Voigtlander Color Skopar VM 35mm F2.5 PII

The new COLOR SKOPAR 35mm

A review and Photo example of the Voigtlander COLOR SKOPAR 35mm F2.5.

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Gallery

The sample photo were taken with the EPSON R-D1

The lens configuration diagram is taken from the official Cosina website.

1．Usage

The Color Skopar VM 35mm F2.5 PII (CS35-P2) is the successor to the L39 screw mount lens of the same name that was released in 1999.

In terms of image quality, it is difficult to find any differences from the L39 screw mount version. The lens barrel has been changed to a larger focusing lever, making it easier to use than the older P and C types.

When I saw the CS35-P2 used for a cheap price, I bought it out of curiosity, but I sold it soon after because I didn’t feel any difference in the results from the older lens.

2．Lens overview

The CS35-P2 was released in 2006 with a similar appearance to the Color Skopar 21mm-P and Color Skopar 25mm-P.

The lens mount has been changed from the L39 screw of the old lens to a VM mount. The lens configuration diagram in the product introduction distributed by Cosina includes the notation “anomalous partial dispersion glass”, but the lens configuration and lens shape of the old and new lenses appear to be the same as far as the product introduction of the old lens is concerned.

The minimum shooting distance is 0.7m, and the focusing lever has a large finger grip similar to that of a Leica 35mm lens. Lens hoods available are the LH-4N1 with a circular slit, and the LH-122, which is similar to the C-type optional hood LH-2.

Compatible lenses for the LH-12 are the Voigtlander Ultron 28/2 I, Ultron 28/2 II, Color Skopar 35/2.5 PII, Ultron 35/2 I, and Ultron 35/2 II. Voigtlander lenses have many confusing model numbers, so we recommend that you check before purchasing whether the lens you own is compatible.

3．Comparison with competitors

There are many types of 35mm focal length lenses, making it a highly competitive field. Voigtlander alone has around 20 types of 35mm lenses, including minor differences. Among them, the CS35-P2 is not a bad lens, but it is a lens that has no distinctive features in terms of depiction or appearance, and is not often chosen by users.

If you want to take advantage of its compactness, I think it would be better to use the older L39 screw mount version on a Barnack Leica. The change to the VM mount is also a negative factor, as with the VM mount, this lens has little advantage in size, weight, and price compared to the brighter F1.4 Nokton, making it difficult to position it.

Specification and Competitor

Items	C-type	P-type	P II(This lens)
Focal length(mm)	35	←	←
Max aperture	2.5	←	←
Min aperture	22	←	←
Leaf blad	10	←	←
Lens Construction	7 elements in 5 groups	←	←
Min distance(m)	0.7	1.0	0.7
Lens length(mm)	31(Food included)	25	23
Max diameter(mm)	49.5	55	59
Filter Size(mm)	39	43	39
Lens Hood	Cylindrical Hood LH-2	P-type hood	LH-12 LH-4N
Lens Mount	L39	←	VM
Weight(g)	90	134	134
Release date	1999.03	1999.03	2006.03
Price(Yen/No-tax)	35,000(Silver) 35,000(Black)	30,000(Black)	45,000(Black)