Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1

Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1

When Cosina announced this lens for the Voigtländer VM mount in late 2021, it became the fastest full-frame lens the company had ever produced, an f/1 standard prime built to compete directly with Leica's f/0.95 Noctilux at a far lower price [1][2]. The optical design uses nine elements in seven groups and is centered on a hand-ground aspherical (GA) surface on the front element, which Cosina produced in-house using high-refraction, high-melting-point glass. The company has said this element was harder to manufacture than a molded asphere but allowed the configuration to be simplified while keeping the lens relatively compact for its speed [1]. Floating elements help maintain performance at closer focusing distances, and the diaphragm uses twelve blades for rounded out-of-focus highlights [2][3].

The lens is built almost entirely of metal, with engraved, paint-filled markings, and follows the styling of Cosina's higher-end M lenses such as the VM 21mm f/1.4 Nokton rather than the look of the VM 50mm f/1.2 [2]. It uses a 62mm filter thread and is supplied with a felt-lined metal hood that can be reversed for storage, which is notable because Voigtländer M hoods are often sold separately [2]. The focus ring is rangefinder coupled and turns with even resistance over a long throw, helping with precise focus despite the very shallow depth of field at f/1, while the aperture ring clicks in half stops from f/1 to f/16 [2]. The lens is not factory six-bit coded for Leica bodies. It is sold in black.

The M-mount VM version is the original of the design; Cosina later released native Nikon Z and Sony E versions of the Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical, so buyers should confirm they are looking at the rangefinder-coupled VM lens rather than a mirrorless variant [3].

Optical qualities

Rendering

Reviewers describe the lens as unusually sharp for its speed, with high contrast and resolution wide open at portrait and close distances, a result attributed in part to the floating element group [2][4]. One detailed test found it sharper at portrait distances than the older Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux-M, with better correction of coma and chromatic aberration and a generally pleasing bokeh [2]. The trade-off typical of a fast lens on the narrow M mount is heavy vignetting, which is pronounced wide open, along with residual coma in the corners at the widest apertures [2].

Distortion

Testing showed only slight, not perfectly uniform pincushion distortion, easily corrected in software [2].

Flare resistance

Flare control is generally good, though rainbow artefacts can appear without the hood; the supplied hood largely suppresses them [2].

History

Development and Launch

Cosina introduced the Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical for the Voigtländer VM mount in December 2021, presenting it as the fastest full-frame Voigtländer lens to date and the brand's most ambitious fast fifty [1][2]. The stated design goal was a large-aperture standard lens that delivered large, smooth bokeh while remaining sharp, using the in-house ground aspherical front element to keep the design compact [1].

Production Evolution

The f/1 sits at the top of a line of fast Voigtländer 50mm lenses that previously ran through the all-spherical 50mm f/1.1 Nokton and the aspherical VM 50mm f/1.2 Nokton; compared with those, the f/1 is larger and heavier and adds floating elements [2]. After the M-mount release, Cosina brought out the same optical design in native Nikon Z mount in early 2023 and in Sony E mount in 2024 [3].

Collector Notes

This is a current-production lens rather than a vintage one, so originality and conversion concerns are minimal. The main point to verify is the mount, because the identically named Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical also exists in Nikon Z and Sony E versions that are not rangefinder coupled [3]. Buyers should confirm the lens is the VM (M-mount) edition and that the dedicated hood is included. One published review lists a minimum focus distance of 0.9 m for this lens, which differs from the 0.7 m value recorded here; prospective buyers may wish to confirm the figure against the current manufacturer specification [2].

Sources

• [1] PetaPixel. Cosina Unveils Super-Fast Nokton 50mm f/1 Lens for VM-Mount. https://petapixel.com/2021/12/10/cosina-unveils-super-fast-nokton-50mm-f-1-lens-for-vm-mount/
• [2] phillipreeve.net (Bastian Kratzke). Review: Voigtländer VM 50mm 1.0 Nokton - The fastest M lens. https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-voigtlander-vm-50mm-1-0-nokton-the-actually-fastest-m-mount-lens/
• [3] PetaPixel. Cosina Adds Voigtlander 50mm f/1 and 15mm f/4.5 to Nikon Z Mount Line. https://petapixel.com/2023/01/17/cosina-adds-voigtlander-50mm-f-1-and-15mm-f-4-5-to-nikon-z-mount-line/
• [4] Keith Wee. Voigtlander Nokton 50mm F1 Aspherical VM review – Setting a new standard. https://keithwee.com/2023/04/23/voigtlander-nokton-50mm-f1-aspherical-vm-review-setting-a-new-standard/