Voigtländer Color-Skopar 28mm f/3.5

Voigtländer Color-Skopar 28mm f/3.5

Among the smallest rangefinder lenses Cosina ever built under the Voigtländer name, the Color-Skopar 28mm f/3.5 was conceived as a more compact and slower companion to the faster 28mm f/1.9 already in the lineup [2]. It arrived in Leica Thread Mount, which makes it mountable on a wide range of screw-mount Barnack Leicas and their copies, as well as on M cameras through an adapter [2]. Although it reportedly did not sell strongly when new, the lens has since acquired a quiet cult following, and clean examples have become harder to find and more expensive on the used market [1][2].

The optical formula uses seven elements in five groups with exclusively spherical surfaces, multi-coated and closely related to the layout Voigtländer used in its other compact wide angles such as the 25mm [2]. The barrel is made of brass, which gives the tiny lens a reassuring density despite its short overall length [1]. Focusing is handled by a small protruding lever rather than a concave focus tab, with a short throw of a little over 90 degrees and smooth, well-judged resistance that suits zone focusing [2]. The aperture is set with a finely ribbed front ring that clicks at full and half stops, and the ten-bladed diaphragm produces clean sun stars [2]. The lens is rangefinder coupled, and its 0.7 m minimum focus distance is closer than the roughly 1 m that older screw-mount bodies can usually meter, so on a Barnack camera it is easy to focus nearer than the rangefinder will follow [2]. The screw-in hood threads onto the outer front of the barrel and leaves the filter thread exposed when removed, which some users find unsightly but which is otherwise an elegant solution for so small a lens [1].

The Color-Skopar 28mm f/3.5 appears to have been produced essentially unchanged for the duration of its run, offered in black paint and silver chrome finishes [2]. It is generally regarded as the predecessor to the later 28mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar, which arrived years afterward with a different optical count, a redesigned barrel, and an infinity lock [3].

Optical qualities

Rendering Reviewers consistently describe a modern, high-contrast rendering with vivid but fairly neutral color, an effect that gives images a three-dimensional look without appearing harsh [1][2].

Sharpness On-axis resolution is very good even wide open, holding well through the mid-field before falling off toward the edges and corners [2]. Stopping down lifts performance across the frame, with f/5.6 looking good and f/8 needed for crisp results into the corners, somewhat behind the best lenses in the class but strong for the size [2].

Contrast and color Contrast is high but well balanced and even across the frame, lending a sense of clarity, while color is rendered in a vivid, modern way [1][2].

Bokeh and transitions As a wide and relatively slow lens it rarely produces much background blur, though close-range work at wider apertures yields some separation; out-of-focus highlights have well-defined outlines that can look busy in high-contrast scenes, while focus transitions are gentle [2].

Flare resistance The lens flares only with difficulty, generally requiring the sun placed directly in the frame, a behavior helped by routine use of the hood [1].

Distortion and vignetting Distortion is essentially absent in normal use, while vignetting is pronounced wide open and lingers somewhat on stopping down, though it is straightforward to correct [1][2].

Digital use On a Leica M9 the corner falloff increases and the lens shows color shift toward the corners when no lens profile is selected; choosing a wide-angle profile reduces or removes the shift and can also tame the vignetting [1].

History

Development and Launch Voigtländer introduced the Color-Skopar 28mm f/3.5 in 2002 as a small, slower alternative to the existing 28mm f/1.9, and it remains among the smallest and lightest lenses the brand has offered [2]. Its compact LTM design fit the appeal of pairing modern optics with vintage screw-mount Leicas [1][2].

Production Evolution The lens was reportedly unchanged throughout its production, available only in black paint and silver chrome, and was discontinued around 2007 owing to modest sales [2].

Special editions No major factory special variants of this lens are widely documented; the principal choice for buyers is simply between the black and silver finishes [2].

Collector Notes Because relatively few were made and demand has grown, the lens commands higher prices than its original standing suggested, and examples appear only occasionally on the used market [1][2]. Buyers should confirm the brass barrel and the finish, check that the screw-in hood is present since it leaves the filter thread exposed when removed, and verify smooth focus-lever action and clean glass [1][2]. The naming overlaps with the later 28mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar, so confirming the f/3.5 maximum aperture and the LTM mount avoids confusion between the two designs [3].

Sources

• [1] 35mmc. Voigtlander 28mm f/3.5 Color-Skopar Review. https://www.35mmc.com/26/11/2017/voigtlander-28mm-f-3-5-color-skopar-review/
• [2] KJ Vogelius (GEAR). Voigtländer 28/3.5 Color-Skopar Review. http://gear.vogelius.se/-reviews/voigtlander-skopar-28-ltm/index.html
• [3] Phillip Reeve. Review: Voigtländer VM 28mm 2.8 Color-Skopar. https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-voigtlander-vm-28mm-2-8-color-skopar/