Cosina is Making its First a Canon RF-Mount Lens: The Nokton 50mm f/1
Cosina is expanding to support Canon RF mount this year and will release a Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1 aspherical lens that, while manual focus, will communicate electronically with the camera.
The Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical is Cosina’s first RF mount lens. The manual focus optic achieves the brightest aperture among Voigtlander’s full-frame offerings and is equipped with the company’s in-house ground aspherical lens elements. It will also support full electronic communication with an attached Canon RF camera, which means it will transfer EXIF data. Aperture control is achieved via the external aperture ring.
The lens is constructed of nine elements arranged in seven groups and has an aperture range of f/1 through f/16 via a 12-bladed aperture diaphragm — far more than the average. The lens measures 64mm long by 79.3mm (about 2.5 by 3.1 inches) in diameter and the front filter thread measures 67mm. The lens weighs 650 grams (about 22.9 ounces). This lens is very likely similar to the company’s existing 50mm f/1 for VM-mount and Nikon Z-mount.
Cosina hasn’t said if the electronic communication it has implemented on the lens was done in conjunction with Canon, which is only notable since it says it works with Nikon — specifically says it works “in partnership” with Nikon — to produce its line of Z-mount lenses. Additionally, Canon has not been friendly with third-party lens makers since the launch of RF and has gone so far as to sue any who produce autofocus-equipped lenses for its closed system. Cosina likely skirted around this issue since its lenses are typically manual focus only, which is again the case with the 50mm f/1.
Cosina did not reveal intended pricing or expected availability.
Other Lenses Coming this Year
In addition to the 50mm f/1, Cosina also announced the development of a Nokton 35mm f/0.9 Aspherical and a 27mm f/2 for Fujifilm X-mount as well as the Nokton 55mm f/1.2 SLIIS for Nikon AI-S DSLRs.
The Nokton 35mm f/0.9 Aspherical and 27mm f/2 lenses have both been “optimized” for Fujifilm X-mount sensors and are equipped with electronic contacts. The former is constructed of 10 elements arranged in 8 groups and features an aperture range of f/0.9 through f/22 via a 12-bladed aperture diaphragm.
The latter will be available in either black or silver and features a construction of six elements arranged in four groups and features an aperture range of f/2 through f/22 via a 10-bladed diaphragm. The 27mm f/2 is also very thin and could easily be considered a pancake lens.
The Nokton 55mm f/1.2 SLIIS is designed for Nikon DSLRs and is equipped with an AI coupler which allows it to be used with older film SLRs as well as Nikon’s most recent DSLRs. It is constructed of seven elements arranged into six groups and features an aperture range of f/1.2 through f/16 via a nine-bladed diaphragm.
All four lenses will be on display at the CP+ 2023 tradeshow in Japan that starts on February 23. All pricing and official release times will be announced at a later date.
