New design Color Skopar VM 35mm F2.5 PII
A review and Photo example of the Voigtlander COLOR SKOPAR 35mm F2.5 with the EPSON R-D1.
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Table of contents
Gallery
The sample photo were taken with the EPSON R-D1
Review
1．Overview
The Color Skopar VM 35mm F2.5 PII is a 35mm focal length lens released in 2006 that uses a Leica M-mount compatible VM mount.
This lens is a redesigned successor to the Color Skopar L39 screw mount lens released in 1999. The redesigned dimensions are nearly identical to the Color Skopar 21mm F4P and Color Skopar 25mm F4P, which also use the VM mount.
The lens consists of 7 elements in 5 groups, and the minimum focusing distance is 0.7m, which is linked to the rangefinder of a rangefinder camera. The total length of the lens from the mount face to the tip of the lens is 23mm, and the filter diameter is 39mm.
Lens hoods available are the LH-4N with a circular slit and the LH-12, which is similar to the separately sold C-type hood LH-2.
Lenses compatible with the LH-12 are Voigtlander’s ULTRON VM 28mm / F2 I, ULTRON VM 28mm / F2 II, Color Skopar 35/2.5 PII, Ultron 35/2 I, and Ultron 35/2 II. Many Voigtlander lenses have confusing model numbers, so we recommend checking before purchasing that the lens you own is compatible.
2．Usability
It’s difficult to find any difference in the image quality of the Color Skopar VM 35mm F2.5 compared to the L39 screw-mount version.
The lens barrel has been changed to include a large, bifurcated focusing lever, making focusing easier than with the older Color Skopar 35mm P-type and C-type lenses.
I used it with an Epson R-D1 equipped with an APS-C sensor, so I used it as a standard lens equivalent to 50mm in 35mm format. Because the edges are cropped, it was a solid lens that produced flawless images from wide open aperture throughout the entire recorded image.
I was using a 6-megapixel Epson R-D1, but judging from the image quality, I believe the lens’s performance is more than sufficient for practical use with cameras equipped with APS-C sensors up to around 24 megapixels.
3．Summary
In conclusion, to sum up the Color Skopar VM 35mm F2.5, although the 35mm focal length is a highly competitive focal length, it is an inexpensive and stable lens, making it one of the lenses that can be used as a benchmark when comparing with other lenses.
There is an article in the book linked below: Voigtländer VM & Carl Zeiss ZM Lens WORLD (Nippon Camera MOOK) Large format – October 18, 2010, Ads by Amazon (Lens introduction and sample photos on page 23)
Specifications, considerations, etc.
The 35mm focal length lens category is also a highly competitive field, with many varieties available. Voigtländer alone has around 20 different 35mm lenses, including minor variations. Among them, the CS35-P2 is not a bad lens, but it lacks distinctive image quality and appearance, making it a rare choice for users.
This lens in particular is often seen as inferior to the NOKTON 35mm F1.4, which is in the same VM mount series. It has not sold as well as the NOKTON 35mm F1.4, and its list price and used prices are both cheaper. However, the NOKTON 35mm F1.4 is a lens that aims for duality, changing from a slightly wild image at full aperture to a more refined image when the aperture is narrowed, while the Color skopar 35mm aims for stable image quality even at full aperture, making it a lens with a different goal.
The lens mount has been changed from the L39 screw mount used on previous lenses to a VM mount. The lens structure diagram in the product introduction distributed by Cosina includes the notation “anomalous partial dispersion glass,” but as far as the product introduction for the old lens is concerned, the lens structure and shape of the old and new lenses are the same.
| 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 | 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) |
Affiliate link
- Please see the disclaimer regarding advertising here.
- Italicized links in the text are advertisement links that take you to other sites.
- Voigtlander VM・Ads by ebay
Reference links
- COSINA Official web site
- Voigtlander VM & Carl Zeiss ZM Lens WORLD (Japan Camera MOOK) Large book – 18 October 2010 Amazon Affiliate link
- Lens introduction and sample images on page 23.
Update history
- 2025.8.10
- 2024.9.15
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