Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 90mm f/4 close focus VM lens officially announced (Leica M-mount)

• 3 hours ago
• Categories: Leica Lenses
• Tags: third party lenses for M-mount, Voigtländer, Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 90mm f/4 close focus VM

Cosina officially announced the previously reported Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 90mm f/4 close focus VM lens for Leica M-mount.

Pre-orders should open soon at B&H Photo | Foto Erhardt | Red Dot Cameras | Jo Geier.

Here are the full details on the new lens:

• Apochromatic design that eliminates chromatic aberration
• Optical design optimized for digital image sensors
• Compact form factor with a total length of 54.8mm
• All-metal lens barrel offering high rigidity and durability
• Manual focus for precise focusing control
• Bayonet-style VM mount
• High-precision rangefinder coupling mechanism
• Minimum focusing distance of 0.5m
• Click-stop at the rangefinder coupling limit

Main features of the Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 90mm f/4 close focus VM lens:

• Apochromatic design: We have thoroughly eliminated various aberrations, including axial chromatic aberration, while also pursuing ultimate performance in terms of resolution and contrast reproduction.
• High performance & compact: The newly designed optical system uses anomalous partial dispersion glass in 6 of its 8 elements in 6 groups. Despite its high performance, the lens has a total length of 54.8mm (from the mount surface), eliminating vignetting in the shooting frame when using a rangefinder.
• The minimum focusing distance is 0.5m: It can focus down to 0.5m, exceeding the rangefinder’s minimum focusing distance of 0.7m. This is particularly useful when shooting with cameras equipped with live view functionality.
• Click the branching point of the rangefinder coupling range: It features a mechanism that lets you recognize the branching point of the rangefinder coupling range with a click while focusing.
• Includes a dedicated metal hood: To maintain the flare-cutting effect while eliminating interference with the shooting frame when mounted, a dedicated metal lens hood is included, seamlessly integrated with the lens body and featuring a short protrusion of approximately 9mm.
• Manual focus allows for precise focusing: The all-metal helicoid unit, machined and adjusted with high precision, and the use of high-quality grease that produces just the right amount of torque enable smooth focusing and precise focus adjustments.
• Bayonet-type VM mount: The lens mount uses a VM mount compatible with the Leica M mount.
• Equipped with a rangefinder coupling system: the high-precision rangefinder coupling mechanism allows precise focusing even at wide apertures.
• Full-size image circle: It offers a generous image circle compatible with 35mm full-frame cameras.

Press release:

Cosina Co., Ltd. is releasing the APO-LANTHAR 90mm F4 Close Focus VM, a high-performance medium-telephoto lens designed exclusively for full-frame VM-mount cameras under the Voigtländer brand.

The APO-LANTHAR 90mm F4 Close Focus VM is a high-performance manual-focus medium-telephoto lens optimized for full-frame M-mount sensors. Its apochromatic design thoroughly eliminates various aberrations—including axial chromatic aberration—while pursuing the ultimate in resolution and contrast reproduction. While adopting an F4 maximum aperture—typical of traditional 90mm rangefinder lenses—it achieves uncompromising optical performance by utilizing anomalous partial dispersion glass for six of the eight elements in its luxurious seven-group configuration. Thanks to a simple extension mechanism and the F4 aperture, the lens maintains a compact total length of just 54.8mm from the mount surface. Weighing only 235g, it offers excellent portability and eliminates viewfinder blockage (vignetting) when using optical rangefinders.

Equipped with a high-precision rangefinder coupling mechanism and an all-metal helicoid that provides a silky-smooth operating feel, this lens allows photographers to fully enjoy the authentic experience of focusing with a traditional rangefinder. It achieves a minimum focusing distance of 0.5m—extending beyond the standard 0.7m rangefinder coupling limit (which varies by camera)—thanks to a straight-extension helicoid design. It offers a maximum magnification of 0.28x (surpassing “quarter-macro” capability), and the apochromatic design ensures no image quality degradation during close-up shooting.

The lens features a mechanism that provides a tactile click to indicate the transition point of the rangefinder coupling range. Two exterior finishes are available: silver and black. It comes with a dedicated metal lens hood designed to integrate seamlessly with the lens body; with a projection of only about 9mm, it effectively cuts flare while avoiding interference with the image frame during shooting.

The first hands-on review of the lens can be found here: