"New" Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 (now in M-Mount)

[dcsang]

Well, it had to happen at some point - Cosina had moved the bulk of their other lenses over to M-mount so it sort of makes sense that this one would go too.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1001/10012002cosina12mmwideangle.asp

Street price is listed @ $932 USD for lens only and $378 USD for associated finder; so that's $1,300 USD all in for this puppy.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Fujitsu]

I like the new finder (the old one was silver).

http://www.cosina.co.jp/seihin/voigt/v-lens/v-l-m/vm12/index.html

 

[Krosya]

I wonder why this was not posted by CQ/Head bartender first? Or they keep him in the dark about new products now? 😉
As far as lens goes - I suppose its a RF coupled version? Still I dont see why such price difference compared to older version.

 

[RdEoSg]

I don't know if it's just a product of what they have announced recently but is it just me or are they going from a company that makes nice lenses for low prices to a company that makes even nicer lenses for higher prices.

I like Voigtlander lenses and have owned two of them so far, but they are quickly starting to price themselves out of my price range. They used to be a good option for me. Now I'm looking more at used stuff.

I wish they'd stop working on $1000+ lenses and start updating some of their $500 lenses! I'M POOR!!!

 

[palec]

Funny how the viewfinder has a shade of same shape as the lens.

 

[Fujitsu]

or are they going from a company that makes nice lenses for low prices to a company that makes even nicer lenses for higher prices.

The problem is imho that the designs have not improved. I like my older screw mount Asphericals better. The last of the breed was the 35/1.2 ASPH in M-mount. I dont like too much what followed after (including the 50/1.1 which was supposed to replace the 50/1.5 ASPH. Not for me.)

 

[RdEoSg]

There is that too. I mean are we really gaining anything by taking lenses and converting them from screw to M? I'm not sure there is any benefit for us other than those using micro 4/3 right?

 

[Tom A]

The new finder is nice - the old one looked a bit like a Sony Trinitron TV!! As for prices - it is less the fault of Cosina than of fiscal mis-management by various US (and other) monetary systems! The yen is strong against the $.

 

[RdEoSg]

maybe my boss will pay me in yen..

 

[back alley]

the m mount lenses seem better built and better looking than the ltm versions.
looking over the cq site, there seems no m mount lens over $999.
still pretty good considering.

 

[Disaster_Area]

Don't worry... the prices of all the discontinued LTM lenses are steadily rising, give them time to get scarce and I'm sure you'll be able to get enough for them to fund the purchase of the new M mount ones 🙂

 

[dcsang]

I wonder why this was not posted by CQ/Head bartender first? Or they keep him in the dark about new products now? 😉
As far as lens goes - I suppose its a RF coupled version? Still I dont see why such price difference compared to older version.

Re: Head Bartender

I'm guessing, and this is just a guess, that Stephen (being on the West Coast) could be sleeping in 🙂

It is, as of right now, only 9:36 AM out there.. 😀

Phil Askey (DPReview) is in the UK so he's a good 8 hours ahead of Stephen 🙂

Cheers,
Dave

 

[photogdave]

The problem is imho that the designs have not improved. I like my older screw mount Asphericals better. The last of the breed was the 35/1.2 ASPH in M-mount. I dont like too much what followed after (including the 50/1.1 which was supposed to replace the 50/1.5 ASPH. Not for me.)

I don't think the 1.1 is supposed to be a replacement to the 1.5. Just a different lens in the lineup.
As to what we're gaining for the extra money I would say it's improved fit and finish, and perhaps quality control.

 

[Disaster_Area]

I think some of it might be due to the fact that they've found out the CAN charge more. When they first started producing LTM lenses they had to give the die hard Leica fans a really good reason to choose them over the tried and true... they couldn't bank on quality bringing people over because by the time the old guard was convinced the glass was good enough for their M2's and M6's Cosina would have lost too much money and gone under. They had a brilliant strategy... hit the market hard with stuff so cheap in comparison to Leica equipment people couldn't help but stop and take notice. For those that were used to paying four figures for a lens, why not drop a couple hundred and see if they're any good...for those that could only afford a couple hundred it gave them a way in to the system they could actually afford.

Fast forward 10 years... we're all now convinced of Cosina's ability to produce quality glass... they're bodies while not as pretty or tank like have convinced everybody that they pack enough modern technology to make up for it... and these new products are STILL way cheaper than the Leica alternative if there even is one... so yeah... they're probing to see just how much they can charge and get away with it.

