shot to hell, as this was a well known and respected high speed AF portrait lens!) The blinds were drawn down and we moved on to a very large room where dozens of high precision milling machines were busy cutting and forming the inner lens barrels for what appeared to be the ZF/ZE line.
The Nakano plant creates all the metal parts for CV/Zeiss lenses including anodizing and final assembly and QC. The facility in total is in an older building, but is generally quite clean. There was a strong smell of lubricating oils in the air as computer controlled mills machined precision groves and cams into brass and aluminum mounts.
We passed a computer controlled grinder operated by a technician that was etching the wording into the front lens rings for the new 20mm ZF 3.5. You initially get the impression that there were not that many people to run a LOT of equipment, however, as you pass through to the next room you are faced with an amazing collection of drill presses, unused jigs, lathes and 4-5 skilled craftsmen busily working brass blanks and parts runners pulling various machine parts from racks. The atmosphere is one of a very high precision workshop full of people who could create virtually anything out of a blank block of metal.
We were then ushered RIGHT past anodizing tanks full of bubbling black liquids that were loaded with inner assemblies that changed from brilliant silver to perfect black. (We were so close that if I wanted to anodize any particular body part it would have been quite easy) Workmen shuttled trays of these parts in and out of the plating room constantly as we talked. We then moved to the camera body production area where magnesium inner bodies are precision drilled using a combination of robotic transport and multi tips jigs.
Finally we moved on to the component assembly room where, after donning masks for dust control, we saw Voigtlander and Zeiss lenses being hand assembled and checked for tolerances on test bodies. The new Medium Format folder was also being assembled and tested in this room. It was a very quiet atmosphere with about 15-20 technicians in lab coats in deep concentration. The tour concluded with a question and answer session and some parting brochures and information.
To summarize I'll say that while I have owned quite a few of the products made by Cosina, until now I've never really put much thought into to totality of what they are doing. Unlike Leica, they are still truly a soup-to-nuts camera and lens maker. They produce their own glass, mill their own mounts, design and build their own bodies and lenses and do so with great efficiency and enthusiasm. When I asked why they have been so limited in the past regarding factory tours or publicity they said point blank that the owner does not want to threaten their all important OEM business by stirring up too much attention. A far cry from other major brands who brag about their skills yet frankly outsource much of what they are selling.
I hope this has been an interesting read and if you have any questions please let me know.
Best wishes
Dan
I have taken the Leica tour several times over the years and found it very interesting, but pretty limited in what you can actually see happening, primarily because Leica does so much of their manufacturing of bodies and lens mounts in Portugal or through other companies. I frankly expected to see no more at Cosina, but as a sucker for anything free I was willing to make the drive to Nakano.
When we arrived as scheduled at 1pm our guide was in the lobby waiting for us. The first 15 minutes was spent showing us a video about the history of the company, their products and a recorded interview with Mr Kobayashi, the company owner. We were then ushered into the halls of the ground floor where a blind was raised and through a window we saw the final assembly of an OEM lens for a MAJOR manufacturer. (Assumptions that Cosina only does low end lenses for others were immediately shot to hell, as this was a well known and respected high speed AF portrait lens!) The blinds were drawn down and we moved on to a very large room where dozens of high precision milling machines were busy cutting and forming the inner lens barrels for what appeared to be the ZF/ZE line.
The Nakano plant creates all the metal parts for CV/Zeiss lenses including anodizing and final assembly and QC. The facility in total is in an older building, but is generally quite clean. There was a strong smell of lubricating oils in the air as computer controlled mills machined precision groves and cams into brass and aluminum mounts.
We passed a computer controlled grinder operated by a technician that was etching the wording into the front lens rings for the new 20mm ZF 3.5. You initially get the impression that there were not that many people to run a LOT of equipment, however, as you pass through to the next room you are faced with an amazing collection of drill presses, unused jigs, lathes and 4-5 skilled craftsmen busily working brass blanks and parts runners pulling various machine parts from racks. The atmosphere is one of a very high precision workshop full of people who could create virtually anything out of a blank block of metal.
We were then ushered RIGHT past anodizing tanks full of bubbling black liquids that were loaded with inner assemblies that changed from brilliant silver to perfect black. (We were so close that if I wanted to anodize any particular body part it would have been quite easy) Workmen shuttled trays of these parts in and out of the plating room constantly as we talked. We then moved to the camera body production area where magnesium inner bodies are precision drilled using a combination of robotic transport and multi tips jigs.
Finally we moved on to the component assembly room where, after donning masks for dust control, we saw Voigtlander and Zeiss lenses being hand assembled and checked for tolerances on test bodies. The new Medium Format folder was also being assembled and tested in this room. It was a very quiet atmosphere with about 15-20 technicians in lab coats in deep concentration. The tour concluded with a question and answer session and some parting brochures and information.
