Voigtländer Ultron 28mm f/2 V2 Type II

Voigtländer Ultron 28mm f/2 V2 Type II

Cosina's Ultron Vintage Line 28mm f/2 belongs to a family of Voigtländer lenses that wrap thoroughly modern optics in retro styling, and the Type II is the brass-bodied member of that family [1][2]. It is distinguished from the older pre-aspherical 28mm f/2 Ultron by the addition of an aspherical element and the word "Vintage" in its name, with Cosina advertising the redesign as sharper, smaller and lighter than its predecessor, which had only mediocre performance wide open [2]. The optical formula uses ten elements in seven groups, including one aspherical element and two abnormal partial dispersion elements, with a ten-blade diaphragm [1]. It is a small lens that takes common 39mm filters, focuses to 0.5 m, and is mechanically coupled to the rangefinder on M-mount cameras [1][3].

In handling, the lens behaves like a conventional well-made rangefinder optic. Reviewers describe the focusing action as slightly stiff but not obstructive, and the compact barrel is small without being awkward to operate [3]. Built largely of brass, the Type II is noticeably heavier than the aluminium Type I, and it carries a fixed focus tab rather than the removable focusing lever fitted to the earlier version [2]. The lens is not factory six-bit coded, so users who want full electronic lens recognition, including in-camera vignetting and distortion correction, commonly add an aftermarket coding kit to register it on a Leica body [2].

It is important to note the difference between Voigtländer's "Classic" and "Vintage" designations. "Classic" describes the optical character and an image quality reminiscent of 1950s and 1960s lenses, whereas "Vintage" refers only to the external styling and says nothing about optical performance, which here is modern [3]. The Ultron Vintage Line 28mm f/2 was released in 2021 in two finishes: a 1950s-style black paint and a silver chrome version, both built on brass barrels [2][3].

Optical qualities

Rendering The lens is a modern aspherical design rather than a soft "character" optic, so it does not deliver low-contrast vintage rendering [3]. Reviewers report near-perfect sharpness at f/2 with no detectable focus shift, the latter a point of contrast with the comparable 28mm Summicron [2]. Out-of-focus rendering is generally smooth and unobtrusive; one reviewer noted that swirly bokeh appeared only in a single rare image across weeks of shooting and could not be reliably reproduced, so it should not be considered a defining trait [3]. Distortion is minor, described as a faint hint of barrel distortion that is hard to notice in practice [2]. Vignetting wide open is significant on the original files but is regular and easily corrected in post-processing [3].

Digital use As with most fast wide-angle rangefinder lenses, behaviour on digital sensors benefits from software correction; six-bit coding the lens to a matching profile enables automatic vignetting and distortion correction and lens metadata in Lightroom [2].

History

Development and Launch The Ultron Vintage Line 28mm f/2 was introduced by Cosina under the Voigtländer brand in 2021 as a redesign of the earlier 28mm f/2 Ultron [2][3]. The earlier lens was widely regarded as weak wide open, and the new version added an aspherical element to improve sharpness while reducing size and weight [2].

Production Evolution Cosina offered the line in two broad styles. The Type I used a black anodized aluminium barrel with chrome accents and a removable focusing lever, while the Type II adopted brass construction, slightly revised styling and a fixed focus tab in place of the removable lever [2]. The brass Type II is therefore heavier than the Type I, though both share the same optical design and 0.5 m minimum focus [2]. The Type II was offered in black paint and silver chrome finishes [2][3].

Collector Notes Buyers should be careful to distinguish the three styling variants, the aluminium Type I and the black-paint and silver-chrome brass Type II versions, since they look and weigh differently while functioning identically [2]. Because the lens is not factory six-bit coded, prospective owners who shoot digital may want to budget for a coding kit so the lens can be registered to a compatible profile [2]. The brass construction and exposed paint finishes are prone to wear that some collectors value as patina, so condition expectations should match the finish chosen.

Sources

• [1] B&H Photo Video. Voigtlander 28mm f/2.0 Ultron Vintage Aspherical VM Lens Type II (Black). https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1637251-REG/voigtlander_ba366c_28mm_f_2_0_ultron_vintage.html
• [2] Jack Takahashi. Review: Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron Vintage ASPH. https://jacktaka.com/voigtlander-28mm-f2
• [3] Leica Lenses for Normal People. Voigtlander Ultron Vintage 28mm f/2 ASPH VM Type II Review. https://www.leicalensesfornormalpeople.com/2021/07/10/voigtlander-ultron-vintage-28mm-f-2-asph-vm-type-ii/