And I say good for them... I don't expect the companies I buy from to be altruistic, they have to turn a profit, if they don't they go away... just look at film. The more profitable they are the more then can spend on R&D for new and exciting products. Companies that are barely profitable will just keep coasting on their previous products, maybe adding a new color or racing stripes in a new release of the same old, because they're too worried about staying afloat to spend serious cash on risky new products that may not be a success. I think we've all just become spoiled by top quality glass at rock bottom prices 🙂

 

[Krosya]

the m mount lenses seem better built and better looking than the ltm versions.
.

Better looking? Better built? Well, first one is a matter of taste I suppose, yet I dont agree that newer lenses are better looking. Better built? - based on what? I have never had any problems with either M or LTM CV lenses.
But what we do get with newer lenses for sure is - higher prices and less flexability as they cant be used with so many great LTM cameras. I agree - some lenses, like CV 25, 12 ans 15 gaining RF coupling is a plus, which should have been done from the beginning anyway.

 

[Krosya]

I think some of it might be due to the fact that they've found out the CAN charge more. When they first started producing LTM lenses they had to give the die hard Leica fans a really good reason to choose them over the tried and true... they couldn't bank on quality bringing people over because by the time the old guard was convinced the glass was good enough for their M2's and M6's Cosina would have lost too much money and gone under. They had a brilliant strategy... hit the market hard with stuff so cheap in comparison to Leica equipment people couldn't help but stop and take notice. For those that were used to paying four figures for a lens, why not drop a couple hundred and see if they're any good...for those that could only afford a couple hundred it gave them a way in to the system they could actually afford.

Fast forward 10 years... we're all now convinced of Cosina's ability to produce quality glass... they're bodies while not as pretty or tank like have convinced everybody that they pack enough modern technology to make up for it... and these new products are STILL way cheaper than the Leica alternative if there even is one... so yeah... they're probing to see just how much they can charge and get away with it.

And I say good for them... I don't expect the companies I buy from to be altruistic, they have to turn a profit, if they don't they go away... just look at film. The more profitable they are the more then can spend on R&D for new and exciting products. Companies that are barely profitable will just keep coasting on their previous products, maybe adding a new color or racing stripes in a new release of the same old, because they're too worried about staying afloat to spend serious cash on risky new products that may not be a success. I think we've all just become spoiled by top quality glass at rock bottom prices 🙂

All that is fine and good, but for me it only works if they make a NEW and BETTER product. Taking the SAME lens and putting different mount on it is not the same. I think they were much more interesting and innovative at Cosina at the launch of their CV line. Now it seems to be different. I, personally still prefer their earlier lenses. Fact that they are cheaper is an extra bonus.

 

[vincentbenoit]

Is the new 12mm finder metal-bodied? It resembles the current 28mm and 35mm metal brightline finders. This could be a significant improvement. Now what we (I) need are 15mm and 21mm versions of this finder design.

 

[Krosya]

The problem is imho that the designs have not improved. I like my older screw mount Asphericals better. The last of the breed was the 35/1.2 ASPH in M-mount. I dont like too much what followed after (including the 50/1.1 which was supposed to replace the 50/1.5 ASPH. Not for me.)

Agreed! and this shows too. It was just introduced and sold at $1150 or so and now it sells new for $999. On ebay they can be found even cheaper from Asia. Funny that CV Ultron 35/1.7, Nokton 40 and 50/1.5 keep their prices and even go up. It almost looks like Cosina had all the passion about what they made in the beginning, and now it seems it's all about money and profit. Sad!

 

[robklurfield]

a good time to buy the LTM version???

 

[Disaster_Area]

Well I think the 50mm F1.1 is an example of risky innovation... and maybe they're being forced to concentrate on profit for a while... the recession probably hasn't helped their sales... if they have to go through a period of money making by recycling old products in order to keep going as a company that's fine. And to be fair the amount of innovation they injected into the industry in only 10 short years is staggering... it's only natural they couldn't keep that pace up forever. The only move I really have a problem with is the discontinuing of supplying finders with all their wides... not everyone has an R4X to go with those lenses. Even though a lot of the screw mounts have been discontinued I don't doubt for a second we'll see re-issues in the future... the demand is there.