Krosya
Konicaze
Not sure if there was an answer to this, but I was wondering why some boxes are black and others are green for same Voigtlander bodies/lenses?
gekopaca
French photographer
It's Poetry.
pvdhaar
Peter
So far, I've only seen black Voigltander boxes, that includes camera, lenses, finders. Never saw green ones. Are you sure they're for exactly the same gear, and not for special editions like olive bodies or 101-anniversary kits?
Krosya
Konicaze
Positive - I at one point I had 2 CV Heliars 75/2.5 - one came with green and one with black box. Same for Ultron 35/1.7 and Bessa R2's. Maybe different markets? Or year of production? Not sure.
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Some of the Voigtlander lenses and bodies were also sold under the Cosina brand, and from what I've seen, those came in green boxes.
George Bonanno
Well-known
I have both... a few times over. It's poetry... in motion. A Japanese thing... think Spiratone.
D&A
Well-known
When CV lenses were first released here in the States years ago, they were in the familar black boxes, as they are currently. Between those first early days and now, whenever I traveled outside the States (like to Europe), the same lenses were sold (and seen) in their green boxes...so I assumed it differentiated different markets much like Nikon did with their lens boxes (see below) and they possibly didn't include warranty coverage by the official USA importer at the time of it being manufatured. When a black CV box was opened, a USA importer warranty card is seen, but not with most all green boxes (except for those occasionally small accessories or limited items where costs didn't justify producing a seperate black box).
In the U.S., for the longest time (until recently) Nikon lneses came in gold boxes plastered with images of the front element of many lenses. The lens boxes from outside the U.S., were mostly solid gold and this designated to us here in the U.S., that these were gray market lenses and not accompanied by the USA 5 year warranty and that Nikon USA wouldn't repair those lenses and if some non authorized store in the U.S.A. was selling these solid gold boxed imported Nikon lenses, they were received from an importer outside the U.S., which were often cheaper in price but did not have the U.S.A. warranty.
I assumed this is/was the case with black CV len boxes vs. green boxed lenses....namely the black boxes are official U.S.A. imported CV lenses with USA warranty (except for those occasional low production items that didn't have a black box printed speicifically for them).
Whether black CV boxes are also used for any other markets outside the U.S., I honestly don't know.
Dave (D&A)
Dave
In the U.S., for the longest time (until recently) Nikon lneses came in gold boxes plastered with images of the front element of many lenses. The lens boxes from outside the U.S., were mostly solid gold and this designated to us here in the U.S., that these were gray market lenses and not accompanied by the USA 5 year warranty and that Nikon USA wouldn't repair those lenses and if some non authorized store in the U.S.A. was selling these solid gold boxed imported Nikon lenses, they were received from an importer outside the U.S., which were often cheaper in price but did not have the U.S.A. warranty.
I assumed this is/was the case with black CV len boxes vs. green boxed lenses....namely the black boxes are official U.S.A. imported CV lenses with USA warranty (except for those occasional low production items that didn't have a black box printed speicifically for them).
Whether black CV boxes are also used for any other markets outside the U.S., I honestly don't know.
Dave (D&A)
Dave
kshapero
South Florida Man
But which is better?
JonasYip
Well-known
I also have a blue-grey box for my Nikon mount Nokton as well as green and black boxes for M-mount lenses.
I notice that the black box has Voigtlander GmbH and other European industrial symbols (CE, recycle) on the bottom, while the green and blue-grey boxes have Japanese versions.
I notice that the black box has Voigtlander GmbH and other European industrial symbols (CE, recycle) on the bottom, while the green and blue-grey boxes have Japanese versions.
ampguy
Veteran
The black ones are the good ones 
ped
Small brown dog
The green boxes mean the contents are usually better lubricated due to the reflective properties of the box outer so the lenses don't haze from fungus and stuff. The black boxes also push your rangefinder patch out of alignment as they have a higher mass than surrounding air (and green boxes) so the gravitational pull on your RF over time in storage means a CLA is necessary upon removal from storage.
ZeissFan
Veteran
I heard the black boxes are prone to vertical misalignment (lame attempt at humor).
bolohead
Joel Cosseboom
I had some green boxes, but I sent them in to be painted black.
The black ones are the good ones
The green ones certainly look better. And they are not shiny.
dbarnes
Well-known
The green boxes are not actually green, but multi-coated.
ped
Small brown dog
I prefer the 'worn' boxes, they have a better feel
bobkonos
Well-known
Hate to throw a monkey wrench in Dave's response, but my first Voigtlander products came from our head bartender (R2S with trigger winder, 21, 25, and 85 lenses) and those came in green boxes (as did my two Bessa L cameras from him a year or so later). For what it is worth, I have seen both color boxes in shops in Japan. My preference is for the green boxes-very elegant and subtle with the flat finish-very Japanese in aesthetic.
D&A
Well-known
I like monkey wrenches
My comments above were basically for rangefinder items (not their SLR lenses etc). As I mentioned, there were some USA items that only came in green boxes, but for the most part, the majority of official USA imported products seem to be distributed in the black boxes,. Maybe thats beginning to change recently, I just don't know. I too kind of like the green boxes...matte finish and quite elegant.
Dave (D&A)
My comments above were basically for rangefinder items (not their SLR lenses etc). As I mentioned, there were some USA items that only came in green boxes, but for the most part, the majority of official USA imported products seem to be distributed in the black boxes,. Maybe thats beginning to change recently, I just don't know. I too kind of like the green boxes...matte finish and quite elegant.
Dave (D&A)
rbsinto
Well-known
Both of my CV lenses (21 and 25 in Nikon s mount) came in pale yellow boxes.
back alley
IMAGES
you guys got boxes with your gear?