Using a tiny pancake lens can make a mirrorless camera feel more like a compact camera – and Leica M mount shooters will soon have another option to choose from. On February 14, Cosina announced the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm f/3.5 Aspherical VM lens, a compact lens that only adds 14mm (.55 inches) from the lens mount and weighs just 99g (about 3.5 oz).
The lens is part of Cosina’s VM series, a line of manual focus optics designed for the full-frame Leica M mount. Like others in the series, the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm f/3.5 is made from brass and includes a retro-styled focus scale.
But, at 14mm from the mount excluding the mount and hood, the lens is actually smaller than the average width of the index finger, which would make the typical focus ring problematic. Instead, a focusing lever aims to help photographers quickly adjust the focus while keeping the retro look and compact size.
The compact lens is constructed with six elements in four groups. Cosina says that the double-sided aspherical lens and three analogous partial dispersion glass elements help the optic capture sharp images. The 35mm lens uses ten aperture blades, with a range of f/3.5 to f/22.
The lens will be available in silver or black paint and includes a metal hood.
While Cosina did not share an exact release date, the company expects the lens to arrive in March, 2025. The company hasn’t shared international pricing data, but the ¥102,000 suggested retail price is roughly equivalent to $670 / £530 / AU$1,054.
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For more compact optics, browse the best pancake lenses or the best Leica M lenses. Or read why using a pancake lens and mirrorless camera may make more sense than buying a compact camera.
