Press Release (Google Translated)
Cosina has announced the Voigtländer-branded Apo-Lanthar 90mm F3.5 SL II close focus lens for Canon, Nikon and Pentax mounts. Maintaining the same 50cm minimum focusing distance and optical construction of the previous, SL version, the lens has been redesigned with a smaller body. Additionally, by mounting the included close up lens, its closest focusing distance can be reduced down to 32cm, giving a magnification ratio of 1:1.8. Priced at ¥58,000 (~ US $645) for the Canon EF mount and ¥55,000 (~ US $610) for the Nikon Ai-S mount and Pentax KA mount, it will be available in Japan from early March 2010.
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thanks Clark
cr
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New lenses, yay! Not new Canon lenses, boo!
Sweet!
they shouldn’t even bother making this those crappy Nikons!
I apologize for not seeing this one coming.
No need to apologize! We like surprises :)
Anyway, I hope this means we can look forward to an SL II version of the 125mm Apo-Lanthar. Sweetest news in a long time.
Hey thanks for putting this up:)
I’m kinda looking forward to this lens.
correction of translation:
Cosina is a Vogtländer branded manualfocus medium-tele lens.
canon mount price is 60,900yen, the other mounts are 57,750yen.
sorry, thats “Cosina is releasing a…”
What is Cosina?
Can somebody explain the use of such a lens? I know that one can expect exceptional quality, but it is not really a fast lens. Why would anyone go for it instead of EF 85 1.2L?
Given the price, the direct competition would be the EF 85mm f/1.8 USM. Or maybe the Zeiss ZE 85mm f/1.4, which is also manual focus but much more expensive – and which is manufactured by Cosina for Zeiss, if I am not mistaken.
Close focus to 50cm for a magnification of 1:3.5 isn’t really macro either, so no real competition for the EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM (non-L to be fair with the price) either.
So the question remains: Who would buy this, and why?
Why is this third-party-lens so expensive? 60900 Yen = 500 EUR = 700 USD. For what?
– no IS
– no AF
– no big aperture (only F3.5, no 2.8 or 2.0)
– no macro
Utterly ridiculous!
* f/3.5
* no macro
* no AF
* no IS
* ridiculously high price
Why would anyone choose this lens rather than the excellent EF 85/1.8 at less than half the price?
@Cosina: you wnat to sell 85mm teles? The take the Zeiss ZE 85mm/1.4 and add USM AF to it. The offer it for the same price your are asking for this piece of crap. Then ramp up your production capacity as fast as you can. :-)
you have no clue….
Unless it’s very, very cheap I don’t see it selling too many units. It’s slow and MF only. The only redeeming feature is the relatively low MFD but it’s got very low maximum magnification in either case.
Unless it has some absolutely magical resolution and sharpness that beats EF 85mm f/1.8 by an order of a magnitude I don’t see why anyone would want to buy it.
Yeah, seems a ridiculously placed lens.
People are forgetting that this lens is an apochromatic design, which can be of a certain value to some.
Other than that this lens doesn’t have much to offer. There are better lenses on the market for less money.
But as I said somewhere above: if this is a sign of things to come it’s very welcome news indeed.
“People are forgetting that this lens is an apochromatic design, which can be of a certain value to some.”
Others just use DPP and PS or other preferred software and don’t pay ridiculous amounts of money,
Maybe you’re not aware of the fact that apochromatic designs minimize not only lateral (easily corrected in post) but longitudinal CA as well.
Yes, as seen only by pixel-peepers at 100%.
This is the sort of lens you might use for reproducing art works or for astrophotography. It is designed to be sharp and devoid of CA above all other considerations–including price.
Look up what “law of diminishing returns” means, paying twice the price for 5/10% improvement is right up there.
http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/164-canon-ef-85mm-f18-usm-test-report–review?start=2
http://www.wlcastleman.com/equip/reviews/85mm/index.htm
That is a possible nice market – if the distortion and vignetting are up to scratch, too.
Do you really think that? I’d say that life has some surprises in store for you yet :)
But you see, as much as I like the vigour with which you look for faults in other people’s opinions, I don’t like it nearly enough to argue with you about unimportant things.
I do. I doubt it. Thanks, that frees up a lot of my time as you run out of arguments.