To summarize I'll say that while I have owned quite a few of the products made by Cosina, until now I've never really put much thought into to totality of what they are doing. Unlike Leica, they are still truly a soup-to-nuts camera and lens maker. They produce their own glass, mill their own mounts, design and build their own bodies and lenses and do so with great efficiency and enthusiasm. When I asked why they have been so limited in the past regarding factory tours or publicity they said point blank that the owner does not want to threaten their all important OEM business by stirring up too much attention. A far cry from other major brands who brag about their skills yet frankly outsource much of what they are selling.
I hope this has been an interesting read and if you have any questions please let me know.
Best wishes
Dan
Last edited:
brachal
Refrigerated User
Very cool! Thanks for sharing that.
bennyng
Benny Ng
A very interesting read. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Cheers,
photo4ls
Well-known
Some people have all the luck. Sounds like
a tour most of us would enjoy.Was it possible
for you to make a purchase at a discounted
price?
Nelson
a tour most of us would enjoy.Was it possible
for you to make a purchase at a discounted
price?
Nelson
Dan States
Established
On the contrary...the local Zeiss/Cosina shop/museum only offers a 15% discount from Japanese MSRP...way above what we pay at Cameraquest. On the happy side we did find one hell of a restaurant with the best Sauce Katsu ever for just 500 Yen!
Best wishes
Dan
Zonan
Well-known
Dan,
thanks for a great report! They should consider making something like it available on video (there, I said the word!) for the rest of us.
thanks for a great report! They should consider making something like it available on video (there, I said the word!) for the rest of us.
ducttape
Established
Interesting? That was superb. Thank you!
SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
Thanks, Dan, for taking the time to type this experience of yours. Have a nice weekend!
jke
Well-known
That's great. Nice to know the back story of a few of my lenses!
zenlibra
Crazy Leica Fox
Thanks for sharing, I too wish a video were available.
jwhitley
Established
The OP is correct: SL-II 20/3.5 Aspheric, in Nikon F and Pentax K mounts. Tiny and tasty (er.. for those who may dabble with evil SLRs..)
aizan
Veteran
cooooool! i'll have to put that on my itinerary when i go this christmas.
i'm guessing the "well known and respected high speed AF portrait lens" was the canon 85/1.2L. amiright?
i'm guessing the "well known and respected high speed AF portrait lens" was the canon 85/1.2L. amiright?
hans voralberg
Veteran
Must go to Japan!!! Honestly that sounds awesome, and amusing as well, especially that anodizing any body part bit 
DonaldL.
Newbie
Thank you for the report.
Dan States
Established
Sorry, the ZF part was my mistake...The lens I'm talking about is the Voigtlander 20mm F3.5 that was just released.
EliasK
Well-known
Very interesting, thanks or posting.
samoksner
Who stole my light?
I think Canon assembles it's own 85mm f1.2, but i wouldn't be suprised if the Sony / Zeiss 85mm f1.4 AF was being built by cosina or even if the Nikkor 85mm f1.8 was built by cosina. Although some associate cheap products with cosina, I've had nothing but perfect products from them.
They've proven that they have the know-how and skill to built SUPERB optics :ZM 50mm f1.5, ZM 35mm biogon, Voigtlander 35mm f1.2, 15mm f1.5 heliar and many more beauties. I didn't know they were building the new ZEs... but i can attest to the quality of these lens, both in build and in optics, the 50mm f1.4 is simply a superb lens with a beautiful signature.
I simply love this company, they've proven they can make quality products for oter companies (ask Zeiss or Nikon) and come up for some superb products of their own that can compete with the competition for a very atractive price. They've also shown that they pay careful attention to the demands and requests of customers. They've even come out with products that Leica has been unable to match (the R4 with 21mm frames for instance.)
The fact that they've opened their doors for anyone to come and see, and for free none the less, just shows how serious this company is about what they do.
They've proven that they have the know-how and skill to built SUPERB optics :ZM 50mm f1.5, ZM 35mm biogon, Voigtlander 35mm f1.2, 15mm f1.5 heliar and many more beauties. I didn't know they were building the new ZEs... but i can attest to the quality of these lens, both in build and in optics, the 50mm f1.4 is simply a superb lens with a beautiful signature.
I simply love this company, they've proven they can make quality products for oter companies (ask Zeiss or Nikon) and come up for some superb products of their own that can compete with the competition for a very atractive price. They've also shown that they pay careful attention to the demands and requests of customers. They've even come out with products that Leica has been unable to match (the R4 with 21mm frames for instance.)
The fact that they've opened their doors for anyone to come and see, and for free none the less, just shows how serious this company is about what they do.
Richard G
Veteran
Fascinating. And beautifully written. Thanks.
