Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.5 Aspherical VM Type 1

Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.5 Aspherical VM Type 1

The Type 1 is the lighter of two near-identical siblings introduced together by Cosina under the Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line, distinguished from the Type 2 mainly by its body material rather than its optics. It uses an aluminium barrel that brings the weight down to 188 g, while the otherwise matching Type 2 is built in brass and weighs considerably more, with both versions sharing the same optical formula [1]. Announced in October 2022 with shipping from the following month, the lens arrived as one of several fast 35mm options in the Voigtländer M-mount catalogue and was positioned by reviewers as a far less expensive route to a high-performing 35mm than Leica's Summilux-M or Summicron-M aspherical lenses [2][3].

The optical design uses nine elements in six groups and includes two double-sided aspherical elements, which help keep the lens compact for its speed at a 39 mm filter thread and roughly 36 mm length. The barrel is all-metal with a focusing tab and a clicked aperture ring that reviewers describe as smoothly and firmly tensioned, with distance markings in white for metres and red for feet. As a coupled M-mount lens it focuses down to 0.5 m, but the rangefinder mechanism itself only couples to about 0.7 m, so focusing closer than that requires live view or an electronic finder such as the Visoflex. Voigtländer lists separate hoods, the LN-4N and the LH-12, as optional accessories.

The naming can cause confusion at the point of purchase, since both the Type 1 and Type 2 carry the "Type I / Type II" designation and the same Nokton Vintage Line branding. The Type 1 is offered only in matte black aluminium, whereas the brass Type 2 adds black paint and chrome finishes; one writer noted that the release was delayed specifically so that more cosmetic finishes could be offered. Buyers should therefore confirm body material and weight rather than relying on the model name alone.

Optical qualities

Rendering Across reviews the lens is reported as sharp at its maximum aperture with good contrast, paired with a rendering that leans warmer and more classical than Voigtländer's cooler, more modern Ultron line. It is described as showing little distortion and only slight vignetting wide open that is easily corrected.

Bokeh and transitions The f/1.5 aperture and 12-blade diaphragm allow shallow depth of field on a 35 mm field of view, and the out-of-focus rendering is characterised as fitting the Vintage Line's classic, warmer drawing rather than a clinical look.

Flare resistance Reviewers note that the lens produces defined sunstars, with the effect appearing from around f/4 and looking best between roughly f/5.6 and f/11, while remaining usable at wider settings such as f/2 to f/2.8.

History

Development and Launch Cosina announced the Nokton Vintage Line 35mm f/1.5 Aspherical in both Type I and Type II forms in October 2022, with shipping beginning in November of that year. At launch it joined an already crowded field of Voigtländer 35mm M-mount lenses, described by one retailer as the sixth 35mm option in the company's M-mount range as of October 2022, and it was widely framed as a value-oriented alternative to Leica's own fast 35mm lenses.

Production Evolution The two variants were released in parallel rather than as a sequential revision: the Type 1 in aluminium at 188 g and the Type 2 in brass at 284 g, sharing identical optics while differing in handling feel and available finishes.

Collector Notes The most common point of confusion is between the aluminium Type 1 and the brass Type 2, since both share the Vintage Line name and the same optical layout; the clearest distinguishing features are the body material, weight and available finishes, with the Type 1 sold only in matte black. Prospective owners should also be aware that rangefinder coupling extends only to about 0.7 m even though the lens focuses to 0.5 m, and that hoods are sold separately.