Last updated on 2026-01-13
A review and photo examples of the Voigtlander Color Scoper L39 screw mount 21mm f4.
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Table of contents
Gallery
- The photo examples were taken with HEXAR-RF +KONICA SINBI 200.
- The photo examples were taken with EPSON R-D1.
Review
Color Scoper 21mm is a wide-angle lens with Cosina Voigtlander’s L39 screw mount.
It is a very compact lens that can fit a focal length of 21mm into this size. Looking at this lens and the RICOH GR21, I think rangefinder cameras are really compatible with wide-angle lenses. Its compact size can be used in conjunction with a camera, such as taking snapshots without a viewfinder or capturing the surrounding area in close-up shots.
When used with the APS-C sensor EPSON R-D1, the focal length is equivalent to 32mm, and when used with the APS-H sensor M8/M8.2, the focal length is equivalent to 28mm. With the APS-C sensor and 1.5x R-D1, there is no problem in the periphery, but with the APS-H sensor and 1.3x M8/M8.2, there is some peripheral brightness when the aperture is wide open.
I think it could be called a Japanese-made Biogon due to its almost symmetrical lens structure, but because the rear lens has a certain amount of protrusion, some cameras with 35mm full-frame sensors may have more noticeable light reduction in the periphery or some sensors. I think you may feel a color cast.
The example film is Konica Color SINBI 200. I wonder if anyone born in the 1970s knew that Konica (now Konica Minolta) made film? I remember that it wasn’t as popular as Fujifilm in terms of graininess, but it was cheap, so I used it quite a bit. I feel like the 200 version of SINBI would be called ISO 2500 for modern digital cameras.


Specification
| Items | NOKTON | ULTRON | COLOR-SKOPAR Vintage Line | COLOR-SKOPAR | GR21 |
| Focal length(mm) | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Max aperture | 1.4 | 1.8 | 3.5 | 4 | 3.5 |
| Min aperture | 16 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Leaf blade | 12 | 10 | ← | ← | ← |
| Lens Construction | 13 elements in 11 groups | 13 elements in 11 groups | 9 elements in 8 groups | 8 elements in 6 groups | 9 elements in 6 groups |
| Min distance(m) | 0.5 | ← | ← | ← | ← |
| Lens length(mm) | 69.7 | 78.4 | 30 | 25.4 | 25.5 |
| Max diameter(mm) | 69.5 | 69.0 | 52 | 55 | 49.5 |
| Filter Size(mm) | 62 | 58 | 39 | 39 | 40.5 |
| Weight(g) | 480 | 412 | 180/220 | 136(VM) | 200 |
| Lens Hood | Reversible special floral hood | Built in | LH-11 | LH-1 Standard Circular hood | Special square hood |
| Lens mount | VM | VM | VM | VM/L | L39 |
| Release date | 2020.2.27 | 2012.12.19 | 2019.1.25 2021.12.16 | 2007.4.25(VM) | 1999 |
| Price(Yen/No-tax) | 150,000- | 118,000 | 95,000- | 55,000(VM) | 115,000- |
Reference links
- Leica Lenses of the World Part3 (P72) / COLOR SKOPAR 21mm(Japanese book)・Ads by Amazon
- NOKTON 21mm F1.4・Shige’s hobby
- RICOH GR21・Shige’s hobby
- COLOR SKOPAR 21mm VM・Shige’s hobby
Update
- 2025.6.13
- 2024.04.22
- 2023.10.31
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- Voigtlander lens・Ads by Amazon
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