I haven’t even started an argument (nor do I intend to) and I am already out of arguments. Poor, poor me.
But I am happy for you, now that you realized you have spare time.. imagine what you could do with it!
Umm.. dunno.. enjoy my life as I’m doing it now and smirking at people who prefer personal attacks and arguments instead of talking about facts?
Come on, humor me, tell me why this lens is supposed to be better at twice than price than stepped down 85mm f/1.8. I’ll wait a couple of months to see comparison shots.
Interesting. Let’s see then:
I stated that this lens is an apo design. FACT. Some people might find such design appealing. FACT. I also stated that apart from being apochromatic, this lens doesn’t offer much and that there are better lenses for less money. FACT, isn’t it?
Your response seemed very much like an attempt to start a (pointless) ARGUMENT with a (however subtle) PERSONAL ATTACK thrown in for good measure.
I then pointed out that unlike lateral CA, LoCA is not easily fixed in software. FACT.
At which you replied, again in somewhat insulting tone, that the only people affected are pixel peepers. Fact? Hardly, but I have no desire to argue with you about it.
As for your other question, allow me to answer with a question of my own: Where did I write that this lens is better that Canon’s 85mm f/1.8? Or any other lens, for that matter? I did not. And you know why? Because I don’t think it’s better! Interesting, huh? Maybe you should stop assuming what people think and stick to what people say. I, for one, am pretty sure that I know what I think better than you do.
So yeah, have fun smirking at yourself. I’m sure that’s worth your time.
Uhm, and I’d like to apologize to other readers around here for wasting half a page for this nonsense.
Michal, please learn some netiquette and stop trolling comment sections insulting people.
That’s just Michal being Michal.
You again? Isn’t it time for your diaper change and morning nap?
Well Michalled sir. Hats off to you.
Go Michal yourself.
Ignorance is bliss (the Matrix)
For everyone here that is arguing, don’t you know that this is a place for optimism and rumors. If you want to argue, go to DPReview. For me though, please stay in the Nikon forums.
Thanks and don’t worry the 60D and 1ds will solve all of your problems. soon.
The real question is why are we comparing this lens to all the AF lens? It’s a totally different market for those who preffer manual focusing shooting style. Cosina/VoigAlander lenses are popular for that.
Also note that this is not just the EF mount.
Many people all over the world have been wishing they had more manual lensese like these and they are finaly coming out with more of these.
With all due respect, for those complaining, it is obvious
that they’ve never used lenses in this class.
This was done with a NIKON D700 (since they were only availble for Nikon/M42/K mounts). It’s not for this lens specifically but shows some photos of what these lenses are made for.
http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/lens_review/2008/08/21/9006.html
(sorry only in Japanese)
It’s always good to remember, it’s not the numbers that count but simply enjoying photograpy:)
Thanks.
“I then pointed out that unlike lateral CA, LoCA is not easily fixed in software. FACT.” and that argument goes so well “This is the sort of lens you might use for reproducing art works” – you get so much LoCA when taking a picture of a painting indeed.
“At which you replied, again in somewhat insulting tone, that the only people affected are pixel peepers. Fact?”
Fact, you will not see LoCA unless you pixel-peep.
I have no doubt it’s a good lens but the point is that it will never sell well as its market is tiny (whatever it is) and will not be a direct competition to any modern AF lens.
Actually it’s from a poem by Thomas Gray.
Do we know if the Canon mounted version will have electronic aperture control, like the ZE lenses, or be manual all the way?
A
Some real ignorant replies regarding this lens. Like most specialized lens, if you don’t understand what the lens does or its ultimate purpose (and possible gains over non corrected lenses) you should just stick to your Auto Focus lenses.
That aside, can’t wait for the 125/2.5 Macro and 180/4 APO lenses to be announced (assuming the 90mm is setting a precedent for a rerelease of Cosina’s APO lenses). They are definitely a bit more exciting (one being, obviously, a Macro lens and the other being a fairly compact telephoto).
So you take somebody else’s statement and present it as mine to support your shaky opinions? I don’t think that will get you very far :P
For the LoCA argument; well, you are wrong. But that’s cool with me.
Yes, the aperture is controlled from the camera.