Voigtländer Nokton 21mm f/1.4 ASPH.

Voigtländer Nokton 21mm f/1.4 ASPH.

Fast, ultra-wide rangefinder lenses are rare, and Cosina built this Nokton specifically to fill that gap for the M system. Voigtländer states that many photographers had asked for an extremely fast super-wide-angle lens in VM mount, which prompted the company to develop it [1]. The result is a 21mm lens that combines an f/1.4 maximum aperture with a 90.3° angle of view, an unusual pairing at this focal length that gives a strongly dynamic perspective while still allowing shallow depth of field. Reviewers have placed it among the strongest 21mm options for M-mount cameras in terms of pure optical performance [2].

The optical formula uses 13 elements in 11 groups, including aspherical surfaces and a floating-element design that maintains image quality across the focus range, including at the close focus limit of 0.5 m. The barrel is built from metal and glass with the manual focus and click-stopped aperture handling typical of Cosina's Voigtländer line, and the 12-blade diaphragm is intended to render a smooth out-of-focus background. The lens is rangefinder coupled and is supplied with a dedicated bayonet lens hood. Coupling covers roughly infinity to 0.7 m depending on the camera body, while the helicoid itself continues to a 0.5 m close-focus distance for use on mirrorless bodies via adapter or with live view. It accepts 62 mm filters and weighs 480 g, which is moderate for a lens of this speed and angle of view.

The Nokton sits at the top of Voigtländer's 21mm VM range, above the slower and lighter 21mm f/1.8 Ultron and the compact 21mm f/3.5 Color-Skopar. Compared with those single-aspheric, unit-focus designs, the f/1.4 Nokton is distinguished by its multiple aspherical surfaces, floating-element construction, 12-blade aperture and larger 62 mm filter thread. It is offered in black, and a parallel version of the same optical design exists in Sony E mount, sold separately from the VM rangefinder-coupled model.

Optical qualities

Rendering Independent testing describes the lens as delivering very high sharpness and contrast across the frame at all focus distances, to the point that one reviewer considered it likely the best 21mm lens available for M-mount cameras optically. Flare resistance is rated as good, and the lens produces the distinct sunstars that are characteristic of Cosina's Voigtländer optics.

Distortion and vignetting The same review rates distortion as moderate and notes heavy vignetting wide open, which is the lens's main optical weakness; correction of coma and chromatic aberration is described as average. Voigtländer states that the aspherical elements were used to keep distortion low and to limit chromatic aberration.

Bokeh and transitions The out-of-focus rendering is rated as average rather than a standout, which is unsurprising for an ultra-wide lens where depth of field is large even at f/1.4.

History

Development and Launch Cosina released the Nokton 21mm f/1.4 in VM mount in 2020, answering demand for a very fast super-wide rangefinder lens. It joined a 21mm VM lineup that already included the 21mm f/1.8 Ultron, introduced in 2012, and the 21mm f/3.5 Color-Skopar, introduced in 2018.

Production Evolution Within Cosina's fast 21mm offerings, the Nokton represents a more complex approach than the earlier Ultron: it moves from a single aspherical surface and unit-focus layout to a floating-element design with multiple aspherical surfaces, a 12-blade diaphragm and a larger 62 mm filter thread. The f/1.8 Ultron was discontinued in early 2023, leaving the Nokton as the fast member of the current 21mm range.

Special editions No major factory special editions of this lens are widely documented. The same optical design is also produced in a Sony E-mount version, but that is a separate mount variant rather than a limited edition.

Collector Notes This is a current-production lens, so condition rather than rarity is the main consideration. Buyers should confirm that the dedicated bayonet hood is present, since it is part of the standard package, and check the 62 mm filter thread and front element for damage. Because a visually similar E-mount version exists, purchasers seeking the rangefinder-coupled lens should verify that the example is the VM (M-mount) model. Minor figures differ slightly between sources: Voigtländer lists the weight as 480 g and the dimensions as about 69.5 mm diameter and 69.7 mm length, while one review cites 484 g without caps and hood, a difference attributable to measurement conditions.